2/6/08
I see that the Writers Strike is over.  Spokesmen say they didn't get all that they wanted in concessions from the studios, felt they got as much as they could at this time.  Wonder what that means.  I'm not so interested that I would actually search for an answer to that mild query.
But I'm still without a tv.  It's about four weeks now. 
I missed watching the Westminster Dog Show in my own entertainment room.  I had to make plans to go over to a friend's house.  I had to scout out a specific artisan beer that I thought they would like to try and I had to whip up some tasty tidbits to bring.  It took a bit of effort.
I had a WONDERFUL time. 
We cheered on our favorite breed (Scottish Terriers) and watched her lose to that beautiful Sealyham.  And even though we always pull for our Terriers in the Best in Show ring, we all knew that Uno wanted the win the most.  (That's Mister Uno to you.)  What a showman!  Handsome and sound.  Can't ask for more.
I believe that this evening is how most entertainment should be:  experienced in the company of friends.
It's not a stretch to compare an unfeigned authentic event to a union scripted "storybook".  Hey -- get over it.  That is the competition for my attention. 

January 20, 2008
And the winner is …

Who was that man on the WSJ’s opinion page – was it only a month ago? – who predicted the utter downfall of the American economy because writers on strike would default on their subprime mortgages?  Gosh, I wish I would remember his name.  I thought at the time it was overblown rhetoric but – wow – perhaps he’s right.

Due to the utter intransigence of the writers strike situation, many supporting entertainment industry personnel will be laid off – thousands, we are told – putting the “economy of Southern California” at risk.  The recent morph of the Golden Globe Awards into a news release will dash the hopes of fashionista designers.  Tens of MILLIONS of dollars we are told will be lost.  And – perish the thought – if the Oscars are canceled, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences will lose advertising revenue.  What will that be?  HUNDREDS of millions?

Lions and Tigers and Bears – OH NO!

Listen, O Hollywood.  I am over it.  I’m tired of your strike.  Most of your stuff doesn’t hold up on second and third review/rerun anyway.  I wonder what I ever saw in it in the first place.  And guess what else?  I pulled the plug on my satellite coverage.  I’m saving $70 a month.  I have the internet so I can go searching for what interests me rather than paying a precious price to nod off in front of the boob tube. 

The only programming I will miss is the news.  Here in the city, local newspapers are fairly awful and – just by the way – I have already saved money by not subscribing to them.  However, I do have talk radio and National Public Radio – both with wonderful online backup.  My local tv channels have great online news sites.  And then there is YouTube.  And Wikipedia. And NetFlix. Oh, and don’t forget my hardcopy AND online subscription to the Wall Street Journal.  I have email updates from TownHall.  I subscribe to both the Weekly Standard and National Review.  They contact me -- free! -- by email with the most interesting articles.  I receive unsolicited magazines begging me to subscribe.  Hey! I happily PAY for Dick Morris to email me.  I could go on and on.

I think I’m doing just fine, thank you.

Stay on strike, union members.  Overplay your hand.  Damage yourself in internecine blood-letting.  I’m having fun without you.  Life is good.
[format & category corrected 01 28 08]

I was feeling a little ashamed of my strident "enforcement first" stance on illegal immigration.

Now I am mad again after I read P. Schlafly's piece on a Mexican port of entry in Kansas.

Have you ever seen those YouTube.com ameteur rappers flaaying their arms, pumping legs like pistons, pointing at the camera and rapping things you can't understand ... but you know they are angry at sumthin.

That's me.  I am angry.  I'm so angry I am inarticulate.

If you don't force the government to build a fence, they will just ignore you altogether.  They will build a 12 lane highway to just bring'em on in, park'em right here, open up the doors of the 18 Wheelers and scatter'em to the winds.

Enforce the borders now.

John Fund in the 7/24/06 Wall Street Journal got me thinking.  He stated that enforcement only will not solve the immigration crisis. He believes that reality on the ground must be recognized.  Illegal immigration will be curbed only if the problem is made manageable.  He went on to make some very good points, points that made me stop and consider. 

But I still can't get around the suspicion that I am being duped,  wooed by the "guest worker" argument and a complicated plan to get illegal aliens to identify themselves voluntarily.  Be realistic, says Mr. Fund.  Data and history undermine the premise of those who believe that an enforcement only approach is sufficient, says Mr. Fund.  I can't help but agree that enforcement only has its problems, but ... 

