The most unstable nation in the world is Comoros and on 25 March 2008 they were invaded – again. Africa has just had its most recent one day war. Within hours the rebel leader was on the run – and, rumour has it, desperately trying to escape in a dinghy – dressed as a woman.

First, though, where exactly is Comoros? The once French colony is a group of three islands in the Indian Ocean, situated between the mainland of Tanzania and the large island of Madagascar.

image source

Its culture is a hybrid of African, Arab and French influences and it boasts of the most pristine – and empty – beaches in the world. Tourism should have taken off in the Comoros years ago, certainly after its independence from France in 1975. However, there has it seems, always been trouble in paradise. Almost twenty coups, declarations of secession as each of the three islands has taken its turn to revolt and the influence of a certain French mercenary, Bob Denard has turned these in to the islands of renegades and revolts. Denard, now dead, was rumoured to be the inspiration for Frederick Forsyth’s “The Dogs Of War”. No wonder in the past that they were a haven for pirates. One would not be surprised to bump in to Captain Jack here!

About a year ago Colonel Mohamed Bacar, regional leader of Anjouan, the second largest of the islands, went ahead with an election that had been postponed officially. He then proceeded to declare himself the winner. This has been to the great annoyance of the President, Ahmed Sambi, whose plane was not even allowed to land on Anjouan during the elections. So, for the past few weeks his troops have been massing on the smallest of the islands, Moheli, in preparation for an invasion.

The three hundred thousand or so inhabitants of Anjouan knew it was coming. In fact they have been “love bombed” consistently during March of 2008. Hundreds of thousands of leaflets were dropped on them, telling them to stay at home on 25 March.

So when the strangely named National Development Army, together with over thirteen hundred soldiers from the African Union invaded, most people had not gone to work, the children had not gone to school and the leader of the army, Major Ahmed Sidi was able to declare control of the island by lunch time. There were some shots, a few explosions but no one was either dead or injured.

Taking power, of course is one thing. As occidental experiences in Baghdad have shown, holding on to it is entirely another. Where the island go from here is, realistically, anyone’s guess but at least no one was killed here.

Injured pride, however, is another thing. The ousted Colonel Bacar was last seen, it seems, in drag and in a dinghy, licking his wounds somewhere in the Indian Ocean. And no doubt, thinking about a come back some time in the near future.

We Have Worked It Out

(Daily Mail, 16 February)

Supposedly, Mucca and exxy have come to some sort of agreement over how the Sir Pauly’s money (much of it made before Heather could walk) is to be split. Like a lot in The Mail, not necessarily to be believed.

Hate Days A Week

(Daily Mirror, 14 February)

An encouraging article for those anticipating matrimony from “The Mirror”. No wonder there are more people in the UK living together unwed than wed! Not that the British people have ever needed role models. Katy Price for Prime Minister now!

Help! I Need Some Money

(The Sun, 13 February)

What will Heather do unless she gets about £100m? Poor lass, forced to defend herself in court because of those grasping, money grabbing lawyers! Hypocrisy? Surely not! Maybe Heather consoles herself with a few large whiskies in the evening. One wonders how many it would take to get her completely legless.

Mucca: Let it be a £100m

(The Star, 12 February)

Will someone rid me of this unruly woman? Apparently Paul is so desperate to get Heather off his back he is willing to give her £100m. Mucca the Mug? Or the future target of a multitude of ex-soft-porn models come Johnny come lately vegan and anti-line mine activist. How he must wish she had put another foot wrong.

A Hard Day’s Fight

(The Sun, 12 February)

Will The Sun ever get fed up of writing headlines to make the nation titter? I doubt it. However, they have a way to go with this one before it beats “Freddy Starr ate my hamster”.

With Legal Help From My Friends

(The Sun, 12 February)

Sir Paul gets tough with his lawyers. Poor bloke – he should never have bought Heather that plane for her birthday. No, not the flying type, the type you used to use in woodwork!

She’s in Lexus With Me and … I Feel Fine

(The Sun, 9 February)

Heather’s choice of car comes under scrutiny. She should be more careful when crossing the road if you ask me…

Love Me Don’t

(Daily Mirror, 5 February)

The countless hours of poring over a list of the Beatle’s songs, with a slight air of desperation, finally pays off for The Mirror. Really, chaps, show a little more creativity, please!

