MaxRedline

Where To Put Day Laborers?

That's the question posed in the big O, and although the logical answer consists of one word - home - some believe that these hard-working illegal aliens should have access to services, and maybe even learn a little English, while waiting for their next illegal employer to drive up.  Portland mayor Harry Tommy Potter, worker of great wonders, wants to spend a couple of hundred thousand of your tax dollars to build a center for illegal aliens - to say nothing of the cash he'll need annually to run the place.

While the wizard has a long track record of aiding and abetting illegal aliens and other lawbreakers, this is a big step even for him; it also raises the question of whether the city's job is to spend taxpayer resources to assist illegal aliens in furthering their illegal activities.  Even assuming that his Center for Illegal Aliens somehow doesn't pan out along the lines of the aerial tram, it's not unreasonable to expect that the costs for construction of such a center may run closer to a cool $1 million (when you throw in the mandatory artwork, the solar panels, the "eco-roof", and the other froo-froos that Portland and its "planners" so dearly love to toss money at). 

That kind of cash could fill a lot of potholes.

Renaming Roads - A Priority?

Some years back, Portland re-named Union Avenue to Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.  They renamed Front Avenue to Naito Parkway.  Renamed Portland  Boulevard to Rosa Parks Way.  Now, Harry Tommy Potter and his merry band of lizards wizards are working with a Latino group toward renaming Interstate Avenue to Cesar Chavez Boulevard.  Yes, that's decisive leadership in Portland.  Never mind the fact that it costs taxpayers a lot of money to produce and change out the street signs - money that might be used to fill a pothole or two.  And most certainly, never mind the cost to businesses - this is important work that Tommy's got going here, so businesses will just have to suck it up.

It's how Portland maintains its business-friendly image.

Well, as long as Tommy wants to buff the city's "progressive" image by renaming a street after Chavez, he ought to check into whether or not he can get a better deal by purchasing in bulk.  Because we really need to name another street in Portland to honor the man whose vision and drive remains the forward-thrusting impetus behind what Portland is today.

We need to name a street after Neil Goldschmidt.

Metro headquarters is on Grand Avenue; perhaps we could rename it to "Goldschmidt Gateway" - although the "planners" could probably come up with a catchier title.

The Cabal Continues To Roll

Another $80 million for light rail expansion is in the federal transportation bill for next year, and as the Abany newspaper notes, it's gotten to be a bit much.  Metro's been on this kick for three decades, with no benefit to show for it.  It's really long past time for the FON to stop.  FON? You ask?  Friends Of Neil - the cabal that got this whole nonsense rolling in the first place.

Don't They Have Private Jets?

Three Arab princesses were thrown off a packed British Airways flight after refusing to sit next to male passengers they didn't know.

The dispute - in which the three princesses from the ultra-conservative Qatar royal family demanded segregated seating - left the London-bound plane delayed on a baking Italian runway for nearly three hours.

They're worse than Lindsay Lohan, when it comes to Not Getting It. The rest of the world doesn't bow to your royal heinies. If you don't like it, stay in your own country. If you insist on visiting other countries, live by their rules.

The Vick Chew Toy Debuts

Well, how long did it take? Not long at all. The St. Paul Saints are making plans to give away 2,500 "Michael Vick" dog chew toys designed with the Atlanta Falcons' team colors and the No. 7 worn by the team's embattled quarterback.

"Embattled"? Nope. He's just another overpaid, idiotic asshat. Just the latest poster-boy that illustrates why most of the rest of us don't give a rip about so-called "professional sports".

You want to get us involved? Then get your so-called athletes back in touch with reality.

Things Aren't Looking Good For "Cold Cash" Jefferson

WASHINGTON -- Newly unsealed documents in the federal bribery case against Rep. William Jefferson, D-New Orleans, describe a plan to steer profits to the son of the president of Ghana and a frantic effort to get the congressman to revive a lucrative deal in Nigeria as it appeared to unravel.

The papers also state that Jefferson stored some of the of money he took from an FBI informant in soy burger boxes and other food containers in the freezer his Capitol Hill home.

The good news is that Billy seems to have been trying to lead a healthy lifestyle, what with eating soy burgers and all. The bad news - well, he still stashed $90,000 in his freezer, and the indicted Democrat congressman is looking about as clean as the underwear of the folks in our family after a "Sloppy Joe Sunday" at Grandma's.

Another One Has Enough

While hizzoner Harry Tommy Potter and his merry band of thieves wizards continue to proclaim Portland's business-friendliness, another long-time downtown business is calling it quits.  Oh, they'll maintain a couple of stores in the trendy NW and Hawthorne areas, Northeast, and Tigard - but it seems that they've had quite enough of the downton area.   Tommy and his wizards, together with their pals at Metro, PDC, and Tri-Met have pretty well managed to waste Portland's downtown core; turning it into a place to get through, rather than to get to.  Congratulations, boys!

