The National Review Online (NRO) is reporting today, in an article entitled "The Amnesty Memo," that the U.S. Immigration Service is looking for ways in which it can enact what it calls “meaningful immigration reform absent legislative action” — that is, without the consent of the American people through a vote in Congress. The memo suggests that in the absence of immigration reform legislation by Congress, the Service could issue its own rules and guidelines to provide what it calls "parole-in-place" for certain individuals and classes of individuals.  Some members of Congress have asked the administration to disavow that de facto amnesty is in the works, but so far the administration has not replied.

With each passing day of the Obama Administration, I see more clearly how easily dictatorships can take hold of a country, and I understand just a little bit more why the founding fathers provided for the removal of a government from time to time.  I tell you the time is short, and I would support any effort of the southwestern border states to defend themselves — any effort, even challenging the idea that it is illegal to withdrawal from the union when the Federal Government refuses to do its job and see to the benefits that Statehood is supposed to provide.

"A little rebellion now and then is a good thing." — Thomas Jefferson

I detest those who leak national secrets -- especially military secrets that pertain to an ongoing war.  Those that do so endanger the lives of individuals and the nation.  There is only one name for it -- treason -- and there is only one acceptable punishment for leaking confidential and secret documents -- death. 

I don't much care what the content of the individual documents is -- there is never any justification for leaking classified material.  If somebody has an honest and strongly held belief that something is wrong or is just not right, there are proper channels that can be used to bring attention to the facts without committing treason.  If they do otherwise, male or female, they deserve a bullet through the brain. 

The Lockerbie PanAm 101 killer was released.  Everyone knows that by now.  The United States now wants a full scale investigation into the matter.  My only comment is:

To hell with an investigation.  Send an assassin.  It's less expensive and yields more immediate and satisfying results.

Hummm.  Does anyone else find it somewhat suspicious that there should be so many tapes.  I could believe one tape.  I might even believe two tapes; but five tapes as of this morning?  That's a bit too much for me.

And another thing: as I listen to these tapes, I notice several things right out of the gate.

1. The woman remains too calm throughout in the face of such rage.  If I was being shouted at like that, I would not remain that calm.  It's doubtful that I would even remain on the line.
2. The man who is so obviously in a rage seems to be doing a lot of heavy breathing.  Why?  That just doesn't seem natural in context, unless someone is trying to deliberately work themselves into a rage.
3. Nothing of any real substance is being said by the guy.  Nothing specific is brought forth to explain why he is upset.  There is nothing there except explatives.
4. The rage, the shouting, and the heavy breathing make it impossible to positively identify the voice as that of Mel Gibson just by listening to the tapes. 

All of this smells like a setup to me.  Someone is out to ruin Gibson so that Oksana Grigorieva can get sole custody of their child.

The 2010 election is drawing closer, so I feel I must let it be known early in the game that regardless of all other considerations, I will automatically vote against any candidate who dares to compare his or her opponent to either Hitler or to the Nazis.  Aside from the fact that such a comparison demonstrates a complete lack of knowledge about both Hitler and the Nazi Party, it also points to

• an inept person who can not present any valid, quantifiable difference between himself and his opponent;
• a person with questionable ethics and values who would besmirch the good name and reputation of his opposition for nothing more than a job, without regard for the truth of what s/he is saying or the harm it may do to the reputation of another human being;
• a person without shame or honor.

I would have more faith in a viper than a candidate that used Nazi comparisons.

Eleven years ago (that's 1999 for those who don't do the math), I purchased a Jeep Grand Cherokee.  I did regular oil changes and all the recommended preventive maintenance.  As a result, the vehicle is still running like new.  Of course, I did have to buy a couple of batteries, two sets of tires, and some brakes, but that stuff is normal wear and tear and to be expected.

That said, I must now report that after eleven years, I finally had not one but two major repairs to make.  First the air conditioner: the evaporator (whatever that is) went out.  Cost to replace: nearly $1200.  That's ok; I'm surprised that it lasted as long as it did.  Second, the instrument cluster died.  I went out on the morning of the 5th to go to the grocery store and found that neither the speedometer nor the tackometer would register.  They were pegged at zero, so I had no way of knowing how fast I was going.

