Things just keep getting better and better. Iran has proudly announced that it has successfully begun enriching uranium. Apparently they're still a long ways off from getting enough enrichment to make nuclear weapons, but they're obviously heading there, and it's only a matter of time.
It was OK when Russia had nukes in the Cold War, because they didn't want to use them on us because we'd just use ours on them. But Iran's president doesn't care about Iran's existence quite as much. He's the guy that's been calling the Holocaust a myth and declaring that Israel should be wiped off the map. What do you think he'll do when they get nukes ready?
So the US and other people who think they hold some world power have been telling Iran to stop. Iran says, yeah right. Because they know no army's going to come stop them. No country is going to instigate military action against them unless the US starts it, and they won't start it because the military's already stretched too thin in Iraq, and because the corrupted American media and politics won't let their own country take military force again because diplomacy is the peaceful way to resolve conflict. If only we had tried diplomacy with Iraq, we wouldn't have our present troubles, right?
Actually, we tried diplomacy with Iraq. Hussein didn't listen. We've been trying diplomacy with North Korea. They haven't stopped their nuclear program, either. And so now we're trying diplomacy with Iran. They're not going to stop, because if all we try is diplomacy then they can just ignore us and continue until they get some nukes and launch them on Israel.
If I didn't believe in God and his plan for Israel, their destruction would seem rather inevitable at this point. I'm not really sure what's going to happen with Iran, or if and when and how and who is going to stop them from continuing their nuclear program and launching them on Israel. Actually, it's not too far-fetched that Israel would launch nukes on Iran first. But then things would get really crazy...
Edmond the Hun
Thursday, April 20, 2006
Wednesday, April 12, 2006
How to Solve the Problem of Illegal Immigration
Everybody's all hyped up about what to do about illegal immigration, since we got several million of them in our country and Congress is finally trying to pass laws to do something about it. But all of the solutions only deal with the result. Whether we try to build a wall of some sort, or deport them all, or make them legal---all of this only deals with the result: illegals in our country.
This is ignoring the cause, which won't change: Mexicans are poor and it's easier for them to support themselves by coming here and getting a job. No matter what we do to the illegals here, thousands more are still going to try to come in because they're poor.
This morning I was struck with an obvious solution: help Mexico's economy. I don't mean give them money; every government in the world is too corrupt for that to help anything. I mean, do things to help their economy. I haven't thought through all of this yet, but surely we can do some things to help their economy and country function in a way similar enough to ours that the people there can actually get a job and make a living. Then they won't have to come up here.
The problem is that this is currently impossible. Mexico doesn't want us to help them, because the ones who are in power are corrupt and have plenty of money and are content to let their economy be sustained by the millions of dollars flowing back across the border from relatives with jobs in the U.S. And don't even pretend that diplomacy would work. How well has that worked with Iraq, North Korea, and Iran in the last couple years?
Therefore, the only way to help their economy would be to force them, and that would mean at least some sort of military action. Not a war; some sort of governmental coup. But just as in Iraq, the people would welcome it with open arms, except we wouldn't have to worry about terrorists quite as much.
I don't really know what I'm saying here. But I think the key to stopping illegals from crossing the border is by dealing with the root of the problem and fixing Mexican poverty. However impossible that may be.
Edmond the Hun
This is ignoring the cause, which won't change: Mexicans are poor and it's easier for them to support themselves by coming here and getting a job. No matter what we do to the illegals here, thousands more are still going to try to come in because they're poor.
This morning I was struck with an obvious solution: help Mexico's economy. I don't mean give them money; every government in the world is too corrupt for that to help anything. I mean, do things to help their economy. I haven't thought through all of this yet, but surely we can do some things to help their economy and country function in a way similar enough to ours that the people there can actually get a job and make a living. Then they won't have to come up here.
The problem is that this is currently impossible. Mexico doesn't want us to help them, because the ones who are in power are corrupt and have plenty of money and are content to let their economy be sustained by the millions of dollars flowing back across the border from relatives with jobs in the U.S. And don't even pretend that diplomacy would work. How well has that worked with Iraq, North Korea, and Iran in the last couple years?
Therefore, the only way to help their economy would be to force them, and that would mean at least some sort of military action. Not a war; some sort of governmental coup. But just as in Iraq, the people would welcome it with open arms, except we wouldn't have to worry about terrorists quite as much.
I don't really know what I'm saying here. But I think the key to stopping illegals from crossing the border is by dealing with the root of the problem and fixing Mexican poverty. However impossible that may be.
Edmond the Hun
Sunday, February 26, 2006
Port Deal...
