Proposed Congressional Yearly Schedule

One of the major problems with Congress is that it's members spends too little time with their constituents and too much time in Washington DC creating more and more laws they don't even have time to read.

So, I think we should revise the yearly congressional schedule that keeps each house in session for a week (5 workdays) at a time every other week, encouraging it's members to return home on a regular basis. Here's what it might look like:


Month, Week, (Holiday), Session.

Jan wk1 (3rd or later) Joint Session.
Jan wk2 Congressional Recess.
Jan wk3 (MLK Jr. Monday, Jan 20 inauguration) Joint Session.
Jan wk4 US House.

Feb wk1 US Senate.
Feb wk2 US House.
Feb wk3 (Monday: President's day) Recess.
Feb wk4 US Senate.

Mar wk1 US House.
Mar wk2 US Senate
Mar wk3 US House.
Mar wk4 US Senate.

Apr wk1-2 (Spring District work Period) Recess.
Apr wk3 Us House.
Apr wk4 (Arbor Day) US Senate.

May wk1 Us House.
May wk2 US Senate.
May wk3 Us House.
May wk4 US Senate.
May wk5 (Memorial day) Recess.

Jun wk1 Us House.
Jun wk2 US Senate.
Jun wk3 Us House.
Jun wk4 US Senate.

July wk1 (Independence Day Work Period) Recess.
July wk2 Us House.
July wk3 US Senate.
July wk4 Us House.
July wk5 US Senate.

Aug wk1 Joint Session.
Aug wk2+ (Summer District Work Period) Recess.

Sept wk1 (Labor Day) Recess.
Sept wk2 Joint Session.
Sept wk3 Us House.
Sept wk4 US Senate.

Oct wk1 (Target Adjournment) Joint Session.
Oct wk2 (Columbus Day) Recess.
Oct wk3 Joint Session.
Oct wk4 (Campaigning) Recess.

Nov wk1 (Elections) Recess.
Nov wk2 (Veterans Day) Recess.
Nov wk3 Joint Session.
Nov wk4 (Thanksgiving) Recess.

Dec wk1 Us House.
Dec wk2 Joint Session.
Dec wk3 US Senate.
Dec wk4+ (Holidays) Recess.


US House of Representatives and Senate in session 21 weeks max each, usually on alternating weeks. Any week with a Federal Holiday was given off for both Houses, or attempted anyway. This should maximize input from citizens, and minimize influence from Washington DC culture, since Congressmen would rarely stay for the weekend.


Lurker

Next Star Trek Series Crew

By rank, gender and species:

Captain- Female Human: Must be better than Janeway
First Officer- Male Andorian: Founding member of Federation
Chief Operations Officer(s)- Androgynous Bynar twins: Ultimate Techies!
Chief Engineer- Male Human (Mirror Universe): Divergent timeline nobody uses?!?
Chief of Security- Male Romulan: Long history against Fedaration and Vulcans.
Chief Medical Officer- Male Human (Former Q): God complex built in!
Chief Science Officer- Female Cardassian: Major race w/o starring role.
Ship's Counsellor- Female Orion: Green woman with pheremone powers!
Helmsman- Female Human (Augment): Descendant of Khan!

Push it another hundred years past Voyager, and start exploring the Beta Quadrant. Federation civil war (rebellion by the descendants of the Maqui) would also be nice.


Lurker
(the show was entirely about sociology)

1583BCE: Year of the Santorini Eruption

There is this ominous theory that tidal forces from the sun and moon can trigger earthquakes and volcanic eruptions:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Wikinaut/Moon-Earthquake-Theory

As some of you know, I have been working on a fantasy/mythology book titled Bastard Heroes. Anyway, I've been doing quite a bit of research on the Minoan Eruption of Santorini/Thera, one of the worst volcanic eruptions since the end of the last ice age. The volcanic island is just north of Crete in the middle of the Aegean Sea, and has some extraordinarily well-preserved ash-covered ruins that seem eerily Atlantean (they had running water and everything).

The date of the eruption is one of intense scientific debate, somewhere around 1600 BCE +/- 50/100 years. Quite a wide window, especially considering the effects it may have had on Greek, Egyptian, and Middle-Eastern histories. However, using the Tidal-Earthquake theory, I have found that the eclipse that occur ed on July 31st 1583BCE to be extraordinarily promising, since it goes right over Thera and Crete (zoom in on the Mediterranean):

http://xjubier.free.fr/en/site_pages/solar_eclipses/xSE_GoogleMapFull.php?Ecl=-15830731&Acc=1&Umb=1&Lmt=1&Mag=0


A total solar eclipse right over the supervolcano, within 17 years of the rough estimate of the date of the eruption? Good enough for me.


Lurker

Wheel of Time Arc Reading Guide (WoTARG!)

Alright, so if you're like me you've read Robert Jordan's The Wheel of Time series many times over. It's insanely long (book 13 just came out), has waaay too many plotlines (6 major, 20 minor, and hundreds of sub-plots), and there are just 'some' sections you would rather skim over at times.

