Uncle Sam's Stand Against Illegal Immigration

There has always been dissatisfaction on the performance of both political parties, but now it is a nearing an all time high just over the Illegal Immigration issue.   Does there need to be a viable third party who will take a stand for Americans concerning the illegals in this country?

Currently both the Democratic and Republican  parties are cuddling up to the potential voting block of illegals who are currently in our country.   This is going against the grain of a majority of the actual voters who generally support both political parties.   Politicians are looking forward to how they can court the Hispanic vote, and a possible huge influx of votes from illegals becoming legal.

Below are steps America needs to take, but both parties seem to be dragging their feet to prevent these from happening.

Stop the Influx

Close down the ease of access into the United States will stop the human trafficking trade.   Some of the people coming over are becoming slaves, either sexual or mundane, to the cartels of gangs who are pressing them into service.   This is also a major avenue of drug traffic into the United States.

Deport Lawbreakers

We need to deport all illegal immigrants who have been arrested in the United States.  It is bad enough that you came in illegally, but if you break our laws while you are here you really don’t need to be here.

No trial is needed to determine your guilt, you are already guilty in breaking the sovereignty of the United States.  You have been arrested by law enforcement and you need to be leave the country.  We don’t need our court system filled full of needless trials and lawyers muddling the facts.

For a second offender who is found again in the United States the punishment must be severe.   This has to be a deterrent for those who were caught to not come back into the United States illegally.

What to do with Law Abiding Illegals?

This is the conundrum that is facing lawmakers.   We have millions of illegals who are in the country and deporting would be detrimental to the United States as a whole.

If we decide on an amnesty program the following has to be adhered to.

No Citizenship

Let those who came in illegally and are in America be not allowed to vote or run for office.  Permanent resident alien status can be afixed upon them.  They will now pay taxes, have a social security number, and become visible to the federal government.   This policy should also curtail the conflict of interest by political parties who are salivating over the new voting block.

Money Cannot Leave the US

No money can be transferred outside of US borders.   If you transfer money outside of the US, you will be deported.   This keeps the money made in America by illegals in the United States.    Deportation is the penalty.

If we can get our politicians to act like real patriots on this issue we can actually get something done.

A trend is forming in America for the push of organic foods.  One of these trends is the increase of consumption of raw unpasteurized milk, but should the consumer buy this version of milk?

Supposed Benefits

A major draw to raw milk is the supposed enhanced nutritional qualities, taste, and health benefits.

Supposed benefits of raw milk over pasteurized milk are:

1. Allergy and Asthma reduction
2. Autism reduction
3. Cancer reduction
4. Crohn’s disease eradication
5. Colds and flus resistance
6. Lactose intolerance
7. Reduced tooth decay

Reality

Unfortunately the above has yet to be proven by scientific studies.

Even with science-based data to prove these claims are limited, people are still continue to consume raw milk.

In the majority of milk borne illnesses are primarily from products made from unpastuerized milk.    Much fewer milkborne disease outbreaks were associated with consumption of pasteurized milk during this same time period.

Consumer Protection

There are no regulations for raw milk on:

1. Microbial standards

2. Labeling of raw milk

3.  Improving sanitation during milking

Regulations in food are for the protection of the consumer.   Right now it is an unregulated product that is in close proximity to E Coli, Listeria, and other pathogens during the milking process.

Conclusion

The only 100% method to prevent raw milk associated foodborne illness is to not drink raw milk and from consuming dairy products manufactured using raw milk.  Until there are guidelines and inspection of raw milk facilities, it is better to be safe that sorry when drinking raw milk.

For information on the recall, click here.

(Tony the Tiger probably doesn’t think this is great!)

St Mary's of Zion

Throughout history the Vatican has asserted it power through secular armies, but none so recent during the invasion of Africa by Italian forces in 1935.

Why would the Vatican be so interested in Ethiopia?

Ethiopia, with its long, rich history of Judaism and Christianity, claimed to possess the one artifact most desired by all the major religions, the Ark of the Covenant.    How can the Vatican justify itself as the representative of Christianity if the world’s Holiest artifact still remained in the possession of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church?

Mussolini was wanting to expand and extend into the resource rich continent of Ethiopia.   With blessing of the Catholic Church he would be seen as hero to the local people in Italy to do the bidding of the Vatican.  Of course the Pope would not give formal approval, but the Archbishop of Torano was quoted as saying:

“The war against Ethiopia should be considered as a holy war, a crusade to open Ethiopia, a country of infidels and schismatics, to the expansion of the Catholic Faith.”