Well, I still don't know a whole lot, since I missed the first couple days when the story broke and have had to rely on what recent editorials and news updates have had to offer.
This is what I know: The government wants to hand control of some major US ports to an Arab firm based out of the United Arab Emirates. This has something to do with them being a good company who will watch our ports better than we are and make our country safer. A bunch of Congressfolk are upset that letting Arabs control our ports is akin to giving it straight to the terrorists and will make our country much less safer. It appears that these Arabs are a lot nicer than the terrorist Arab types, but the outcry was enough to cause a delay and an intense investigation, with the possibility of dissolving the whole thing altogether.
This is what I think: It's been known for years that we only inspect a small percentage of what comes through our ports as it is. So handing some ports over to an experienced firm who will guard it for us is probably not a bad idea. Admittedly, the Arab ties are cause for concern, but isn't that being stereotypical and intolerant? On paper, these guys look like good Arabs. While some proponents are worried that these delays will severely hurt a budding international friendship, I will consent to say, hey, it's probably a good thing. Bush wouldn't OK it if he thought it would endanger us. But what does it matter? If it's alright, then the investigations will reveal that, and we'll end up doing it anyway.
Unless, of course, you no longer have confidence that the government knows how to conduct unbiased, unpartial, legitimate investigations...
Edmond the Hun
This is what I know: The government wants to hand control of some major US ports to an Arab firm based out of the United Arab Emirates. This has something to do with them being a good company who will watch our ports better than we are and make our country safer. A bunch of Congressfolk are upset that letting Arabs control our ports is akin to giving it straight to the terrorists and will make our country much less safer. It appears that these Arabs are a lot nicer than the terrorist Arab types, but the outcry was enough to cause a delay and an intense investigation, with the possibility of dissolving the whole thing altogether.
This is what I think: It's been known for years that we only inspect a small percentage of what comes through our ports as it is. So handing some ports over to an experienced firm who will guard it for us is probably not a bad idea. Admittedly, the Arab ties are cause for concern, but isn't that being stereotypical and intolerant? On paper, these guys look like good Arabs. While some proponents are worried that these delays will severely hurt a budding international friendship, I will consent to say, hey, it's probably a good thing. Bush wouldn't OK it if he thought it would endanger us. But what does it matter? If it's alright, then the investigations will reveal that, and we'll end up doing it anyway.
Unless, of course, you no longer have confidence that the government knows how to conduct unbiased, unpartial, legitimate investigations...
Edmond the Hun
Thursday, February 23, 2006
In Response to My Fans...
Sanguine, I apologize for the fake cursing. If you can tell me how "d--n" is worse than your "crap" and "dang it" I promise to never write it again :)
Swedish Eskimo, have fun running away. I hope you guys enjoy yourself in the Alps. And I'm too nice to say anything mean about your lack of interest in trying to help fix this stupid, stupid world :)
Finien, I don't know enough about the selling the ports thing to officially blog about it. I've just seen or heard blurbs on the net, in the news, and on the radio. On the positive side, I've heard that the United Arab Emirates are more "good guys," as far as Muslim countries go, that they've been anti-terrorists and pro-US and stuff like that, and that this is supposed to have something to do with building our alliance with them. But it still makes no sense for us to give control of our own ports to another country -- especially a Muslim country in the middle east. If I didn't go to school, work, and do track, I would read some Internet articles, the Post-Dispatch, USA Today, Newsweek, and Time, but I don't have enough of the latter. So I have no opinion at this point. But I will try to learn about it, and maybe on Sunday I can blog intelligently about it :)
Thank you, friends, for your consistent support. It means a lot. You guys rock!
Edmond the Hun
P.S. Aeropostalegirl, where've you been?
Swedish Eskimo, have fun running away. I hope you guys enjoy yourself in the Alps. And I'm too nice to say anything mean about your lack of interest in trying to help fix this stupid, stupid world :)
Finien, I don't know enough about the selling the ports thing to officially blog about it. I've just seen or heard blurbs on the net, in the news, and on the radio. On the positive side, I've heard that the United Arab Emirates are more "good guys," as far as Muslim countries go, that they've been anti-terrorists and pro-US and stuff like that, and that this is supposed to have something to do with building our alliance with them. But it still makes no sense for us to give control of our own ports to another country -- especially a Muslim country in the middle east. If I didn't go to school, work, and do track, I would read some Internet articles, the Post-Dispatch, USA Today, Newsweek, and Time, but I don't have enough of the latter. So I have no opinion at this point. But I will try to learn about it, and maybe on Sunday I can blog intelligently about it :)
Thank you, friends, for your consistent support. It means a lot. You guys rock!