Well, I have a solution! During my last re-read, I broke down each book into 50,000 word segments, focusing only on 1 or 2 character/plotlines at a time. WoT made simple, as it were.

And this guide not only makes the reread a completely different experience, but it also functions as a timeline. Very handy for a quick reference.

Lastly, if the powers that be ever decided to put this massive story on screen as a long-form television fantasy drama series (the only possible way to make it work), each segment would be one episode, with a beginning, middle, and end. Total of four seasons, composed of about 4 books each. Much faster than Legend of the Seeker went. Anyway, here's the guide:

Episode(season/book/#) Title chapters
Lead- Plot
co-star- subplot(s)

s1b01e1 Emond's Field Prologue, ch01-ch09
Rand- intro, trollocs, history lesson

s1b01e2 Baerlon Ravens, ch10-17
Rand- on the run, Min, Nynaeve catches up, dreams, escape at gate
Egwene- becoming aes sedai

s1b01e3 Shadar Logoth ch18-20, 24, 26, 31-32
Rand- dagger, river, Whitebridge, Four Kings, exploding wall

s1b01e4 Wolfbrother ch21-23, 25, 27-30, 37-38
Perrin, Egwene- Elyas, Tinkers, Aram, Whitecloaks, captured
Nynaeve- tracking Rand, rescue Perrin

s1b01e5 Camelyn ch33-36, 39-41
Rand- Darkfriends, Loial, Logain, royal family, reunion

s1b01e6 The Eye of the World ch42-53
Rand- Ways, Fal Dara, Fain, Blight, Forsaken
Lan- Nynaeve, Malkier

s1b02e1 Fal Dara Prologue - ch06
Rand, Moiraine- Amyrlin arrives, horn stolen
Jaichim Carridin- Whitecloak plots

s1b02e2 The Great Hunt ch07-11, 13-17
Rand, Perrin- Quest, goodbyes, hunting, portal stones, Selene
Bayle Domon- flight from Illian

s1b02e3 Flight from the White Tower ch12, 18, 22-24, 29, 38-40
Egwene, Nynaeve- joining Aes Sedai, testing, ways, damane
Moirane; Bayle Domon- research; Seanchan

s1b02e4 Cairhien ch19-21, 25-28, 30-34
Rand, Perrin, Thom- got horn, get to safety, Illuminators, reunion, party
Padan Fain- Gives horn to Seanchan

s1b02e5 Falme ch35-37, 41-50
Rand- Stedding, realities, strategy, Mat blows horn, fight in sky
Egwene, Nynave, Min, Bayle- free Egwene, escape

s1b03e1 The Dragon Reborn Prologue - ch09
Perrin, Rand- Rand leaves, chaos wake
Nial, Carridin- Whitecloak fallout

s1b03e2 The Black Ajah ch10-23
Egwene, Siuan, Verin- consequences, healing, test
Mat- awakening, Lanfear

s1b03e3 The First Ship ch24-32, 37-39
Egwene, Nynaeve- dreaming, off to Tear, Aiel, captured
Mat- escape Tar Valon, Thom, gray men

s1b03e4 Illian ch33-36, 40-47
Perrin- Remen, Faile, frees Gaul, forsaken in Illian
Mat- Fireworks, letter, rescue mission

s1b03e5 Tear ch48-56
Mat, Nynaeve- captured, storming the Stone of Tear
Perrin, Rand- Faile trapped; Callandor and Belal

s1b04e1 Playing With Fire ch02-08
Perrin, Mat, Rand- Lord Dragon, bubbles of evil, Berelain, researching, romance
Elayne, Egwene- questioning Black Ajah

s1b04e2 Into the Doorway ch01, 09-15
Mat, Rand, Egwene- Lanfear, Trollocs, dead girl, dreamwalkers, news from home, Ogiers Oath, 3 questions
Min; whitecloaks; Seanchan- Elmindreda; Taren Ferry; The Return

s1b04e3 The Shadow Rising ch16-20, 27, 47
Perrin, Elayne, Thom- goodbyes to Lan and Moiraine, Sea Folk ship, attacked in the Ways
Min, Siuan- Breaking of the White Tower

s1b04e4 Rhuidean ch21-26
Rand, Mat- 3 wishes, history of the Aiel
Moirane, Egwene- manipulations; wise ones

s1b04e5 Homecoming ch28-35
Perrin- family dead, trollocs, whitecloaks
Egwene, Rand- Car'a'carn, dream meetings

s1b04e6 Revelations in Tanchico ch38-39, 46, 51-52, 54-55
Egeanin, Elayne, Nynaeve- a'dam, Seeker, new friendships, Compulsion, storming the palace
Jaichim, Liandrin- sieze Panarch's Palace, Black Ajah

s1b04e7 Goldeneyes ch40-45, 53, 56
Perrin- general, defending Emond's Field
Aram- Tinker's sword

s1b04e8 A Breaking in the Three-fold Land ch36-37, 48-50, 57-58
Rand- Imre Stand --> Cold Rocks Hold --> Alcair Dal; vs. Asmodean
Mat- The Hat, battle leader


