0% Tax Proposal

Peter Ferrara has an interesting op-ed in The Wall Street Journal proposing a 0% tax rate for 60% of Americans, here.

I think I'd be more in favor of a %5 flat tax on all working Americans instead but Mr. Ferrara does make some good points.

Whither Islam?

Ali A. Allawi has written an article titled "Islamic Civilization in Peril" for The Chronicle of Higher Education here.

An important take on the future of Islam from an important muslim.

Driving the Debt Car

So good I had to repost it!

Can Cats Control Humans?

Ummm, apparently YES. Here is the study.

This comes as no surprise to pet owners but I do find it amusing that for all our very human hubris of being the most advanced animal on planet Earth, we can still be bossed around by 16 pounds of fur and purr.

The Benefits of Stopping Illegal Immigration

Here is a recently released case study of the ICE raid of a Smithfield Ham factory in North Carolina and how the removal of 1,000 illegal immigrants impacted the workers.

Some key points and timeline below:

The sequence of events includes:

The Smithfield Plant, represented by the United Food and Commercial Workers Union (UFCW), failed to unionize in both 1994 and 1997. An administrative law judge found that the company committed “egregious and pervasive violations of labor law” during the 1997 effort when it used the employees’ illegal status to threaten them.

After the initial attempts at unionizing, Smithfield and the UFCW engaged in a bitter dispute. The union launched a public relations campaign and picketed Smithfield customers. Smithfield, in return, filed a federal racketeering lawsuit against the union.

The ICE raid, which took place in January 2007, both purged the plant of illegal workers and forced the management to set procedures to check immigration status of future hires.

The raid opened the door for an American and legal immigrant workforce. After the raid, the Hispanic workforce dropped by approximately 1,000 workers and was replaced by mostly African American workers. Less than two years later, in December 2008, the new workforce voted for unionization.

Given Smithfield's history with unions, it's not surprising that they hired so many illegal immigrants. But this plant is in Tar Heel, NC and a 1,000 illegal hispanics does not reflect the local demographics. Smithfield only hired them out of greed and their illegal status prevented the plant from unionizing.

It is this sort of behavior by unscrupulous companies that keeps native Americans (especially African-Americans) unemployed. And however you feel about unions, it can be argued they form a need in the face of such behavior.

Slow News Day

Sorry. I got nothin'.

Could tell you that in five days I'm going to Jamaica.

FDR Pebbles. It will be our third time going in four years.

Here is my Tripadvisor.com review from 2006. I LOVE THIS PLACE.

And I love my Vacation Nanny. I still keep in touch with them. Can't wait to see her on Sat.

Nope. And he doesn't walk on water either

An Ode To Billy Mays

The inestimable Sonja Schmidt gives Mr. Mays his well-deserved eulogy.

Obama's Weak Op-Ed

Stephen Spruiell dissects with Obama's Washington Post op-ed with an extraordinarily well-linked webpost, here.

You know MacBeth is another well-known fictional character who creates terrible mixed metaphors - just like Obama.

Victor Davis Hanson puts his view out here.

And Keith Hennessey gives Obama's op-ed a good old-fashioned Fisking, here.

Eek Gay People

PJTV's Take here.

AlfonZo tells You What's Up

The Doctor is in.

Well, It's A Free Market

"My Obama Shop"

Ye Gods!

Hooray, She's Back

Hooray! Hooray! (And thank goodness!)

My sister is back home from living for the past 6 weeks in the jungle of the Central African Republic with the Aka tribe. They're pigmy (PC Children of the Forest), that's why she is so much taller than they are in this picture below taken a few days before she left.



She's studying them to earn her PhD in Childhood Anthropology (or is it Childhood Evolutionary Anthropology?). Can't remember which - just that it's cool and brave that she does it. Although I'm sure her two small girls and husband are thrilled and relieved beyond words that she has safely returned.

Great Marraige Proposal

I don't care how snarky The Sun wants to be. That was one of the Greatest Marriage Proposals EVER. Perhaps not what I would want but it was clearly something that was important to both of them and that's the essential bit.

(These below were orginially posted by my husband on NRO-The Corner)

I Am Not a PIN Number!
Yet more evidence that congressmen regard the public as just a giant ATM machine.

The Miseconomist?
Oh look, NBC (owned by Jeff Immelt's General Electric) is denigrating business and capitalism again.

Liberate to Stimulate
"It didn't work last time, so let's do it again," seems to be the thinking behind those who are arguing for a second stimulus package. Obviously, they never listened to their mothers. Instead, we need a different approach. If people are finding it difficult to create jobs, then the simplest solution is to remove the barriers in place that prevent them from doing so. A "liberate-to-stimulate" package would be the best option right now. Larry Kudlow's excellent manifesto fits well with this approach. So why aren't more people talking about it?

Welcome to Taxopolis

This (always excellent) City Journal article discusses how New York City is the highest taxed city in the United States of America.

(Damn Bloomberg!)

The Last Hope Lies in the Triarii

(Originally published by my husband on NRO)

Does the U.S. need a third legislative chamber, designed explicitly to save America from its own lawmakers, both elected and unelected? Patrick from Popehat makes a good case.

Jag

Sorry - went on a PJTV jag there because we may have a massive leak in the pipes leading into our home and this is gonna cost us lots and lots of money. Waiting for the plumber now.

Pray for us.

Palin Roundtable

PJTV discusses Palin's future. It has Sonja Schmidt!

It is long but interesting. Some in this discussion are concerned that she will be labelled a quitter. My response is Obama "quit" being a senator after two years after promising to complete a full term, why isn't he a quitter?

Politics of Destruction

PJTV here discusses how the media and liberals have created such a toxic political environment via their repulisve treatment of Gov. Palin that no decent person would risk the destruction of their character to serve their country as a politician.

Good point.

Let's Hear From The Locals

Wasilla residents talk about Palin's resignation to PJTV.

Delusional

AlfonZo over at PJTV rightfully takes on the delusional Olberman. (WARNING - Incredibly graphic images!)

Olberman is just bizarre!

Camille on Sarah

I like Camille Pagulia's refreshing approach. Here, she comments on Gov. Palin's resignation.

Assassination scenarios are outrageous no matter which party indulges in them. This kind of ethical obtuseness has to stop. Our zero tolerance should also extend to jokes threatening rape of public figures -- something that was amazingly directed at Sarah Palin from liberal quarters shortly after she arrived on the national scene last year. Dehumanization is a stealthy process that ultimately destroys everyone.

Obama's Stance Against Democracy

USA Today has an op-ed by Jonah Goldberg here describing how Obama seems to be developing an "Obama Doctrine" that is focused on underming democracy.

It is a persuasive read.

What Could Possibly Go Wrong?

(Originally posted by my husband at NRO)

George "Moonbat" Monbiot is outraged at the number of climate skeptics who have the affrontery to comment negatively on his articles. Now, reasons the Moonbat, because most of them use pseudonyms, they must be stooges for evil energy corporations and astroturf groups. So he demands they say who they are, on the grounds that they have nothing to fear from him. Why not go the whole hog and ask for their addresses, too, George? There are very good reasons why people, especially in Britain, choose anonymity.