No Lamp. No Golden Door. No Door. December 17, 2007
Posted by voolavex in Amnesty, English, Golden door, illegal, immigration, lamp, Mexicans, peasants, solutions, Spanish, Uncategorized, USD.Tags: Amnesty, English, Golden door, illegal, immigration, lamp, Mexicans, peasants, solutions, Spanish, USD
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The forthcoming election (thank God) is bringing the perpetual immigration question back to the fore. Every “solution” is filled with landmines and this means nothing gets done because people are scared of stepping on toes. And there are lots of toes to be stepped on. The righteous right, the liberal left, the mediocre middle and the folks beating down a door to get into this country. So what really is the elementary problem? Well xenophobia is a huge factor – these folks are new and different and therefore we must fear them. One economics arguments comes in on a simplistic level – they take our jobs. Do they? (When was the last time anyone actually applied for a job cleaning toilet downtown at night?). They tax the system and steal our social benefits. Assimilationists argue they won’t fit in. Humanitarians argue they have to be absorbed. But I don’t think it’s all that complicated – it has simply been made so by our forked-tongued PC hypocrisy. First look at the who we are talking about when we say “immigrants” – oops, illegal immigrants. We are not speaking broadly of an international bunch of illegal immigrants – we are talking about Mexicans and Central Americans and we are talking about – largely – folks of indigenous heritage. So let’s take a risk and call it what it is right away. These folks are usually Catholic and they have lots of babies. They don’t come to the US to get PhD.s – they come to escape a life of dirt floors and not enough food in many central Latin American countries. They do this by sneaking over the border. Sneaking over the border is illegal and as such – no one is supposed to do it for any reason. Too bad for your dirt floors and snotty kids, but you can’t just amble or swim or coyote over the border when you want to come here. So on one level it’s a criminal act instantly and in doing it these folks are breaking the law and therefore are technically criminals before they even get a breath of air. So send them home. That’s one thing. But moreover, to us, how they get here is an act of risk and desperation and messy. Not at all the way we think people should come into the US. Most of us think planes and trains are more fitting. Catholic churches offer sanctuary – and why not – they have to at least look as though they practice what they preach. And these illegal border crossers fill empty pews in churches that are rapidly losing their congregations. And churches are sacrosanct, so we can’t raid the church and ship the folks in hiding, back over the border because that would violate something – I am not sure exactly what – but it does. The next level of disdain and argument is what they are. They are peasants. We don’t have peasants in America and we don’t like them. It’s a shame too because we might have a better work force if we did. These Latino peasants are often unread and uneducated and speak Spanish and don’t feel good about trying to learn English. So we get annoyed. But instead of making it simpler for them to use English- we print lots of stuff in Spanish and English. This is an unfair mixed message. You don’t see it in other countries very often. We haven’t made it essential to learn English and so many don’t. Why bother? Would you? This presents a weird dichotomy because their children often emerge from our schools bi-lingual – something we don’t often produce in native born kids. So they wind up better equipped for better jobs in the public sector because of this very bilinguality and we get pissed about that. Moreover, in peasant culture your wealth is your children. That doesn’t really change for them here. And better yet, babies born in the US are automatically US citizens – probably something that should have been better thought out when we made it a law. You have to do more in other countries to get the official seal and the work permit. Being born isn’t enough. Yet we oblige ourselves to offer these tiny citizens (and their families) the same benefits as other Americans and this includes the social welfare system. You can see where I am going with this. And because we are essentially a cheap nation when it comes to wages – these people present a perfect chance to get cheap help with cheap pay in cheap jobs that are not very appealing. Certain cultural characteristics make many Latinos very polite and agreeable and so when it’s time to get a raise they get fired instead and don’t make too much of a stink. Americans sue. Why wouldn’t you hire the cheap labor at the best price and the added value of fast turnover? There is a little Wal-Mart in all of us .
But even more, the nub of the whole mess is money. Many, many illegal immigrants become citizens one way or another but there are others who don’t. But either way – we allow them to export US money (in the form of wages in high value dollars) back home. One LATimes story put the exportation of USD at 6 billion in a six month period giving USD the distinction of being Mexico’s most profitable GNP.
Here is my suggestion. Why not just take the carrot off the stick and see what happens as a result. No more giros to Mexico.No envio dineros – No mas. Stop giving automatic citizenship to all immigrant newborns here and set a ceiling on how much anyone can send back home to improve another country’s economy. (Years back Britain would not allow UK subjects to bring more than a certain amount of pounds out of the UK. ) Others have come to this country with their diamonds the soles of their shoes – not to mention undies. Most illegals come with nothing. But we must stop putting the blame on the peasants who, after all, just want a better bite of the apple Remove the damned apple. Do as Canada does – insist potential workers bring something to the table. We can’t improve the politics south of the border so give up that pipe dream. Simply get rid of the incentive for trying to cross the border. Declare an amnesty on anyone who made it over and then end the ride there. No harm, no foul, no lamp. And enforce it. The last I looked no statue was lifting her lamp beside the golden door on either our northern or southern borders.
