We Apologize That You're Totalitarians.

Red China's President Hu Jintao, after his gala reception at the Republic of Microsoft, got around to visiting the regional leaders of North America, like George W. Bush. During Hu's completely pointless remarks on the White House lawn, a dissident pleaded with W to encourage his Excellency to stop persecuting his fellow citizens. W later apologized to Hu for the shocking lack of decorum and politeness the heckler demonstrated toward the leader of the world's preeminent totalitarian nation, and expressed his hope that this incident would not spoil Red China's appetite for US Government Bonds and T-Bills.


Prepare to Board the Ether, Mateys!

The FCC has asked Johnny Danger to cease operations of his popular pirate radio station based in Depot Town, Ypsilanti. What a shame - Johnny gave the locals 100 flea-bitten watts of pure listening pleasure. You know, radio that people really liked:

"It was the best thing that ever happened to Depot Town. ... Everybody loved it,'' said Linda French, owner of Sidetrack restaurant. "Part of the fun was trying to figure out where it was being broadcast from. It wasn't like they were interfering with anybody.''

...Depot Town Radio played a wide variety of music, from country and standards to Motown and patriotic songs. It also included coverage of Depot Town-specific events...

(Excerpt from AA News article linked above)

Imagine that: a public-oriented radio station serving the local community. Without a several million dollar budget, nor with station personnel indicted for embezzlment and kickbacks.

Please, FCC, bring back low-power community radio.

Aye, Jim, I spy a safe anchor for Johnny!

Discard the China Card.

Jay Nordlinger of National Review talked with Bill Bennett this morning, reminding us of the abuse of human rights in Red China so that we can get cheap cute "Simpsons" slippers.


Meaning What We Say.

The AP (via WaPo) reports that Iran would upgrade the centrifuges of its nuclear program so that enriched uranium will be produced rapidly in large quantities - making an Iranian bomb truly possible.

When the world superpowers took the first steps toward nuclear disarmament and nonproliferation, they surely must have contemplated the possibility that some rogue state would ignore all calls by the civilized world to cease and desist from building a bomb. What did they conclude that civilization would have to do in such a circumstance?


It's Leviathan's Suppertime.

Yes, it's Tax Day. Here's to the Procrastinators - Huzzah! Depicted by the Mainstream Meatpackers as boobs or delinquents, Deaddrifts salutes their steadfast resolve. As with Crockett, Travis, and Bowie, they hold back overpowering forces as long as humanly possible, contributing in some small and symbolic, but not insignificant way in slowing the juggernaut of the ever growing, consuming State.

Christus Resurrexit!

Matthew 28:1-10

Now after the Sabbath, toward the dawn of the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb. And behold, there was a great earthquake, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow. And for fear of him the guards trembled and became like dead men. But the angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here, for he has risen, as he said. Come, see the place where he[a] lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead, and behold, he is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him. See, I have told you." So they departed quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to tell his disciples. And behold, Jesus met them and said, "Greetings!" And they came up and took hold of his feet and worshiped him. Then Jesus said to them, "Do not be afraid; go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee, and there they will see me."

Have a Blessed Easter!

Consummatum Est.

John 19:17-30

So they took Jesus, and he went out, bearing his own cross, to the place called the place of a skull, which in Aramaic is called Golgotha. There they crucified him, and with him two others, one on either side, and Jesus between them. Pilate also wrote an inscription and put it on the cross. It read, "Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews." Many of the Jews read this inscription, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city, and it was written in Aramaic, in Latin, and in Greek. So the chief priests of the Jews said to Pilate, "Do not write, 'The King of the Jews,' but rather, 'This man said, I am King of the Jews.'" Pilate answered, "What I have written I have written."

When the soldiers had crucified Jesus, they took his garments and divided them into four parts, one part for each soldier; also his tunic. But the tunic was seamless, woven in one piece from top to bottom, so they said to one another, "Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it to see whose it shall be." This was to fulfill the Scripture which says, "They divided my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots."

So the soldiers did these things, but standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother and his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, "Woman, behold, your son!" Then he said to the disciple, "Behold, your mother!" And from that hour the disciple took her to his own home.

The Death of Jesus After this, Jesus, knowing that all was now finished, said (to fulfill the Scripture), "I thirst." A jar full of sour wine stood there, so they put a sponge full of the sour wine on a hyssop branch and held it to his mouth. When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, "It is finished," and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.

Mandatum Novum Do Vobis.

John 13:34-35

"A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another."

Amen.

Open Arms.

At Deaddrifts we believe - fiercely - in legal immigration. To believe otherwise is, well, anti American. So, please, come to America and live your dream. Just play by the rules: don't take "cuts" in the line, tell us you're here, pay your taxes, and obey our laws.

Another Job a Michigander Wouldn't Take?

Example 2: Construction Worker. $22 an hour, plus benefits. Yes, illegal foreign workers get these jobs - about 14% of this workforce is illegal.

Current Research.

The justification used incessantly for illegal foreign workers is that they just "do the work that other Americans won't do". Given the Michigan unemployment rate, which is nearly 50% higher than the national rate, this claim really needs close scrutiny. Deaddrifts will investigate the types of jobs in which illegal foreign workers can be found, and consider whether a Michigander if offered such job would take it.

Example 1: Housecleaner. The rate for 4 hours of work for independent housecleaners in our neck of the woods is at least $60, or $15 an hour, and $20 an hour is common. This is a good wage. Disclaimer: Deaddrifts' household member has worked such a job, so we're not above doing it.

Big Deal.

Katie Couric will now read the news for CBS. If you're interested in the details, check any online entertainment news site.

