Afternoon, time to lighten things up with a "quiz" result:

Found at The Pirate's Cove.

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This week's Tarheel Tavern has been posted at Moomin Light -- and it's a good showing. If you want to read some ramblings from all sorts of points of view from around the state of North Carolina, head on over!

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Thursday, April 6, 2006.

All patriotic Americans who have been concerned (to put it mildly) about the predominance of flags of foreign nations at the recent pro-illegal alien marches and the desecration of the American flag by supporters of illegal aliens are being asked to participate in a demonstration of patriotism and American sovereignty by taking an American flag with them to work, school or anywhere this Thursday, April 6.

How it works is simple: Proudly carry an American flag with you wherever you are in public. Small parade style flags on sticks would work best for those who commute by bus or subway and those who walk to work. Carry it around with you when you go out for lunch and when you leave work.

Wear red, white and blue patriotic attire. Fly the American flag at your home. Fly an American flag from your car antenna. Tape an American flag in your car window. The goal is to have Old Glory be given the prominence it deserves and to remind everyone--politicians, illegal aliens and their enablers--that the American flag comes first in this country.

Folks have been clamoring for a march to respond to the pro-illegal alien marches. This is a way to do that without having to take time off from work and family responsibilities and still take a stand in public.

John McCain has been touting the pro-illegal alien marches as being effective in influencing polticians in Washington. Now's your chance to exercise your influence.

Please pass this message along to everyone you know and every patriotic blogger you can think of. Contact any patriotic group you belong to. Contact your local media and talk radio shows. We don't have George Soros to bankroll a publicity campaign. We just have us. Stand up for America and Old Glory this Thursday.

Found at Free Republic via Michelle Malkin.

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I caught a portion of some investing show this morning on Fox News. They were debating the effect of illegal immigration on the stock market. One commentator, Jonathan Hoenig, was claiming to give investing advice, but was being incredibly closed-minded, ignorant, or just very, very short-sided.

He was supporting illegal immigration. He wanted, literally, as many illegal immigrants as he could get into the US to clean his yard. He claimed that no one had any right to stop them because HE wanted them to mow his lawn.

He then tried to explain how "good" illegals were for companies and investors, by claiming that they were "cheap" labor and that labor costs had been kept down because of the illegals. He claimed that companies were spending less money and keeping profits up by using illegals -- and therefore they were good for the country.

Of course, what Mr. Hoenig left out, as many do who support the criminal invasion from Mexico, is the COSTS these people bring with them. When a family with 2 kids and a pregnant wife comes over so the male head of household can supply "cheap labor" so businesses can make money, that costs EVERYONE ELSE, and yes, even the businesses, in higher taxes to pay for them!

Illegals cost over $500 BILLION in taxpayer outlays in the form of medical services, medicare payout, section 8 housing, aid to dependent families, educational services, and plenty more. They are NOT helping our economy. They are NOT helping businesses, except in the VERY short term.

Please understand all the finances at work here before you support the criminal invasion because of "cheap labor" -- it's NOT cheap, it costs MORE in the long run because of the higher taxes needed to PAY for all the government services that are given away. Remove all the government handouts, and we'll talk about importing cheap labor -- if they're still interested in coming.

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Michelle Malkin is reporting on Irianian Muslims/Terrorists still going nuts over the Moo-Hammed cartoons. According to the report:

Members of Iran's Revolutionary Guards beat themselves with chains during a religious gathering against cartoons depicting the Prophet Mohammad

1. Convince the Muslims to use this chain to beat themselves so they might actually shut up:

2. Convince the criminal aliens invading this country from Mexico and points south to join in and "protest" the Muslim way until they knock themselves out with the chain, too.

Idiots.

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Continuing the discussion regarding the 7-point NC Conservative Agenda. Today is Point 5:

Eliminate State Benefits to Illegal Immigrants & Make English Official Language

The glue that has held our great and diverse nation together is the English language. But today, our state has become a silent proponent of a dual language. The state has become an enabler for illegal Hispanic immigrants to keep their native language and refuse to learn English. The state makes available all forms and applications in Spanish, and requires interpreters at state agencies to help non-English speaking individuals.

Conservatives should make English the official language of the state.

Illegal immigrants have broken the law and should be denied welfare benefits, driversÂ’ licenses, in-state tuition to community colleges and universities, and other state benefits paid by taxpayers.

To completely understand this issue, one has to understand how the state of North Carolina works. North Carolina is an absolute haven for illegal immigrants -- literally. Many, many bus trips are taken from other states with NC as a destination -- NC gives a driver's license to anyone who wants one, no matter if you're a citizen or not.

