More anniversaries:

For December 16^th:

• 374 years ago, Mount Vesuvious, Italy erupts, destroys 6 villages and kills 4,000.  FEMA does nothing.
• 232 years ago, in 1773, angry colonists staged the BOSTON TEA PARTY.  This reminds me of this classic quote from comedian Steven Wright, “Do Lipton employees take coffee breaks?”

For December 17^th:

• 214 years ago, in 1791, New York City traffic regulation creates 1st 1-way street.  Those people are still stuck in traffic. 

For December 18^th:

• 49 years ago, in 1956, "To Tell the Truth" debuts on CBS-TV.  Panel of Celebrity Jurists try to get contestants to tell them the truth.  Sounds silly especially since:
• 29 years ago, in 1976, Wonder Woman appeared on TV.  She used her magic lasso to get criminals and Nazis to tell the truth, but all she had to do is smile and wave. 

A busy news week…

• The Iraqi elections
• President Bush’s progress in Iraq speeches
• The NY Times revelation of leaks regarding NSA intelligence gatherings
• Renewal/non-Renewal of the Patriot Act
• McCain and Bush teaming up to act like idiots in regards to torture methods

And yet the most important story (other than the Iraqi elections) is the fact that Congress is actually doing something with respects to illegal immigration.  Not much but heck it’s a start…

According to one congressman here are some of the strengths of the new bill, “We approved a security fence along our southern border, we have taken steps to end ‘catch and release’ nationwide, we have slashed funds to localities that shield illegal aliens, and we have gone after employers who attract illegal aliens to the U.S.”

However:  “It fails to address the fundamental incentives driving illegal immigration. Lenders will continue to issue mortgages to illegal aliens, banks will continue to accept unverifiable consular identification documents, illegal alien families will continue to claim and get the earned income tax credit and other benefits designed for citizens, and the babies of illegal aliens will continue to be given the gratuitous gift of citizenship”

By the way:

• Are you convinced that the War in Iraq is Another Vietnam?
• Do tell your friends that the Iraq economy is getting better?

Either way you might want to read the following article in which you’ll find out the answer to these questions:

• Is the U.S. making no progress in defeat­ing the insurgency in Iraq?
• Is the U.S. making little or no politi­cal progress in Iraq?
• Did the Bush Administration exaggerat the threat of Iraqi weapons of mass destruction (WMD) to justify the war?
• Has the war in Iraq set back the war on terrorism?
• Does the U.S. have allied support in the war in Iraq?
• Were Iraqi women better off under Saddam’s regime than they are under the new constitution?