According to a research study from Harvard University, researchers rate the Canadian healthcare system higher than that in the United States. According to these researchers, reports of the inadequacies of Canada’s great social experiment are misleading. If ever it were true that “researchers” will manipulate studies to produce a desired result, this is the case…This hardly empirical telephone survey of US and Canadian adults bases its findings on a stark reality, people in Canada, as a whole are healthier than their American counterparts…so therefore the healthcare system in Canada is superior. A seemingly logical conclusion, but is it?

According to the study, Americans are far more likely to have ailments like diabetes and heart disease. In reality the quality of US healthcare has little if anything to do with diseases like diabetes or heart disease. These diseases are a direct byproduct of lifestyle and eating habits, something for which it is entirely justified to criticize Americans, as this country is home to an ever growing number of fast food junkies, beginning at a very young age. There is no question that Americans are increasingly obese while leading increasingly sedentary lifestyles, a direct result of culture, not a lack of quality healthcare.

Lifestyle choice, however, does not change the fact that healthcare in this country remains one of the best systems in the civilized world and that can be largely attributed to fact that our system differs fundamentally from the Canadian model. Researchers attempted to reconcile this glaring reality by arguing that lack of access to healthcare (for uninsured Americans) accounted for the higher disease rates, as Americans were less likely to receive preventative care. This explanation, however, is sorely lacking. There is no preventive care a doctor can provide in the US or Canada to stop an individual from encouraging fast food or consuming large amounts of sugar, calories and fat, short of affixing a muzzle to their face.

As James Smith, a researcher with the RAND Corporation noted, even among Americans with insurance and access to health care, their was no discernable difference in the disease rate, compared with uninsured Americans. Even if uninsured Americans did have higher disease rates, it wouldn’t necessarily vindicate the Canadian system at the expense of the US model.

Americans who are uninsured are generally those with substantially lower incomes, these individuals with substantially lower incomes (and less education) are far more likely to consume large amounts of fast food and other unhealthy food products, the key lifestyle factor influencing the disease rates in this study.

Clearly the architects of this study have an agenda and that agenda is socialized medicine and therefore it is in their best interest to downplay the obvious and well recognized short comings of Canada’s tax payer sponsored universal health care system, while decrying the American experience. It is also in their best interest, given their motivations, not to explore other casualties that influence health, particularly lifestyle. If this is what passes for research at Harvard Medical, one would hope their physician studied somewhere else.
http://www.suntimes.com/output/health/cst-nws-health31.html

As a true Libertarian one must embrace the principle that it is not the duty of the state to dictate the actions of private citizens, so long as those actions do not infringe upon the rights of others, as such, this principle applies to legislation criminalizing drug use.

Does this mean boozers and drug addicts should be embraced by society? Certainly Not! Such people represent the bottom of the barrel in a civilized society. If they choose to make nothing of their lives, while ingesting toxins, however, that is their business, not the state’s, only when such activity threatens the rights or safety of others should government intervene.

The war on drugs, especially in its present form cannot succeed. The money wasted battling drug lords in Latin America and dealers on the streets of America would be better served in treatment programs, which can produce measurable results. And what of those drags on society who remain dependent on such toxins? As a case in Michigan points out, such problems sometimes have a way of solving themselves. Authorities in that state report at least 48 people have died since mid-May from a lethal concoction of heroin, cocaine and the prescription drug fentanyl. Officials in Wayne County, Michigan noticed a spike in drug related deaths on May 19th when 12 people died in a 24hr period and subsequently issued a public health alert, warning residents of the dangers of street drugs. The Phalanx ponders the following incentive, perhaps cruel question: why warn anyone? These stoners represent the very least society has to offer if they choose to voluntarily engage in well recognized life threatening behavior, why interfere? This is the fun they want…let them have their fun, and the nightmares that come with it..
http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060530/NEWS06/605300322

Yesterday, riots swept across cities and towns in Afghanistan. The rioters, egged on by radicals and the Taleban chanted “Death to America” and other familiar slogans. The riots resulted in the deaths of at least 14 people with over 100 injured.

The chaos began after US troops were involved in a car accident as they traveled through the streets of Kabul. US Convoys normally travel through town a top speed to avoid incidents; in this particular case, however, at least one cargo vehicle struck an undetermined number of civilian vehicles resulting in Afghani deaths. This tragic situation was made all the worse when local agitators decided to capitalize on the incident by causing a riot, a riot which killed and injured far more people than the initial accident.

Clearly the US forces involved were at fault for the initial accident and just restitution should be made to the victims and their families, but does this justify rioting? Exactly how many Afghanis have died at the hands of radicals in that country since the fall of the Taleban? Where was the outrage then?

Here again we have another case of distraction where those with an agenda use unfortunate incidents such as an accident to fan the flames of violence and mayhem. Such incidents highlight the difficulties faced by the US and its collation partners in their (misguided) nation-building efforts, we are dealing with a culture of violence and tyranny a culture in which good deeds are ignored and mistakes are magnified. In the minds of these people the US can do no good, which begs the question, why remain? Iraq and Afghanistan will never truly be pacified and 100 years from now they will be as much our enemy as they are today. Once the threat is eliminated, why not withdraw and leave these vicious gangs and radicals to slaughter each other as is their desire.
http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/asiapcf/05/30/afghan.protest/index.html

Nearly 50,000 California high school seniors may not graduate this spring after the state Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of the state’s high school exit exam.

The test, which had been required for graduation, tests seniors in English (10th grade level) and Math (8th grade level), amazingly, or perhaps, not so amazing, 47,000 high school seniors failed the test and now are at risk of not “graduating.” Some of these seniors, whose academic ability is eclipsed by that of middle school aged children, sued arguing the test was discriminatory to minorities and low-income students. Apparently if you come from a low-income family, numbers add up a little differently (maybe that’s the problem).

As the state’s superintendent, Jack O'Connell, argued the test was necessary to "further society's interest in ensuring that students demonstrate minimal academic proficiency in order to receive a high school diploma." O’Connell’s position is wholly justified, how can a school system legitimately claim that a student qualifies for graduation when they lack the academic abilities of an 8th grader? The student failures who sued, argued they should not be held accountable for their failures, blaming their short comings and poor work ethic on the school system.

In reality the students (and their parents) are completely to blame for their shameful failures. Perhaps if they had taken a keener interest in their studies, then perhaps their fortunes would be far different. If public schools are to have any measure of reliability, society must not expect schools to consistently lower standards to placate the lazy, the incompetent and the unmotivated, which is exactly why parents should opt for a private school that refuses to compromise on academic standards, one that also demands greater parental involvement. These entitlement minded students will either have to study hard and achieve or prepare for a life of mediocrity…
http://www.usatoday.com/news/education/2006-05-24-california-exams_x.htm

After several days of intense pressure from Democratic and Republican leaders, the president has ordered sealed the congressional documents seized during the FBI raid of Congressman Jefferson’s office. Individuals like House Speaker Dennis Hastert and others have led the charge arguing that the raid was unconstitutional, apparently the premise that members of Congress are bound by the same laws as other citizens is beyond the pale with regard to the constitution.

The FBI raid was completely justified, having securing a search warrant to implement the raid. Members of Congress (or even the president) are not and should not be entitled to any special treatment or immunity from criminal investigation. This caving by the president sets a dangerous precedent, sadly not one member of Congress has stood up for the rule of law, though quite a few have stood up for privilege.

Members of Congress have portrayed this issue as a constitutional matter. Nothing could be farther from the truth; this matter has nothing to do with the concept of separation of powers. Indeed, under the principle of separation of powers, it is the responsibility of the executive branch of government to investigate and prosecute criminal activity; the constitution makes no distinction between John Q. Public and Congressman John Q. Thus the principle of separation of powers does not apply and furthermore the principle of separation of powers does not absolve congressman from following the law, nor give certain individuals immunity from a criminal investigation, nor does it grant the extra-legal authority to usurp due process.

Given this latest turn of events it should come as no surprise that Congressional approval has reached all time lows…The president should rescind this unnecessary and extra-legal maneuver, designed solely to placate the power obsessed hack politicians on Capitol Hill, and uphold the laws he has sworn to uphold. Furthermore, every member of Congress who refuses stand against privilege should be drummed out of office this November…
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/12981517/
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/05/25/AR2006052502102.html

http://www.thephalanx.com/2006/05/speaker-objects-to-fbi-raid.html

As the Phalanx has pointed out on more than one occasion, the Russian state could hardly be confused for a true democratic republic. President Vladimir Putin is as authoritarian as the Pro-Democracy Boris Yeltsin was corrupt and incompetent. Under Putin, much of the Democratic freedoms Russians had grown to enjoy have been swept under the rug in the name of “national security” and so forth (sound familiar).

Putin and his tyrannical cronies have clamped down of freedom of the press, they have prosecuted and imprisoned those who dared to speak out against the authoritarian regime. They have deprived Russians of their ability to participate in democratic elections, making regional governors appointed, where as they had once been elected. If these examples weren’t proof enough, Putin’s latest authoritarian move leaves little to doubt.

Prosecutors in the city of Ivanovo are building a case against a local newspaper editor for having the audacity to mock the esteemed Emperor President Putin. Vladimir Rakhmanko, ridiculed Putin’s call for the state to provide incentives for Russian mothers to have more children. As a result of Rakhmanko’s flagrant display of press freedom, his online news site has been shut down and prosecutors are clamoring around like the Gestapo, gathering evidence in preparation for yet another kangaroo show trial. As the NKVD KGB Russian authorities noted, an investigation was launched because Rakhmanko’s article "contained phrases of an insulting nature aimed at the president." Now we know what Putin and George III have in common, neither can be insulted.