s2b05e1 The First Sparks Fall Prologue, ch02-07
Rand, Egwene- Rhuidean, darkhounds, leaving
Elaida, Fain, Rahvin- Fain in the Tower, Forsaken meeting

s2b05e2 A Small Room in Sienda ch08-10, 13-18
Nynaeve, Elayne, Egwene- Forkroot, Sienda, dreamworld, circus
Liandrin- Mogedien

s2b05e3 Sallie Daera ch01, 11-12, 20-22, 26-28
Min, Bryne, Siuan- Persuit, Lugard, Nine Horse Hitch, Salidar
Rand, Mat- Jangai Pass

s2b05e4 The Far Snows ch23-25, 29-35
Rand- Shaido's trail, Avienda in Seanchan
Egwene- dreamwalker training

s2b05e5 Band of the Red Hand ch19, 41-46
Mat, Rand- The Second Battle of Cairhien
Morgase, Padan Fain- Escaping Rahvin, dagger in tower

s2b05e6 Encounters in Samara ch37-40, 47-49
Elayne, Nynave- Birgitte, Uno, Prophet, Galad, riot, boat

s2b05e7 The Fires of Heaven ch50-56
Rand, Mat, Egwene Lanfear vs Moirane, Caemlyn raid
Nynaeve, Elayne- Salidar, Mogedien captured, used

s2b06e1 The First Message Prologue, ch07-08
Elayne, Nynaeve- stilled allies, embassy, new weaves, dream lessons
Faile; Gawyn; Morgase; Forsaken- Two Rivers; Younglings; Amadicia; Shayol Ghul, Tel’aran’rhiod

s2b06e2 Lord of Chaos ch01-04, 06, 10-11, 16
Rand, Verin- Taim, seal, farm, Two Rivers girls, bonded
Sammael, Graendal, Semirhage- politics, truce w/Sammael

s2b06e3 Fire and Spirit ch05, 12-15, 29-30
Elayne, Nynaeve- bubble of evil, stilling study, restoration
Mat- dead tinkers

s2b06e4 An Embassy ch17-21, 23-28
Egwene, Rand- school, Ogier, waygates, embassy, Gawyn, Sea Folk

s2b06e5 Journey to Salidar ch22, 32-40, 44
Egwene- summoned, toh, journey, raised, consequences
Mat- Olver, Salidar

s2b06e6 The Crown of Roses ch09, 31, 41-43, 45-46, 49
Rand, Perrin- Min, Perrin, Loial, confrontation, fled
Morgase- Whitecloaks, plots

s2b06e7 Dumai's Wells ch47-48, 50-55, Epilogue
Perrin- Faile vs. Berelain, hunting Rand, gathering army
Rand- captured, boxed, breakout, AS bow

s2b07e1 The Butcher's Yard Prologue, ch01-06
Sevanna, Perrin- aftermath, return to Cairhien, worried for Faile
Elaida- reports, Black Tower, Fortelling

s2b07e2 The Figurehead ch08-12, 25-26
Egwene, Moghedien- Moggy' escapes, Lan sent to Nynaeve
Morgase- renounciation

s2b07e3 Swovan Night ch07, 13-19, 21
Avienda, Elayne, Mat- sea folk, sharing info; racing, ring, Bors, Tylin, Birgitte
Rand- expecting Elayne in Camelyn

s2b07e4 Promises to Keep ch22-24, 28-31, 37-39
Mat- apology, used, finding, golam, deal, Olver, Seanchan
Elayne, Nynaeve- apology, Kin, leading, Lan, golam, leaving

s2b07e5 A Crown of Swords ch20, 27, 33-36, 40-41
Rand, Min- Cadsuane, w/Min, seclusion, Sea Folk, rebels, fog, cut, bed, Illian
Sevanna- dispersal of the Shaido

s2b08e1 Unweaving Prologue, Ch01-06
Elayne, Avienda- Travel, conflicts, farm, bowl, seanchan, nuke
Ethenielle; Verin- Borderlanders; mind alteration

s2b08e2 The Path of Daggers ch12-14, 22-24, 27
Rand- versus Seanchan, Calandor, Casdsuane
Grendael; Cadsuane- New Alliances

s2b08e3 An Unwelcome Return ch15-20, 25-26, 28
Egwene; Seaine- camp, war declared, prep for siege, new Accepted; hunting Black Ajah
Elayne- murders, Camelyn

s2b08e4 Beginnings ch07-11, 29-31
Perrin, Faile- banner, Morgase joins, queen swears, Prophet, gai'shain
Rand- renegade ashaman


s3 (The World of Rober Jordan's) The Wheel of Time
Loial- the story thus far....
notes- before the breaking

s3b09e1 Winter's Heart Prologue, Ch01-06
Perrin, Faile- captured, robes, Aiel, Prophet
Siane; Elayne; Toveine; Rand- BA hunters; first sisters; Black Tower factions; false trails

s3b09e2 The Streets of Caemlyn ch07-12, 26-27
Elayne- damane, Black Ajah, assassin, dreamwalk, bonding, windfinders, Borderlanders

s3b09e3 Daughter of the Nine Moons ch14-21, 28-31
Mat- Looking for Inn, Golam, Tuon, escape plans
Tuon, Bethamin, Egeanin- Veiled; Seeker; escape

