Hurlshort

I don't believe anyone has called you a racist Di, and I'm sorry if my responses have come across as snide. I do think you are being a bit abrasive and jumping to certain conclusions. For example, I started this entire thread because I believe something does need to be done about immigration. I know it is a problem and it continues to grow. So we do agree on that. We are disagreeing on the solution to the immigration problem. You and Wrath seem to favor a more militant border solution and a serious deportation movement. I have made my arguments against that and also presented what I think are better alternatives. I see this similar to removing a troublesome tree. Currently we are trimming branches and promising that this will solve the tree problem, even though it has proved fruitless. Tightening up the border is like cutting the tree down, it is effective, but you still have a large stump and a network of roots underground. I would like to try and get to the root of the problem first, and that is only going to be achieved by working directly with Mexico.

And I'm sure California taxpayers are deeply grateful to you for using their hard earned money to educate Mexican children. Uh, you are aware that I am a California taxpayer, right? As I've tried to explain a few times already, your approach to this issue is one I consider counterproductive. Believe it or not, we do have public healthcare for the poor, and the illegals have no compunction about using it. The hospitals aren't allowed to ask about their immigration status either. So you want hospitals turning hurt people away if they can't produce citizenship papers? It is counterproductive because all you are doing is creating friction and ill will, and you aren't accomplishing your goals. It would be one thing if the end justified the means, but so far clamping down on immigration has been a failure. I am saying it is time to change course. Drop the 'us versus them' mentality and create a better partnership with Mexico and Mexican workers.

I'm not sure why they need the citizen/non-citizen box on the drivers license. Those cab drivers are also most likely not illegals, they probably have work visas.

Yes, but if the border fence is actually completed, they'll have to swim around it. Seriously, this is a major problem for millions and millions of people. I guess people who haven't been adversely affected can't understand the magnitude, but it truly is substantial. By adversely affected, I assume you are referring to the identity theft and drug wars. What percentage of illegal immigrants do you think deal drugs and steal identities? There are also plenty of US citizens that deal drugs and steal identities. It is also ridiculous to try and argue who's life is more adversely affected by illegal immigration. The reality is you see immigration very differently than I do. The education argument is a big one, being that I am a teacher. If I saw this issue the way you do, I would probably be upset that my classes are overcrowded, that I am spending extra time dealing with parents who don't speak English, that I have students who disappear during the holidays for a month to go to Mexico. But I see it as an opportunity to educate a generation of students, to give them a chance to lead a better life than their parents. I am helping children from poor families and giving them a shot at moving up. I know quite a few illegal immigrants. Most of them go back and forth between here and Mexico depending on work available or family circumstances. They are all people who have a lot of familial ties to both Mexico and the US. Some of them have worked towards taking the citizenship exam, some of them just don't see the need, as they plan on returning to Mexico when they get older. None of them have ever shot at me or stolen my identity. I know, what are the odds? I must live a charmed life.

Once I get my beta key, or the free version launches -whatever comes first-, I'll give that a go. Any advice? Give the book quests your fair share of attention, they are probably my favorite part of the game. Also, don't rush or grind through the levels, there is a ton to explore at every level and you might miss out on some good stuff.

Di, if the number of illegal immigrants has really gone up to 20 million, doesn't that mean the current attempts at controlling the border are completely ineffectual? Maybe the answer to a bulletproof opponent is not more bullets?

I'm confused, are you saying if we just let everyone in, we won't need fences? Plus I thought billions was pocket change to you guys in government. Your confusion stems from the fact you see the entire immigration issue as an 'us versus them' scenario. Enoch was quite clear with his argument.

Very interesting. Lord of the Rings Online is going free to play this fall as well. Apparently the model was successful enough for DDO. The whole idea of microtransactions seems to be catching on. I still don't think you will see many MMO's going f2p in the initial release window, but I can see how as a game ages, it becomes a better financial model for a company. Basically you are running off a smaller subscriber base, but you have a chunk of them willing to spend a bit more coin to get extra stuff.

I don't remember any self-flagellation in my reasons. We are already throwing money at the border issue. My idea is to pull back from that, as it has proven to be ineffective, and reinvest it in the Mexican economy. It is a long term investment. As Mexico grows stronger, the US benefits with increased trade dividends. Of course this is already happening, plenty of US corporations have already committed to Mexican growth. But it should be a priority to help Mexico strengthen their economy, as that will only strengthen the US in the long run. Again, look at Canada. The US has the ability to share a long border and create a successful economic partnership. US-Mexico is obviously a much more complex scenario than the relatively small population of Canada, but that is exactly why more emphasis needs to be placed on the building of relationships and less on giant fences.