The Victor$.

The Ann Arbor News, to their credit, put together an excoriating article on the skyrocketing tuition and out-of-control spending at the University of Michigan:

• The yearly tuition for in-state students has grown at over three times rate of inflation since 1990
• Despite state funding increases at 20% below the rate of inflation during this period, the University swelled its budget at twice the inflation rate.
• Much of this increased spending was not for instructional and classroom activities, but for student services, "community programs", and a 30% increase in the university workforce, with much of this hiring for high-paid adminstrators and research technical staff
• The University's capital expenditures - its aggressive building program - is being partially paid for by tuition increases
• The pay increases for tenured faculty salaries increased at a rate 20% above the inflation rate; for deans it rose at twice the inflation rate
• Half of the credit hours at UM are now taught by non-tenure track faculty and instructors; the number of professors increased by only 2%, non-tenure track instructors by 20%, while student enrollment rose by 9%

Why does the University of Michigan view itself beyond the common sense of a balanced budget? The state funding shortfall is only $50 million of a $1.2 billon budget - this is just out of control spending by UM, very cynically piled on the back of students, their parents, and Uncle Sam with low interest student loans.

"Useful Idiots".

The phrase believed to be coined by V.I. Lenin describing intellectuals and writers of the capitalist world in full swoon with the Soviet Revolution. And so it can fit booksellers who have figured it all out about the current conflict.

A Healthy Media, and Otherwise.

Jill Carroll has released a statement through the Christian Science Monitor, disavowing her condemnation of the United States and President Bush. There has been fierce criticism of some of the blogosphere that jumped down her throat for her original statements - now known to have been made under coersion - with some bloggers even suggesting the worst. Here at Deaddrifts we were, in all honesty, waiting for precisely this type of statement from Carroll, and it was welcomed news.

The question as to whether the blogosphere overreacted in this case is completely appropriate. That part of this new media jumped to conclusions should not be surprising, for it is a diverse universe of skills, opinions, and yes, motives. The blogosphere admits to these flaws and foilbles. What was pleasing to observe was the speed at which the allegations of Carroll's collusion were disputed by bringing new information to the discussion, and with this the revealing of the truth, and even the changing of opinions.

This should be contrasted to the herd mentality of the Mainstream Meatpackers, who tremble at challenging the Upper West Side's prejudices in interpreting the events of the world, while claiming a universal and supernatural impartiality.

Debbie, can you keep it set up for Carl?

Thanks to Michelle Malkin for this precious moment.

Simple Arithmetic.

The Federal budget this year will come to nearly three trillion dollars. There are roughly thirty million seconds in a year. Therefore, this year the United States Government will spend your money at the rate of $100,000 per second.

Nanny on US-12.

A friend of mine noticed that traffic on Michigan Avenue (US-12) on the east side of Saline has become quite snarled, with traffic on the busy route now timed to be repeatedly stopped by the intersection lights. He called MDOT to point out the obvious inefficiency and to ask whether the timing of the lights had been altered. He was told that he was one of many who had called with the same inquiry, and that yes, the timing of the lights had been changed. Why? Well, MDOT had timed the lights to allow a smooth flow of traffic on Michigan Ave, but one of the US Department of Transportation's "secret drivers" had determined that the lights fell outside of the official federal guidelines for traffic light timing. MDOT was told to change the timing or risk losing its share of Government Asphalt (which is a lot like Government Cheese).

The mind reels from multiple assaults on its sensibilities with this bizarre tale: 1) The Federal Government has decided that traffic light timing is too important to leave to the 10th Amendment of the Constitution and MDOT, 2) the Federal government makes POOYA rules about traffic light timing (POOYA is a common business colloquialism, think about it for a bit)
and insists that they be enforced even when common sense guides otherwise, and 3) Federal employees are paid as highway ferrets to find criminal traffic lights! The first description that comes to mind is - staggering nincompoopery. It's time to take your wallet back from the chimpanzees.

Michigan Public Radio Payola?

The Detroit Free Press reports that the current criminal probe of Michigan Radio's WOUM - an NPR turnkey operation since the late '90s - is examining "incentives" for station staffers, like a pool table, Persian rugs, and comp'ed meals provided by local merchants in exchange for on-air promotion. Also called into question are station staff activities at a local golf course and alleged inappropriate spending at a convention. Earlier this month Donovan Reynolds, the Karl Rove of Michigan Radio, left the station.

Since the coup that deposed its classical-music format, the nearly all-talk WOUM has raked in the contributor dough hand over fist - nearly a million bucks last year - and has become the favorite son of the public radio family for this success. We at Deaddrifts have previously lamented the lack of programming at WUOM produced by or for the local community.

WOUM starts its Spring Beg-a-thon at the end of March. Perhaps they'll use the barter system this year: a freezer full of steaks, new carpeting for the rec room, etc.?

Exeunt Milosevic.

Slobo has nickels on his eyelids, with a peaceful passing unlike the victims of his evil.

Perhaps Ted Rall is preparing a cartoon showing Slobo's arrival at the Pearly Gates?

Free Speech's Bull Run.

Bull Run, the inglorious debut of the Union Army against the Confederacy, was also known as the "Great Skiddaddle", as panicking soldiers ran from the battlefield. So it's been with the Press of the Western Democracies, sans Denmark. Ben Stein sums up the disaster.

Big Net Sophistry.

Pajamas Media's China Syndrome interviews Tom Lantos on Big Net's role in supressing free speech in Red China, complete with video clips of corporate legal weasels parsing the meaning of "discrimination".

Winter's Work.

The Opener is ten weeks away. I won't get caught with too few Hendricksons in the box this year!