For Gillian Gibbons November 30, 2007
Posted by voolavex in Catholic Church, Darfur, Gillian Gibbons, Hadith, Koran, Lashes, Muhammad, Sudan, Sunnah, Teddy bear, Uncategorized.Tags: Catholic Church, Darfur, Gillian Gibbons, Hadith, Koran, Lashes, Muhammad, Sudan, Sunnah, Teddy bear
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Recently I posted about the ins and outs of “Baby Shopping with Leviticus” – my adventure into buying a baby gift for a brand new Orthodox Jewish baby. After today’s alarming news about Gillian Gibbons’ ordeal in Sudan, I revisited my post and realized that even had I brought a teddy bear to that baby, it would have been a faux pas at worst and something we would all laugh about.
How does our tattered, damaged, world explain Gillian Gibbons, her students and the bear? As I understand it, the students named the bear in a class election and the name Muhammad got 20/23 votes. I suspect they thought they were naming him the most wonderful, respectful name of the three names suggested. So where is the problem that will put a British woman in jail for allowing a teddy bear to be named Muhammad. If Islamic children were not allowed this name because it was sacred, one might understand. There would be no exceptions obviously. (even a small baby of special goodness or intelligence might be idolized if improperly named Muhammad – it’s happened before). And in spite of some cultures using the name Jesus for boys – it is not widespread because I suspect it sounds a little sacrilegious to most Christians. But certainly not blasphemous. Even though Leviticus, himself mentioned those who has blasphemed would “surely be put to death” (Leviticus 24:10-16). And Luke the Apostle (Luke 12:10) called it the eternal sin, I don’t think it had much to do with the naming of stuffed animals or babies. The times they spoke in and of were rife with Idol Worshippers. And the act of blaspheming is generally meant to libel or defame a god or gods. That presents another problem with the bear who was not even named Allah; he was named after Allah’s prophet who made it quite clear he was not God. You might also ask why these children – some of whom are Muslims, felt it was perfectly all right to name the bear as they did. Probably because it was okay.
The real question for me is why this particular faith in God requires so much, dying, bloodletting and debasing punishments for so many things – with no recourse. I am not Islamic, nor do I presume to imagine what Allah told his prophet – but in general, quoting from Wikipedia:
“In ethics and law, “Let the punishment fit the crime” is the principle that the severity of penalty for a misdeed or wrongdoing should be reasonable and proportional to the severity of the infraction. The concept is common to most cultures throughout the world. (“Italics mine).
In the Koran there appears to be no injunction about the naming of people Muhammad nor does it specify a teddy bear. The law was simply meant to keep Islam idol free. Just as Judaism has done. And the Koran – which is more widely misused for gain, than quoted accurately does not condone the mistreatment of the innocent or the unknowing. TheHadith and Sunnah – the laws and traditions of Islam began being added to Islam a full 100 years after the death of the prophet. It comes as no surprise that anyone codifying a revealed faith might get some of its best ideas for heresy from an already successful endeavor called the Roman Church. They, after all, excelled at burnings, stonings, autos da fe and torture for those who didn’t believe correctly. ( Possibly the Baltimore Catechism was a later inspiration, but you see where this is going) Just as the Roman Church eagerly ordered these burnings and stonings and autos da fe; so too did the mullahs and ayatollahs who devised these codifications of the Koran. Dramatic laws and punishment are proven methods for leading to a greater control of the population and a way to advance ones group into power.
Submission.org is an excellent source for logical information about the Islamic faith and what it doesn’t stand for.
Since the bear was not being worshipped and there was never any intention to worship the bear and nothing is in the Koran that even mentions naming toys after the prophet – I tend to think this is a convenient spin on Hadith and Sunnah in the Sudan and I can tell you it is not going to enhance or further the Sudanese government, its dictator or the cause of Islam an iota. If you ever needed a small course in the mindset of the folks who created the Janjaweed and the disaster in Darfur – this should be your wake up call.
And it makes me wonder too, what will become of the children and their bear?
