Moving!

I've tired of California, and of life in a terminally blue state, so will be relocating to Georgia in the next two weeks. The reasons for the decision are several:

• better cost of living (housing 25-30% of California prices)
• better public schools
• better economy

The decision, following a good deal of research, was one of the easiest I have made.

A bonus is that I am moving my immediate family into closer proximity with other family members, always a good thing.

I'm impatient for the move to be done!

The Reality of Ports...

What an impressive firestorm rages now over the possibility that a company based in the United Arab Emirates may assume "control" over a number of U.S. ports. It is providing endless opportunities for our elected panderers -- on both sides of the aisle -- to indulge themselves in more than usual grandstanding. But have we learned anything useful from any of these overloud folks?

First, it would be best to bear in mind that the "control" the company will exert is subject to override from other sources, such as the Department of Homeland Security, and the lonshoremen's union. Homeland Security is in a position to assert requirements for employment screening, and the longshoremen will continue their long tradition of rejecting anyone who they deem unsuited to membership -- and the company will have no more success controlling that than has any other company in the past.

Second, the "control" of these ports by a foreign-owned company is hardly news, as the ports are currently under the "control" of a British company.

Third, if the goal were to do harm to American ports, there is simply no need to spend such large sums, as our pathetically low level of inspections of imported goods -- variously reported as 2-4%, or at most, 5% -- means that it would be almost trivially simple to ship bombs to us, and we'd be unlikely to discover them prior to the damage being done.

The hard reality is this. If we find foreign "control" of our ports unacceptable, then is it unacceptable regardless of the country involved. Further, we would be better served were our noisy politicians to spend some time honestly considering whether a higher level of incoming inspection might be in order.

If the politicians really want to do something useful, they might begin by eliminating all earmarks, and finding opportunities to reduce their outrageous spending, rather than pushing us ever closer to economic collapse.

Free Speech & Leaks...

Freedom of speech is one of our most treasured rights. The current turmoil over the Muhammed cartoons only underscores how critical a right that is.

But there are members of our society, indeed, citizens, whose rights to free speech are, and must be, constrained. Many people might find that statement curious, or even abhorrent, but it is logical and correct.

Members of our military are necessarily constrained by military regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice. Obviously, men and women in the field in a war zone must not exercise free speech, lest their "loose lips sink ships."

But what should be equally apparent is that our elected Representatives and Senators must also be constrained. When a Senator, for example, leaks intelligence information in a time of war, that Senator should, at the very least, be censured, but in truth, should be considered as a possible traitor.

I have heard some rather strange rationalizations about how narrowly the charge of treason should be applied, but the Constitution makes clear that giving aid and comfort to the enemy is a treasonous offense. Now surely, a leak that makes plain our methods of surveiling known or suspected agents of al Qaeda rises to that standard. Why then, do we not hear any great hue and cry about the continuing indiscretion of Senator Leahy, a.k.a. Leaky?

There are many ways in which our elected leaders bypas the Constitution on an almost daily basis, but surely this is among the most offensive.

The Muhammed Cartoons

There's a growing movement of folks publishing the Danish cartoons that have caused so much fuss, and I've decided to join in:












And now, all in one view, albeit small:


Note: The originals came from The Blog from the Core, where the blogger has declared Fair Use.


Thanks to E. L. Core for initiating the movement, and to Michelle Malkin, for publishing a roll of sites where these may be seen.