What the HELL are the Supremes smoking NOW?

This was buried in the International Section of my local paper today, in a little blurb under the ruling that the US Supreme Court decided employees could sue for monetary damages even if none are incurred due to retaliation for sexual harrassment suits (snore, I know, just giving the background here). In a one sentence blurb under this long-ass boring article about the above case, it appears the USSC has decided to make current laws *RETROACTIVE* - - this is BIG reversal for them and for US law, and *not* a good move. Apparently, an illegal immigrant who has lived here for 20 years (for non-math people, that is since 1986) will be deported under the laws made in 1996 that restrict immigrants, even though his presence in the USA superceded that ruling by a decade. They ruled 8-1 to uphold his deportation, so I guess it is back to Mexico he jaunts... My sleepy paper doesn't name the case so I have some searching to do to get the TOTAL facts here, but on the surface it makes me bristle because it has always been a cornerstone of American jurisprudence to NOT apply laws retro-actively, so this blurb made me take notice.... It also makes me wonder which Justice was the lone stand-out (that takes courage in my book). If I track the story down, I'll update - - but in the meantime, this makes me very worried. I am such a Libbie's Lib :)

The Gator Who Came to Dinner

I really don't think I could live in the lovely state of Florida. Yes, it is warm and sunny most of the year, but I have this (healthy to me) aversion of reptiles that stand taller than I do and weigh over twice as much. Call me crazy, but gaping maws with rows of sharp teeth are enough to make me want to stay a few miles away.... Ask my ex-boyfriend, I was a complete waste of space during our Everglades excursion oh so many moons ago (it didn't help when a gator went UNDER our canoe and my oh-so-helpful Ex thought it would be amusing to smack the inside of the craft with his Loudly Resonating Oar; I almost tested if *I* could swim faster than the gator...). So imagine my surprise when I saw the picture of the gator scratching on the door of a Florida couple who were happily barbecueing out back.... What? Your paper neglected to share this *cute* picture? I will be happy to show you the Gator Who Came For Dinner, its up there. Forgive me for staying away from Florida - - gators ringing the bell for Teriyaki Chicken? NO THANK YOU!

The story is found here: http://www.islandpacket.com/news/local/v-rd2005/story/5795583p-5177866c.html

I Want To See Your Green Card

I hear from people that we should be allowed to ask "them" for their green cards. After pondering just who are the them in question, I ask, "And how would we know the cards were valid?" I mean, let's face it, many government places out there can't tell fake from valid IDs so what makes Joe SixPack think he can ferret out validity any better than Uncle Sam? And then I ponder, just WHO would we be asking this green-card showing from, anyway? People with accents? Different colored skin? Different clothing? Different houses of worship? Anyone who doesn't look like Barbie or Ken? Because, really, how in the heck would one tell *an illegal* from a legal, anyway? (Sidenote - - "Illegal" is so depersonalizing - - these are PEOPLE, not criminals, and if you, the reader, have ever had a speeding ticket or california'd-stopped your way through a stop sign, then you have BROKEN LAWS just like they have so shut the heck up with your self-righteous barking about THEM breaking laws, you lawbreaker).... And furthermore, what *kills* me, is how many clamoring the loudest profess to be "good Christians".... I got news for you, Jesus didn't "turn in" the prostitutes and lawbreakers in HIS time, he sat down to eat with them. Asking to see papers proving "worthiness" or "legal status" to be in this country is pretty un-Christ-like to me. I have a suggestion for would-be status checkers: Next time, buy the differently dressed/accented/religious house of worship person breakfast instead of asking about their status. And turn RUSH off - - he is brain cancer. Honestly, his bad ideas eat away your brain cells worse than the most malignant cancer out there. SO, where is YOUR passport, anyway? I think I want to check it....

This is it.

I started a blog. I guess it is time for a little self-indulgent platforming on my own :)