s3b09e4 With the Choedan Kal ch13, 22-25, 32-35
Rand, Cadsuane- Far Madding, trap, prison, negotiation, cleansing

s3b10e1 Time to Be Gone Prologue, ch01-04
Mat, Furyk- circus leaving, courting Tuon
Rodel; Valda; Gabrelle; Yukiri; Gawyn; Davram; Sumitsu Domani; whitecloaks; white tower mysteries; assasination attempts

s3b10e2 A Cluster of Rosebuds ch10-15, 28-29
Elayne- recruiting, bath, sea folk leaving, young lord and ladies, spies
Mat- Egeanin attacked

s3b10e3 Crossroads of Twilight ch06-09, 23-27
Perrin- chasing shaido, darkhounds, Aiel in Malden, So Harbor, ax in tree
Rand, Cadsuane- Resting, Loial, Logain, treaty w/Seanchan

s3b10e4 The Subject of Negotiations ch16-22, 30, Epilogue
Egwene- negotiations, cuendilar, investigations, black tower, dreams, captured

s3b11e1 Embers Falling on Dry Grass Prologue, Ch01-03
all White Tower- hunting BA; forkroot and novice; dissent; egwene's commands;
Galad; Rodel; Suroth; Galina- kills Valda; uprising; meets Perrin

s3b11e2 A Hell in Maderin ch06-11
Mat- Tuon, Zebra, Dead walking, the letter, gambling, attacked in street

s3b11e3 Siege ch13-20
Elayne, Arymilla- siege of camelyn, new forces, wet, avienda leaves, borderlanders
Rand, Loial, Nynaeve- marriage, 100K trollocs, Lan's long ride

s3b11e4 Knife of Dreams ch21-25
Romanda, Egwene, Tarna- bonding ashaman; seeds of dissent
Rand, Harine; Mat- Illian, logain vs windfinders; kissing Tuon, found by Band

s3b11e5 In Malden ch04-05, 12, 26, 28-30
Faile, Perrin, Galina- Seanchan alliance, escape plans, weak tea, betrayal & rescue
Tuon- Band of the Red Hand

s3b11e6 Prince of the Ravens ch27, 31-37, Epilogue
Mat, Tuon, Suroth, Furyk- seanchan after Tuon, marriage, battles;
Rand; Elayne, Birgitte- captured by BA, rescue, besiegers captured, becomes queen

s3b12e1 The Gathering Storm Prologue, ch01-06, 09
Rand, Avienda, Cadsuane- hard lessons
Egwene, Perrin- tactics in the tower; leaving Malden

s3b12e2 The Plan for Arad Doman ch07, 10-11, 14-15, 17, 21-23, 26
Rand, Avienda, Cadsuane- preparations, Semirage freed, true source, wise one
Perrin, Faile- remembering Brotherless

s3b12e3 Unexpected Encounters ch08, 12-13, 16, 18-19, 24-25
Siuan, Egwene- embracing pain, Egwene vs. Elaida
Gawyn; Tuon- desertion of Younglings; consolidation of power

s3b12e4 Night in Hinderstap ch20, 27-29, 31-33
Mat- zombie attacks
Nynaeve, Rand- trail to Grendeal

s3b12e5 The Tower Shakes ch30, 34-36, 38-41
Egwene, Gawyn, Siuan- Verin's legacy, raid by the seanchan
Mat, Tuon- help from Verin; meeting with Rand, raid launched

s3b12e6 Dragonmount ch37, 42-50, Epilogue
Rand, Min, Nynaeve- balefire, Tam, revalations
Egwene- aftermath, raised


s4NSe1 It Begins ch01-11
Moiraine- Fortelling, Elaida, searching, pranks, testing
Lan- Aiel war ends

s4NSe2 New Spring ch12-26, Epilogue
Moiraine, Siuan- Ajahs, flight, Cadsuane, warder
Lan- Kandor, pond, first love, Bukama, warder


Towers of Midnight and A Memory of Lighty to follow, about 7 arcs/episodes each, for a grand total of about 84 or so, depending on if more prequals are written.

And we're done! I plan on using this guide myself for my next read through. Also quite handy for determining what happened where. Feel free to steal and modify for your own use!


Lurker

Cosmic Avengers Line-Up

Fans have been asking for Cosmic Avengers for years and years now. Unfortunately the closest we've come was Avengers Infinity. But there are tons of once and future Avengers that would fit perfectly on a cosmic themed team.

So here's my proposed line-up that feels the most Avengery (is that a word?) and connections to the Blue Area of the Moon (ideal base)

Ms. Marvel (Leader, Kree DNA)
Beta Ray Bill (Cosmic Thor)
Machine Man (Cosmic Iron Man, Monolith origin)
Major Victory (Justice becomes Cosmic Cap)
Moondragon (raised by Titans, Priestess of Pama)
Crystal (Inhuman Princess)
Captain Marvel (aka Hulking, the only Skrull Avenger)
Quasar (THE cosmic Avenger)


Too great many options. Potential members:
Hank Pym, Jocasta, Photon, Darkhawk, Starfox, Rick Jones, Sersi, Mantis, Swordsman (Cotati), Nova (dead), Jack of Hearts (dead), Deathcry (dead), Sentry (dead) and obvious new members like Skaar and Silver Surfer.