Ethiopian Cleverness

The Ethiopian Orthodox Church has a long history of moving the Ark for safe keeping.  After residing in the Lake Tana Islands for more than 800 years, it was eventually moved to Axum in 333.  On multiple occasions when the Ark was threatened it was put into hiding, in locations such as:

1.  Lake Tana Islands

2. Gonder

3.  In the caves of the Semien mountains

4. Shewa

5.  Zeway Islands

And as expected, Ethiopian religious officials claim the Ark was moved from Axum during the Italian occupation.  To make matters even more confusing there are supposedly 100 exact copies in locations throughout Ethiopia.

Still the Italian forces in Ethiopia left no stone unturned.  Some estimates state over 1 million Ethiopians were killed, which included over 300 clergy killed, 2,000 churches destroyed along with 525,000 homes and 14 million head of livestock.    Official records do not indicate that the original Ark of the Covenant was found during the occupation.

Today

The Ethiopian Orthodox Church is one of the oldest direct lineage churches in existence today.   The Ethiopian Orthodox Church has every right to call itself the original Christian faith just as much as the Roman Catholics.

The Ark the Covenant is presumably held in St. Mary’s of Zion in Axum, and is still the crown jewel of Biblical artifacts today.

Saint Mark, Apostle of Christ

St. Mark is one of the pillars of the early Christian community, and is referred as the founder of the Coptic Church.  His primary reach after the transfiguration of Christ, was in Egypt, Asia Minor, and Africa.   He even established the “School of Alexandria” which defended Christians against other philosophical schools.    He was truly the founding father of apologists.

St Mark was led to martyrdom in Alexandria, and his body secretly buried under the altar of the church in Alexandria.  Of course being a “secret” it would not be widely known that it actually happened.

Alexander the Great

Alexander the Great, a Greek king living in the 4th century BC, had conquered an empire stretching 3,000 miles from Greece to India.   He was considered the greatest conqueror of his time, and possibly the world has ever known.   The tactic that grew his fame and army was the idea of integrating the conquered nations into his.   He authored the first multi-national empire that found favor in the eyes of the conquered.

When Alexander died his body was stolen by Ptolemy to Alexandria and was held there during the late antiquity period.

Why the Switch

Both bodies were said to be mummified in in linen, and located in Alexandria.   The timing of when Alexander’s body disappears and St. Mark’s body appears is the same time in history, in the 4th century.

It is conceivable that Alexanders body was taken as St. Mark’s to protect Alexander’s body from the religious zealots of the time.   Also the need to discover the body of St. Mark as a holy relic pushed for the discovery of a body wrapped in linen.

DNA Testing Needed

In 1970 the remains of Philip, the father of Alexander was discovered in Greek Macedonia.   DNA testing today can determine if the body in Venice is related to the body in Greek Macedonia.    St. Mark and Alexander are from different regions, and a quick DNA testing of the body will determine who it could be.

The church authorities have not granted a DNA testing of the remains in Venice.

The Pareto Principle is an observation that was  seen in our everyday world.

It was originally noticed in Italy where 80% of the money belonged to 20% of the population.

The Key Premise to this Principle is:

“Things in Life are not evenly distributed”

The point of the Pareto principle is to recognize that most things in life are not distributed evenly.   It is good to make decisions on allocating time, resources and effort based on this principle will be the following:

* Instead of 1 hour on a design principle for a new design, spend 10 minutes on 6 ideas and pick the best idea.
* Instead of investing in the entire sector, invest in the top 20% of the market.

These techniques may or may not make sense – the point is to realize you have the option to focus on the important items.

Don’t think the Pareto Principle means only do 80% of the work needed.

It may be true that 80% of a house is built in the first 20% of the time, but you still need the rest of the house in order for it to be acceptable.   It may only take 20% of the time to build the house, you still need the other 80% to finish it properly.

The Pareto Principle is an observation, not a law of nature.

When you are seeking top quality, you need all 100%.

When you are trying to optimize your output, focusing on the critical 20% is a time-saver.

See what activities generate the most results and give them your appropriate attention.

In today’s economy paying full price for something is not longer a status symbol.   You will be scorned and almost ridiculed for spending too much for the same product that someone else has for a much lower price.

This sentiment has translated over to the business world in full force.    Malls stores are no longer able to sell mass amounts of merchandise without a sale going on somewhere within the store.    If you have a product that the competition has the same thing, or similar model, it really all comes down to price.

The war that Walmart has started is also coming full circle to Walmart itself.    They are no longer the low price leader, but a gauge stick to see how another company can stack up against the “Evil Empire” as many small businesses see them.