Hey Judas

(New Of The World, 13 January)

Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned. Or a newspaper out to sell as many copies as possible. The News of the Screws hits out at poor defenseless Heather (well, she is representing herself…ouch!)

Image via Wikipedia

Pill Poppin’ Poppa

In 2003, Rush Limbaugh admitted to be addicted to pain pills. Like most pain pill addicts he blamed constant back pain and botched surgeries on the problem rather than taking responsibility for his own actions. If his massive drug addiction were to be placed on the shoulders of the US, well, damn. Our nation just can’t afford that. This is, of course, after he ranted that drug addicts should be jailed. He of course, is the exception.

Fatty McFatterson

Rush Limbaugh is almost certainly going to die from being overweight. Don’t believe me? Obesity-related deaths have climbed to more than 300,000 a year, second only to tobacco-related deaths.  This giant fat ass knows that he has a chance at becoming severely ill and doesn’t want the American People to pay the price. Even just recently, old fatty mcfatterson was rushed to the emergency room for chest pains. The hospital found nothing wrong with his heart, unfortunately, but it certainly was a wake up call. 

Puff Puff Pass

What was that about tobacco related deaths? Rush Limbaugh is an avid advocate for the tobacco industry. Not only does he voice out against anti second hand smoke laws but he also boasts of his love of the cigar. Rush seems to think that puffing on a cancer stick is the only way to show true rebellious spirit and good for him. Right? Who cares that tobacco kills more people in our nation than anything else? If the US were forced to cover the hospital bills of smokers, like Mr. Limbaugh, we’d go flat out bankrupt. He’s doing it for us. He’s thinking of the millions of people who chose to not smoke or sit near people who smoke or live in buildings with people who smoke. He’s trying to help. Honest.

As you can see, Rush simply has the American People in mind when he protests against healthcare reform. He clearly sees that his own medical expenses would send us into deep debt and he wants to spare us from that. Clearly. He wants us to ignore the millions of Americans who can’t afford to take care of themselves or their children because their jobs had been shipped over seas thanks to Republican tax cuts. He wants us to ignore people who have life threatening illnesses caused by the massive amounts of pollution from major corporations being given the opportunity, thanks to republicans, to eschew environmental protections and he wants us to ignore children who were born into unfortunate circumstances because he knows that his medical care will out cost theirs.

Asking why we are in a recession is sort of pointless now. It accomplishes nothing more than finger pointing, and in America the finger pointing usually breaks down politically in the most simplistic and foolish of fashions. Yes, yes, the evil corporations are to blame because they screwed the American citizens, and yes, yes, the lazy Americans are to blame because they took out more debt than they could afford and yes, yes, the evil government is to blame because it wants to control all our lives by taking every single penny we make and putting us all on welfare. Well, I say bollocks! The truth is, most of us have had a hand, one way or another, in the current state of the economy.  We are all to blame.

Recent news trends

Of late I’ve been seeing almost daily a lot of headlines like “Report: Wall Streeters got $20B in bonuses in 2009.” Not daily, but at least several times a week, I often see other headlines where one company or another is announcing record earnings for the last quarter or record bonuses for employees.

When those on Wall Street and big banks and other large corporations are asked about this in the media, the reply is usually something along the lines of either “We’ve earned those bonuses” or “We have to give those big bonuses to retain good employees.” Which might be true.

But then every once in a while there’s an article in which some bank or corporate executive seems baffled why the public at large is distrusting, and sometimes downright angry, of banks and these big bonuses.

The emotional factor

Right up front, there’s the emotional factor. Times are tough for a lot of people, and in the U.S. these are mostly people who haven’t had it all that tough before now. They are often angry, and angry people look for a scapegoat, whether appropriate or not.

Many U.S. citizens feel their tax dollars have been used to bail out one corporation after another, one bank after another, and have inadvertently helped to pay for the higher-end lifestyles enjoyed by most executives. There is some truth to this. And those same citizens (voters), feel they’ve been betrayed. Some feel betrayed by their government, those who put together and pushed through the legislation which helped to bail out the banks and companies. Others feel directly betrayed by the companies themselves. The feeling is that they, the citizens, are having to do with less, so the big companies (and their well-paid employees and executives) should also be able to get by with less, at least until the economy improves.