There can be no doubt that freedom is a thing of the past in Putin’s Russia, to deny this reality is to deny the presence of the sun and the stars, yet Putin and his fellow tyrants steadfastly reject such labels, most recently balking at Vice President Cheney’s characterization of the Stalinesque Kremlin curmudgeons.
http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20060525/ap_on_re_eu/russia_ribbing_putin_1

Contrary to the negativists, the leftists, the socialists and other anti-capitalists, the US economy continues to confound the naysayers. According to the latest figures from the US Commerce Department, the US economy grew by 5.3% during the last quarter. This represents sizable growth across the board, and further disproves the leftist position that the US economy is foundering.

Since the moment the Democrats left office 5 and ½ years ago, they have regularly attempted to cast the US economy in the most negative light possible. This is a concerted strategy to portray themselves as saviors rather than the tax and spend liberals we have known for decades.

The left has convinced many sheep-like Americans that tax cuts have harmed the economy and that there are no jobs available, that standard of living is in decline, all of which is nonsense in the highest sense of the word. Not only is the US economy growing at a phenomenal rate, far exceeding any other western country, but unemployment remains extremely low (less than 5%). The last thing this country needs is a leftist administration committed to higher taxes and needless government interference and regulation. The question remains whether Bush will capitalize on these figures or if he will allow the left to dominate the political area, as he has for the last 5 years.

Just imagine how prosperous this country would be if Bush was as committed to smaller leaner government as he claims.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/5016526.stm

Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert has made it clear to the president that he regards the FBI raid on Rep. William Jefferson’s office unconstitutional. Hastert contends that the raid violated the constitutionally enshrined principle of separation of powers. Hastert argues that the raid was not conducted properly, though he does not dispute the guilt or innocence of Rep. Jefferson.

Jefferson, who is accused of taking tens of thousands of dollars in bribes in exchange for official “favors” naturally objected to the raids as well. In raising his concerns, Hastert claims that he was not given advanced warning of the raid and that there was no ground to seize congressional documents.

The position of the Speaker is groundless; perhaps Hastert is concerned that the equally corrupt Republicans will be targeted next. The FBI followed proper procedure in securing a warrant and the subsequent raid was completely constitutional. Hastert’s concerns over Separation of Powers is a poor attempt to change the meaning of the term. The constitution does not protect members of congress from being investigating for criminal activity.

Execution of search warrants do not require advanced notice to the speaker or any other party, indeed that is the very nature of a search warrant and members of congress are not immune from the laws they are sworn to protect. These objections raised by members of congress represent a congressional usurpation in an of itself as they seek to reserve for themselves special treatment, to which ordinary Americans are not entitled…
http://www.thehill.com/thehill/export/TheHill/News/Frontpage/052406/jefferson.html

Exactly why is it that some people oppose the concept of freedom and individual responsibility, is it because they fear with such freedom people will no longer be bound by the influence of some charismatic leader or demagogue, is it because they fear of loss of power and prestige, is it because their belief system is based on such a fragile foundation that any challenge to it will destroy that belief…why is that leftists and conservatives alike are constantly attacking the concept of freedom? The answer is: “all of the above.”

While politicians, activists, gurus and the like all claim to stand up for freedom and the principles enshrined in our founding documents such as the Declaration of Independence and the US Constitution, the reality is, when the chips are down, few of these so-called advocates stand for much of anything, especially freedom. Freedom for us depends on freedom for all. There is no justification to deny others their freedom of movement or expression or to deny others their ability to choose their own destiny, simply because their choices conflict with our own…enter the case of myspace.com the so-called “place for friends, has turned into a preying ground for the speech police.

An Illinois school system in Lake County has proven just how threatening internet sites like myspace.com can be. Their draconian authoritarian limitations on individual freedoms have raised the ire of many students and parents. This Chicago suburb has resolved to hold students “accountable” for the information posted on their myspace.com sites. Students must pledge to refrain from "illegal or inappropriate" activity on such sites. Since when have schools taken on the responsibility of law enforcement?

It is unclear what these schools consider “inappropriate,” perhaps insulting a teacher is inappropriate, perhaps any complaint about a school is equally off limits, no one can be sure exactly what the schools may come to view as inappropriate, though one can easily extrapolate the meaning of “illegal.” Nonetheless, by what justification do schools have the authority to dictate the behavior of students outside of school grounds?

Understandably, if students are involved in illegal behavior on myspace.com, or anywhere else, they should be held accountable (by law enforcement), but this is not the purview of your local school and it certainly is not their domain to judge the “appropriateness” of behavior outside of school.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-0605230128may23,1,6311879.story?coll=chi-news-hed&ctrack=1&cset=true

According to a number of reports, several countries, including France, Germany and Italy have dolled out huge sums to Iraqi insurgents in the form of ransoms paid to secure the release of hostages.

On average, nations as well as firms operating in Iraq, have paid sums ranging from 2.5 to 10 million dollars to secure the release of hostages held in the clutches of Iraq’s Islamic radicals.

It is no surprise that such kidnappings continue in Iraq, given the lucrative nature of the kidnapping business in that country. Sadly, the spirit of Munich lives on as these appeasing nations have learned nothing from history and as a result murderers and tyrants are regularly rewarded for their transgressions.

It should also come as no surprise that nations like the US, Britain and Japan have seen a marked decline in such offensives committed against their citizens since these governments have refused to coddle and reward terrorists.

For every man woman and child that is kidnapped in Iraq, we can thank the likes of France, Germany, Italy, Jordan, Turkey, Sweden and Romania for appeasing and funding terrorists. Indeed, future victims should seek restitution from these governments for financing the operations of terrorists…
http://www.theage.com.au/news/world/iraq-ransom-payments-near-60m/2006/05/22/1148150185056.html

“Take me down to the Chocolate City where the bribes are green and the incompetence ain’t pretty… Oh, won't you please take me home.” No doubt, these were the inspired words of Ray “Chocolate City” Nagin upon learning of his reelection victory in this weekend’s runoff election for New Orleans mayor.

The success of Nagin’s candidacy clearly demonstrates the stupidity and incompetence of the New Orleans voter, no wonder so many rubes stayed behind upon hearing of the evacuation call last summer. If ever there were a politician who did not deserve re-election it was Ray Nagin. Nagin’s incompetence, buffoonery and Mussolini-esque blame game demonstrates beyond question his lack of qualifications. What this election also proves is the unviability of popular elections in this country, so long as any brain dead slug can cast a ballot.

Nagin failed the city of New Orleans as its chief executive, and while the federal and state officials can share in that failure, Nagin’s failure was paramount. His failure to follow his city’s own evacuation procedures likely cost hundreds of lives, but as demagogues through the centuries have proven if you can castigate someone else, if you can speak loudly, create a commotion and draw attention away from your own short comings you will win the undying love of your people.

Nagin has learned this lesson well and the people of New Orleans are worse off because of it.
http://www.cnn.com/2006/POLITICS/05/21/nola.mayor/index.html

Under the concept of federalism, certain duties and responsibilities reside with the states, while the central government is entrusted with other responsibilities such as to coin money or declare war or conduct foreign relations, during the 20th and 21st centuries that once narrowly defined role for the central government has expanded exponentially. For over two centuries it has been up to the states to address issues such as marriage, now it seems “relationship police” in Congress have decide to usurp the intent of the Founding Fathers and 200 years of precedent in moving ahead with a proposal to enshrine heterosexual marriage in the US Constitution where it has no place.

If this amendment passes, any semblance that this nation is a federal republic will be destroyed, the states should collectively renounce any claim to sovereignty in any matters of governance and surrender all authority to a centralized governing authority in Washington, not unlike France or Fascist Italy. The question before us is not about same sex marriage, the question is whether this nation will continue to move forward in concentrating power in Washington or if the states will retain any functional responsibilities whatsoever, what’s’ next? National Public Schools, National Property Taxes, National Driver’s Licenses or National Fishing Licenses?

The issue of same sex marriage is yet another non-issue in Congress’s non-issue summer, by which the legislature will move ahead with passage of several meaningless pieces of legislation, designed solely to cow tow to bigots, idiots, imbeciles and the easily distracted (after all it is an election year), meanwhile issues of true importance: Social Security, Energy Dependence, Terrorism, High Taxation, wasteful government spending, etc…go unaddressed yet again.

"The American people support protecting traditional marriage, and we should give this amendment due consideration through the full legislative process." -Senator Sam Brownback

But do they support an increasing centralization of authority and if Americans are so supportive of traditional marriage why have they abandoned it in droves, why are they getting divorces in record numbers, why are they cheating on the spouses they vowed to love and cherish, why are they abusing wives and placing career and money ahead of family? Why not propose legislation to address these issue, or here’s a wacky thought, why not stop interfering with people’s personal lives and give the American people the freedom to make decisions for themselves, not only on the subject of marriage, but on social security and retirement savings, school choice and so on and so forth?
http://www.breitbart.com/news/2006/05/18/060518225553.8xs9cio2.html

“First they came for the Communists, and I didn’t speak up, because I wasn’t a Communist. Then they came for the Jews, and I didn’t speak up, because I wasn’t a Jew. Then they came for the Catholics, and I didn’t speak up, because I was a Protestant. Then they came for me, and by that time there was no one left to speak up for me.” -Rev. Martin Niemoller, 1945

Perhaps it should come as no surprise that in the Islamic Republic of Iran, Jews, Christians and other Non-Muslims are persona non-grata among the general populace. Any persistent doubts can be erased with the passage of a new bill by Iran’s parliament which requires non-Muslims to be labeled with identity badges. Depending upon one’s faith: Jew, Christian, etc, Iranians would have to wear specific identifying markings sewn to the outside of their clothing. Final passage remains unclear as all laws passed by the Iranian parliament must be vetted by Tehran’s chief mullahs-in-charge (MIC). There can be no doubt, however, that the MICs will approve of this legislation and if they do it should come into affect by 2007.