Walmart does not have any products on sale, this is very predominant in the grocery section of the stores.  They might have some low prices products, but nothing is truly “On Sale”

Kroger, Publix, Winn Dixie, Target, and others have many items on sale for the consumers.   If the customer thinks they are getting a good deal that only comes around once they are in a better mood.   This equates to a happier shopping experience.   Walmart might need to learn something about the feeling of satisfaction about the sale.

Natural Gas is the one fossil fuel we should be utilizing more of.

Natural gas is believed by many to be the most important energy source for the future. The abundance of natural gas, worldwide as well as domestically, coupled with its environmental soundness and multiple applications across all sectors, means that natural gas will continue to play an increasingly important role in meeting demand for energy in the United States.

Here are some great reasons to utilize natural gas over oil and coal.

Domestically abundant

The 2007 report of the Potential Gas Committee of the Colorado School of Mines determined that in 2006 the U.S. had a natural gas resource base of 1,525 Trillion cubic feet of natural in the U.S. (about an 82 year supply).   This is what is recoverable in the USA today with current methods, that is economically feasible (cheap).

It is likely that the next report of the Potential Gas Committee will find that we now have much more natural gas because of the relatively recent perfection of drilling technologies that will allow the production of huge quantities of U.S. natural gas from shale.

But even gas from shale may be a drop in the bucket compared to the staggering quantities of frozen natural gas that are in and around the United States.   This is regular natural gas that is frozen because it is under pressure in the waters of the U.S. Outer Continental Shelf.   This frozen natural gas is called methane hydrates we currently do not have the technologies in place to produce this natural gas from Ocean Floor.

However, methane hydrates are also found in Alaska and northern Canada beneath the permafrost.   Recently experimental wells have been drilled and some natural gas from methane hydrates have been produced with today’s technologies.

When you look at natural gas from methane hydrates, the numbers are staggering. It has often been said that the energy from the methane hydrates in the U.S. vastly exceed the energy found in all the coal, oil and conventional natural gas in the U.S. combined. One estimate of U.S. methane hydrates is 200,000 Trillion cubic feet – close to 9,000 years of supply at current U.S. consumption levels.

Electric Power Generation

Natural gas fired electric generation, and natural gas powered industrial applications, offer a variety of environmental benefits and environmentally friendly uses, including:

• Fewer Emissions – combustion of natural gas, used in the generation of electricity, industrial boilers, and other applications, emits lower levels of NO_x, CO₂, and particulate emissions, and virtually no SO₂ and mercury emissions. Natural gas can be used in place of, or in addition to, other fossil fuels, including coal, oil, or petroleum coke, which emit significantly higher levels of these pollutants.

• Reduced Sludge – coal fired power plants and industrial boilers that use scrubbers to reduce SO₂ emissions levels generate thousands of tons of harmful sludge. Combustion of natural gas emits extremely low levels of SO₂, eliminating the need for scrubbers, and reducing the amounts of sludge associated with power plants and industrial processes.

• Re burning – This process involves injecting natural gas into coal or oil fired boilers. The addition of natural gas to the fuel mix can result in NO_x emission reductions of 50 to 70 percent, and SO₂ emission reductions of 20 to 25 percent.

• Co generation – the production and use of both heat and electricity can increase the energy efficiency of electric generation systems and industrial boilers, which translates to requiring the combustion of less fuel and the emission of fewer pollutants. Natural gas is the preferred choice for new cogeneration applications.

• Combined Cycle Generation – Combined cycle generation units generate electricity and capture normally wasted heat energy, using it to generate more electricity. Like cogeneration applications, this increases energy efficiency, uses less fuel, and thus produces fewer emissions. Natural gas fired combined cycle generation units can be up to 60 percent energy efficient, whereas coal and oil generation units are typically only 30 to 35 percent efficient.

• Fuel Cells – Natural gas fuel cell technologies are in development for the generation of electricity. Fuel cells are sophisticated devices that use hydrogen to generate electricity, much like a battery. No emissions are involved in the generation of electricity from fuel cells, and natural gas, being a hydrogen rich source of fuel, can be used. Although still under development, widespread use of fuel cells could in the future significantly reduce the emissions associated with the generation of electricity.

Essentially, electric generation and industrial applications that require energy, particularly for heating, use the combustion of fossil fuels for that energy. Because of its clean burning nature, the use of natural gas wherever possible, either in conjunction with other fossil fuels, or instead of them, can help to reduce the emission of harmful pollutants.

