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July 31, 2007

Update on Anatolie

Last week, an article I wrote about Anatolie Vartosu was posted to American Thinker. Anatolie is a Romanian who had an H-1B work visa initially approved, then denied upon request for renewal.

The Greenwich Time has also picked up the story. Time is running out for Anatolie; he has until August 9th to either get an extension or pack his bags and leave.

"Right now, I'm stuck, I cannot do anything until I get an answer for the H-1B visa," said Vartosu, who does not want to return to Romania because he sees better opportunities here. "Nobody wants to go back. Like soccer, I'm going to fight until the last second to see if I can do something."

And I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

Immigration is so messed up! We have our government trying to reward people who cross our borders to live here illegally, while giving the shaft to hardworking would-be immigrants who follow the rules to the letter. (He and his employer have spent $15,000 in lawyer and application fees.) Frankly, it's cr@p. The cynic in me is saying that since Romanians aren't part of a huge potential voting bloc, then Anatolie's situation is a forgettable one to our legislators.

I'll keep you posted on the outcome of this outrageous case.

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Posted by Pam Meister at 10:08 AM | Comments (6) | TrackBack (0) | Illegal Immigration

US Reps Stick Nose into Canadian, Japanese Business

If the shoe was on the other foot, how many of us would be telling Canada to minds its own beeswax? Via Breitbart:

The US House of Representatives on Monday unanimously passed a resolution demanding that Ottawa end the hunting of baby seals in Canada.
The resolution was introduced by Democrat Tom Lantos, chairman of the House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee, and Christopher Shays, Republican of Connecticut.

The resolution said that more than a million seals have been killed in the past three years, and that over the past five years, 95 percent of the seals killed were less than 12 weeks of age, with the youngest just 12 days old.

Yes: I think clubbing baby harp seals is a nasty practice. But shouldn't our reps be worrying more about our business? Like, say, burgeoning congressional pork and winning (not losing) the war in Iraq?

Plus, Stephen Harper, Canada's PM, is more of a friend to us than his predecessor, leftie Paul Martin. So let's not sour this budding relationship by putting our two cents in when it hasn't been asked for!

Congress has a lot to do without looking for fluff work that makes it seem as though important things are being accomplished, like demanding that Japan apologize for sex slavery that took place during World War II. Shouldn't Japan be able to make that decision without us badgering them about it?

Will Congress pass a resolution demanding that slavery in the Middle East (in countries like Sudan) finally be abolished? Likely not, as this area is cloaked in the heavy mantle of political correctness. Meanwhile, the House is busy bullying our allies over issues that are truly none of our business.

Yet another reason Congress' ratings are in the toilet.

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Posted by Pam Meister at 09:56 AM | Comments (2) | TrackBack (0) | International

July 29, 2007

Blog Fest West Coming Up -- August 18th!

I live on the East coast, so I won't be attending. But for those of you near enough the the San Francisco area who would like to attend (and feel like dodging moonbats), Blog Fest West is happening on August 18th at Fort Mason Center, located right on picturesque San Francisco Bay.

Organizing this event are Cinnamon Stillwell, Ed Driscoll and Nina Yablok. For more information, head over to the official website. And pass the info along to anyone you know who might be interested!!!

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Posted by Pam Meister at 06:15 PM | Comments (4) | TrackBack (0) | Blogging

July 27, 2007

PETA Wants Lighthouse for 'Fish Empathy' Project

Got a dollar? Penfield Lighthouse, an historic lighthouse in Long Island Sound off of Penfield Beach (my favorite beach) in Fairfield, Connecticut, is up for sale by the federal government. Built in 1874 and on the National Register of Historic Places, it is partially submerged and sits on a jetty. While it is structurally sound, it is in need of extensive refurbishing and repair, and would likely be an expensive building to keep up. PETA would like to buy it. The plan?

PETA says it hopes to convert the lighthouse into the headquarters for its "Fish Empathy Project," devoted to ending fish abuse, complete with a memorial to the millions of fish killed every year and a cafe.

"We could serve faux fish sticks and other foods that don't involve killing fish," said Michael Prescott, PETA's manager of fish empathy campaigns. "For our British guests we could even serve faux fish and chips. They taste pretty good." [Yeah, those Brits will come all the way to the U.S. to eat the fake version of something they can get at home -- ed.]

Prescott said the lighthouse would be an ideal location for the world's first "Fish Empathy Quilt," a 300-square-foot quilt made by PETA volunteers.

"Fish are interesting, quizzical animals with unique personalities," he said.

I'll check with my brother-in-law, who enjoys fishing in the Sound, how many "interesting, quizzical animals with unique personalities" he has come across. Come to think of it, I've enjoyed some of them myself, thanks to his generosity!