This way of thinking by many in the U.S. (and the world) is understandable, though I am not promoting it. Whether I believe such or not is besides the point. It does little good for me to believe such when those self-same executives on Wall Street and in the banks and companies don’t believe or won’t believe. I’m not writing this to change anyone’s mind based upon any moral arguments here (because it rarely works, anyway), nor am I trying to advocate one form of government over another (capitalism vs. communism, for example).

The reality

All that being said, I will admit to hoping to influence some of these executives (or at least some of their flunkies who might be reading this) by using something they understand. Money.

Looking again at my latest news readings, I’ve also noticed headlines such as “Flagging confidence intensifies economic fears” and “Retailers profits rise, but costumers hold back” and “Stocks retreat after disappointing consumer report.” Basically, all these stories are saying it is the consumer who will eventually have to bring the economy back to a good standing. There’s truth in this. There’s also truth in that as long as the consumer does not feel good about the economy, the consumer will not go out and spend, spend, spend, which is what really drives the economy, spending.

Now, everyone on Wall Street knows that for consumers to spend and for the economy to improve, consumer confidence has to improve. Because that’s the reality of the American market. The economy isn’t based upon gold or silver or other goods. The economy is based upon the consumer’s faith in the economy itself.

And, to all you corporate types reading this, it is awful difficult for the general public to have confidence in the economy when many of them don’t have jobs yet they see executives and stock brokers and bankers raking in billions of dollars, especially after being saved by the federal government.

Wall Street, you must understand this. You have to. Or we’re all going to sink again. And this time we won’t float back to the top.

That is the gist of things. That’s the kernel of the truth. Consumer confidence isn’t going to improve until the consumers feel they aren’t being cheated by both their government and the financial institutions. Whether consumers are truly being cheated is not the argument here. It’s about perception.

And right now it appears to the American public at large that their political leaders and employers could care less whether they live or die. It’s mighty hard to trust someone who made seven figures last year and owns multiples homes and vehicles and takes vacation trips, when you yourself are struggling every day just to feed your family.

Dear Wall Street

So what I would hope some executives and the like would come away with after reading this would be a simple sense of self preservation. I do not mean to call upon anyone’s good will, or hopes they’ll feel sorry for the other man. Capitalists don’t work that way. I understand that. I’ve read my Ayn Rand.

But it might get to the point where we are all going down together. And once that consumer confidence level hits rock bottom, money is going to become worthless. On that day, being a billionaire won’t help anyone.

Consumer confidence is the key. All those big bonuses do not help consumer confidence. Find a way to at least temporarily lower or do away with those bonuses, or at the least spend some of that money to hire the absolute best public relations firm you can. Because you’re going to need it until Americans are back to work and have trust in their government and workplace.

We all have been in turns amused, puzzled, or revolted by the more curious news items that are published on a regular basis by newspapers. Usually this kind of news is more rampant in summer when they run out of stories due to even the most publicity hungry of self proclaimed celebrities taking a break. Usually they are so forgettable you can’t remember them by the time you turned the page. But some were quite funny, and this book brings them all back.

From the dwarf eating hippo, through the texting Jesus, to Microsoft buying the Catholic Church, the weird and wacky stories of slap dash journalism are collected here. As some of the explanations to why a story should be true or false are just as slap dash and wrong as the news item they pertain to, the book still leaves you scope to form your own ideas if you want to believe in a particular item or not.

Sometimes these stories run in circles until they become general (mis)information, like the dying out blondes. The initial story was published by a German women’s magazine in 2000, naming as it source an unnamed (and inexistent) WHO scientist who claimed to have found that the blond genes would disappear within 200 years. It took two years until the story resurfaced and received worldwide attention (including coverage by the BBC). It took the WHO two weeks to issue a complete denial.

The author parades the lurid with the unbelievable. From giant spiders to bonsai cats, through selling cow’s urine and rats’ cheese, to canned laughter and outlawed emoticons, he leads you a merry dance of make believe and double takes. As you can’t lose a story line in the reading, it makes a perfect companion on your daily commute.

