Aid to Africa...Who gets it?

Robert Mugabe is the dictator of Zimbabwe. He has ruined the country's economy and looted it for himself and his supporters. Africa has many of the most corrupt governments in the world. Nigeria is notorious for total corruption of all public services.

A reporter observed this:
On a hot, dusty road a convoy of three black Mercedes luxury cars throw up a cloud of dust onto people walking who have no transportation. The government offfcials in the cars are part of the corrupt clique that rules the country. The people on the road refer to their government as "the men of the Mercedes".

The Chinese Invasion

Interesting article on Chinese imports.
The Chinese Invasion

A sad subject

Saw a TV commercial. It probably was a public service type, I don’t recall. It showed a senior lady (maybe mid or late 60’s) in her kitchen. She pauses, turns and heads for her living room saying something like “I hope the kids have good weather for their trip this weekend. We should ....” then she stops and realizes the living room is empty and she is alone. Her face becomes sad and she returns to the kitchen. A message then comes on about caring for loved ones especially if their spouse has passed away. This affected me so much I could hardly stand it.

Thomas Sowell: Liberals and class: part III

Great article on menial, "dead end" jobs.
Thomas Sowell: Liberals and class: part III

Social Security Online

Fixing social security is possible but will require political courage on the part of Congress and the President. Before Bush offered his investment plan to save Social Security the Democrats refused to offer their own plan. Instead, when pressed on what their plan was, they said that it was up to the President to provide leadership on this issue. Knowing that any workable plan will be painful to some part of the public the Dems want the Republicans to take the heat. Bear in mind only the Congress can change social security law. The President can suggest or he can veto.
Now that Bush has offered a plan the Democrats still avoid countering with their own plan and instead they demonize the President. I listened to a leader of the Democratic National Committee encourage Democrats to tell people that President Bush wants to destroy social security. Now, still dodging their responsibility, Democratic Congressional leaders say they will offer a plan only when the President drops his investment idea. It’s hard to imagine a more cynical and politically dishonest position by the Democrats.

Social Security Online

New graduates...take heed! 

Dogs are loyal

Loyalty in the Senate:
Senator Frist may have expected that he could rely on his friends in the Senate to stick by him in a showdown over the filibuster. But Harry Truman once said that, if you want a friend in Washington, get a dog.

quote from Thomas Sowell.

The Death of Archimedes

I remembered seeing this picture many years ago in a book and was able to find it again with Google. 

Archimedes was Known to the Romans

The Death of Archimedes:
The Roman general Marcellus invaded Sicily and the city of Syracuse in 212BC. Archimedes was one of the great scientists of the ancient world. Marcellus was aware of the talents of Archimedes and wanted him captured alive. The following is from the Roman records.

The city was turned over to the troops to pillage as they pleased, after guards had been set at the houses of the exiles who had been in the Roman lines. Many brutalities were committed in hot blood and the greed of gain, and it is on record that Archimedes, while intent upon figures which he had traced in the dust, and regardless of the hideous uproar of an army let loose to ravage and despoil a captured city, was killed by a soldier who did not know who he was. Marcellus was distressed by this; he had him properly buried and his relatives inquired for—to whom the name and memory of Archimedes were an honour.

The filibuster debate:
The Senate filibuster is used when you want to prevent a vote. If your opponents will have 51 votes on an issue you can stop the vote by endlessly talking and not yielding the floor. To override a filibuster takes 60 votes.


Suppose that when you go to vote next November a group of protesters block the door at your precinct. The protesters say that polls show their candidate will lose if the election is allowed to proceed. You complain but are told officially that the protesters have a right to do it and it is called a filibuster. Is this democracy?