Perhaps PETA could create a display with the same tasteful "Holocaust" theme they have used in the past. After all, we know how much more important fish and other animals are to the folks at PETA than, you know, actual folks.

The town of Fairfield is also interested in purchasing the lighthouse, and Fairfield's First Selectman Kenneth Flatto has his doubts as to the viability of PETA's plan:

"I really can't imagine any public way there could ever be a use of the facility by the public on a daily basis," he said. "You pretty much can only reach it by boat. We've had people who tried to walk get stranded out there before and need to be rescued."

But why rescue them? They could become food for the fish, something PETA could get behind with some enthusiasm. Think of it as "giving something back."

PETA, of course, hopes to convert those nasty types who earn an honest living by fishing:

"We hope that any commercial fisherman would try our faux fish and maybe get involved in a line of work that doesn't involve the murder of animals," he said. "I'd invite any fisherman who are worried to see what the fish empathy program is all about." He suggested visiting PETA's anti-fishing Web site, fishinghurts.com. The site features interesting tidbits about the fish, like the fact that they are incapable of closing their eyes.

You know, once a fish is dead, the fact that it can't close its eyes is no longer relevant. And does PETA have a job bank that those enlightened fishermen can utilize once they've seen the error of their ways? Will they provide them with the training they need to start a new career from scratch? Because I can't imagine the skills needed for fishing in the open seas would be much applicable in the corporate sector.

PenfieldLighthouse
PETA's latest acquisition? (Photo: John Galayda/Connecticut Post)

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Posted by Pam Meister at 02:59 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0) | Just Plain Stupid

Cindy Sheehan's One-Ring Political Circus

She's baaack...and serious political discourse takes a huge step backward. I talk about Cindy and her campaign to unseat Nancy Pelosi over at Family Security Matters today.

UPDATE:

Cindy's caravan of bloviation has arrived in New York City. Since I no longer work there, I am missing all of the fun. But Kesher Talk is on it with video and still photo coverage.

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Posted by Pam Meister at 07:45 AM | Comments (2) | TrackBack (0) | FSM

July 26, 2007

Stealing the Jobs Americans Want to Do

So much for illegal immigration not hurting anyone. Christi over at Common Sense America has a post up about Terry Funderberk, whose small business of installing copper on new homes last year grossed him $176K. This year, business is way down. Can you guess why? Yep. Competition from construction firms that hire cheap illegal labor.

One day, Terry had enough and went "on strike," as it were. And he didn't receive too much sympathy from the law. There are plenty of photos too.

Absolutely unbelievable.

But then, those who claim "illegals do the jobs Americans won't do" have jobs that the unskilled laborers who sneak over the border can't do.

Andrea Shea-King plans to interview Terry on August 5. Details here.

strike.jpg

h/t: ThirdWaveDave

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Posted by Pam Meister at 05:15 PM | Comments (5) | TrackBack (0) | Illegal Immigration

Hypocrisy, Thy Name is Hugo Chavez

Hugo Chavez is a sensitive guy. So sensitive, in fact, that he's decided to monitor the speech of foreign visitors to Venezuela...and if they say anything that hurts Hugo's feelings, they are to be deported.

The comments came after the President of Mexico's ruling conservative party criticized Chavez for seeking to do away with term limits at a recent pro-democracy conference in Caracas. "No foreigner, whoever it is, can come here to attack us," Chavez said. "How long are we going to allow a person, from any country in the world, to come to our own house to say there's a dictatorship here, that the President is a tyrant, and no one does anything about it?"

Indeed! Of course, that standard doesn't apply to Hugo, as he felt free to call President Bush the "Devil" when he visted the U.N. last year which, for those of you who forget, is in New York City. He also made similarly derogatory remarks during a speech in Harlem on the same trip.

Leftwingers here should be taking note that the freedom they enjoy that allows them to compare President Bush to Hitler does not exist in that utopian paradise Venezuela. But I'm sure that irony is lost upon many.

A government that cannot stand up to criticism is not a government of free men, but a tyranny. Only those who know their power has not been bestowed upon them by the people, but snatched in a power grab, feel the need to shut anyone up who would dare to speak out against them -- lest others begin to question the legitimacy of said leaders.

We'll be hearing about re-education camps and gulags next in sunny Venezuela.

Hugo
Sticks and stones may break bones, but your namecalling really hurts me!

h/t: Moonbattery

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Posted by Pam Meister at 10:30 AM | Comments (3) | TrackBack (0) | Double Standards

July 25, 2007

On Elizabeth Edwards' Tangerine Boycott

So, Elizabeth Edwards "probably won't eat another tangerine again" because of the carbon footprint caused by transporting fruit.