Very busy day. I'm excited the Sharks picked up Nittymaki, I think he will fill the starting job for next year and make it hard for their prospect to earn the job. He isn't as consistent as Nabokov, but he can steal a few games for a team. Maholtra went to Vancouver for three years and 7.5 million, and that is a good signing for the Canucks. Maybe a bit pricey, but the guy is one of the better third line centers in the game. He wins a sick amount of faceoffs and is great on the PK.

I thought I'd start a new thread on the immigration angle of the Texas discussion, as we haven't discussed it in awhile. There has been a steady push recently against illegal immigration in the US. Arizona passed a very controversial bill, there has been conflicts over Cinco De mayo, etc. Now a lot of the pressure is brought on by the high unemployment rate in the US, currently hovering around 10% in some states. The idea here is that illegal immigrants are taking jobs away from US citizens. We are looking at an estimated 11.5 million illegal immigrants in the US, with California shouldering about a quarter of that and Texas coming in at about 14%. According to the research, about 57% of illegal immigrants come from Mexico. My belief is that the entire idea of patrolling borders and going after illegals is a waste of money. Here is why: 1. A large labor force is necessary for our agricultural industry. These are seasonal jobs. Compared to most jobs in the US, they pay poorly. Right now if we were to magically remove everyone that is in the US illegally, this entire industry would collapse. That would devastate the US economy like nothing we have ever seen before. With 10% unemployment, you might think that these jobs can be filled easily, but that is not the case. With our current welfare and minimum wage system, neither employers nor unemployed US citizens are jumping at the chance to work in the fields. 2. Patrolling the border is expensive. It is a gigantic border. Having law enforcement dedicated to illegal immigration is also expensive. It takes time and money away from dealing with violent crime. I understand the issue is large, 11.5 million is a lot of people. But are there other alternatives to lowering that number than aggressive deportation? Here are my solutions: 1. The Bracero program was a partnership between the US and Mexico that allowed a worker exchange for almost 20 years. At it's height, it brought nearly half a million workers over in one year to fill different gaps in US industries. This type of program is key to keeping US industries stable while legitimizing the needed Mexican labor force. We need many of these program, and they need to be backed by strong Mexican-US business deals that improve the the economies of both nations. This can even create more jobs for US citizens, as the programs themselves will become an industry and need an educated workforce to oversee and coordinate. 2. How much does the US spend on the Canadian border? It is an even larger border, so how come we never hear about millions being spent on fences between Seattle and Vancouver? There is a major problem with US-Mexico relations, and it needs to be addressed. First off, it is in the US's best interest to help Mexico become a stable and strong economic power. They are our third largest trade partner. Invest some of that border patrol money into stimulating the Mexican economy, and suddenly you have less people trying to leave Mexico. This is already done to an extent, but it needs to be full scale to make a real difference.

How did you get blacklisted by Gamestop?

I don't see why a person with an infectious disease can't be classified as disabled if the disease prevents them from living a somewhat normal life. I realize they are trying to target HIV, but that is a pretty broad stroke they are painting with. What about someone who has been severely mentally impaired by syphilis?

Holy Moly, Space Rangers 2 is insanely addictive. I was playing it all day in between diaper changes and burpings.

Dear Monte, My newborn son seems to have some acid reflux, what can I do about that? He has already spit up on my best t-shirts. His belly button also looks a bit odd.

Played Space Rangers 2 for a bit, what a treat. I think I'll get my $7 worth on this one. I also played Dracula a bit, nice adventure game.

No one cares.

I re-played King's Quest 5 about a year ago and was surprised how well it has held up. The hand drawn backgrounds have aged great.

I thought the second one was pretty entertaining. It is a bit goofy, but the characters are good. The third one started off well but then turned lousy. Although I will watch Milla Jovavich in anything, so none of them is unwatchable.

Youth in Revolt - Fantastic movie, funny and witty throughout. Michael Cera really is an oddly fantastic lead actor.

Is there a big PC maker that doesn't pedal their computers with a ton of junk on it? Gateway, HP and Dell all do. Of course that is the price you pay for getting a great deal on them, I picked up two PC's the other day for my in-laws business and it was less than $500 total for two solid rigs.

That seemed to be US's MO throughout the tourney, strong second half but weak at the start. Ah well, I'm not too disappointed, this group will be around for at least another tourney, and might even be a bit better.

Landon Donovan just continues to get it done.

Well, the King's quest series is basically the Patriarch of the adventure game genre, and really the earliest blockbuster IP in the industry. It was the Super Mario of PC gaming, really. It was based loosely on a myriad of fairy tales and revolved around a royal family. While it was not overly adult in content, it was a fairly difficult series. If you failed to do something early on, it might come back and kill you in the late stages. TSL is a small development group that has redone the graphics of a few of the classic adventure titles to make them more modern. I believe they were making a new King's Quest, when they received a cease and desist letter from the owners of the IP. I guess something changed.

I'm a little shocked at some of the crowds I've seen Bill Clinton in. I haven't even seen any sign of his security.