Jewish and various human rights groups have called for international pressure on Iran to drop the proposal, but as we have seen with Iran on the nuclear question, outcry and international opposition serves only to strengthen the resolve of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and the radical mullahs of Tehran.

Such legislation has been attempted before, and not only in Iran, ostensibly proponents of such legislation have claimed that it will protect non-Muslims and free them from compliance with Islamic law and custom, in reality these badges are tantamount to targets, identifying those whom the state views as free and clear for harassment and maltreatment. While the badges may simply say that John Q is a Jew or Christian, the badge might as well say: “Please beat, maim, kidnap or kill me…”
http://www.canada.com/components/print.aspx?id=11fbf4a8-282a-4d18-954f-546709b1240f&k=32073

In a move designed solely to raise the stakes in the politics of distraction, the US Senate has passed a measure calling for English to be designated as the official language of the United States, in so doing the Congress should adopt a new name: the Hall of Mussolini.

There is absolutely no justification or reasoning behind this meaningless and purely symbolic piece of legislation and further demonstrates the failure of the socialist and fascist parties (i.e., Democratic and Republican Parties) to address real issues instead they have opted for Mussolini style parlor tricks and Bread and Circuses. Conservatives argue that the English only measure will unify the nation. English is already the defacto official language of this nation. Considering the fact that the vast majority of citizens are native English speakers and even those who aren’t are compelled to learn English in order to function in society, such legislation has no real value, nonetheless we have yet another state-centered, top down, heavy handed, totalitarian piece of legislative designed to control human behavior further demonstrating the tendency of government to constantly and persistently interfere in the lives of what are supposedly a free people.

"We are having a great debate on what it means to be an American." –Sen. Lindsey Graham

Apparently what it means to be an American is to face constant meddlesome legislation in every aspect of life, from how and when to spend and save our money to where we send our kids to school and now what language we speak.

Being an American has nothing to do with what language we speak, indeed America from its very onset has been a multicultural society. When this country broke from Great Britain fully 1/5th of the population spoke a language other than English. At the time our Founding Fathers saw no need to designate and official language, just as Britain didn’t (and still doesn’t) have an official language. Apparently the collection of thieves and showman who run Capitol Hill are under the impression that their wisdom exceeds that of the Founding Fathers…the Phalanx begs to differ.

This latest act of Congress only reinforces the reality that politicians will always choose the path of least resistance, instead of confronting tax reform and dismantling the draconian income tax or addressing the inevitable insolvency of Social Security or facing the impending energy crisis or dealing a crushing blow to Islamic terrorism, what do we have…the “anti-immigrant distraction show.” One would assume the Mussolini-esque politicians just discovered that there were illegal immigrants in this country, where were these “politicians” 20 and 30 years ago? Bravo Congress, great job at doing nothing as usual!
Link to LA Times article

Everywhere you turn these days there are stories about the high cost of petroleum and petroleum byproducts, particularly gasoline. In May of last year the average cost for one gallon of gasoline was $2.10, today that cost has risen to approximately $2.90. The causes of this increase in gas prices is multifaceted, which can be explained through a simple understanding of supply and demand.

Demand for oil has steadily increased with vibrant economies both at home and abroad, particularly in East Asia, and Eastern Europe. At the same time there has been increased volatility and other factors that have led to shortages in supply, including: Hurricane Katrina, violence in Nigeria and the ongoing nuclear confrontation with Iran. A number of environmental factors have also come into play. Specialized fuel blends, required in many US states, have driven up costs, along with the fact that refining capacity has remained constant in the US over the last 30 years, while demand has skyrocketed, leading to bottlenecks that have limited the availability of gasoline for consumers.

Regardless of this politicians, particularly on the left have sought to castigate the president and assign blame to any and everyone, so long as it benefits them politically…but are gas prices truly the headache the media and politicians make out? According to CNN consumers are feeling the “pinch” and are being forced to make drastic changes.

A recent ABC News story recounted the experience of one New York based reporter and how cost would impact his family vacation. This reporter regaled his audience with the story of his family vacation from Syracuse, NY to Cape Cod. According to the reporter, if he were to make the same trip this year the additional gasoline costs would total over $40 and the additional costs for lodging and meals (assuming an imbedded gasoline increase) would bring his overall additional expenses to $105, on a vacation that cost just over $1000 last year. Are we to believe that someone planning to spend $1000 on a vacation is incapable of doing so because of an extra $100? Are we to believe that this 80 cent per gallon increase over the past year will truly force individuals to change their lifestyle? Anyone who is forced to cancel a vacation because of a $100 price increase probably shouldn’t be going on vacation in the first place.

For a driver who’s average tank size accommodates 12 gallons of gas, the average cost of a fill-up has increased from $25.20 to $34.80, yes a significant increase proportionally speaking, but insignificant in the grand scheme of things, no one’s life is going to be dramatically altered because they have to spend an extra $9.60, if so then they didn’t have much of a lifestyle to speak of in the first place. Anyone who is adversely harmed by these prices should take this opportunity to assess choices made in their lives, the choices that led them to reel in pain because of an extra $9.60; clearly the choices made in life weren’t so good. Perhaps every American should forgo that fast food meal, or other extraneous and wasteful spending. With American debt up 33% in the last 2 years, clearly it isn’t gas prices that American consumers have a problem with, its their reckless spending habits.
http://money.cnn.com/2006/05/18/news/economy/retail_gas/?cnn=yes

America’s litigious curse is beginning to infect our neighbor to the south. Only a day after Mexico vowed to respect President Bush’s decisions on immigration as the acts of a sovereign nation, the Mexican government is now threatening to file suit.

“If we see the National Guard starting to directly participate in detaining people ... we would immediately start filing lawsuits through our consulates…"
-Mexican Foreign Secretary Luis Ernesto Derb

Is this what Mexico considers respecting the sovereignty of its neighbor? The question of whether or not the US government chooses to use the National Guard to enforce border security is not a decision that rests with the Mexican authorities and there are no grounds for that nation to file any law suit which this nation is bound to respect. If anything, the US government should begin legal action against Mexico for blatant and repeated actions to actively support massive illegal immigration to this country. There can be no skirting the fact that Mexican officials give tacit approval to such illegal border crossings, even providing migrants with assistance in order to facilitate that illegal activity. Through such actions Mexico has already demonstrated its lack of respect for a sovereign nation. Centuries ago such actions alone would be grounds for a declaration of war.

Mexican officials have also noted that posting the Guard along the border will not suppress illegal immigration, especially if there is an amnesty program in this country, which lends credence to the argument that any “guest worker” program should require applicants to apply in their home country, prior to entry into the United States…
http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/americas/05/16/mexico.immigration.ap/index.html

Granted a certain Phalanx editor hasn’t spent much time in New Jersey, usually the amount of time it took to travel from Newark airport to NYC, but surely there is such a thing as self service gas stations somewhere in the state of New Jersey? According to a report in USA Today, residents of New Jersey haven’t had the option of self-service gas stations in nearly 60 years…surely they jest. What manner of socialist state control is it that the government dictates how we must refill a car’s gas tank?

Recently, NJ Governor Jon Corzine, proposed introducing self-service refueling stations along the NJ turnpike, the response from the public was a categorical NO…are the people in New Jersey this lazy…In response to the public outcry, the governor dropped the idea, noting that there are more important issues to consume the government’s time…Oregon also bars self-service as well (the only 2 states to do so).

What is the thinking behind such mettlesome legislation? Are the citizens of Oregon and New Jersey intellectually incapable of understanding the complexities of using a gas pump? The governor of Oregon argued that his state would not consider changing, noting that there was no reason to throw people out of work…so in other words the citizens of his state are forced to pay higher prices solely to keep some mindless autonomons employed in a completely dead-end and merit less job. Critics of the self-service scheme also contend that it would impose a hardship on the elderly and could lead to accidents as unskilled drivers attempt to fill their tanks…
http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2006-05-16-nj-gas_x.htm

The immigration debate has stirred feelings on both sides. Leftists, actively recruiting any warm body to support their state centered agenda, has readily opposed any serious efforts to combat illegal immigration, while conservatives anxious to find a subject to mobilize their base has jumped on the immigration bandwagon after failures in social security and tax reform. Some groups, however, have more sinister designs. According to the FBI, hate crimes are up and organizations like the Southern Poverty Law Center postulate that a rise in such crimes could be attributed to increasing anti-immigrant sentiment. According to the Alabama organization, there 803 such hate groups in the USA last year, up from 762 in 2004.