And then there is Kopi Luwak, the most expensive coffee in the world. The coffee beans are excreted by the Indonesian Palm Toddy Cat which is unable to digest them. These beans are then collected and coffee is made of them. Though the story is patently true, it doesn’t make the price palatable. I tried the coffee when in Vienna. The coffee was admittedly good, but it was not that good. You can buy equally good coffees at normal prices as well.

If you revel in useless information and have fun puzzling out such news items, then this book is definitely one you should get, and specially so if you want to catch out the author when he in turn is partly or completely off the mark. To get a taste, go to the website dedicated to the book.

    The first amendment states “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.” This is what gives the newspapers the right to report on just about everything going on in the United States The Utica area in the past has had many news publications. Many of these publications were around all at the same time, some of them were also very big.
    Newspapers have a goal said Rondi Stronach of the Utica Observer Dispatch, the goal is “to have publication that is informative, reliable and a complete product every day with integrity.” This isn’t what it always has been in newspapers over the years though. They would have stories on bad things like what a muckraker would report on, but “now they report on what’s important, both bad and good” said Rondi.
    “There was a newspaper that used to be read internationally that was published in the utica area”, said Robert Stronach, who works in Public Relations at St. Elizabeth’s, “It was called the The Saturday Globe” He said it was the first news publication to have color and illustrations, which is why it was so successful. Eventually though it would die out and go out of business because many other news publications would get the technology that would allow them to have color and illustrations. Mr. Stronach also talked about how the Observer Dispatch used to be two different newspapers one was the “Observer” and the other was called the “Dispatch”. He also stated that there was a publication that worked with the Observer Dispatch, it was the “Daily Press”. The Daily Press would come out with the morning paper and the Observer Dispatch would come out with the evening issue. Mr. Stronach talked about how there were many different publication in Utica before he was even alive. Most of those publications would merge and go out of business or move out of the area. Though there was one news publication that did stay in the area and that was the Utica Observer Dispatch.
    Robert and Rondi Stronach both talked about the quality of the paper over the years. Mr. Stronach said he thinks that the only time when the paper had the most errors in it what when everything there got computerized and there was a big change in responsibility. The printers used to proofread everything and when the technology was updated they were laid off and the reporters had to do the proof reading. Though now that everyone has adapted and is used to it everything should be back to the same quality. Rondi said that the only time she feels other than the technology upgrade was when a lot of the big business left of closed down around the same time was when some of the stories were based on bad and not needed  information.
    Robert Stronach talked about when he used to work for many different news publications like the Albany Times Union, where he worked a little with Bill Kennedy, who wrote many popular books, Mr. Stronach also worked for the Daily Press, the Observer Dispatch, and has written many stories for some smaller publications when they asked him. He enjoyed his the period of time when he was the business editor where he got fan mail for the stories he wrote on different business, and major people in the big businesses.
    The newspaper is a valuable and informative publication that should be read and supported. The history of the news publications of the area is something that anyone who will or is in journalism should look into. A newspaper is almost like a watch dog, it looks for what needs to be told to the public and they tell it.

The potential target could be an IRS office located in that building. At this point, two people have been escorted to the hospital and one person unaccounted for.

This is supposedly the site of the pilot: http://www.embeddedart.com/ It has now been taken offline with this message posted “This website has been taken offline due to the sensitive nature of the events that transpired in Texas this morning and in compliance with a request from the FBI. Regards, T35 Hosting”

—

Would you like to earn money by writing articles? Click this link: http://www.triond.com/rw/37023

Image via Wikipedia

Okay, the facts in this whole quagmire are this: Kevin Smith buys two tickets when he flies southwest because he can afford it and he doesn’t like being around other people. He fits in the southwest airline seat with both arm rests down and his seatbelt on without an extender. His complaint was not that he was told to buy two seats but that he was treated extremely rudely and was pulled from his seat, while another much larger man was left on the plane. After that, he was treated with incredible amounts of disrespect, as he had been prior to the flight.

Thin people resent fat people and that is an issue. If any other minority was treated so heinously, there would be an uproar from the community. This is an issue. 

This entire situation is filled with examples of thin peoples resentment of fat people and I’ll break it down from the top of the situation.