Bullwinkle Blog has a bit of schooling for Mrs. Edwards:

Now thats some sacrifice! How many tangerines could she possibly eat in a year? If she ate enough to matter then wouldnt her boycott cause some farmer somewhere to go broke and his orchard go to ruin? If thats the case and enough people are silly enough to follow her example then a lot of tangerine trees will be chopped down and burned to make room for some crop that will make money so the farmer can feed his family. Thats sure to release even more Co2 into the fragile atmosphere!

Wont it also mean that the people who earn their livings transporting fruit will lose their jobs and add to the number of Americans living below the poverty line? To hear the Edwards family tell it they are concerned about both Global Warming and poverty but to watch them in action they seem to think theres not enough of either to go around. I guess there really are two Americas, one where real people live and one that artifical people like the Edwards family call home.

Heh! As to Bullwinkle's second point, if Edwards is elected, no one will have to worry about being poor because the government will take care of everyone! But since he doesn't have a snowball's chance of winning, we won't have to worry about that. Although come to think of it, Edwards has been buttering up both Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama lately...I think he's angling for another VP nomination. Trust me, he'll be around until the fat lady sings.

tangerine-tree.jpg
Carbon footprint, thy name is tangerine.


h/t: Moonbattery

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Posted by Pam Meister at 02:23 PM | Comments (5) | TrackBack (0) | Global Warming Hype

Ward Churchill Back in News Again

Sheesh, I thought we were rid of the "cigar store Indian!" After investigating charges of plagiarism, falsification and other intellectual misconduct, the University of Colorado Boulder's Board of Regents voted 8 to 1 to give Churchill the boot. However, Churchill has decided to fight back in court.

David Lane, Churchill's attorney, said his client's dismissal simply marks a change in venue for the dispute.

"We're out of kangaroo court and going into real court," he said.

Lane plans to file a lawsuit in Denver Wednesday alleging Churchill's First Amendment rights were violated. He says Churchill was targeted because of his views.

You know, I caught part of Lane's interview on Hannity and Colmes last night, and he was being a real @ss. All bluff and bluster, rude, and dismissive. I'd hate to have that guy coming home to me every night!

Churchill and his lawyer claim that he was fired because of his writings and speeches post-9/11 that essentially blame America and the 9/11 victims themselves for what happened to them. Basically, in Churchill's mind, we deserved it. And unfortunately, it's what a lot of the intellectual types who swell the ranks of our colleges and universities believe.

But I don't think it's his attitude about 9/11 that got him fired -- no, I think the controversy around him brought attention to his other works, and that's when charges of plagiarism started rolling in. Had no one raised the alarm about his offensive essay "Some People Push Back: On the Justice of Roosting Chickens," then his other intellectually dishonest activities likely wouldn't have gotten noticed either, and he'd still be claiming American Indian heritage and spreading his special brand of "blame America first" vitriol to students at UC Boulder.

It's one of the dangers of publicity -- there will always be someone looking through your laundry to see if there's anything you forgot to wash. Churchill relished being in the national spotlight two years ago, and he's back in it with the lawsuit. But hey, "there's no such thing as bad publicity as long as they spell your name right."

WardChurchill
American Indian wannabe Ward Churchill enjoys his moment in the sun.

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Posted by Pam Meister at 09:27 AM | Comments (3) | TrackBack (0) | Leftwing Lunacy

July 24, 2007

Melanie Morgan vs. Naomi Wolf on Hardball

Chris Matthews wasn't the host, and while it's amusing to see his fill-in unable to stop his guests from taking over, it's not amusing to watch Naomi Wolf's condescension, misrepresentation, and utter disregard for reality. Melanie Morgan, however, is more than a match for Naomi. Go Melanie! (I notice when Melanie is introduced, she's only identified as a radio talk show host. That's true, but she is also chairman of MoveAmericaForward.org, and co-author of American Mourning: The Intimate Story of Two Families Joined by War, Torn by Beliefs. Wolf's recent book, of course, is given due notice.)

h/t: Hot Air

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Posted by Pam Meister at 09:47 AM | Comments (4) | TrackBack (0) | Patriotism

The Problem with Immigration

While all the sympathy seems to be for illegal aliens who flouted our laws and are now crying for their rights, what about those who follow the rules but are told to get out? I've written an article about that very subject that American Thinker has posted today.

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July 23, 2007

Shocker Poll: AP, MSNBC, CNBC Perceived as Leaning Left

In yet another quite, er, surprising Rasmussen poll, more Americans believe the AP, MSNBC and CNBC lean left than right:

The current survey finds that 30% of American adults believe the Associated Press has a liberal bias and only 12% believe it leans the other way. Local television news is viewed as having a liberal bias by 30% and a conservative bias by 17%. MSNBC is seen as being a bit more to the left33% say it has a liberal bias and 13% say the opposite. For CNBC, 29% say it has a liberal bias and 14% say a conservative bias.