"More and more groups are turning to immigration to help recruitment." - Mark Potok, Southern Poverty Law Center

The center contends that a growing number of anti-immigrant groups have joined forces with neo-Nazi organizations to intimidate illegal immigrants.
While immigration opponents have distinctly legitimate concerns, those who seek support from Nazi organizations relinquish any legitimacy their arguments may have had. As organizations go, these Nazi organizations have far more in common with the likes of Al Qaeda than any patriot movement. Their propensity for violence and mayhem clearly demonstrate that connection beyond question.

Like the Islamic Radicals, these individuals have chosen a convenient scapegoat to blame for their personal failures. Who’s to blame for the fact that Johnny Skinhead doesn’t have a job or high school diploma, why it must be José the illegal from Mexico. Who’s to blame for Johnny Skinhead’s lengthy criminal record, drug abuse and lack of a future, why it must be Miguel the illegal from Guatemala. These anti-immigrant Nazis represent all that is wrong in America, incapable of accepting responsibility for their sloth, complacency and failure they assign blame to others and in so doing they are no different than the radical left or radical Islam, neither of whom are familiar with the concept of personal responsibility.

While certain organizations, like the Minute Men have legitimate concerns and act on those concerns in a lawful and proper manner, others associate themselves with so-called patriotic Nazis who are in reality, anything but. No self respecting American would claim to be that which, if successful 60 years ago, would have most certainly enslaved each and every American. No true American would ever embrace the philosophy of Adolf Hitler; those who do are traitors and should be so aptly labeled traitors. The are traitors to our founding ideals, traitors to their fellow Americans, traitors to our Constitution, traitors to representative government and traitors to the rule of law…
http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2006-05-16-hate-immigration_x.htm

The European Union offered Iran a major incentive this week to halt uranium enrichment. Under the European plan, in exchange for Iran’s commitment to suspend uranium enrichment, the Europeans would share technology for one of the world’s most sophisticated civilian nuclear reactors. It should come as no surprise that Iran rejected the proposal, stating that it had the right to produce nuclear fuel on its own soil.

Iran’s frequent rejections of such generous proposals clearly demonstrates the underhanded intentions of Iran’s nuclear ambitions…Iran, has claimed from the onset that its once secret nuclear program, built far below the ground in a nation with vast reserves of oil and natural gas was for peaceful energy production, yet Iran has consistently rejected proposals that would enhance its ability to develop a cheap and reliable source of energy, in addition to the cheap and reliable source of energy that already lies below the surface.

Iran rejects these offers because its “peaceful” nuclear research program has little if anything to do with peaceful power production and everything to do with nuclear weapons. If the world collectively offered Iran free electrical power along high transmission power lines constructed by the EU, Iran would reject the offer as it would not fulfill its true nuclear ambitions. Iran will accept nothing that inhibits its ability to develop nuclear weapons. The assertion that it is Iran’s intentions to develop nuclear power for any other reason than weaponry is nonsense in the highest sense.
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,195655,00.html

If there was any doubt that inflation has significantly weakened the US dollar, one need only look toward the city of Atlanta, Georgia. Atlanta is home to Hartsfield-Jackson Int’l Airport, the world’s busiest airport in terms of passenger volume as well as flight capacity. Given the airport’s immense size, events that take place at Hartsfield have a ripple effect throughout the air traffic control system.

For years, Atlanta, like many major urban centers across the country, has confronted growing airport congestion leading to long flight delays, made worse after Sept 11th and the war on terror. To combat this congestion problem the city of Atlanta commissioned the construction of a 5th airport runway to ease congestion, while increasing flight capacity.

According to the FAA, this 5th runway will increase flight capacity by over 30% at Hartsfield, which translates into smoother air traffic, not only in Atlanta but throughout the country. So…what was the cost of this rather mundane piece of civil engineering? The runway, taxiway and bridge over a nearby interstate cost the taxpayers approximately $1.2 billion, that’s BILLION!!!! Who knew that 9,000 ft of pavement and a bridge could cost so much….In the late 1970s, the construction costs for Hartsfield Airport itself, replacing the then Atlanta Municipal Airport, totaled: $1.6 billion (and that included 3 runways). By contrast the taxpayers of this nation shelled out $130 billion dollars to construct the nation’s interstate system, which included over 40,000 miles of highway, bridges, overpasses and intersections (approximately $3.2 million per mile). For $1.2 billion, one would expect the runway to extend from Atlanta to Jacksonville, Florida.

So how does the cost of the runway compare with other major construction projects in today’s dollars? The Golden Gate Bridge costs approximately $249 million, while the Empire State Building costs a whopping $554 million and the Sears Tower topped out at over $623 million.

With the completion of Atlanta’s 5th runway, the city can boast of the most expensive stretch of pavement in the world, perhaps someone should consider taking a look at those accounting books…
http://www.usatoday.com/money/biztravel/2006-05-15-atlanta-usat_x.htm

Has New York’s junior senator been reading the Phalanx, or like all politicians has she simply adopted a strategy of playing both ends against the middle in a on going effort to drum up support for her as yet unannounced presidential bid? According to Senator Clinton, young people in this country have an entitlement attitude, expecting reward without merit (isn’t that the mantra of the Democratic Party).

"Kids, for whatever reason, think they're entitled to go right to the top with $50,000 or $75,000 jobs when they have not done anything to earn their way up…A lot of kids don't know what work is. They think work is a four-letter word…We've got to send a different message to our young people. America didn't happen by accident. A lot of people worked really hard. They've got to do their part, too."

Clinton’s comments were clearly crafted to play well with more conservative leaning constituents. The Senator knows that an extreme liberal would have difficulty winning crossover appeal with voters, for that reason Clinton has consistently portrayed herself as a moderate, taking divergent views that often contrast with her leftist powerbase.

The senator from New York attributed this entitlement mentality she spoke of to a host of sources, including: television, cellphones and the Internet. According to Clinton, these technological innovations have instilled a sense of instant gratification, which “argues against hard work.”

One group she didn’t blame, however, was parents whose own work ethic has diminished over the years, nor did she mention her leftist compatriots who have long instilled the belief that government is the crutch upon which a complacent society rests. In reality its not technology that has fomented the sloth mentality in America, it’s the absence of values instilled in children during their developmental years. Today’s parents are too lazy even to discipline their own children and when those children make mistakes are get into trouble, these same parents seek to blame others for their own failures. While Clinton’s warning that today’s youth are competing for the future is an accurate representation, her words ring hollow, given the work of the Senator and other leftists who tireless labor to grow a culture of dependence in this country, forever tied to the state.
http://www.cnn.com/2006/POLITICS/05/15/clinton.apologize.ap/index.html

In a move to satisfy a growing chorus of politicians and activists who have called on the US government to take action to curb the flow of illegal immigrants into this country, the President will give a major address to the nation on the subject of immigration.

By most accounts, a major component of the president’s announcement will be the revelation that the National Guard will be used in some capacity to patrol the US-Mexican border…The immigration issue has taken center stage in American politics with both sides clamoring to define the agenda. While immigration is certainly an important issue, it pales in comparison with other more pressing issues, which the Congress and the President have forgotten or chosen simply to ignore.

As the immigrant debate has intensified so too has concern among immigration supporters, particularly the left, who court immigrants, legal or otherwise, to swell the ranks of their supporters come Election Day. Nowhere is the concern more intense than in Mexico. From the Mexican government on down to the man on the street, there is growing concern that America may finally take border security seriously. For the Mexican government, illegal immigration has long been a means to relieve pressure on the state. The Mexican economy cannot support the 100 million Mexicans who live in that country and thus the government encourages its citizens to traverse the border, legally or otherwise.

Those who find their way to America often support the Mexican economy in other ways as they send money to relatives back home, further relieving pressures on the Mexican government to deliver on failed promises of economic prosperity. Given this reality, it comes as no surprise that Mexican President Vicente Fox telephoned President Bush to express concern over the prospect of National Guard troops patrolling the region. After all if there is a US military presence along the border it may prove increasingly difficult of the Mexican government to get people out of the country. The details of the presidential phone call are unclear, but the gist of the conversation may have gone a little like this:

Fox: El Presidente, I am concerned about reports that you will place troops on the border…is this true.

Bush: Well Sen-yor Fox, I’ve got to do something, with my fellow Republicans and people like the Minute Men making such a fus I have to act to win votes.

Fox: How are we suppose to get rid of these people with all these troops on the border?

Bush: Don’t worry its only temporary, once all the hoopla has died down things will go back to normal.

Fox: Bueno

According to White House officials, President Bush assured Fox that the change did not represent a militarization of the border. There is no word as to whether Bush brought up the fact that Mexico has long since militarized its southern border to prevent the flow of immigrants from Guatemala and other Central American nations. Apparently what’s good enough for Mexico is not good enough for the United States.

Mexico and its agents in this country will most assuredly apply intense pressure on the US government to reverse this decision, if not Mexico may actually have to address problems of corruption and economic stagnation which have left many Mexicans in abject poverty for decades…
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/4771637.stm

Fritz Kuhn Winston McCuen, a South Carolina Latin teacher and slavery apologist has made it clear to anyone who will listen that America should make no apology for slavery. Blacks are inferior to Whites and slavery was entirely justified, McCuen argues. This “teacher” contends that history and IQ tests clearly prove that Whites are intellectually superior to Blacks. There simply is no reason to refute McCuen’s utterances, as nonsense requires no rebuttal, anymore than it would be necessary to rebut someone who argues that the Sun revolves around the Earth.