1. Kevin Smith was allowed to purchase a ticket for the flight. When he was being rushed in by the flight attendant, a man treats him with obvious frustration and asks if he paid for the flight. He had. He was not using miles or anything, he bought a ticket and was then let on the plane. Now, the man probably resented his being late, not fat, but it was not Kevin Smith’s fault. He was on time but was told to wait until he was called. He repeatedly tried to talk to someone and was ignored.

2. Once on the plane he put his seatbelt on and lowered the arm rests. He fit in the seat. The flight attendant told him that there was a safety issue. Now, I ask, if there was a safety issue because of his weight, how on earth would buying two tickets resolve that issue? They escorted him off the plane and then made him wait for fifteen minutes before anybody was willing to even address the situation. That is resentment. If you piss off a paying customer and then expect him to wait around, you are deliberately trying to enrage him.

3. South west then offered him a voucher for the seat, not a refund, that way he would be forced to fly on their shitty ass airline again and would be forced to give them more money. Why should he have to pay them for the privilege of being insulted by their staff?

4. The woman refused to acknowledge the fact that the issue was his size by treating him as if he were stupid. She would not answer his questions directly and refused to admit that it was about his being fat.

5. On his flight home, which was not a packed flight, the flight attendant told a young woman that she needed to buy two seats the next time she flew. She deliberately insulted her. She was being malicious. The woman was sitting in the same isle as Kevin Smith with an empty seat between them. No one was complaining about discomfort or anything. The attendant just resented the woman for being overweight. Period.

6. The comments have been outlandish:

sheizerboy says “No one is safe, to many fat people in the US something needs to be done, like not letting them eat”

brain says “That fat fucker needs to buy his own plane, not just another seat. Fatty, Fatty, fatty.”

Raven Says “Planes have weight limits. You have a plane full of people who are to lazy to put the work in to be normal size, the plane is going to have problems. There is a safety concern if you have a plane full of overweight ppl…The way around this is for the ppl who need 2 seats, should fly first class. The seats are bigger.”

I’d like to point out that Southwest doesn’t have first class, and that if it was a weight concern, buying two tickets wouldn’t change that.

Rick says “I would hate to be the guy next to him! Specially since a lot of the people who are that fat smell horrible!”

Cynical says “Answer = charge people a fee per unit over a certain BMI. That way it’s not like they’re saying you can’t fly. You can, it would just cost you $2,763 more than the average person to go one-way from LA to vegas.”

These comments clearly demonstrate our nations resentment for overweight people. The policy of SouthWest Airlines is clearly an extension of that.

It may be expected that this most forward thinking of councils will tackle other fire hazards now speedily and without delay. High on its agenda are the halt of any gas supplies, the removal of all electric wiring, and the outlawing of any furniture inside buildings as you might trip over them when fleeing a fire. As a further step, the removal of all organic material from houses is envisaged.

The Council is quite right in shelving secondary concerns as unimportant; who cares for the removal of snow and ice from the roads? People just don’t have to leave their houses to be safe. Not on the agenda of priorities are also quite rightly the levelling of pavements and the removal of potholes from roads. Complaints by residents that council cars and vehicles are constantly blocking emergency exits and accesses of houses and estates have been brushed aside as irrelevant, as fires never break out when someone of near divine powers is near a building.

A quango with a Doormat Finder General will probably be put in place to trace rogue doormats and police will be advised to reply to 999 calls only when dealing with doormat incidents. It may be conjectured that unobserved doormats left outside to do as they please are also responsible for vandalism, hooliganism, and ganging up on residents. And you really never know when a terrorist might not hide under a doormat.

Doormats on the run may now be shot and hunted by everyone, and caught doormats will face the ultimate punishment without trial: They will be exiled to a landfill.

As a taxpayer I always note with relief when government agencies and employees make it their prime concern to safeguard my interests and spend money so responsibly. After successfully extirpating all terrorism from this world, Britain tackles the next almost insurmountable threat. But clouds might be gathering at the horizon of a happy doormat free world.

The RSPCA might yet define doormats as the habitat of rare vermin, and there is the question of racism. And then there is a further question of health and safety, as removing the doormat from the entrance makes people bring in the dirt. Probably everybody will be compelled to build detox showering cubicles inside entrance doors at their own cost.