AND, thanks to the moronic "motor voter act," all those non-citizens who are getting free NC driver's licenses are also being registered to vote. So anyone who supports changing those rules risks the wrath of criminal aliens who may or may not be illegally voting.

So this agenda item is asking something rather simple -- to those who are breaking the law and entering the country illegally as non-citizens, we don't want you to have a driver's license nor be able to vote in North Carolina. Unfortunately, governor Easley and the Democrats are STRONGLY against that idea -- they like the votes from the criminal aliens.

Indeed, this is an area where the state does have a great deal of power. A HUGE amount of money is spent on illegals -- not arresting them, but supporting them in the form of welfare benefits, section 8 housing, medicaid giveaways, food stamps, aid for dependent children, english as a second language, and on and on and on. If the state made the simple statement that taxpayer money was to be used on legal citizens, the budget could be nearly cut in half.

But, of course, that's anethma to Democrats. Democrats in North Carolina want to increase government and increase spending any possible way they can. By claiming to be "helping" immigrants, they get to spend more money and raise more taxes -- so they can have more control and more money to spend, which is what they exist to do.

The last issue in this agenda item is English as a state language. 90% of the legal citizens of North Carolina support this idea. That doesn't mean the Democrat-controlled legislature cares. This idea would NOT require anyone speak any language. It would not stop anyone from speaking any language they wanted to anywhere they want. It would not restrict ANYONE, nor punish anyone from doing ANYTHING.

What it would do is save money. It would simply state that all forms printed by the North Carolina government would be printed in English. It would state that government employees, in the process of doing their own job, would speak English and not be required to speak any other language. That's all.

Who would be opposed to that? You guessed it -- Democrats. It would SAVE money. Democrats running the state legislature have no clue what that even means. And if this were passed in combination with the above, there'd be no reason to speak Spanish because if you were a spanish-speaking illegal immigrant, you couldn't get free cash from the government anyway!

Keep in mind, none of this has anything to do with legal immigration. If you want to LEAVE your country and become a citizen of America, none of this would effect you (other than potentially reducing your taxes). It would not even lower legal immigration -- it would just encourage people who want to be citizens to actually JOIN our society instead of bringing your own to America.

If you don't like the American culture, that's fine -- just don't come here and expect to bring your own culture -- if your culture is so much better, stay in your country and enjoy it! If you want our handouts, you've got to accept our culture, too.

Will any of this pass? I think it's highly doubtful. These are excellent ideas, and ideas that the state can actually do that WILL reduce illegal, criminal invasion of the state (which is VERY, VERY large, 3rd only to CA and AZ). Despite 90% of the citizens of the state wanting English as the official language, I don't give it much of a chance to pass -- because the Democrats feel they know better than the people how to govern.

The only way I see this getting passed is if the Democrats present some sort of useless version: English is the official language, but government still has to print and communicate in Spanish.

Previously:
Introduction
Point 1
Point 2
Point 3
Point 4

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The Time Is Now

By Kit Jarrell at Euphoric Reality

For some Americans, the shock of 9/11 was enough to convince them that nothing is sacred anymore. Nothing is secure, needing no maintenance or defense. For others, 9/11 was an "I told you so" moment more than a wake-up call. But for all of us who thought 9/11 served as the epitome of "They did what?", the last few days have shown us that we can still be shocked; we can still be incensed. We--those of us who are here legally and love our country--can, believe it or not, still be united. more...

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Taking a peek at just one county in North Carolina, one can see how those inside government view citizens -- as cash cows, whose only purpose is to fund the government so they can spend more money.

The County Commissioners are struggling with how much to raise taxes. The article linked here tries to sell the tax increase by claiming that without some tax increase, the sheriff's department and the health department won't have enough money.

That's typical of government. Scream that people will die or be unsafe unless they implement a tax increase. What these people fail to mention is that with ZERO tax increase, the county will have an additional EIGHT AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS! That's right, $8,500,000.00 NEW MONEY -- but they're arguing that they need more, more more.

The county claims that without a tax increase, the new "downtown health plaza" will "lose" $800,000. Can someone explain to me what business it is of government's to even fund a "health plaza?"

Also included in all possible scenarios, with or without a tax increase is an employee pay raise of 3.4%. Why? Why should government work be so financially rewarding? Because they're competing with private industry -- and that's wrong. Anything private industry can do, government should NOT be competing with them.

But alas, this is the system of government we are saddled with today -- nothing at all like the representative republic that was founded on principles of freedom so many years ago.

Oh, how I yearn for freedom.

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It's finally here. Tonight the 2006 Major League Baseball Season begins with the World-Champion Chicago White Sox face the Cleveland Indians. It's on TV at 8pm EST, and I'll be watching.