As any legitimate scientist can attest, there are no biological differences between the races. Intellect is not genetically predisposed, it is a byproduct of culture, experience and education…the premise that because of one’s skin color they are more or less inclined to be intelligent clearly demonstrates the stupidity of Mr. McCuen. Or should take McCuen at his word and thus assume that Blacks are inferior to Whites, Whites are inferior to Indians and Indians inferior to Chinese and Chinese inferior to Japanese, after all these cultures have a history of high academic achievement on similar assessments?

When questioned by a local reporter on the subject of slavery, McCuen’s response typified the average planter of the 19th century. McCuen argued that slavery was the Blackman’s rightful place in society and no apology was warranted.

"In America there was a rational assessment saying listen, if we give these people freedom right as they are and you have to go back to see how they were, you can't assume they were like us.” –Winston McCuen

At least McCuen can be credited with accepting the reality that the Confederacy was based purely on the principle of maintaining the institution of slavery, rather than the revisionist farce of “states rights.” McCuen’s position of slavery is equally erroneous. McCuen calls slavery a “positive good,” echoing the position of pro-slavery advocates who argued that slavery built the wealth of this nation and improved the lives of slaves, conclusion which flies in the face of logic or common sense. If anything, slavery was a drag on America’s economic progress, evident in the fact that the in 1860 the value of all goods produced in New York State alone eclipsed the value of all goods produced in the entire South?

Irrespective of the moral depravity of slavery, this institution ran contrary to the principles of free-market capitalism and smacked of socialism, not mention its inescapable divergence from republican ideals.

Sadly, McCuen is not alone; many buffoons in this country and throughout the world share such mindless opinions devoid of scientific fact, based purely on prejudice which only conceals a self loathing.
http://www.wltx.com/news/news19.aspx?storyid=37795

According to Patrick Buchanan, the right’s answer to Al Sharpton, Iran’s recent saber rattling and anti-Israel diatribes are little more than tough talk. Buchanan also notes that Iran may have legitimate grievances with the United States…

As Buchanan notes, “there is no reason to believe Iran wants war with us. If she did want war with America, she could have had it any time in the last 27 years… if he [Ahmadinejad] wants a war with Israel, he could have it tomorrow by launching rockets… He has done neither.” As Buchanan further notes, a war with the US would spell disaster for Iran and would prove detrimental to the US as well.

So should we simply throw up our hands forget about Iran and go on about our business? If Iran is not interested in war and has no interest in starting one, then why all the tough talk? The answer is simple: Iran has major problems. For all its vast natural resources, the country is plagued by stagnant growth and high unemployment. The country has a large and restless youth population. The government is ever fearful of destabilizing factors which could shatter the unity of the Iran Revolution…what is an Iranian hardliner to do? Pull a Mussolini, of course! The Iranian leadership has used the issue of nuclear research as a rallying crying to unite the vast Persian populace and distract that population from the many problems plaguing their country.

While many Iranians may disagree on the course of their revolution in the 21st century, they are united by a nationalistic fervor, that their nuclear program provides. Ahmadinejad and his cronies have successfully portrayed this conflict with the West as an “us vs. them” scenario and thus the Iranian masses are obliged to support Ahmadinejad and the authoritarian state.

Buchanan is correct in arguing that Iran does not want war, of that there can be no doubt. However foolish Ahmadinejad may be, he is not inclined to commit suicide, which war with the West would certainly entail. Does that mean the Iranian president is no less serious when he calls for the destruction of Israel? Perhaps and then again perhaps not. Israel’s existence, though the Iranians, and other radical Islamists, will never admit is necessary. As long as the Jewish state prospers, it serves as a rallying point from which tyrannical Muslim leaders can pull a Mussolini and distract their subjects from the realities of home life. Without Israel as an enemy (of their own creation) these leaders might actually have to address the legitimate concerns of their constituents, concerns like unemployment, health care, education, and a lack of representative government etc…

There can be no doubt, then that Ahmadinejad and other Islamists would secretly lament if Israel was indeed wiped off the map. Regardless of this one should not jump to the erroneous conclusion that Iran is not developing nuclear weapons, though there is that possibility. Iran, however, has supported terrorists and terror organizations, and continues to do so and has supplied these organizations with weapons and financing. And while Iran claims its nuclear program is for peaceful energy purposes, the inexorable logic of recent events demonstrates the foolishness of such a claim, Iran no more has a need for peaceful nuclear energy than it does to host next year’s Southern Baptist Convention. One must naturally conclude that Iran is developing a bomb and if it does, it will most certainly share that technology, as its officials have hinted. Can Iran be stopped by non-military means? Most assuredly, but it will take a measure of resolve and boldness which has been uncharacteristic of the negotiations thus far.
http://www.townhall.com/opinion/columns/patbuchanan/2006/05/12/197113.html

From time to time The Phalanx has derided the failings of American society. A culture absolutely unconcerned with education and an embrace of ignorance, a growing sense of entitlement, a rejection of the concept of personal responsibility, easily distracted by the mindless, the inane and the unimportant and so on and so forth…

Nowhere is this cultural failing more apparent than in the case of Carl Cook, the so-called ultimate Clippers fan. Cook is an LA Clippers season ticket holder, every year Cook spends over $3000 on basketball season tickets. There’s just one problem, Cook is homeless and earns less than $10000 a year. He sleeps on a friend’s boat and work’s odd jobs here and there just to get by.

Regardless of this Cook (46) is committed to seeing his favorite team. During every home game he bikes from Marina del Rey to the Clippers home at the Staples Center in downtown Los Angeles, a 16 mile trek through LA’s congested city streets. Cook sees nothing wrong with devoting a third of his income on basketball, with no concern or desire to better his self, typical of a society which places no value on substance, only Bread and Circuses. Certainly Cook has every right to lead the life of a homeless basketball fanatic, but his story explains how so many Americans can be content with mediocrity, uninterested in bettering themselves resting on their laurels, content simply to “get by”.

Perhaps Cook should be commended, however, at least he hasn’t grown dependent on the state, but imagine the strides he could make if he applied his fanaticism to more fruitful endeavors…
http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-clipfan12may12,0,1600418.story?coll=la-home-headlines

According to a report by USA Today, officials with several major telecommunications firms (including: AT&T, BellSouth, Verizon and Qwest) have confirmed that these firms have cooperated extensively with the National Security Agency in amassing a huge database of phone calls made by US citizens.

According to sources, the program amounts to a massive call log identifying who was called and when. Though there is no assertion that any calls were recorded or monitored, the mere fact that the federal government is chronicling our telephone conversations is a huge affront to our Constitutional rights…or do we have any Constitution rights in this day and age?

Has the US Constitution been secretly shredded at the National Archives without our knowledge or are the guarantees it espouses merely suggestions, which the government can disregard at its leisure? If the president remains silent on this practice or does not reject it outright, then there can be no doubt that George Bush is no friend to the founding ideals of this nation. A nation that can achieve so many great things should not have to resort to such treachery in order to protect us from evil doers, indeed if this nation must resort to tyranny to protect our rights, it can be argued that our rights have already been lost…

Even more egregious is the fact that these private firms are complicit in such treachery, each and every customer of these firms should be compensated for this unlawful, unconstitutional, unwarranted and unjustified invasion of privacy.

Previously the president acknowledged that the NSA was solely concerned with international calls, a questionable program in its own right, now it appears this was a deception. When questioned about the NSA database, the White House decided to play it coy, noting that “there is no domestic surveillance without court approval.” Technically that is correct, however, amassing a huge database of the calling habits of ordinary Americans is no less a blatant violation of the 4th amendment. What nerve these people have….
http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2006-05-10-nsa_x.htm

A growing number of politicians in several states around the country are capitalizing on the economic ignorance of the population at large to push through economically detrimental minimum wage increases. The move, designed solely to buy votes among the most uneducated and unproductive amongst us, will surely translate into a groundswell of political support for leftist politicians this fall. Nevada, Arizona, Ohio, Colorado, Missouri and Montana have all taken steps to raise the minimum wage this year, mirror national efforts in Washington. This strategy highlights an ongoing effort by leftists in this country to convince the poorest amongst us that they are somehow entitled to a minimum standard of living, regardless of skill, regardless of merit and regardless of initiative. The minimum wage is another entitlement which rewards the undeserving for inaction, under the false guise of combating poverty, indeed raising the minimum wage does not strike at poverty, because it does not address the underlining cause of poverty in the first place, that being the individuals themselves who tirelessly pursue the wrong course of action.

Minimum wage earners earn low wages because they lack skills; their value to an employer is distinctly limited. It is foolhardy to demand employers pay workers a premium for the low skill drone-like work they perform. Advocates for raising the minimum wage argue, however, that low wages make it difficult to raise a family, implying that an employer must now assume the role of charity. The fact that minimum wage is too low to raise a family spotlights a point that is well taken, unfortunately such a reality is lost on the minimum wage earner who seek to start families with such meager earnings. Such a choice clearly demonstrates the poor decision making that has dominated the lives of these minimum skill workers. While many employees, especially teenagers and students, may see these positions as ad hoc or temporary, some look upon a minimum wage job as a career becoming a permanent characteristic of their meager lives.

The working poor, if they are to rise above the poverty that defines them, must reject decisions that perpetuate poverty and they must not look to government for handouts. The minimum wage does not combat poverty, if anything it exacerbates it as companies are forced to pay workers beyond what their worth, ensuring that employers will employ fewer individuals to perform such work. Those who wish to succeed in American can. Those who have drive and initiative can accomplish their goals in life.