I have to thank the Thurrock Gazette for this treasure. Guys, you made my day!

Related articles

Me Council, Me No Know No English

Health and Safety and the Culture of Greed

Perhaps no other problem has had such a deleterious effect upon the United States, and indeed, much of the Western World than illegal immigration. It’s a known fact that in the United States “big business” to steal a phrase from the Democrats, is driving this problem; if there were no jobs available, Mexicans and others would not be pouring across our southern border.

However, jobs are not the only issue. Equally important is the fact that many communities, usually run by liberals, offer welfare benefits and even driver licenses to illegals. Also adding to the problem are those illegals who come into the United States and then have babies. Are those children citizens of the United States? Article II, Section 1 of our Constitution talks about the requirement that natural born citizens are eligible for the offices of president and vice-president. It goes no further.

It’s my position that all illegal aliens presently in this country should be arrested, and deported. That applies equally to Mexicans, Puerto Ricans, Asians, and Muslims, and any children born to them while here.

          Whether we’re talking about drug smuggling, illegal immigration, or the terrorist threat, securing America’s borders is vital to our national security. Is anyone paying attention? Well, former President George W. Bush, during his second term in office was. Between 2004 and 2008, enormous strides to secure the southern border were made by the Bush Administration. Had that not happned,  the Obama Administration would have a far tougher job protecting America’s borders.

          To get specific, the Bush Administration accomplished the following:                                                 

• increased the number of Border Patrol agents from 11,000 to 17,500;

• added substantial fencing and other tactical infrastructure at the border with Mexico;

• rolled out and fine-tuned the first deployment of SBI net, a program initiated in 2006 as part of the Department of Homeland Security’s Secure Border Initiative (SBI) that aided in the apprehension of almost 4,000 people attempting to cross the border illegally;

 • increased the number and use of unmanned aerial systems (UAS);

 • launched the ports of entry (POE) modernization project;

 • added 108 new radiation portal monitors at Ports of Entry, bringing the number to 1,127;

 • began the long-term development of the Coast Guard’s Integrated Deepwater System Program intended to re-capitalize Coast Guard equipment.

           These steps amounted to substantial progress, resulting in better control of roughly 757 miles (though admittedly not the entire length) of the southern border, the apprehension of 1,040,000 people attempting to cross the border illegally at or between the points of entry, and the processing of 396.7 million pedestrians and 122 million vehicles through the points of entry in fiscal year 2008. Mr. Bush’s achievements established a solid foundation; one which President Obama and his team could have built upon to further continue border security enforcement. Have they done so?

           The first full year of Barack Hussein Obama’s Administration has provided a glimpse of how President Obama plans to tackle this challenge. The picture does not bode well for the security of the United States.

           Do you believe that the United States can continue to absorb an unlimited number of immigrants without adversely affecting the economic and social fabric of our nation? A majority of Americans say “no.” President Obama says, “yes.”

           Are you worried that the amnesties and other programs proposed by Barack Hussein Obama and members of Congress will encourage even more illegal immigration? A majority of Americans say “yes.” President Obama says, “no.”

           Do you think that more or fewer immigrants should be allowed into America annually? A majority of Americans say “fewer”. President Obama says, “more.”

           Are you concerned about the open borders that allow drugs, diseases and criminals – not to mention possible terrorists – to enter the United States? A majority of Americans say “yes”.  President Obama says, “no.”

           Despite the wishes and preferences of the vast majority of Americans, there’s a nonsensical push underway by President Obama to further loosen immigration laws. He, along with House speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), have characterized immigration law enforcement by ICE officers as “terrorism.” Under Obama appointee, Janet Napolitano, workplace raids against businesses employing illegals have been halted. It seems that the Obama Administration either does not understand the size and scope of the problem, or it does not care, or it wants to further weaken America by allowing the continuation of problems like these:         