Thirty-seven percent (37%) say local television stations deliver news without bias while 36% say the same for the Associated Press.

Perhaps Journalism 101 should be required for everyone. That way they'll know that reporters are neutral and unbiased.

What we should be more interested in is the fact that poll respondents were evenly divided as to whether or not the Fairness Doctrine should be reinstated (41% for and 41% against). Bias isn't the problem so much as a refusal to admit it exists. Be frank with your audience, and let us work out the truth for ourselves. Or does that idea frighten you?

Even worse would be the government sticking its nose into the free dissemination of information. Because once the government gets its teeth into something, it's like a rottweiler going for the kill: it doesn't let go.

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Posted by Pam Meister at 07:47 AM | Comments (3) | TrackBack (0) | MSM

July 20, 2007

Gun-Free Zone

Worried about gun violence? Well, worry no more! The answer is in the following instructional video:

h/t: Right Wing Nation

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Posted by Pam Meister at 06:49 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0) | Humor

Potter Mania Nears Ridiculous Heights

I am a Harry Potter fan, and look forward to the release of the final book tonight as much as anyone. I refuse to look at spoilers, but have been reading articles about the frenzy surrounding the release with interest.

Some die-hard fans have been camped out in front of stores since yesterday to be first in line to buy the book, some in costume. Others plan on going to parties thrown by book retailers. All well and good, if that's how you want to spend your time. This, however, is one of the sillier things I've seen:

In Britain, a phone counseling service for children expects a surge in calls when readers learn who is killed.

Um...what? It's a BOOK! A work of fiction! It makes you think about how pampered we have become as a society if a child can't handle having a favorite literary character killed off. There are children all over the globe who have to deal with more frightening life circumstances than whether or not Harry, Ron or Hermione bites the dust at the end of the Harry Potter series. Children in Iraq and Darfur, for example. Come on, now!

HPotter.jpeg
Some characters
die...get over it!

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Posted by Pam Meister at 01:21 PM | Comments (2) | TrackBack (0) | Culture

Quote of the Day

"And thats why open borders types on the left favor open borders: They didnt like the voting public, so they went and got a new one." ~ Bryan Preston

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Posted by Pam Meister at 12:13 PM | Comments (341) | TrackBack (0) | Quote of the Day

"Priceless" Anti-American Rally in Syria

Berlitz would do well to market their translation dictionaries in Syria.

Head on over to Marathon Pundit for a great laugh.

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Posted by Pam Meister at 10:17 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0) | Humor

Naked Photo Planned for Glacier

Do you enjoy exhibitionism while freezing your tushie off for a "good cause?" Then get ready for the following, toot sweet:

Wanted: volunteers willing to take their clothes off and have their picture taken on a freezing cold Alpine glacier.

The appeal by New York artist Spencer Tunick, famous for taking pictures of thousands of naked people in public settings worldwide, is intended for a photo shoot to highlight the effects of climate change on Switzerland's shrinking glaciers, environmental group Greenpeace said on its Web site Wednesday.

Greenpeace said if global warming continues at its current pace, most Swiss glaciers will disappear by 2080.

2080? Start stocking your basement with canned goods now...organic, of course.

The photo shoot, which follows Tunick's previous shoots in London, Mexico City and Amsterdam, will take place in August at an undisclosed location in Switzerland.

Prospective candidates from further afield will have to start making travel arrangements now. "We aim to make this a climate friendly event, so please come by public transport and don't fly," Greenpeace said.

Perhaps you can reserve your spot on the next clipper ship sailing out of New York, followed by hitching a ride with a caravan of donkeys that will snake across Europe. By the time you get there, it might well be 2080 and the glacier will have already melted...

nekkid
Your chance to make exhbitionist history!

On a tip from Jeanette!

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July 19, 2007

Valerie Plame's Lawsuit Dismissed

Expect outrage from the left on this one. Via Breitbart:

A federal judge on Thursday dismissed former CIA operative Valerie Plame's lawsuit against members of the Bush administration in the CIA leak scandal.

Plame, the wife of former Ambassador Joseph Wilson, had accused Vice President Dick Cheney and others of conspiring to leak her identity in Plame said that violated her privacy rights and was illegal retribution for her husband's criticism of the administration.

U.S. District Judge John D. Bates dismissed the case on jurisdictional grounds and said he would not express an opinion on the constitutional arguments. Bates dismissed the case against all defendants: Cheney, White House political adviser Karl Rove and former White House aide I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby.

Plame's attorneys had said the lawsuit would be an uphill battle. Public officials are normally immune from such lawsuits filed in connection with their jobs.

PlameVF
Maybe Vanity Fair will run another "exclusive."

h/t: Cookiewrangler

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