While every American may not be born into a wealthy family, every American does have an opportunity to succeed if they embrace the opportunities presented to them, whether those are educational, financial or otherwise. Unfortunately, it is far easier for the average politicians to white wash problems through symbolic and detrimental solutions such as minimum wage bills, rather than challenging their constituents to achieve on the merits of their hard work, then again such talk does not win votes and end the end isn’t that what our politicians are all about?

Our success or failure, our wealth or poverty is a direct result of decisions we make each and every day. Those who are content to lead a sedentary life dependent upon the state, those who refuse to take the initiative, those who are unwilling to lift a finger to improve their fortunes and avoid high risk behavior, like getting pregnant while earning a pittance are doomed to languish in poverty until death and no amount of income redistribution will ever change that. The working poor should not be pitied, but reviled as they have not only doomed themselves and their children, but they seek to drag the rest of society down with them.
http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2006-05-09-minimum-wage_x.htm

Reparations are defined as payment or other compensation provided by a government to a group of people (or to another country) to compensate for loss or damage that it has caused. And this is exactly what John Conyers is seeking for Black Americans, arguing that the US government must compensate the descendents of former slaves for the injustice of slavery. Conyers has called for a commission to study the impact of slavery and recommend just compensation.

Conyers (D) Michigan has likened his campaign for reparations to the victims of the Holocaust and Japanese interment camps who sought and obtained reparations for their treatment during the Second World War. Unlike the victims of World War II, there are no living victims or living sons of victims of the injustice that was slavery. There is no doubt that slavery was a cruel, socialistic, paternalistic, immoral, undemocratic and an anti-freemarket injustice imposed on millions of people in this country and in many other countries. Nonetheless, to argue that because of past injustices, the great grandchildren of former salves are entitled to a financial windfall is sheer nonsense.

Black Americans alive today are in no way suffering because of the past injustices of slavery. As U.S. District Court Judge Charles Ronald Norgle ruled in a 2004 case on the same issue, the plaintiffs had no standing to claim injury. Indeed, if one were to peruse the past of many Americans, be they Hispanic, Asian, Irish, Eastern European, etc, one will find numerous instances of harsh treatment, oppression and even genocide, yet these people are no more entitled to reparations than any Black American. Naturally the advocates for reparations would argue that living in America today they still suffer form the stain of slavery; they cite examples of poverty and racism. In reality, in today’s America, poverty is no longer a byproduct of institutional or legal forces; it’s a byproduct of one’s own failure to take advantage of opportunities presented to them.

Essentially, those who are poor in America, by and large, are living in squalor because of poor decisions they have made, not through any actions of the state or society in general. Indeed, failure in this country results in spite of, not because of, recent government efforts. Today, all Americans have access to public education and student loans for college as well as a host of other incentives to start businesses or find success in their chosen field. Those who languish in poverty have instead chosen to flounder in a pool of sloth as they demand others do the heavy lifting while they demand handouts and other entitlements. Verily, this nation is filled with lazy, sloth obsessed, unmotivated malcontents of all races and they are entitled to nothing, regardless of their mindset.

There can be no doubt that slavery was a heinous stain on our nation’s past and those who supported this vile institution represent the lowest form of human life, but it would be a mistake to contend that only the US government is to blame for slavery (regardless of the fact that its victims have long since departed this earth). Slavery was an international institution. If we are to assign blame why not blame the Persians who haD enslaved black Africans for centuries (after all the Iranians haven’t atoned for their violent past) perhaps we should call on the Spanish and Portuguese who first began to enslave Africans in the 15th century or perhaps the Dutch traders who brought slavery to the Virginia colony in 1619, or perhaps the British crown for maintaining the slave trade or perhaps the governments of Latin America and the Caribbean who also transported slaves to this country. Perhaps the nations of the Africa and the Middle East, considering the fact that Black and Arab traders were willing accomplices in the slave trade, accounting for the vast majority of slaves who eventually arrived in the Americas. And what of those Blacks and Native Americans in this country who also owned black slaves, are they to pay themselves?

Perhaps the supporters of reparations would be entitled to compensation if they could demonstrate or prove beyond question that they themselves have suffered as a result, something they simply cannot do, simply being black is not just cause. And to suggest that being black is somehow disadvantageous to one’s future success in life is racist in and of itself.
http://www.newsmax.com/archives/ic/2006/5/9/232714.shtml
http://www.ncobra.com/

Last night the Atlanta City School Board voted to raise property taxes to cover a budget shortfall, while giving teachers and other school personnel a raise…On a 200,000.00 the additional tax burden (and that’s exactly what it is, an unnecessary burden) will increase by approximately $180 per year. This tax increase is not unique to Atlanta, across the country, communities are raising taxes to fund inefficient, unproductive schools…and what do we have to show for it. The Atlanta schools spend on average over $11,000 per pupil (compared with $12,000 in NYC and $14,000 in LA), yet the Atlanta schools are among the poorest performing in the state, often ranked behind rural communities with significantly less resources. This highlights the continued failure of public schools in America, which are little more than depositories for the inept an unproductive, including teachers and students. As we have noted, money is not the solution to America’s educational woes, raises for inept teachers only reward incompetence, as equally incompetent parents take little or no interest in the success of their offspring.

By some estimates public education accounts for over $400 billion in spending each year with little if anything to show for it. Thus explains how a city like Atlanta can justify raising taxes for raises when the average SAT score is a disgusting 875 (434 math and 441 verbal), far below the state and national average. Sadly the same mediocre performance has been noted in other large cities, including NYC, Chicago, Boston, etc… By contrast in the Atlanta suburb of Cobb county the schools managed an average 1040 SAT score, hardly stellar, but more in line with reason. It begs the question: did the Atlanta students even show up? How can any school explain away such a disgraceful performance? This in and of itself is grounds to shut down the schools and institute a voucher system.

Today, the average American school system spends $7700 per pupil yet the quality of American education continues to trail schools in both the developed and developing world. Only two countries (Switzerland and Austria) in the entire world spend more on education (per pupil) than the US, but the US ranks far from third by most academic measures. The US lags far behind most countries in Europe and East Asia in terms of both mathematical and reading skills. Regardless of this fact, politicians stubbornly insist that schools need more funding, while in reality schools need to become more efficient with the resources they already have at their disposal. Money is not a cure all and it isn’t a substitute for ineffectual parenting (or teaching), indeed nations like South Korea spend far far less per pupil, yet South Korean students eclipse their American counterparts by ever measure. What accounts for the difference…an appreciation for the importance of education, not to mention the fact that schools (and teachers) are evaluated based upon measurable results. Merit pay is one means to ensure students receive a quality education in this country, but it is only a start.
Link to article in AJC

http://www.thephalanx.com/2005/10/why-is-johnny-so-stupid-public.html

There are many reasons for discriminating against someone, some legitimate, most of which however, are unacceptable in all cases. The United States and every other country in the world has experienced its share of discrimination based on race, religion, ethnicity, income, education, age, sexual orientation, gender, and so on and so forth. For the most part, institutional and defacto discrimination has been stamped out in this country.

Invariably, discrimination persists in the hearts and minds of many Americans but as a whole this country has made great strides, allowing most Americans to achieve any objective they commit themselves to. Such is not the case in the world’s largest democracy, where the caste system continues to dominate the cultural landscape, if not in law, then certainly in fact. Created centuries ago…the caste system stratified Indian society; dividing people based open the professions of their ancestors.

The caste system has 4 principle social divisions: High atop this caste system are the priests (the Brahmans), followed by the warrior and ruling caste (the Kshatriyas), followed by the merchants (the Vaisyas) and then the laborers (the Sudras), who are subdivided into the clean or unclean. The unclean are known as the untouchables (or Dalits). Traditionally, the untouchables weren’t even allowed to communicate, socialize, or even touch members of the other castes.

Though this stratification of Indian society was declared illegal following independence, old prejudices die hard. So much for judging people based on the content of their character. But if Robert Byrd can become a leader in the Democratic party, then there’s hope for anyone. The Indian government, to its credit, has gone to great lengths to eradicate the last vestiges of this mindless and unduly discriminatory practice. Today, the descendents of these “untouchables” make up 16% of the Indian population, representing millions of people. Since untouchables still face discrimination in employment, the government has embraced an affirmative action style approach, instituting quotas for public sector jobs, as well as college admissions. The concept is noble, but the approach serves only to stratify society even further.

Nonetheless, Indians in the so-called higher castes object to any efforts to balance society, perhaps someone should tell these people that the mere fact that they were born into a higher caste does not in any way reflect their ability and is devoid of merit. Students in the capitol of New Delhi, have actually taken to the streets in protest, they actually support a continuation of this meritless and illogical act of prejudice, based on someone’s past job?

For all its progress, India will remain backward as long as vestiges of this cast system linger. Even so, it is questionable to argue that a quota system is the best way to address this situation in public sector hiring and school admissions. A more acceptable solution would be to admit students or hire individuals based solely upon their ability, how revolutionary. Since castes can be identified by their family names, such identifiers should not be used. Potential applicants could be assigned a random number and evaluated solely upon their accomplishments, abilities and education. There are no easy solutions, but a cultural awakening needs to take place on the Indian subcontinent and soon!
http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2006-05-07-caste-barriers_x.htm

In Mt. Lebanon, PA, the local school system is in turmoil over a Top 25 list circulating among students at Mt. Lebanon High School. Apparently the list, compiled by students, ranks 25 female students, based on the “quality” of their body parts. The list has caused a furor among parents, particularly the parents of students whose names appeared on the list.