• The use of English as the United States’ primary language is being measurably eroded through the growing acceptance of non-English languages in official capacities – such as driver license testing, voter ballots, and citizenship ceremonies now offered in various languages. The latest frustration: Spanish translations inserted into various sites on the Internet. Steps should be taken to slow down – and even bring to an end – this trend toward multi-lingualism by making English the official language of the United States.
•           According to recent estimates, immigrants – legal and illegal – cost taxpayers as much as $87 billion a year. The size and scope of this current level of immigration is an intolerable burden on American taxpayers, which must be stopped.
•           Households supported by illegal aliens receive an annual $2.5 billion in Medicaid benefits each year, as well as $1.9 billion in programs such as food stamps and free school lunches. This level of tax-financed support should trouble every thinking citizen.
•           Bilingual programs currently consume over $3 billion a year of public education dollars – even though bilingual education has been proven to be an ineffective way to teach English.
•           Approximately 1 million legal and huge numbers of illegal immigrants are coming to our country annually, at a time when the unemployment rate for Americans is hovering at around 10%. That’s more than 15 million who are unemployed. Some studies indicate that we can absorb only about 300,000 per year in total without causing a dramatic impact and structural changes on population levels and economic and social institutions.
•           Between May 1990 and April 2009, authorities detected 104 tunnels used to smuggle contraband items and people from Mexico to the United States. Of those 104 tunnels detected over 19 years, roughly 92 were detected after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attack. As Customs and Border Patrol agents have secured more and more of the border, smugglers have moved to water routes or dug pathways under the border. Of the 92 tunnels detected after 9/11, 69 of them (66 percent) were detected over the last four years
•           Migrants use public services, health care facilities, and schools while paying few of the taxes that support these public sector activities—at a very high price tag.
•           Overall, households headed by immigrants without a high school diploma (or low-skill immigrant households) received an average of $30,160 per household in direct benefits, means-tested benefits, education, and population-based services in FY 2004. That figure is much higher five years later.

           In October 2008, writer Deborah Simmons did a study of the effect of illegal immigration on just one American community – Phoenix, AZ. Here are some quotes from her article, “Illegals vs. American taxpayers,” printed on Friday, October 10, 2008. A careful reading reveals that the campaigns of Senator John McCain and Senator Barrack Hussein Obama were much on her mind at the time:

         “More than a few pundits and commentators have called the Oct. 7 debate between Sen. John McCain and Sen Barrack Obama a snoozer because the two candidates didn’t go at each other. Whether you concur or not with their assessment, one thing is certain, the candidates are not being grilled on the issue of illegal immigration and its inextricable link to our economic well-being and our national security.

         “Exhibit A is a violent snapshot from Mr. McCain’s home county, Maricopa County, Ariz. It unveils, in brutally honest facts and candid law-enforcement comments, what happens when sanctuary and amnesty policies tied the hands of law enforcers in Phoenix.

         “Phoenix police reported more than 350 extortion-related kidnappings in 2007 and the city is now known as America’s “kidnap capital.” A special unit trying to arrest the problem is also grappling with something dubbed “virtual kidnapping,” whereby a criminal claims it has kidnapped a relative, friend or associate of another criminal and threatens physical harm if that other criminal fails to pay a ransom. The ransoms range from $50,000 to $1 million. ‘Phoenix is ground zero for illegal narcotics and illegal human smuggling in the United States,’ Phoenix Detective Phil Roberts says.  ‘There’s a lot of illegal cash out there in the valley, and a lot of people want to get their hands on it.’

         “Even the innocent are being snatched off the streets. A 14-year-old girl standing in front of the home of a known drug dealer was mistaken as the dealer’s daughter by armed abductors. Blessedly she was released. Other victims have not been as fortunate.

         “Barbara L. Salisbury/The Washington Times OPERATION STREAMLINE: Detained illegal immigrants in Texas last month relocated to a housing unit where they will await court hearings and eventual deportation. Illegals and other parts of the black market enterprise known as human trafficking often use what is called a ‘drop house.’ Arizona authorities raided once such house just this week and found 11 illegals and six traffickers. ‘[T]he illegal immigrants told police that they were held against their will and some were beaten, kicked and struck with pistols because their family members couldn’t come up with ransom money,’ the East Valley Tribune reported on Oct. 8.

        “Kidnappings aren’t Phoenix and Maricopa’s only crime problem tied to illegals. ‘Illegal immigrants account for one-third of drug convictions, 85 percent of criminal impersonation or fake ID convictions, 44 percent of forgery convictions and 20 percent of felony DUI convictions. Nearly 20 percent of all convicted criminals in Maricopa County are illegal aliens and 21 percent of jail inmates are in the country illegally,’ said Judicial Watch’s Corruption Chronicles Blog. The site goes on to report that in Arizona alone: Illegals are responsible for 13 percent of stolen autos, 11 percent of murders and 10 percent of sex crimes.