DH the Lurker

WoW Achievements: Vanity Sets

Proposed Achievements for World of Warcraft:

Gear sets! Already many of these are collected for RP purposes, why not provide achivements as well! Since bonuses are gien for at most 4 pieces of the set, that should be the threshold for most of these:


Dungeon Set 1 (8 pieces) [10 points]
Dungeon Set 2 (8 pieces) [10 points] Quest upgrade of #1
Dungeon Set 3 (5 pieces) [10 points] BC dungeons

Zandalar Tribe set (5 pieces) [Feat of Strength] Zul'Gurub to be removed
Cenarion Circle set (3 pieces) [10 points] Ruins of Ahn'Qiraj
Brood of Nozdormu set (5 pieces) [10 points] Temple of Ahn'Qiraj

Tier 1 (8 pieces) [10 points] Molten Core
Tier 2 (8 pieces) [10 points] Blackwing Lair
Tier 3 (9 pieces) [Feat of Strength?] Formerly available from Naxxramas I
Tier 4 (5 pieces) [10 points] Karazhan, Gruul's Lair and Magtheridon's Lair
Tier 5 (5 pieces) [10 points] Serpentshrine Cavern, the Eye
Tier 6 (8 pieces) [25 points] Hyjal Summit, Black Temple, Sunwell Plateau
Tier 7 (5 pieces) [25 points] Naxxramas, the Obsidian Sanctum
Tier 8 (5 pieces) [25 points] Ulduar
Tier 9 (5 pieces) [25 points] Crusaders' Coliseum
Tier 10 (5 Pieces) [25 points] Icecrown Citadel

Arathai Basin Set [10 points]
PvP-Rare (6 pieces) [10 points] Honor Points
PvP-Epic (6 pieces) [10 points]
Battlegear (PvP) (5 pieces) [10 points]
Gladiator aka S1 PvP armor (5 pieces) [10 points] purchasable with Tier 4 tokens
Merciless Gladiator aka S2 PvP armor (5 pieces) [10 points] purchasable with Tier 5 tokens


There we go, over 20 new achievements! Thats not including all the potential vanity sets either.


Brewfest set (3 pieces) [10 points]
Winter Garb (3 pieces) [10 points] Feast of Winter Veil
Hallowed set (Hallowed Helm, Horseman's Ring, more?) [10 points]
Lovely set (Dress/Suit, Charm Bracelet, Bouquet) [10 points]
Festive Finery (red Dress/Suit) [10 points] Lunar Festival
Midsummer Reveler (3 pieces + Cloak of Ahune?) [10 points] Midsumer Festival
Noble Garb (Tux Jacket?, Tux shirt, Tux Pants, Spring Circlet, Egg Basket) [25 points]
Piligrim's Finery (Dress/Robe/Attire, Hat)




Lurker

2012 shortlist

Presidential (& VP) candidates I would vote for in 2012:

Ron Paul (Texas Congressman)
Gary Johnson (Former Governer of NM)
Jesse Ventura (Former Governer of MN)
Judge Andrew Napolitano
Lew Rockwell
Pat Buchanan


There are more, but they are even more obscure, sadly.

How I would fix the economy

Believe it or not, there are some things the government can do to grow the economy: mostly they boiled down to getting out of the way.

1. Decrease the minimum wage. Yep, make it lower. To about the level illegals and waitresses are paid, lets say $4/hr. This would mean that workers are cheaper, and therefore you can hire more of them! Having a sucky job with poor pay is better than no job with no pay, especially these days.

2. Decouple health care from jobs. No other country on earth has health care determined by their employer, its a stupid holdover from 1950's union policies. Scrap it, and suddenly competition skyrockets, because everyone is in the same 'pool'. Also means employers have one less hassle and should make it cheaper to hire more people.

3. Deregulate small businesses. We need jobs desperately, and we need them now. Regulations are stifling job growth, so we nix most of them. Notice a pattern here?

4. Scrap income tax, and replace with a Value Added (think Sales) Tax. Income taxes are insane, arbitrary, and demeaning. Punishing people who earn (i.e. work) more is blatant classism, and subject to political whims and strategy (like now, for instance). Eliminate the system and replace with two 10% sales taxes, one for 'normal' government, and the other for Medicare/Medicaid/social security (and this time put the funds in SEPARATE accounts). This way, everyone puts in their fair share by definition, and saving is actually encouraged! And, by separating out the social programs (and labeling them as such) we have a real reminder of how atrociously large a percentage it is of federal spending on ever receipt. Of course, that brings us to....

5. Slash federal spending to 2000 levels, at least. Remember when we had balanced budgets, you know, under our last democratic president? Would it really be so cruel to do now what we did then?

Well, that's the gist of it. You know the rest, bring home the troops from everywhere overseas, end subsidies, that sort of thing. Boils down to shrink the public sector, grow the private sector.