These parents have called for immediate disciplinary action, and will most certainly pursue legal action irrespective of the school’s disciplinary measures. The local police were even involved. Police Chief Thomas A. Ogden, upon investigating made it clear that no crime had been committed, even if the list was distasteful. Apparently one of the females on the list was derided because of her ethnicity, a situation for which the chief says there is a possibility that charges could be filed…for what? some form of distasteful insult? Are these parents serious in their waste of government resources for such an investigation?

Quite frankly there is nothing to investigate, unless the list’s authors were planning a crime, plotting violence or threatening individuals there is no justification for any punishment whatsoever…Students criticize, critique and insult their fellow students on a daily basis, just as their parents do, does the mere fact that these observations were in written form change the character of this situation?

So outlandish has the Mt. Lebanon furor become, that some individuals have called for the termination of the school principal and the district superintendent. Is this not evidence that public schools in America have given up on the task of educating our children preferring to tackle such meaningless drivel. There is no question that the students who penned this list are the byproducts of poor parenting, most likely fathers who have little value or appreciation for their wives and the mother of their children, that in and of itself is no crime and the fact that these children lack tact or appreciation for women as human beings is also no crime.

Society must not stoop to the level of regulating thought, which these parents are calling for. If ever there were a situation that amounted to much ado about nothing the Mt. Lebanon top 25 list would certainly foot the bill.
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/06116/685098-55.stm

It is no secret that under the authoritarian leadership of Vladimir Putin, Russia has all but abandoned any pretext toward democratic freedom, re-embracing a totalitarian hard-line rule.

While Boris Yeltsin, may have been inept as far a presidents go, there is no doubt of his commitment to a democratic Russia. The same cannot be said of Putin. Under Putin, critics of his administration have been arrested. He has stripped the Russian people of their ability to elect local leaders, claiming it’s a protection against terrorism, and he has ruthlessly suppressed the independence of the news media in that country, this ruthlessness is also compounded by the fact that Putin has used Russia’s vast stores of oil and natural gas reserves to coerce his neighbors, all the while supporting tyrannical undemocratic regimes in the former Soviet Republics of Ukraine, Belarus, etc…

Given this reality it came as no surprise that Vice President Cheney, attending a conference of former Eastern Bloc nations in Vilnius, took the opportunity to warn of Russia’s continuing backslide and called on the Kremlin to remain firm in their commitment to democracy.

Naturally, the state controlled Russian press took exception to the criticism. Russian officials and the media dismissed the meeting as a meeting of small nations attempting to rival the G8, further demonstrating Russia’s contempt for its neighbors, others likened Cheney’s speech to that of Winston Churchill’s Iron Curtain speech and remarked that Cheney had ushered in a new Cold War, which is laughable.

The reality is the truth hurts for the Russian regime, Cheney’s comments are 100% correct, what is surprising is that Cheney actually said it. The Russian government is no friend to the West, and through its reckless relationship with Iran, is placing the entire globe in danger. Russia, desperate to regain its former glory has fully embraced its tyrannical past and the first causality is the freedom of the Russian people, the second casualty may be us.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/4972464.stm

With so much talk about the high cost of petroleum and the need for gasoline alternatives, it begs the obvious question, why do we remain so dependent upon a technology, which is well over 100 years old? Indeed, with so much discussion about Hybrids, Ethanol, CNG, BioDiesel, Hydrogen and so forth and so on, one would hope that this nation and other industrialized nations would rapidly embrace petroleum alternatives.

In the early days of the automobile it was not a forgone conclusion that gasoline would dominate the industry. All of the petroleum alternatives discussed today have been around for decades. The first so-called Hybrid vehicle went into operation over a century ago and ethanol, which has become the predominate fuel source in Brazil and the focus of a recent GM ad campaign (“Live Green Go Yellow”), was championed as the fuel of the future at the turn of the century by Henry Ford.

With the discovery of vast stores of oil in the late 19th and early 20th century, the cost of petroleum and petroleum by-products, including gasoline, plummeted, spelling doom for AFVs. Today as oil continues to skyrocket in price, energy alternatives have a second chance. Sooner or later such alternatives will come to dominate as petroleum reserves begin to diminish, the question is will it be a smooth transition with little or no adverse affects or will we continue to stick our collective heads in the sand only to wake up to the reality of another oil shock, Mid-East embargo, major Islamic terror strike or the depletion of the world’s oil reserves.

If the transition is to be a smooth one it must begin now and unlike the mistakes made during the nineteen teens and twenties, when all alternatives were abandoned in favor of exclusive use of gasoline, we must embrace a diversified energy strategy, just as we do in investing. Such a strategy must include legacy systems dependent upon petroleum (such as hybrid technology and use of more fuel efficient vehicles), such a strategy, must also embrace alternatives with no connection to petroleum whatsoever, including hydrogen (including both fuel cells and hydrogen internal combustion), Ethanol, SLFs, CNGs, BioDiesel, etc…

To accomplish this task the market must be allowed to function and the government must remove any and all impediments to such research and development, as well as favorable tax incentives to produce and consume such technology.

A History of Petroleum Alternatives:

First “hybrid” (gasoline-electric) vehicle: 1899 Lohner-Porsche

First ethanol-powered vehicle: 1908 Ford Model T

First Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) powered vehicle: First natural gas engine developed in 1860, used extensively in Europe and North America since 1950s.

First Electric powered Vehicle: First developed in 1832 by Robert Anderson, with mass production of electric vehicles (outselling gasoline through 1912).

First Fuel Cell powered vehicle: 1959 Fuel cell powered tractor developed by Harry Ihrig

First Hydrogen internal combustion vehicle: working engine developed in 1807, extensive use by Germany during WWII.

First Liquefied Coal (Sythentic Liquid Fuel) powered vehicle: Developed in 1930s, used extensively by Germany during WWII.

According to a recent article in the NY Times, a growing number of Black leaders (what exactly is a black leader, are these people elected, if not then how is it that they came to hold such a title) are growing unhappy with frequent comparisons between the struggles of illegal immigrants and the civil rights struggle of the 50s and 60s.

Without question the comparison is unwarranted. Hispanics legally in the country are not being systematically discriminated against or denied their basic constitutional rights, much less denied life or property, which stands in stark contrast to the experience of Blacks in America following Reconstruction up until the 1960s.

Illegal immigrants, however, are not citizens and have no legitimate claim to vote or to receive public services in this country, indeed their very presence in this country is a slap in the face to those who stand for the concept of the rule of law.

Not all grievances among former civil rights leaders are legitimate, however, some argue the growing attention being paid to illegal immigrants in this country will distract from the plight of Black Americans. What plight?

"All of this has made me start thinking, 'What's going to happen to African Americans… What's going to happen to our unfinished agenda? "

-Brendon L. Laster, Howard University

Unfinished agenda indeed? Black Americans, are entitled to all the rights and privileges of citizenship that White, Asian and other Americans enjoy. The premise that a civil rights struggle is ongoing is laughable.

Today there is a struggle but it is a struggle waged by the sedentary amongst us, those who now have access to education, access to employment, access to student loans, access to public services, yet still they do nothing. According to Laster, many blacks face poverty and unemployment. Yes this is true, just as many Whites, Hispanics, South Asians and other ethnic groups. Those, who do, however, largely have themselves to blame, having squandered or missed opportunities to make something better of themselves.

Whereas the poverty of yesterday was largely a byproduct of entrenched discrimination, the poverty of today is largely the byproduct of sloth and incompetence. Is a civil rights struggle needed today…certainly not, at least not in the form of the Civil Rights movement of the 1960s that catapulted this nation into the modern era.

Today, citizens enjoy the freedoms initially espoused in the Declaration of Independence and protected under the Constitution; those who still suffer under the yoke of poverty and missed opportunity must reexamine their responsibility to themselves, rather than looking upon the state as their salvation.
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/05/04/us/04immig.html?ei=5065&en=e1be3496cd302bd2&ex=1147320000&partner=MYWAY&pagewanted=print

There is no question that Iraq’s economy, now unfettered from the tyrannical authority of Saddam Hussein’s regime, is booming as small businesses and other enterprises take off in cities across Iraq, in spite of the insurgency.

For the most part these are small businesses with only a few employees and while private enterprise may be the path to financial independence for many Iraqis, there’s no guarantee that any of these Iraqis will become multi-millionaires. Any Iraqi looking to make fast money, however, should consider kidnapping, especially of Germans. For the umpteenth time, the Germans have paid a ransom to insurgent kidnappers in order to secure the release of two German hostages (Thomas Nitzschke and Rene Braeunlich of Leipzig). This isn’t the first time the Germans of succumbed to this armed extortion and given their track record, it won’t be the last.

“Regarding the payment of ransom, I don't know, but I assume it was a large amount of money," said Iraq's ambassador to Germany, Alaa Al-Hashimy.

While officially, the German government denies paying ransom to hostage takers, numerous unnamed political sources confirm that sums in excess of $5 million have been paid by the German government in the past.

Unfortunately, the German government is not alone in the practice of paying ransom. The Italian government has also succumbed to such pressure. If ever there were two nations that know full well the consequences of appeasing an aggressor it is Germany and Italy.