Transportation Industry

According to the EPA, compared to traditional vehicles, vehicles operating on compressed natural gas have reductions in carbon monoxide emissions of 90 to 97 percent, and reductions in carbon dioxide emissions of 25 percent. Nitrogen oxide emissions can be reduced by 35 to 60 percent, and other non-methane hydrocarbon emissions could be reduced by as much as 50 to 75 percent. In addition, because of the relatively simple makeup of natural gas in comparison to traditional vehicle fuels, there are fewer toxic and carcinogenic emissions from natural gas vehicles, and virtually no particulate emissions.

Summary

Natural gas should be the next fossil fuel America should be using.   We can reduce our dependence on other countries oil, and start to become self reliant.

Currently the price of one BTU of natural gas is almost 20 times cheaper than one BTU of oil.   At this rate is is a win / win for both the pocket book and the environment.

Natural Gas Calculators

Natural Gas Versus Propane Calculator

Natural Gas Versus Electric Heaters Calculator

Natural Gas Versus Heating Oil Calculator

Coopetition is a term that is defined where rivals can compete for market share but cooperate to grow the market.

In commercial coopetition, this is done by rivals sharing common platforms that enables them to reduce costs, increase flexibility, and allow for more choices.

Problems with Helping Competitors

Working for the greater good sounds nice and create a sustainable product that both parties can benefit from sounds good, but there is a dark side.

If one partner is doing better, do they divulge the information?    Is the affair one sided?   These all have to be taken into account prior to becoming partners in a field that you both are targeting with the same product.

Vertical Integration Nullified

Helping others also means that you have to share the costs and triumphs of the experiment.  Having the edge in vertical integration will actually be a hinderance, since your partner will get the added bonus of your vertical integration without the risk of capital.

Conglomerates

With the advent of companies getting larger, and different divisions supplying different parts in the chain,  the competition of one division might be the best customer for another.

Just because a huge multi-dimensional company has different divisions, it does not mean that each division is looking out for the other.  One side might not even want to deal with the technology advances offered, due to internal strife and egomaniac leaders.

So as an individual division who to do you sell to?  The competition.

Bitter Rivals now Bitter Cautious Allies

Some of the biggest names are actually selling to each other, but competing in other realms.

1.  Yahoo and Google

2.  Oracle and IBM and Microsoft

3.  Ford and Mazda

4.  Toyota and Chevrolet

Eventually the coopetition might allow one to absorb another, but for right now both are making money and are happy . . . for now.

Summary

Just as the Allies needed Russia during World War II to win, but it was just the beginning of the arms race.  Eventually someone will fall from a war of attrition.

The saying is more true today that yesterday.

“Keep your friends closer, and your enemies even closer.”

Helping each other, without working together

Microsoft is pouring millions of dollars into its new revamped search engines new incarnation called BING.  It looks to be more elegant than Google and it will be something to keep an eye on in the search engine market place.

Google has recently taken note of this, and is starting to Google has drawn a line in the sand and is turning their sights upon the Operating System market for netbooks.

Starting from Scratch . . . I think not

Google is not going to start from scratch to develop a new operating system.  They are going to base it off of Linux, and yes it will be just another Distribution out there.

The current batch of Linux net books will soon come to an end.   Another gorilla is stepping into the ring with Microsoft, and the current primate in the ring (other Linux Distributions)  will be thrown out and be left and forgotten.

Microsoft Likes Operating System Competition

From a Microsoft view it will be a good thing to have another large entity start an operating system for the netbooks.

The main reason they enjoy this, is to relieve some of the pressure from monopoly lawyers that have been breathing down their necks in America and Europe.  Will Google face the same harassment if the Chrome browser is the only browser with the Operating System?

Realistically Google’s OS will be nice, and be linked into the cloud computing of the applications Google has online, unfortuneately Windows netbooks can do the same thing.

Killer Application

The true reason Windows has the dominance, it not because of the operating system itself.    It is the killer application that Windows has, which is Microsoft Office.   The main reason windows 3.1 was so successful was the Office suite, and this started the ball rolling towards a mainstream Graphical Interfaced Operating System.

If Google wants to make a mark with the new OS, it will need to concentrate on the killer application that is unique to the Chrome OS.

Final Tally

The winner of the sabre rattling by Google will actually be Microsoft.    They will be happy to point out that other people are making Operating Systems, and Microsoft is not a monopoly.

The loser will be the Linux Distributions that are currently on Netbooks.  They will be marginalized and sidelined, for the “Googlized” version of Linux.

Google itself may be putting good money to something that is not going to pan out.   It will not be a total loss, it might just be an expensive learning experience.