        “How does this affect Main Street? It is estimated that every violent crime costs Joe Six Pack and Harriett Homeowner $20,000. When the economy was in better shape, Americans were in better shape to look the other way — our elected leaders trying to earn their keep inside the Beltway certainly did. While Main Streeters were telling the occupants of the Capitol to reject amnesty legislation, John McCain reached across the aisle to his Democratic friend Ted Kennedy on comprehensive immigration reform.

         “Consider this: Officer Nick Erfle was doing what we witness our officers doing every day, when, about a year ago, he and his partner approached three jaywalkers. One man drew a gun and mortally shot Officer Erfle in the face and then carjacked and kidnapped the driver. Police killed the gunman in a standoff. And guess what? The gunman was an illegal alien who had a felony record, had been deported in 2006 but managed to re-enter the country.

         “Phoenix, of course, isn’t the only city where illegals are committing abductions, dealing drugs and killing our law enforcers, or even committing such misdemeanors as jaywalking, graffiti, urinating in public, etc. They and American-born citizens are doing that and more all across America. What’s also criminal, though, is that neither Mr. McCain nor Mr. Obama is talking about it — and their campaigns can’t hide behind, “Well, the economy is just too important.” Indeed, while the economy has been the No. 1 issue on Americans’ minds all year, the campaigns didn’t even pay attention until Treasury Secretary Hank Paulson said the sky was falling.

         “Well, long before Mr. Paulson clued us in, Americans were begging for tougher immigration enforcement — and just like Washington waited too late to “fix” the financial markets, so, too, is Washington playing footsies with illegal aliens.

         “It’s easy to figure out how much taxpayers spend per month on each $20,000 violent crime that is committed in Any City, USA. That’s frightening enough. What’s even more spooky is that while officers are losing their lives preventing crime, officers are also using valuable hours trying to save the lives of criminals who have been kidnapped by other criminals.

        “The costs of illegal immigration are hidden no longer. Obama and McCain should be challenged accordingly.”

           “Spooky” is a mild way of putting it. A shameful example of misguided liberal policies might sum it up more accurately. The effect upon the citizens of Phoenix, once a retirement haven for many, has been to create a city under siege, where people, young and old, are afraid to move around freely, day or night. But have liberals learned any lessons? Not so we can notice.

           One good sign: according to Americans for Immigration Control, Inc., a private non-partisan, non-profit 501 (c) 4 tax exempt organization headquartered in Merrifield, VA,  for the first time since the “open border” immigration changes of the 1960’s, there’s a serious debate on regaining control of our borders and restoring immigration levels to historic and successful norms. But it has not progressed very far.

           Here are my suggestions. These are not all-inclusive, as there are other aspects of this issue that can and should be looked at. But, these form a starting point and go a long way toward controlling and eliminating the problem 

       1) As stated above, all illegal aliens presently in this country should be rounded up, arrested, and deported. That applies equally to Mexicans, Puerto Ricans, Asians, and Muslims, and any children born to them while here.

       2)  A temporary immigration moratorium should be enacted which would cease all immigration for a period of 5 years to give the current legal immigrant population time to assimilate, unemployed Americans the chance to find jobs, and the Customs and Border Patrol the opportunity to regain control over our borders.

       3) If no moratorium is enacted, Congress should change the open border concept and should strive to substantially lower the number of legal immigrants and eliminate completely the number of illegals who cross our borders annually.   

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Anthony Joseph Sacco, Sr., a writer, licensed private investigator, author of two novels; The China Connection, and Little Sister Lost, and a biography, Echoes in the Wind, holds degrees from Loyola University Maryland and the University of Maryland Law School. His articles have appeared in the Washington Times, Baltimore Sun, Voices for the Unborn, the Catholic Review, WREN Magazine and the Wyoming Catholic Register. E-mail him at anthonyjsacco@hotmail.com, visit his website at www.saccoservices.com, and his web blog at http://anthonyjsaccosr.townhall.com/