Edmond the Hun
P.S. Aeropostalegirl, where've you been?
Monday, February 20, 2006
McDonald's Faces Lawsuits...
Apparently my employer is facing potential lawsuits from several sources after its recent disclosure that its fries contain more ingredients than we once thought. Wheat and dairy products and gluten or whatever.
Come on, folks, let's not give Ronald any more trouble. He's not trying to be secretive. He disclosed that information voluntarily after the FDA made the packaged foods industry do it. The best solution is to simply stop eating their fries, since at any given moment you have about a fifty percent chance that they will have been sitting out for too long anyway.
The truth is that for every person who shuns McDonald's for its fattening substances, there are ten more who will continue eating it because it tastes good and they don't give a d--n about the ingredients. Lawsuits will change nothing.
Edmond the Hun
Come on, folks, let's not give Ronald any more trouble. He's not trying to be secretive. He disclosed that information voluntarily after the FDA made the packaged foods industry do it. The best solution is to simply stop eating their fries, since at any given moment you have about a fifty percent chance that they will have been sitting out for too long anyway.
The truth is that for every person who shuns McDonald's for its fattening substances, there are ten more who will continue eating it because it tastes good and they don't give a d--n about the ingredients. Lawsuits will change nothing.
Edmond the Hun
Tuesday, February 14, 2006
Dick Cheney and the News
Monday's headlines: Cheney shoots fellow hunter in accident
Tuesday's headlines: Cheney is 'very safe' shooter, hunting comrade says
Tomorrow's headlines: Cheney issued a warning for breaking Texas hunting law
Let's see how many days in a row we can keep this trivial story in the front page!
Edmond the Hun
Tuesday's headlines: Cheney is 'very safe' shooter, hunting comrade says
Tomorrow's headlines: Cheney issued a warning for breaking Texas hunting law
Let's see how many days in a row we can keep this trivial story in the front page!
Edmond the Hun
Tuesday, February 07, 2006
TOP 5 NOTEWORTHY SUPER BOWL ADS
#5. Kurt Warner and John 3:16. It's great that the message of Christianity is being preached to this huge market. Forgive me for being cynical, but I couldn't help thinking, how many drunk viewers even cared, and how many homeless people could they have fed for those $3 million dollars? And now I'm probably a heathen for not supporting Jesus in the media.
#4. The streaking goat. Or was it a sheep? I don't remember. But animal personification always has great potential. It was funny.
#3. Wife and daughter go to visit daddy in the hospital. Assistant doctor is bothered by fly and kills it with his instrument. Just as the wife and daughter walks in, he says, "Well, that killed him." Don't judge too quickly, it said. Hilarious. Except that until I read the paper I didn't know what the company was advertizing. Looks like they just gave away $3 million to make people laugh.
#2. The cave man who couldn't use Fed-Ex and then got trampled by a huge dinosaur at the end. For some reason there's just something funny about people getting unexpectedly smashed by giant animals. And since the company was part of the dialogue, I remember what the company was!
#1. My personal favorite, the Emerald Nuts acronym of Even Machete Enthusiasts Recognize A Little Druid Networking Under the Stairs. The randomness of three guys making chopping sounds at a fern while watching a hooded robed guy talking on a cell phone with his laptop is just hilarious. It had me laughing even when the game came back on. Not that I've ever seen emerald nuts or know where to find them.
Edmond the Hun
#4. The streaking goat. Or was it a sheep? I don't remember. But animal personification always has great potential. It was funny.
#3. Wife and daughter go to visit daddy in the hospital. Assistant doctor is bothered by fly and kills it with his instrument. Just as the wife and daughter walks in, he says, "Well, that killed him." Don't judge too quickly, it said. Hilarious. Except that until I read the paper I didn't know what the company was advertizing. Looks like they just gave away $3 million to make people laugh.
#2. The cave man who couldn't use Fed-Ex and then got trampled by a huge dinosaur at the end. For some reason there's just something funny about people getting unexpectedly smashed by giant animals. And since the company was part of the dialogue, I remember what the company was!
#1. My personal favorite, the Emerald Nuts acronym of Even Machete Enthusiasts Recognize A Little Druid Networking Under the Stairs. The randomness of three guys making chopping sounds at a fern while watching a hooded robed guy talking on a cell phone with his laptop is just hilarious. It had me laughing even when the game came back on. Not that I've ever seen emerald nuts or know where to find them.
Edmond the Hun
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