Then Hugh Hewitt came to Denver 7/29/06, and in his speach warned Republicans to avoid the California disease of Prop 187: tarred with anti-latino racism and therefore crippled for years and years.  Don't be too dogmatic, he said.  Focus on being effective.  I can't help but agree that leaning too hard on the southern border is problematic, but ...   

But data and history undermine the belief that government will execute a complicated approach sufficient to solve the problem of illegal immigration. 

Consider Johnson's capitualtion to labor unions in the 60's.  That's when illegal immigration got a tail wind and a new underclass was created.  Consider Ronald Reagan's "enforcement and anmesty" position in the 80's.  We got amnesty for illegals for sure.  That, and later, lots else too:  anchor babies, santuary cities, catch and release, free social services, free education.  We didn't get enforcement.

And we sure did't get a solution.  The problem only got worse. 

Two doses of reality.

1. ) Lack of trust in our government: We do not trust the federal government, the state governments or the local governments to stem the tide of illegal aliens. On this issue, all levels of government have been a pathetic pile of adjectives including (but not limited to) boneless, weak-willed, and cowardly. If we let our elected officials lull us into consent with promises of a “full response,” a “complete plan,” a “phased approach,” unveiled and implemented, we will have LOST because only the “soft stuff” will get done. We know it. They know it. Let us not debate the obvious.

There is always time for the soft stuff. Time is of the essence because of POINT TWO.

2. ) Lack of trust in our voting system:  Votes of US citizens will be canceled out and then overwhelmed by illegal aliens voting illegally. Debate this if you dare.  Why else do you require photo id to purchase liquor or to get on an airplane and yet you can just bring in a utility bill to prove you can vote?  This is set up to cheat.  Let's not get stuck on stupid.  Of course it is meant to allow illegals to vote.  We know it.  They know it.  Again, let us not debate the obvious. 

Listen.  We got amnesty only under Ronald Reagan, one of the greatest presidents of all time. 

And that was before motor-voter, no picture id required to vote, ballots in Spanish too, and HAVA - Help America Vote Amendment.  Lord only knows what we'll get now.

So, we don't trust our government.  I can't say it any clearer.  We may WANT a complicated solution to illegal immigration because we know it is a complicated problem. 

We won't get it.  Government will duck out and leave the rest of us holding the bag.  Duped again.   

So, we demand a step-by-step process. We talk to our government like we talk to our kids:  Get this done, and we’ll talk about the next step.

We know very well that “enforcement only” will not solve the illegal alien invasion. But we bow to reality on the ground. And that is why we insist on enforcement now.

Enforcement first.  We don’t trust it done any other way.

UPDATE: 7/31/06  -  I must have been cranky posting the enforcement first.  Ah well, I'm stepping back and now want to think about this question:  Illegal immigration as we now talk about it focuses on economics and voter fraud.  What would the discussion sound like if we concentrated on security?

In the beginning of my limited and unremarkable career as a blogger, I started a web log on BlogSpot on the invitation of Hugh Hewitt to answer the question "Why I Am Voting for Geo. W. Bush." -- that was just before the Nov 2004 election.

After reading the posts of many others who took up Hugh's invitation, I suspected that I wouldn't have a big career as a political blogger.  The depth and breadth of knowledge, the eloquence of arguments were refreshing and thought-provoking.

My little post seemed childish in comparison.

Now, let's not go all soft and "educational" on this.  I won't be drawn into a huddle where I am the center of a positive self-esteem intervention and petted with silky voices about "no post is a bad post" or "we are all learning here" and "you did a GOOD JOB!"

No, there are wonderful bloggers out there who are a treasure for the rest of us.  I boated around BlogSpot for a while but now I am settled in like a spectator on the banks of the Thames at the Henley Royal Regatta, mostly watching Hugh's Blog Picks.  It is fun.

My own blog became personal and I spoke of incidents and events in my life.  Mostly the little things because the big things in my life take me a while to think about and distill.  I'm not sure anyone ever noticed me.  But I enjoyed it.

And now I am taking up Hugh's invitation to move to TownHall.  I will be moving some of my former posts here after I edit them.

I look forward to setting up on the banks of this river.  This spot will make it easier to participate.

And so I post this initial greeting under A Culture of Life because we are envigorated by the vitality of our values and I am humbled to be a part of this community.

Laura