The Da Vinci Dilemma November 27, 2007
Posted by voolavex in CBC, Chris Haddock, Da Vinci's Inquest, DVD, Netflix, Nicholas Campbell, TV, Uncategorized.Tags: CBC, Chris Haddock, Da Vinci's Inquest, DVD, Netflix, Nicholas Campbell, TV
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Why is it I can watch a telenovela from Venezuela ( I actually worked on one, La Traidora in the 90’s) and the BBC whenever I want, but I can’t get Canadian content unless they are pretending Vancouver or Toronto is anywhere but Canada? Who, reading this, has watched the best show on TV in North America? (FYI – it’s not an Emmy winner or nominee). It’s an import called “Da Vinci’s Inquest” , so full of talent, great writing and Canadian content that I have sat up until 3 a.m. to catch an episode. They describe it as a cross between Law and Order and CSI and to some degree it is – but it’s so much more. For those of you who read the Sunday New York Times – thank them for a small article (11/26) that heralded the second season of DVI, now on DVD. That information knocked The Soprano’s final second half right down the list on my Netflix queue and frankly – I love the Soprano’s. Da Vinci is something else all together. The creator, Chris Haddock, should be a household word in this country by now. Nicholas Campbell in the title role is dead-on perfect as the rumpled, believable coroner in the city of Vancouver, B.C. – ( for once not masquerading as somewhere in the US). Donnelly Rhodes (from Soap) is on the police force and is perfect – an old school copper who is trying to make sense of the brave new world of policing. Think Canada’s blue ? Thinker bluer. The conversations about a Red Light District for prostitutes to work safely and a clean needle exchange program don’t bother DaVinci and his crew at all. They’re all for them. That doesn’t mean he is the golden boy of the VPD – far from it – he is a thorn in everyone’s side and for good reason. Dominic DaVinci is everything you might hope for in a real person in law enforcement – (but not in the US). He is no saint; he has a real life, a drinking problem (his trips between AA and the local are really stunningly captured; funny and sad). He dates ( he’s divorced) and he likes sex. He is loyal to the people he trusts and they reward him with a respect and bonhommie that is curiously devoid of macho competition. The rest of the cast is stellar – but you won’t recognize their names. Trust me – we have the securest border on the planet when it comes to CBC airwaves. Yeah, I know – DeGrassi and some of SNL – but real TV is alive and well in the Great White North. They just aren’t invited to show it to us. So do yourself a great favor and rent/buy both of the two seasons now on DVD and write to ProgramPartners.com to tell them you want more DaVinci and at a better time. Then write Acorn media.com, who is the DVD producer. For chriss’ sweet sake – haven’t we endured Benny Hill – still do; and the black and white, archaic and insufferable “Are You Being Served?” Well as far as I’m concerned until we have a reliable, normal airtime for DaVinci in this neck of the continent – we are not being served. This is great television.
By Any Other Name They Still Are Snot October 29, 2007
Posted by voolavex in Uncategorized.1 comment so far
Sometimes it takes only one commercial to answer the question: How low can we go?” I nominate the Mucinex ads (Torre Lazur McCann Advertising) currently running on U.S. TV for their unadulterated use of snot – anthropomophic snot – to sell a product that has been around since before Western man appropriated the US from the Indians and gave them smallpox as a bonus. Guaifenesen – Mucinex’s generic name – has been in expectorants and decongestants and cold remedies forever. It is derived from a New World tree bark. What’s new is that we now have an entire community of green snot boogers telling us how good it. These repulsive snot wads get married, have snot babies, decorate their condo/nostrils, form sporting teams, appear on late night TV and generally look disgusting when you think about what they represent. (Roger Jackson – a formidable voice actor plays the snotty Mr. Mucus). I thought it might be enlightening to explore snot – something we all have in common. It will not answer the question “Why would anyone think snot creatures are appealing?” but it will clear up some booger mysteries. I found these passages online at http://library.thinkquest.org/J0112390/Boogers.htm. Pick and choose the parts you like best.
To better understand snot and boogers, lets start with mucus. Mucus is thick, sticky, slimy and a good thing. Mu-u-u-u-cus! Mucus is so important that it’s found all over nature. Inside your nose, it’s a thick, sticky, wet pudding-like gunk that coats your skin and hairs. Mucus is made by, mucus membranes. Your body has mucus membranes in all sorts of places: the stomach, intestines, nose, lungs, eyes, mouth, and the urinary tract all contain mucus membranes that secrete mucus. For now, we will “pick the nasal membranes and mucus” as our topic of interest. Mucus becomes very important with every breath that you take.
Each time that you take a breath, there are three very important things that happen.
1. The air that you breathe in is cleaned by tiny hairs in your nose, trapping little bits of dirt and dust and germs that come in through your nose.
2. As you breathe, the air is made slightly wet. Your nose having damp passages does this.
3. The next thing that takes place when air enters your nose is that the air is warmed. This happens because the blood flows through the lining of the nose and gives off heat.