Their actions serve only to make Iraq even more dangerous for foreigners, especially Germans and Italians. With each payout, the terrorists are emboldened and encouraged to continue their hostage taking, knowing with absolute certainty that these governments will quickly give in to their monetary demands.

Not only does the paying of ransoms reward terrorists for their criminal acts, but it also gives them the ability to carry out renewed attacks. It could be argued that these governments are complicit in arming and equipping these Islamic radicals and thus the blood of countless men, women and children stain the hands of the German and Italian governments.
http://today.reuters.com/news/articlenews.aspx?type=topNews&storyid=2006-05-03T090124Z_01_L03576678_RTRUKOC_0_US-GERMANY-IRAQ-HOSTAGES.xml

This country, as the US Secretary of Energy recently admitted, is facing an energy crisis. Gas prices continue to increase, while supply remains stagnant, largely attributed to meddlesome government intervention that has led to the recent run up on gas prices. In the wake of this rapid rise in prices, there has been a growing chorus among the populace and the politicos in Washington to take action – a direct byproduct of our entitlement culture and a growing belief that government must solve all of our problems.

The left has called for increased taxes on “big oil” as if this will reduce demand or increase supply…the right has floated the equally brilliant idea of a $100 rebate to consumers, which will solve nothing. As usual both political camps fail to see the writing on the wall much less understand the complex forces at work.

In spite of the political ineptitude and unabashed ignorance that is so prevalent in America today, there are a few things that we can do in light of this crisis and there are also some things that we shouldn’t do…


Do:

Open a book or the Financial Times or Wall Street Journal and learn a thing or two about the booming economies in Eastern Europe and Asia, whose demand for oil has increased exponentially

Buy a Hybrid, CNG, Flex-Fuel, Diesel, Electric or more fuel-efficient vehicle

Demand less restrictions on development of energy alternatives

Use cruise control whenever possible to regulate your speed during highway travel

Call on your political leaders to open up domestic petroleum exploration and development

Don’t:

Write your congressman demanding they increase taxes for “big oil” or impose further restrictions on petroleum development

Blame the president or the administration

Call the prices we are currently paying a record (they aren’t)

Expect payment from the federal government to compensate you for your extra expenses

After non-stop coverage of Hurricane Katrina, you’d think anyone born since 2000 would be able to find Louisiana on a map, but the reality is far from reassuring. According to a poll conducted for the National Geographic Society, fully 1/3 of respondents had no clue where Louisiana was and roughly half couldn’t find Mississippi. How sad is that?

Gone are the days when your average elementary (or should we say rudimentary) school student could identify all the states and their capitals. Perhaps just as shocking, 60% of poll participants couldn’t locate Iraq. The poll also indicated that in spite of numerous reports on outsourcing to India ½ of respondents could not find the Indian subcontinent.

This poll highlights two facts: in the first place a growing sector of our society are being disserved by both their parents and the public schools and secondly, this country is dire straits, with a growing population of idiots, incapable of understanding the most basic facts. In an era of increased globalization, transparent borders and multinational business, how can future generations of Americans expect to compete and survive when they know little about their own backyard, much less the rest of the world?

There simple is no justifiable excuse for such ignorance. Unfortunately, for many Americans they are ignorant and content to be so, just as long as they don’t miss the next game or American Idol. Alas for our poor country…
http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2006-05-02-geography-poll_x.htm

Indiana Democratic Senator Evan Bayh (or should we say Blah), who has been frequently mentioned as a candidate for the 2008 nomination (no seriously), has called for the elimination of the Electoral College.

From the moment Bush’s poll numbers began to slide in the months after his second inauguration, the Democrats have wasted no time in jockeying for the political spotlight. Blah’s brief remark about the Electoral College highlights the disconnect between the founders of this country, who feared the political implications of mob rule and the modern Democratic Party, who relies of demagoguery and the ever presence of a sheep like electorate to win elections.

Far from being a clamp on our Republic, the Electoral College was designed as it savior, a savior from mob rule. The absolute last thing this country needs is popular elections. If anything too many ignorant, uneducated, uninformed, easily manipulated individuals are allowed to vote in the first place. Decades ago women and people of color were denied the right to vote…this was certainly inappropriate, but other restrictions such has limiting voting rights to property owners, were based upon a sound principle even if the application was in error. The premise being that property owners had a vested interest in the prosperity and vibrancy of their communities, unlike transients they would make sound electoral decisions to ensure the continued success and prosperity of their communities. The same can be said today. Business owners, hard-workers, home owners, professionals have a vested interest in the continued prosperity of their country and are less influenced by charismatic politicos who promise handouts in exchange for votes…

Critics contend or nation is a democracy and suffrage should be universal…perhaps in theory this is so, but is it democracy when bribery is used as the principle motivator to influence the electorate?

Naturally the entitlement generation has a vested interest in returning leftists to power as they ensure a steady stream of welfare and other entitlement programs, in exchange for continued political support. While many Republicans support conservative demagogue who vow to impose their moral philosophy on the citizenry at large, irrespective of the constitution. The solution is an educated electorate, one which is capable of making rationale independent decisions based upon objective and empirical evidence, most Americans fail miserably in this regard.

Perhaps the citizenship test should be transformed into a suffrage test with sections on civics, history and economics, perhaps then we can consider Blah’s proposal to eliminate the Electoral College. Naturally advocates for the sheep-like will object, arguing any such test would be prejudicial, but as long as we have public schools and libraries, such arguments have no basis in fact, only sloth.
http://www.newsobserver.com/102/story/434527.html

Economist John Kenneth Galbraith, the advisor to presidents, Ambassador to India and all around statist has passed away. Galbraith was known around the world for his leftist economic principles, which trumpeted the power of the state in economic theory (ie, central planning). In Galbraith’s most famous work: The Affluent Society, the Harvard professor lamented a growing disparity between rich and poor. He derided consumerism, as Americans readily purchased the latest and the greatest and warned that large corporations like General Motors exert tremendous influence over the economy.

History has long since diproven Galbraith’s socialism-lite theories. While materialism may very well be a poor subsitutte for traditional family values, it by no means has contriubutred to income disparity in this or any country. Indeed income disparity in this country is directly a byproduct of poor decision making. Are there poor people in the world who are poor through no fault of their own, certainly, especially children. Nonetheless most people in America have the means at their disposal to escape poverty, while others have the means to contain its spread.

Galbraith’s theories were championed by generations of leftists as an excuse to justify increased state intervention in the economy and decreased economic freedom for individuals. It is state centered policies such as these which have doomed countless generations to a perpetual cycle of poverty, not the free market as Galbraith and his contemporaries would have us believe.

Those who who become dependent upon the state to provide for their material and substantive needs, soon lose the ability to make decisions for themselves either in theory or in practice, thus becoming surfs to the feudal state, or more accuately: slaves. In this country, a person who posseses a desire to achieve can through strenuous determination and hardwork. Every American has access to free public education (such as it is). Anyone can have a job who wants it, those who think certain jobs are beneath them do so at their own peril. Student loans are available to virually anyone, and most community colleges accept students without any entrance examination. Even for those who never darken the door of a college, there are opportunities aplenty in other fields.

It is no great trick to become a fast food manager, for example, if you work hard enough, yet most of the so-called “working poor” are opposed to working, prefering the handouts Galbraith’s economic theories espouse. Bad decisions like dropping out of school and having children you can’t afford are the principle causes for income disparity and no amount of state intervention or income redistribution will correct that. Self motivation and hardwork, however, can solve the problems of poverty, something the Galbraith lovers refuse to accept.

Above all Galbraithian-leftist principles are inherently incompatibale to representative or republican government, as it limits the freedom of the individual to chose and make decisions of their bealh (good or bad), instead individual’s lives are influenced by a all knowing state. While we should mourn the death of John K. Galbraith the man, would should celebrate the death and repudiation of bad economic theory.
http://www.abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory?id=1907947

The Democrats and even the Republicans have taken up today’s latest cause celeb: bashing the oil companies. These leftists blame the oil companies for the latest price increases. Why do they do this? Because it is convenient and it is far easier to blame a visible target (ie, the Oil Companies) than to explain to the uneducated masses the reality about gas prices or economic in general.

Gas prices are high for two reasons: decreased supply and increased demand. Not only is the US economy growing but several up and coming economies are growing at record rates, particularly India and China, and thus so too has their demand for oil. This, as Americans continue to drive more in larger vehicles (which is their prerogative). Supply is also limited, not only is the US still reeling from Gulf hurricane damage but refining capacity has not increased in a generation, thus causing a bottle neck in the petroleum supply chain.

These are the principle causes for the current rise in gas prices. The US therefore in order to lower prices and reduce dependency should explore numerous avenues to alleviate this growing problem. Several options present themselves including increasing domestic production, boosting fuel efficiency through readily available technology, such as hybrids and increased development of petroleum alternatives. One thing that will not work is a tax on so-called windfall profits or a Standard Oil style breakup of the nation’s oil companies, whose profit margins are eclipsed by several other industries including software and technology companies, the banking industry and the entertainment industry.

Furthermore there is no such thing as gouging. The free market provides a ready clamp on companies who raise their prices substantially. A company cannot raises prices without a substantial customer fallout and even if that were not the case, businesses and individuals should be free to charge what they feel the market will bare, it is not the duty or the responsibility of the state to intercede on behalf of the ignorant and uneducated.
http://www.usatoday.com/money/world/2006-04-30-euro-gas-usat_x.htm