Lurker

The 14th Amendment

Okay, so there have been some calls lately to 'adjust' the 14th amendment, which starts:

All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside.
No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.


For decades, this has been interpreted to mean that children born to 'unprocessed' immigrants (i.e. illegals) within the borders of the USA have been considered citizens. This has complicated the whole issue and led to the term 'Anchor Babies' because we wouldn't force a parent to part with thier child or send a minor citizen off to some terrible third world country, would we? And there are some pregnant mothers who come here for this very reason.

Now Republicans, in an effort to out-do one another, have come up with this bold idea to amend the Constitution to stop this practice and win points from the Tea Party movement in the process.

Firstly, I'm glad to finally hear mainstream politicians talk about the Constitution. That might encourage them to actually read it. I'm overjoyed to hear people talk about ammending the
Constitution, a tacit admission that government recognizes some kind of rules and limitations, and that there is an actual process to changing those.

Secondly, are they out of their minds?!? Illegal aliens are already an underclass with few rights and ripe for exploitation. And they want to make that class permanent? Whatever your position on the whole mess, at least the situation is limited to one generation. Children who are born here are fully citizens, the same as the rest of us. (I would change it so that anyone who survived and graduated thru high school should be granted the same status, but thats just me.)

But if children born here were not citizens of the United States of America, what would they be? Citizens of a country they had never seen? Nationless migrants consigned forever to the edges of society? Defacto endentured servants or slaves?

No, no, no. This idea is just so very bad. It would turn a temporary problem into a permanent one. Absolutely the wrong direction to go. I apprecieate the sentiment and the attempts at problem-solving, but no. Try again.


Lurker
(Why does no one talk about expanding LEGAL immigration?!?)

What the Tea Party is getting wrong: Immigration

The Tea Party was flawed almost from it's very inception.

I should know, I was there. The backbone of the movement is the Ron Paul supporters who were sadly ahead of their time. After the election of Obama and his massive expansion of the already atrociously huge big government fostered by Bush, our opposition went mainstream, and the Tea Party was born.

Thus the problems began. The only rallying cry everyone could agree on was OPPOSITION. They were unhappy about the bank bailouts (started by Bush), became obsessed with taxes, and coalesced against the insane Obamacare, all the while somehow missing the underlying principal:

Cut spending, cut spending, CUT $PENDING!

Then Arizona just had to pass their anti-illegal immigration bill. Believe me, I understand the reasons, the frustrations, and justifications for the bill. I was even glad when it passed.

But immigration should have NOTHING to do with the Tea Party movement. Why? Because it is an inherent contradiction to the already confused Tea Party platform: it complains the government isn't doing enough.

Yes, it is a huge issue. But all of the solutions presented (Amnesty, guest workers, national ID, border security) are an expansion of government, whereas government has been the problem all along.

A sad truth is that one of human beings principal motivations is convenience. Lets say you have a goal that you wish to accomplish; with one path being legal but inconvenient (time/$$$/consequence/etc) and the other path illegal but much less of a hassle overall. Guess which path gets chosen more? The vast majority of people only follow the law when it is, at most, as inconvenient as breaking said law.

The solution to this crime (like most!) is to LEGALIZE it. Make it AS convenient to immigrate into this country as it is to trek across the 130 degree Arizona deserts (that should tell you something right there). Ten year waiting periods? Employment requirements ahead of time? No wonder people are so frustrated by the current system that they are willing to risk death and deportation to get here rather than absurd bureaucratic ineffectual nonsense. That which is illegal is unregulated.

Additional solutions: Lower the minimum wage (illegals already work for less, brings down unemployment). Decouple health care from employment (legal employees cheaper to higher). Combine slimmed-down immigration offices with border posts (make the maze of bureaucracy a physical one, lasting minutes not years). The real solutions are LESS government.

Sadly, the Tea Party as it is today is incapable of this or any nuance. Therefore, they should just drop the issue altogether, or have a congruent organization rallying around this issue. Combining the messages of 'down with big gov' and 'gov screwing up' are just too confusing and alienate the movement even more.

Drop it, not helping.

Open letter to JD Hayworth running for Senate against McCain

Dear J.D. Hayworth,

You have declared war on big government "conservatives" by challenging McCain.

Start acting like it.


You need the following endorsements to get traction with the Tea Party movement:

Tucker Carlson

Pat Buchanan

Lew Rockwell (of LewRockwell.com)

Judge Andrew Nepolitano

Gov. Jesse Ventura

Gov. Gary Johnson (of New Mexico)

Barry Goldwater Jr.

Ron Paul and the rest of the Liberty Caucus


Main issues where you and Tea Party are in sync:

Anti-Tax

Anti-Bailouts

Anti-Cap & Trade

Anti-Obamacare (must apologize for 2003 Prescription Drug vote)

Pro-Constitution (must apologize for expansions of executive power)


You were swept into office in the '94 revolution, lost your way, and kicked out of office in 2006 for turning away from the principals of limited government along with the rest of the Republicans.

You are the poster boy for what the Republican party had become.

You have to show us that you "get it".