I'm a BIG baseball fan. I grew up in the 70s and 80s in upstate New York -- and I became a lifetime baseball fan watching the likes of Willie Randolph, the incredible Greg Nettles and Bucky Dent on the left side; Lou Pinella and Mr. October, Reggie Jackson; Luis Tiant, Ron Guidry, Tommy John, and the unbelievable Goose Gossage.

I remember Thurman Munson, and when he died. I saw Catfish Hunter pitch in Yankee stadium. I remember Don Mattingly's rookie year and followed him throughout his entire career -- all 14 years with the Yankees.

MLB is a different game today. It used to be that when a team won a World Series, all the players would want to join that team and be part of a winning team. Nowadays, when a team wins the series, all the players want to leave that team for higher salaries. It used to be more about playing the game and winning than about taking steriods to break records.

It's a different game -- but I can watch it and pretend. I can ignore all the players who have nearly obviously taken steroids. I can pretend I don't see the insane salaries being paid when the players bat. For me, baseball is an escape -- and escape back to another time. A time when kids would step outside and throw the plastic whiffleball pretending to be Goose Gossage or Catfish Hunter, while the opposing kid would be Reggie Jackson.

So, MLB, do investigate. No, the steriods investigation will make no difference to me -- when the chief investigator has a primary role in the management of a team. Pay all the money you want to the players. Exploit and bribe the politicians who I refuse to support to give you tax money for your stadiums. Continue raising ticket prices so that I cannot afford to attend.

I'm going to ignore you, as I always do. I'm going to enjoy the game for what it is -- a great GAME where a pitcher faces a batter and tries to throw that ball past him; while the batter does everything he can to hit that little round ball with a round bat.

Tonight you'll find me watching the game with the sound turned way down. I don't care about all the other issues. I just want to see the game.

Play Ball!

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No complaints about the economy in North Carolina are allowed. ANY politician that claims there's ANY problems at all with the economy in North Carolina is absolutely and completely lying. People in North Carolina had an extra $10 MILLION to risk on lottery tickets in one day. If people had money problems, they wouldn't be throwing away money like this. Our economy is apparently running at TOP speed.

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You may not realize that there is currently a battle for America. If you choose to ignore it, it does not go away. Kit has an excellent post up that says all the words I've been thinking and trying to put in one place. I cannot add to those words, so just go have a read.

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Kender sends along this story by David Bresahan about immigration. It's meant as a humor piece, but it's incredibly sad. It describes a letter to Bush from Mr. Bresahan where he proposes a trip to Mexico and he wants Bush to ask Vicente Fox (president of Mexico) for a few things like

English-speaking government bureaucrats for all services I might need, whether I use them or not.

I think our government has already surrendered.

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So, do you have any plans for next weekend? If not, why not head on over to Durham, NC, for the North Carolina Conservative Leadership Conference?

Virginia Senator George Allen, a leading contender for the 2008 Republican presidential nomination, will be the keynote speaker at North CarolinaÂ’s first-ever Conservative Leadership Conference April 7-8 in Durham. Arizona Congressman J.D. Hayworth, North Carolina Congresswomen Virginia Foxx and Sue Myrick, and American Conservative Union Chairman David Keene will join Senator Allen as speakers during the conference.

“We are very excited to have Senator George Allen and such an outstanding lineup of conservative leaders to speak at our conference,” said Civitas President Jack Hawke. “They all have solid conservative credentials and years of solid experience. I’m confident they will help us jumpstart the conservative movement in North Carolina, which is one of our goals for this conference. We want to being together some of the best and brightest conservatives minds in North Carolina and America to share with other conservatives the knowledge that conservatism works; that it is the best way for people to be governed with personal freedom and opportunities.”

But hey, laws are made to be broken, right? Well, I'll tell anyone who asks that I'm a Democrat, and then it will be okay.

Seriously, though, the Ogre WILL be at this conference -- in the press area, representing this blog. If you can't make it, be sure and check by here, as there should be lots of live blogging going on -- I'm still trying to decide on the format.

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The invasion of the once-sovereign country of America continues and continues to escalate. In Virginia (not a border state, for those who don't know), a student was stabbed during a "protest." Can someone explain to me why STUDENTS were out protesting? Explain to me again how "good" these government-run schools are when they cannot even hold classes? They's kids, dammit! Anyone want to guess how many will be charged with truancy or see ANY bad effects at all?

Oh, well, if they're Americans, they're going to get in trouble, no question. I cannot even imagine the thoughts running through the head of someone who wants to ban the display of the AMERICAN flag.

But, well, it's got to get worse before it gets better. It either gets worse now, or we surrender, like France, and it gets worse later, like France.

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