What Was In My Parent’s Souls

Dear Congressman Hunter, after reading your assertion that it “takes more than walking across our border to become a citizen, its whats in our souls”,  I thought I’d introduce you to a couple of people I know pretty well.  See, I am a child of undocumented immigrants.

My parents were brought here by their parents when they were young children.  My Grandmother carried my mother in a shoebox into the United States.  As children, they worked in the orchards of California picking fruit and attended school when possible. They learned English by working alongside native-born Americans, this was the depression, after all, and even formerly well-heeled Americans found themselves picking lettuce for 14 cents a day.   They eventually moved to a barrio in East Los Angeles and worked in restaurants and warehouses to make ends meet.  My father saved enough money to buy a truck, then two, and began hauling produce up and down California’s highways.  WWII provided an opportunity to serve and become a citizen, and my dad fought the Japanese in the Philippine Islands.

The G.I. Bill put my father through college, and he earned an accounting degree at night school, since he had a family to support during the day.  My mother rented a small building and spent her days rolling taquitos which she sold to workers on their lunch breaks.  Her business grew, and she soon had employees that worked the counter for her.  She sold that business to her sister, who parlayed that small taco stand into one of the most successful Mexican food restaurants in the San Gabriel valley.  My mother returned to school as well, earned her degree, and worked at a college until she retired.  She also studied U.S. History, and Government, and eventually applied for citizenship.  She wasn’t to become a citizen for another decade, because she was warned that if she pursued it, her mother would be deported.  When my Grandmother died, my mom became a citizen.  It took almost 50 years.  It was her proudest day.

So, Congressman Hunter, I know all to well that it takes more than walking across the border to be an American.  I dare you to look me in the eye and tell me that my parents lacked something “in their souls.”  Any man that would seek to deport native-born children for ANY reason deserves to have the content of his own soul called into question, if you ask me.  Oh, yea, and go read the 14th amendment if you haven’t done so.

Now Saving Up For A Wii

Can lightning strike twice?  Woo Hoo!

Long Overdue Bill To Limit Credit Checks By Employers

“Bernie Madoff had a pretty good credit score“

There is no evidence that a person’s credit score has any correlation as to the type of employee he/she would be.  I’ve never liked this practice, even less so now, given the loss of privacy we put up with in the name of “safety.”  I have good close friends that have poor credit, but would make excellent employees.  Besides, if you cannot find work due a poor credit rating, how on earth do you improve it?

People who have substandard credit are targeted by businesses every day. Check cashing outlets that charge ridiculous interest rates for small loans.  Debt “relief” scams promising to do what any person with a telephone can do themselves.  Unscrupulous lenders that charge high hedge fees and then usurious interest.  Even insurance companies charge more or deny you altogether if your credit isn’t up to snuff.

The undeniable fact is that too many businesses seek to exploit those who are already at a disadvantage.  It is the American way, I guess.

Henderson Police Catch 1600 Illegals Each Month, Mayor Offers Amnesty To Some

According to this story, the Mayor of Hendersonville has asked the city’s police department to catch fewer illegals, because his office has been flooded with angry calls.  The police chief has indicated he will comply with the request, and get back to what he calls “core-policing.”

Alderman Brown added he’s received several calls from constituents upset about the amount of illegals the department is catching.

“People are wearing me out,” Brown said

Funny how you can slant a story by changing a couple of words, huh?
UPDATED: Now that I’ve had enough coffee, I remembered to link here to explain my inspiration.

Easter With The Harvard Sailing Team

Cuz y’all expect cutting edge from me, yo.

The women respond!

Hippocrates Wept

Imagine walking up to a doctor’s office and seeing this sign on the door:

According to the story in the Orlando Sentinel, Dr. Jack Cassell defends the offensive  sign by stating “I’m not turning anybody away — that would be unethical,” Dr. Jack Cassell, 56, a Mount Dora urologist and a registered Republican opposed to the health plan, told the Orlando Sentinel on Thursday. “But if they read the sign and turn the other way, so be it.”

I showed this to the Primary Wife, and she said it was obvious to her that the good doctor didn’t go into medicine for the medicine.

It just proves to me that the deference shown to doctors is not always deserved.  It just so happens there are more than a few doctors in my Rolodex(take THAT,kids!) so I made a few calls to see if what most of them thought about this.  Wow.  Poll this group about anything else, and you’d be hard pressed to reach a consensus.  But on this, they were in complete and total agreement…Unethical, irresponsible, bordering on criminal.

I would hope that those with a higher level of education would understand that fostering division in our country is harmful to everyone.  In the modern version of the Hippocratic Oath, this line stands out:

I will remember that I remain a member of society, with special obligations to all my fellow human beings, those sound of mind and body as well as the infirm

I think we should all be mindful of that, but especially those entrusted with our health and well-being.

I believe I’ll write the man a note reminding him of his obligations.

Stupidity On Both Sides

Ok, according to this story, a woman playing a penny slot machine in Colorado won 43 million after hitting the jackpot.  The thing is, the max payout on this particular machine was around 250k.  The casino is claiming a software glitch caused the errant message of the larger win.

Penny slots aren’t really a penny anymore.  Dozens of paylines exist and a player has the option of loading each of them to a maximum level, or simply playing one coin for each line, or one coin period.  I’ve spent a little time in casinos, and I can tell you that NO ONE plays a penny at a time.  Anyway, each “pull” (more likely a push of a button) has the max payout clearly disclosed.

So, I believe the casino when they say the message was an error.  I can’t totally fault the woman for suing them, as it must have been quite a let-down to think you had won the easy life, only to find that it was a mistake.

But good Lord, what does the casino offer?  Breakfast.  I’m completely serious.  Even if you ate everything on the Pancake Pantry’s menu, your bill wouldn’t exceed, say, 42 million.  But seriously, is that what they thought would make this woman go away?  Now they will find themselves in court, spending at least as much as the maximum payout, which, as stated above, is roughly a quarter-million bucks.  Offer that, and I’d think any judge on the planet would tell the woman to take it and run.

Now, I don’t know how much this particular casino spends each year to attract players, but I’m betting 250k doesn’t begin to cover it.  How much does this horrible publicity wind up costing them in the long run?  Time will tell.