Even though these three actions are to keep you healthy, germs can sometimes get into your respiratory system. The germs start growing in your nose, throat and lungs. You have a cold!
When you have a cold the linings of your nose and / or throat swell. Thick, clear liquid called mucus forms and its purpose is to wash away the germs. The mucus builds up and blocks the air passages. This is what causes a stuffy nose and a cough.
Snot:
“Snot”, is just another word for mucus. Snot is beautiful human slime. When bits of stuff get stuck in your nose hairs, it’s the mucus or snot that surrounds the stuff and traps it.
Boogers:
Boogers are dried-up snot and dirty nose debris. They can be small, slimy lumps or big, dry, brown clumps. Either way, boogers are filled with the junk that’s in the air you breathe. Dust, pollen, germs, sand, fungi, smoke, small particles from outer space! The good thing about your mucus is that it helps trap all this junk and keep it from getting close into your lungs.
Function:
It seems like the main function of mucus, snot, boogers, whatever you want to call it is to trap particles, junk in the air inhaled through the nose and keep our lungs clean. Exhaling through the nose helps to expel, to push out the mucus with the trapped dirt in it. Our nose really acts like a vacuum cleaner for the air, and blowing our nose is like emptying the bag.
FYI – In some countries boogers are called bogies, snotters, boogies and bogeys. (My son always called them snouts and would not pick his nose because of the way the snout looked. A friend’s mother acknowledges nose picking by asking “Having a party?’ And when you reply “No” she will casually say :”Then why are you cleaning your halls?” ) And there is also the school yard chestnut – “pick me a winner” or “pick one for me while you’re up there”. Some folks root, some use the pinkie to defuse the act and some never seem to do it at all.
The question of who decided what these snots should look like is one mystery I do not feel the need to solve. The book mentioned below is one I recommend for a deeper look.
YOUR DISGUSTING HEAD: THE DARKEST, MOST OFFENSIVE – AND MOIST – SECRETS OF YOUR EARS, MOUTH AND NOSE.
By The Haggis-On-Whey World of Unbelievable Brilliance. 64pp. Simon and Schuster $24.50 (Hardcover)
You Say Vajayjay October 28, 2007
Posted by voolavex in Eve Ensler, Uncategorized, vagina, vajayjay.Tags: Eve Ensler, Oprah, vagina, vajayjay
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It thrilled me no end today, that the vagina – the water feature ride of every woman (down the chute and out you come – wet!) has an acceptable new name. At least the NYTimes says so in the Sunday Style Section (Oct. 28, 2007). Unlike the much euphemized penis – which early on gets lots of good names, (there seems to be no end to the dick ) ; not so the vagina – her pet name has remained a mystery because no one – even people who have their own – have no clue what they can get away with calling her. Mention the word “vagina” and you will get a lots of “eee-oooo’s” and “icks”. Kudos to Eve Ensler who put a fast stop to some of that with the wonderful “Vagina Monologues”. But even Eve’s participants didn’t actually use any names that stuck. A short look at the names that have sort of stuck in my lifetime ( many of which I used and still do) illustrates the point. As a little kid I had a “bixie” (??), then there was a long period of where she was: “down there”, “there”, “up in there”, in there”, “you know” (this came with a quick double head motion to the side), twat, pussy and often, simply crotch; my mother’s favorite was “pooley” (because my little brother couldn’t say pussycat and called the family pet a pooley). For a while I liked the popular, “suzie”, “woo-woo”, couze (a French guy, I dated used that a lot), and I think my personal favorite at one time was “snatch”. An old Black street term for her is “cock” – and there is a jump rope rhyme that includes the term (I will email the entire rhyme to anyone curious enough to ask for it). Just to give you an idea of how some folks have the word “vagina” hovering in their subconscious, a London friend told me about a girl who blurted out to her mother that she just seen the play “Victoria Vagina”! Sounds right to me. But today’s revelation that both Grey’s Anatomy and Oprah have designated the term vajayjay as the okay, on and off screen, use with your mother and daughter, nomenclature comes as a relief. Diaphragm users will be able to explain their vajayjay’s dimension without having to say , “I have a huge vagina”; post menopausal women will no longer blush when buying KY because their vajayjay has shrunk and yeast infections will no longer be called “feminine itch”. The down side is negligible for the word. It may cause some small problem in South Asia where Vijay is a popular male first name and my brother will no longer have to use the euphemism CUNextTuesday for any reason anymore but that’s a small price for the freedom it allows. As for the straight male population, they still won’t “call” her anything anyway because they are scared to death of her, no matter how much they want to get in.
Hello world! October 17, 2007
Posted by voolavex in Uncategorized.2 comments
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