Topics in the news...and on my mind.

O.k...so, I'm in hotlanta, and have been for a few days. I'm awaiting word from a prospective employer, and subsequently, have had time to pay attention to current global/local/political goings-on. Here are a few thoughts that have grabbed me, as it were, these last few days:

I. May 1st and Immigration Rallies. There are a couple of things to be said here:

A. May 1st is the global day for celebrating socialism...and it is no coincidence that the pro- immigration people chose this day for their protests....as they are predominately socialists. Most people don't realize this, and, I'm convinced, that if this were to become widely understood, the dynamic of the immigration conversation would have a new dimension. This conversation isn't just one about open borders and cheap labor....it is one of post-Americanism, trans-national socialism, and international economy reallocation. Remember, too, that when we speak of immigration 'problems', we are mainly speaking of a huge influx of Mexican peoples....and these people come from a very socialistic mind-set and government. If given amnesty and voting rights....this could have huge ramifications for the conservative movement.

B. I believe these types of protests are self-defeating. In that, it reminds Americans of two things....1) Just how many are here...and 2) Just how many are here and do not work. Meaning, not all of us can take the day off to go protest in the street.

II. Global Warming. Now, most know by now that I am not only skeptical of the science...but mostly skeptical of the usual suspects that are so adamantly touting this science....and wanting to control behaviour through it. So, here we learn that Mars is also experiencing a warming trend and that our planet has 'see-sawed' for the last 10,000 years, with regards to climate change. Again, I ask....how can anyone definitively say that any climate change is due to human behaviour primarily? Yet, we are told that, if one denies this idea of human fault, he/she is no better than a holocaust denier. I've gone from ambivalence to skepticism...and am moving to antagonistic in a hurry.

III. Family. This isn't really anything found in the news, but I wanted to say a short something about family. I've spent the better part of the last decade, or so, living away from my family, and for good reason...school, work, travel, etc. I'm now in a position where I might move closer to home and family, and it has caused me to become reflective and introspective. Understand, I'll put my family's craziness up against any one's...they can be absolutely infuriating and mind-numbingly provincial...but they are also devoted, loving, and mine. So, tell someone in your family that you love'em today...we won't always have the ones we love.

IV. Chavez and Nationalistic Communism. Apparently, Chavez has removed control of Venezuela's oil fields from all of the international companies operating there...and has removed Venezuela from the IMF and World Bank. I'm glad to see Venezuela free from debt to these entities, but my question is...at what cost? Chavez is moving in a direction that is not just against American regional interests...which it is...but also dangerous for the country. In the short term, these types of nationalistic-socialist moves seem like they are working...but history shows the long term will provide a cataclysmic collapse....economically and structurally. Such a shame...

V. Turkey and Estonia. In both places there are interesting things going on...but the MSM just doesn't report it:

A. Turkey, as I've noted here before, is about to elect a new President...but there is a national 'conversation' as to what direction the country should go....Islamist or Secular. The situation is unique here, in that, the Parliament chooses the nominees. They've chosen a very conservative Muslim as the only candidate, and the secularists have been protesting in big numbers. Turkey is incredibly important historically...and maybe even more so now regionally. Pay attention to this.

B. There is a kerfuffle in Estonia over a Soviet era statue that is in the centre of Tallinn's town square. The Estonians, of course, want it torn down, but the Russian sympathisers are crying foul. The political and diplomatic back drop to this is the way that Russia has been treating it's former satellites. Interesting stuff.

VI. Litigious Magicians. It seems that magicians have sued because some of their 'tricks' and methods have been exposed to the public. First, doesn't this prove that they aren't, in fact, using magic....and therefore, not magicians? Second, the only thing worse than a person that does magic for a living...is a person that does this and becomes legally disgruntled. Litigious Magicians...you are on notice!

VII. Newspaper Circulation. Readership and circulation of major newspapers have been in steady decline...causing much consternation in newsrooms and boardrooms across the nation. This, no doubt, is a natural response to the rise of Internet media. Still, why the steady decline? My thinking leads me to believe that, with the rise of alternative avenues of information...we also have been made aware of journalistic editorial disguised as reporting. Most don't read newspapers....actually, most don't read at all...but those who read the news regularly are fairly savvy...they can see through the veneer of loaded objectivism that is so infused in most journalistic reporting. If this decline causes the media to change...then great. But if it, instead, chooses to become more entrenched...then we all lose.

VIII. French Elections and American Elections. The French have a Presidential election coming up and it looks like the more conservative candidate...I say this because there is no truly conservative politician left in France...Sarkozy...is poised to win. So, the socialist candidate has now decided to call him 'crazy and maniacal' in an attempt to gain ground. Now, let's look at our Presidential election...Giuliani, the other day, said this...prompting the liberals to go apoplectic...and now, Giuliani is 'crazy'. Is there a pattern here? You bet. Liberals/Socialists can't win on issues and debate...so they throw invective and hyperbole out with the hope that something sticks in the public consciousness. I would describe that course of action...with the aim of gaining power...definitively maniacal.

IX. Torture and What Makes Us Different. With the Tenet book just out, there is a renewed debate about torture as a form of legitimate extraction of information from war-time belligerents. This is a conversation that must be had, and quite frankly, no one really has the right answer, in my opinion. But let me say this...there are those who would say that the very thing that makes America better, read:more humane, than our enemies, is our refusal to adapt to their tactics. I disagree. The thing that makes us different is that we have this conversation...that as a people, we are aware enough to know that the conversation is necessary and cathartic. Our enemies live and fight like it is 690 A.D....there is no debate for them. They teach in their homes, schools, and churches that it is their duty to eradicate the infidel. So, remember this...what makes us different is that we might have to torture someone to save innocent lives...but this doesn't make us the same as militant islamists...because we care about the consequences of the awful war-time decisions that must be made. For them...it is a chosen lifestyle and mentality....for us...it is an exception.

X. The D.C. Madam. Well, she's poised to name names...and D.C. is on tinterhooks. I have mixed feelings about it all. First, we've got more important things to deal with in Washington. Second, this just gives the MSM an excuse not to report on things that it should be reporting diligently. This said, I kind of like it when D.C. hypocrisy is exposed. For instance, this Tobias guy. What an idiot. He's the U.S. Under-Secretary of State...using an escort service solely for 'massages'. Now, he's also the former USAID director...causing him to take a definitive stance against prostitution. As if this isn't enough, when exposed as a 'john' for this escort service, he claimed that no sex had taken place....and get this...that he changed services to one that uses 'Central American girls.'......he actually said that in front of microphones as an explanation. Forget the hookers...this guy's a freakin' idiot...and that's why he should lose his job.

XI. Britain and Muslim Extremists. So, they've just sentenced five people to life for trying to blow up innocent people....and they've just arrested another group for wanting to do the same. How is it that Britain doesn't see the danger of multi-cultural capitulation to a people that has an avowed purpose for the West's destruction. It is the definition of obtuse(sorry...no link).

XI. Fred Thompson. Finally, I'm going to leave you with a link to a short video of an interview Mr. Thompson did with Chris Wallace of Fox News. Naturally, I disagree with him on some small things...but, he says just about everything I would say... were I a candidate. Also linked is an article he wrote on federalism. Run... Fred... Run.