Ho, ho, hey, hey.  How many shops have you lost today?

DeFazio vs. Police State

As you know, Oregon Rep. Peter DeFazio, who sits on the House Homeland Security Committee, requested to see classified portions of a White House plan for governing following a terrorist attack.  He was rebuffed.  And he's fighting back: 

"We can think of no basis for you to deny members of the Committee on Homeland Security the opportunity to review this document in a secure setting," states the letter signed by DeFazio; Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., chairman of the committee; and Rep. Chris Carney, D-Pa., chairman of the Homeland Security oversight subcommittee.

Looks like things are heating up on the Hill.  However, while many are concerned with the recent laws that permit a President to declare martial law in response to a problem of large magnitude, it isn't necessarily the Islamonut terrorists that we should be worried about.

Our worst enemy: environmentalists.

Czech President Vaclav Klaus, drawing on his memories of Soviet oppression, recently declared that the global warming hysteria had replaced Communism as "the biggest threat to freedom, democracy, the market economy, and prosperity."

In making the parallel to Communism, President Klaus cited the use of environmentalism as a justification for global central planning. But it is not just the vast scale of the controls proposed by environmentalists that is so revealing; it is also the detail. There is no aspect of life too trivial or intimate (as Sheryl Crow infamously reminded us) to fall outside of this new ideological regimentation.

Their behavior has clearly indicated a deep-seated desire to control every aspect of your life; including but by no means limited to: the kinds of light bulbs you use, the kinds of appliances and entertainment devices you purchase - and even your thoughts.

Basically, while DeFazio fights to examine a policy that may well allow a President to implement a police state in the event of a terrorist attack, he fails to understand that environmeddlists are already hard at work toward the goal of removing our freedom to move, to act, to live as we wish, and even to think as we wish.  Terror doesn't always involve bombs.

The "Saving Democrats From Themselves" Doctrine

When Sen. Dick Durbin, Democrat of Illinois, talks about fairness, it's a good idea to count the silverware.

Truer words were never spoken.  Dustbin, of course, is upset because he doesn't believe that Americans get to hear both sides of the story.  Well...as it happens, we do.  As he well knows, we get the left-spin from television and print media, and we can get the right-spin from talk radio and the Internet.  What it all boils down to is that Dustbin and his pals are distressed over the repeated failure of Liberal Talk Radio to make any headway in the American market.  They seem to believe that since nobody listens to LibTalk (and due to that very real fact, advertisers don't buy time on LibTalk, which is one reason underlying the bankruptcy of Airhead America) there must be something uniquely unfair about talk radio.

Can't have that.  It's a "problem" that must be "fixed".  If you can't compete in the marketplace, then legislate. 

On Rights: It's Getting Silly Out There

Over across the pond, there's actual talk in the U.K. of building a separate prison for Muslims - which a cursory glance at the comments section of the report show absolutely no one favors. As there have been a series of attacks against Muslim extremists held in prison, ministers are considering construction of a Muslim-only center, which they believe would defuse tensions.  It seems that there have been three incidents in three weeks involving convicted Islamic terrorists.

Earlier this month Dhiren Barot, 34, an Al Qaeda plotter jailed for life last year, was seriously burned when he was scalded with boiling water.

You can see where the problem is, here.  You simply can't have your poor convicted terrorists subjected to the sort of treatment that they wish to mete out to countless innocent infidel men, women, and children, after all.  No, that would be wrong.  And of course, a Muslim only prison would make it easier to "cater their religious needs in terms of diet and prayer".  And we know how important that is to them.  We know as well that were the situations reversed, these folks would happily cater to the religious needs of their infidel captives.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch:  in an unprecedentedly bold effort to demonstrate their unwavering desire to become fully integrated American citizens, a coalition of several Hispanic groups has formed.  Calling themselves Latinos Unidos, the plan is to aggressively push to get more hispanics to apply for U.S. citizenship and registered to vote - ideally before the next election.

"We always get crumbs," said Miguel Barrientos. "We want a piece of the pie, and we are going to take it."

Several other local organizations, including ACORN, Hermandad Mexicana and the Service Employees International Union, Local 1107, have been hosting a series of citizenship workshops to help people apply before the fee increases go into effect.

Yep.  Look For The Union Label; they're only there to help you.  At least SEIU isn't out marching on behalf of illegal alien "rights".  Oh, wait...nevermind.