Stop trying to out-republican McCain, he has no principals and will say anything. You must take on the big government Washington beltway "conservatives" he represents, expose them for what they are.

Make this fight about the heart and soul of the Republican party. Start talking about the 9th and 10th amendments, not just the 2nd. Start talking about actual spending cuts and not just tax cuts. Put your Social Conservatism in a box because it's not going to win you any new voters.


I can help you become the national Tea Party spokesman that Palin is not. All you have to do is stop addressing issues and start addressing principals. If you want McCain's seat you have to rise to his stature.

The Tea Party is another American Revolution. Become our Patrick Henry.


"Give me liberty, or give me death!"


DH the Lurker

Battlestar Galacta: Who should've been the Final Five

Battlestar Galactica (the modern Sci-Fi channel version) was a masterpiece of characterization and complex multi-year storytelling. If you haven't seen it, I highly recommend watching it, and not reading the rest of this entry until you do.

*Spoilers*

Okay, so at the end of season 3 they revealed Saul Tigh, Chief Galen Tyrol, Samuel T. Anders, Tory Foster, and half-way thru season 4 Ellen Tigh. Now half of these were interesting choices character-wise, but I think they could've done alot better. So here are who I thought shoul've been revealed as the Final Five:

1. Admiral Helena Cain: An amazing character, considering she was in all of 3 episodes and 1 tv movie. Would've had repercussions with the entire main cast. Imagine her running the cylon armada.... terrifying.

2. Lt. Daniel "Bulldog" Novacek: Okay, very minor character. But a great actor from an amazing episode that was never followed up on.

3. Tom Zarek: The super-villain waiting in the wings. Never really had his moment to shine.

4. Dr. Sherman Cottle: Loved this supporting character. Held the power of life and death over almost the entire cast at one point or another. Oddly kept several peoples' secrets over the course of the show (cancer, parentage, etc).

5. Zak Adama: Revealed as the final cylon, Adama's dead son would have brought the series full circle. Apollo's brother, Starbuck's fiance... and it would basically have been a brand new character in a show that had been killing off mains left and right.


All right. Just thought I'd share my thoughts.

Good things about the Health Care Bill

Attention fellow Tea Partiers, Revolutionaries, and members of the Rebel Alliance. There are a few (a very few) good things to come out of the egregious Health Care Insurance legislation recently signed into law (grumble). Namely:

1. Insurance carriers can no longer drop you after you get sick. Say what you will, but one of the few proper roles of government is the enforcer of contracts. Your contract with insurance companies of any stripe is that you pay into the system with the understanding that if the unforeseeable happens, then one is financially covered, so to speak, and able to return to the status quo. It was and is outrageous that they only looked for and exploited loopholes after their services were required; other insurance companies don't get away with that... very often.

2. The end of big government republican Mitt Romney's political career. He signed the abysmal health care legislation that is tanking Massachusetts. The current Republican platform is totally anti and repeal, leaving no room for anyone remotely for it. Thank goodness. He would have guaranteed Obama another 4 years.

3. The Republican platform has almost become the Tea Party platform. Lower the deficit, limit and repeal big government programs, respect the Constitution, and the dropping of social conservatism (we'll see how long that lasts). We must join party leadership positions to crystallize and make permanent these planks in the platform.

4. The electorate is energized. Both sides have been rallying the troops for what seems like a year, getting everyone informed*, involved, and gearing up for the midterm election (where turnout is usually much lower than average). A healthy republic, depends on citizen participation, and their veto power.


So you see, it is not all bad. Demoncrats have been exposed for what they are, and all pretense of civil liberties have gone out the window.

Time for a revolution!


Lurker

Crazy Wheel of Time theories

1. Egwene's obsession with Gawyn is a distraction, and will eventually end up with Galad instead. There have been too many jokes about the Amyrlin marrying the top Whitecloak (mentioned at least twice). The two organizations ally (perhaps they all become warders).

2. The man in white that Berelain ends up with is Rhuarc (there was something between them after all.) Rhuarc will be wearing white because he'll become permanent Gai'shain like many of the others (returning to the Way of the Leaf and all that). Mayene is on the edge of the Wetlands. The waterless sands are likely to become home to surviving Aiel when the world breaks anew.

3. Last but not least: Davram Bashere killed Asmodean. The OBVIOUS hint that RJ was referring too was the wine. The last chapter of book 5 was out of order. Asmo dies in the wine cellar. Bashere first appears to Rand carrying a bottle of wine, which he had to get himself since there were no servants. Every book Bashere is drinking wine just to make it more blatant. He's a Darkfriend (possibly Demandred), and expect complications with Faile and Perrin.

4. Last battle begins the instant Rand, Mat, and Perrin are in the same place. This hasn't happened since Bk4 in Tear! That's the reasoning behind the color swirls and the tug towards eachother.

5. Sammael did not die in Shadar Logoth. No body, no proof. Moridin saved him?

6. Morgase will be turned by the 13x13 Darkfriend recruiting circle. Poor Elayne, Gawyn, and Galad.

7. Cadsuane retires and joins the Kin after the last battle (only one old enough to get any rank).

8. Rand dies and takes over Moridin's body. I wonder who he was before Ishy took that body over...


Lurker

End the Wars, Pay Down the Deficit

We the people are spending trillions of dollars on undeclared wars and policing the world.