It used to be that a cable ran from a wheel to somewhere behind the dash to make the speedometer work.  Cost: probable about $10.  Silly me, I thought that this was still the way things worked.  But noooo.  Now it's a circuit card, and not only does this card make the speedometer work, but also all the other dash gages.  Fuel gage, battery gage, oil temperature, engine heat, airbags, and everything else.  Even the electric windows are controlled by that circuit card, so when it goes out, almost everything else goes with it.  And instead of about $10 plus labor, it now costs $1500 for that speedometer repair.

As one who earned her living in the high tech environment for 40 years, I don't usually knock it.  But technology must serve a real purpose, so I have to ask: Why?  What is gained my replacing a simple cable or a gasoline tank float with a circuit card?  Does all that technology really make the car more efficient?  Do I really get any extra benefit from it?

Those who listen to the news broadcasts or read the news will undoubtedly know by now that Levi Johnston, Bristol Palin's estranged husband, now wants to make up with her; but more importantly, he wants to make nice with the entire Palin family, particularly Sarah Palin, who he raked through the media when the break up first occurred.  Now he claims that all of what he said and did back then was "not entirely true" and he hopes the family will forgive him. 

My guess is that he's run out of his own gas and found that the press no longer has an interest in him.  He has no source of income.  He's broke now, and the Palin's are not, so he's looking for a meal ticket.  If so, I think he will find that Sarah Palin is too smart to fall for that.  She certainly will never have any discussions around him that might involve her future activities or career.

I've had all kinds of spaghetti and sauces at home, in cheap resturants, and in the finest Italian places, and I thought I had heard and tasted it all.  Then along comes someone who asks me if I've ever had bar-b-qued spaghetti. 

Say What?!  Never heard of it.  Hummm.  I assume that this is just bar-b-qued meat mixed with spaghetti, or maybe just spaghetti and BBQ sauce.  Sounds . . . interesting, but does anyone know for sure how BBQ'd spaghetti is prepared?

By now everyone knows that the killer Van Der Sloot now wants to withdraw his confession for the murder of Stephanie Flores.  Question: why do you suppose that is?  He claims it's because he "was tricked" into signing it and that he "didn't know what he was being asked to sign" because of difficulties with the language.

I assume that his lawyer would have told him that his sentence might be considerably lighter if the court saw him as being cooperative.  That might have convinced him to sign, especially knowing the weight of the evidence against him.  I mean, really!  Given a chance for as little as 10 years before release or 35 years if he fights it, I might be tempted to confess under those circumstances.  But then again, he hadn't yet seen the conditions of the prisons in Peru.

Then his lawyer wants to quit because of death threats against him.  On the heels of that, he suddenly advises Van Der Sloot to recant, thereby exposing him to the full 35 years.  Makes you kind of wonder if the killer Van der Sloot is getting the best council, or if his lawyer is bowing to pressure.

[UPDATE] The judge says no, he can't recant because he had an interpreter present and the opportunity to ask questions.

QUOTE OF THE CENTURY..........MAYBE EVEN THE MILLENIUM

Some people have the vocabulary to sum up things in a way you can understand them. This quote is said to have come from the Czech Republic, but wherever it originated, someone has it figured out.
 
"The danger to America is not Barack Obama but a citizenry capable of entrusting a man like him with the Presidency .
 
"It will be far easier to limit and undo the follies of an Obama presidency than to restore the necessary common sense and good judgment to a depraved electorate willing to have such a man for their president.
 
"The problem is much deeper and far more serious than Mr. Obama, who is a mere symptom of what ails America. Blaming the prince of the fools should not blind anyone to the vast confederacy of fools that made him their prince.
 
"The Republic can survive a Barack Obama, who is, after all, merely a fool. It is less likely to survive a multitude of fools such as those who made him their president."