How the Grinch wage “War on Christmas”

A commentary on a fellow motorist’s editorial

What Happened to Christmas?

Oh… how the Grinch hated Christmas!

The Christmas trees, the greetings,

Offended by the politically incorrect

“War…” he snorted “War on Christmas”

But what to do he ponder

“Ah… speech!” he proclaim

“Censorship is the key”

The exercise thereof

And of the press

“Holiday” he demanded

Generic terms is what he wanted

Plain, non-specific

“Holiday tree not Christmas tree”

But the people's retort got him thinking

“Shall we put up “holiday tree” for Easter as well!?”

The Grinch knows not what to say

For he know a Christmas tree

Will always be a Christmas tree

In people's heart

“Merry Christmas to you”

They say to him

Affirmative action still have it’s place

A commentary on a fellow motorist’s editorial

Affirmative action: Preferential Treatment

Foremost, I do believe what happened to my fellow motorist’s, The Long and Short of U.S. Government, mom was unfair and unjust. But I would not go as far to say that Affirmative Action is no longer relevant. I will however say that it was a result of a misguided employer or hiring firm. More on why that is later.

As to the relevant of Affirmative Action in today’s society we cannot say that it is out-dated. One of the Affirmative Action goals is to infuse diversity into our professional and educational experiences. Statistics have shown that diversity within the workplace and school does promote growth. It also provide the disabled and seniors an opportunity in our society. Women also have a better chance to accelerate then before. It is still a fact that women’s salary are on average 20% lower than the average white male who hold the same position. So we cannot say it is an even playing field just yet. However, I do agree with your view that there are race preferential treatments. There is no need for special treatment just for the sole reason being that I am of Asian decent. I don’t consider myself disabled nor there dept that needed to be repay for an Asian American. All it does is promote free loaders in our society. For that I do not support scholarships tailor to a certain group based solely on race or sex.

Back to why I think the employer or hiring firm is misguided. First of all, it is grossly unprofessional and unethical of the employer to talk freely about their hiring decision on that term. Second, employers have no right to terminate an employee in favor for another employee based solely on sex or race. It was careless of them to list the position that wasn’t relevant to what they are looking for. It should’ve stated that it is a contract term and the position is a trainer in that particular field.

In the future I hope the playing field will be set on equal terms for your mom and all women alike.

Related Sites

Sites in favor of:

Affirmative Action and Financial Aid

American Association for Affirmative Action

NOW and Affirmative Action

Myths about Affirmative Action

Sites not in favor of:

American Civil Rights Institute

Center for Equal Opportunity

Center for Individual Rights

National Association of Scholars

Not so grand nursing home under government scope

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services recently publicized a list of nursing homes that were the worst in their states. The implementation of the list was due to lawmakers and advocacy group urging the Bush administration to provide consumers with an easier way to identify homes with poor performance records. Advocates complain that a large number of homes with serious discrepancies failed to improve adequately or do so temporarily.

Among the list are fifty-four nursing homes from thirty-three states and the District of Columbia. The fifty-four nursing homes that made it to the list are among more than one hundred and twenty home that merit more oversight. These homes are being inspected every six month instead of annually by the state. States inspections are carries out for homes that receive federal payments. It is estimated that nursing home care costs taxpayer $72.5 billions annually.

The list will urge homes from falling under the standard level of care for elders. The already listed home will now have to focus on improving care in order for it to be lifted from the list. Homes that cannot fixes major discrepancies or repeatedly failed to comply to the standard level will be cut off from federal payments. Funds can then be diverted into the weakening Social Security Program. Consumers now have valuable information when it comes to finding a place for their elders. It also limits the abuse of federal funds.

Intelligence spending figure revealed

Urged by the September 11 commission and Congress the National Intelligence Director, Mike McConnell, declassified the fiscal 2007 national intelligence agency budget on Tuesday. The figure shows the total amount the nation’s various intelligence agencies have spend over $40 billion this past fiscal year. Military intelligence operation spending was not included in the figure. McConnell also added that “beyond the disclosure of a top-line figure, there will be no other disclosures of currently classified budget information because such disclosures could harm national security.”

The fiscal national intelligence agency budget figures have only been declassified by in 1997 and 1998 while former CIA Director George J. Tenet was commissioned. The figure for 1997 and 1998 was 26.6 billion and 26.7 billion respectively. But prior to 1997 and after 1998 the figure remains classified until now. The current figure shows that there is a dramatic increase in intelligence spending since 9/11, almost doubled since the last declassified figure in 1998.

According to McConnell the release was due to legal matter pertaining to Section 601 of the law. Section 601 requires certain intelligence funding information be available to the public. The law was passed in July.

Cruel and unusual argument

The Supreme Court had decided to scrutinize the “three drug cocktail” currently being use by most states to conduct lethal injection. The chemical formula of sodium thiopental, pancuronium bromide, and potassium chloride is under legal argument that it is unconstitutional because it can cause excruciating pain, and considered to be a malicious punishment, which violates the Eighth Amendment.

Opponents say sometimes the first given shot, sodium thiopental, an anesthetic, fails to put inmate into full unconsciousness to avoid pain. Followed by the second given shot, pancuronium bromide, which causes paralyzation, leaving the inmate suffered without the ability to struggle. With the third given shot, potassium chloride, to stop the heart which is usually painful.

Numerous of condemned convicts who have gone thru the process since lethal injection is a capital punishment. The given anesthetic shot that failed to render inmates complete unconsciousness during the executions however, was not considered a misconduct. Anesthetics are commonly used in the medical field with the patient’s acknowledgement before an operation. Understandably, sodium thiopental is very effective if it is being administered properly by qualified personnel. So the question should not be if the drugs administered to inmates were ineffective but whether the procedures were properly conducted? Has the Supreme Court missed the vein to the problem?
Court Stays Execution in Nevada
The New York Times - Wednesday, October 17, 2007
Baze V. Rees
Supreme Court file

Press Shield Bill - Fixing what's not broken

The Senate Judiciary Committee has approved a bill that would shield journalists from being forced to reveal their confidential sources on some cases at the federal level.
Senate Panel Approves Press Shield Bill
The Associated Press - Thursday, October 4, 2007; 2:36 PM