Who thinks this is a good idea? Constitutional? Moral? Sustainable?

The Democrats were elected on an anti-war platform and are looking for something to cut that isn't a sacred entitlement. The Ron Paul Revolutionaries (the backbone of the Tea Party movement) are vehemently anti-deficit and in favor of a drastic reduction in military spending.

The time is now for the next stage in the Revolution.


The Federal Budget under Obama is way over a trillion dollars in the red this year and for many to come. Something has to give. Actually, many, many things have to give. But bringing the troops home from Iraq (125,000+), Afghanistan (~50,000), Germany (~57,000), Japan (~33,000) , Korea (~27,000), Italy (~10,000), UK (~10,000), and thousands more in dozens of other countries is a good start. Iraq and Afghanistan, say what you will, are not in any way the slightest overt military threat to us or their neighbors. And what's with all the leftover troops in the former Axis powers? Really? Not really a threat anymore, right? Now Korea is a whole 'nother issue, but even there I'd say our leaving would do more good than harm, leading to reunification sooner and ending that whole 60 year standoff behind us.

The purpose of the military (well, ours at least) should be very straight forward: a rapidly deployable destructive force pointed towards things you want to blow up and die. They aren't supposed to be nice, they are the exact opposite of politically correct, and anytime you have them trying to win over 'hearts and minds' instead of engaging the enemy... objectives become insubstantial and moral suffers.

Support our troops: bring them home. Stop bailing out the world.


Lurker

Bystander to a Crime Against Humanity

You'll have to forgive me. This is an issue that is extraordinarily personal, explosively controversial, and something I am both embarrassed and passionate about.

I am a victim of a crime akin to rape.

There, I thought that might get your attention. Even worse, this crime was child abuse, of a type that happens to billions of boys and girls across the planet. Worst of all, and this is something I may never forgive myself for, I was unable to prevent it from happening to my little brother and even my own nephew, because I was too ashamed to speak out. What is this horrendous crime, you might ask?

Circumcision.

There, I said it. And your reaction was to probably close this page, blush, laugh, *eyeroll*, dismiss, or something involving your eyebrows.

I am not kidding, not even a little bit. Amputation of the most sensitive erogenous zones on the human body, without consent, is almost worse than rape.

You'll notice I seem to be unfairly lumping male circumcision in with the recognizable atrocity that is FGM (female genital mutilation). They have the same means (removal of tissues with equal or greater sensitivity than our lips and fingertips) and, originally, the same goal (enforced sexual repression by elders). Both are monstrous atrocities perpetuated across countless generations.

Circumcision rates in the USA are dropping since their height in the eighties (when I was born, unfortunately). Instead of being taken for granted, now we give mothers and fathers a terrible choice: harm your newborn baby or have him be different from everybody else.

I find this question to be offensive by its very nature. I know all of the so-called reasons for and against. Completely Irrelevant. Routine Infant Circumcision (RIC) is evil not because it amputates healthy tissue and scars someone for life, as bad as those are. No, the heart of the issue is consent, or rather, the lack of it.

Their body, their choice. There is nothing so personal as ones sex life, and parents are making irrevocable anatomy decisions so the kid can look like his Dad? Really? I guarantee no adult getting this operation has placed that particular metric high on their decision list.

Circumcision of minors (who cannot give consent) should be made illegal. You heard me, illegal. There is no justification whatsoever for imposing this life-altering operation on a child legally unable to give consent and oblivious to the consequences. No, not even religious (I'm talking to you, Jews and Muslims). If an individual chooses to get circumcised after they turn eighteen, that is their business, and their right. Afraid they might choose otherwise? Why, that is exactly the point.

Individual choice, to live ones life as they see fit. You know, one of the cornerstones of our society.

I, myself, would have chosen otherwise.



Lurker

Wheel of Time chapter arc reading guide

Okay, so you want to start reading the massive Wheel of Time series consisting of 14+ books, a dozen primary characters, thousands of minor characters, 3 dozen plotlines, and by the end about 5 million words.

A bit daunting, to say the least.

So, on my last read-thru of the series, I set about to create a way of keeping everything straight. Originally, I constructed a timeline that would enable a network to produce TV episodes at the same rate events were happening in the books. Yes, squish 14 novels into the span of 3 and a half seasons of television (and that's still not compressed enough).

Long story short, I chopped up the series into little digestible bites, or arcs, if you will. Each arc has one obvious protagonist, one or two sub-plots (or thereabouts), and a beginning, middle, and resolution.

I made it easy. And if anyone ever dares to do a Wheel of Time television series, I can assure you this would be the episode guide they would follow.

And a completely different experience for WoT fans who've read it forwards and backwards already. Or if they want to skip those... less satisfying characters/plots.

Well, seeing is believing:

*Cut!* For the new guide, see:
http://astralspirit.blogspot.com/2010/11/wheel-of-time-arc-reading-guide-wotarg.html


Lurker