Category Archives: South of the Border

The immigration polka

Posted on May 20, 2007 | Comments Off on The immigration polka

“Secure Borders, Economic Opportunity and Immigration Reform Act of 2007” is the official title of the controversial proposed law. But, judging from the text, only "economic opportunity" seems to be operatively likely. The full text, in easily browsable format, from The Truth Laid Bear.

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Posted in Scribbles, South of the Border, Texana, The War

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Treasure

Posted on May 19, 2007 | Comments Off on Treasure

Those U.S. treasure hunters off the British coast aren’t saying where or what their $500 million gold and silver haul–deep enough apparently to require recovery by robot–may be, but speculation already is trying to pinpoint it:

"In 1641, an English ship called the Merchant Royal sank off the Scilly Islands, laden with bullion from Mexico. There is speculation that this is the wreck salvaged by Odyssey."

If that is the one, what do you want to bet that the Mexicans demand it all back?

UPDATE  Nothing yet from Mexico City, but the Spaniards are going to court. They’re satisfied it’s one of their hauls from the New World.

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Posted in Scribbles, South of the Border

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Immigration tango

Posted on May 19, 2007 | Comments Off on Immigration tango

The Wall Street Journal likes some of what it sees in the Senate immigration bill: 

"A bipartisan immigration bill would be good for the country if it truly leads to fewer illegals while allowing the flow of workers our economy needs. The Senate bill takes us only half way there."

It also sounds complicated, with new employer penalties, and the need for illegals to return home before they can return to become citizens. Too complicated maybe. But amnesty it ain’t.

UPDATE  Nevertheless, it’s killing Bush’s approval rating, according to pollster Rasmussen. 

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Posted in Scribbles, South of the Border

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Fred on the immigration bill

Posted on May 17, 2007 | Comments Off on Fred on the immigration bill

“With this bill, the American people are going to think they are being sold the same bill of goods as before on border security.  We should scrap this bill and the whole debate until we can convince the American people that we have secured the borders or at least have made great headway.”

Announce, Fred. Announce.

Or is there a bill?

Via Instapundit

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Posted in Scribbles, South of the Border, Texana

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What Ken missed

Posted on May 15, 2007 | Comments Off on What Ken missed

When Ken Burns decided to forgo any mention of Latino-American troops in his upcoming doc on World War II, he skipped over the more than 500 stories collected here by the University of Texas’ oral history project. They have a new web site in the works. I hope it has some transcripts of the actual interviews and some of their good photographs that have been reproduced in newspaper articles.

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Posted in Scribbles, South of the Border, Texana

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Ken Burns’ little oversight

Posted on May 15, 2007 | Comments Off on Ken Burns’ little oversight

Looks like the PBS documentarian will re-edit his WW2 opus, according to Diane Holloway in the daily, to weave in the Latino perspective (including 15 medals of honor) that he had ignored, but he needed a little arm-twisting:

"Burns is not accustomed to criticism, and his response until last week to the Latino community’s concerns was jarring. After initially ignoring the complaints, he and PBS executives met with several members of Hispanic groups, including Galán and Rivas-Rodriguez, in Washington, D.C., in April."

Apparently he will use stuff by Austin documentarian Hector Galan. Good, and good piece worth a read.

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Posted in Civil War, Scribbles, South of the Border, Texana

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Leaving the gate open

Posted on May 13, 2007 | Comments Off on Leaving the gate open

Five years after 9/11, it’s comforting that nothing like that has happened again. But, as the Fort Dix case shows, engaging the enemy in Afghanistan, Iraq and elsewhere probably won’t do the trick forever:

"…this is still one of the easiest countries in the world in which to establish a functioning but fraudulent identity."

Closing the borders would help. Too bad not enough politicians are willing to do it.

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Posted in South of the Border, The War

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