Give Pedro Zapeta's Money Back!

CNN Photo: Pedro Zapeta

The story of Pedro Zapeta has my blood boiling.

Check out Pedro's story on CNN here.

Photo: Senator Dick Durbin

Dear Senator Durbin (edited),

I have just become aware of the story of Pedro Zapeta, an illegal immigrant from Guatemala who has recently become the subject of national news coverage.

While I whole heartedly agree that Mr. Zapeta needs to be deported, I feel that we must return to him the $59,000 (minus any taxes, and penalties he may owe) which this poor man spent the last eleven years earning as a dishwasher.

Washing dishes is a thankless, dirty, and difficult job, but it is honest work.

This poor man was earning just $5.50 per hour!

His life's dream was to work hard, to live on practically nothing, to save his money, and then return to his home town to help himself, and his family to rise above their current station in life.

He was caught trying to take his money out of the country without declaring it, and so now he has lost the fruits of his labor, and his sacrifices to our federal government.

This is wrong, down to the very core of it, this is wrong!

I don't know what you can do to help this man, but if you could do anything at all, if you deem it reasonable then please do.
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Don't know what the Senator can do, but this kind of thing gets me riled up.

I Wish I Lived In Smallville

Smallville's Kristin Kreuk
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The latest television series to deal with Superman is Smallville. Smallville begins it seventh season tonight. I have watched every episode several times. I have watched as the characters started out as believably cast teen-like characters, and I continue to watch as the same actors attempt to portray college entry age characters - even though their old enough to have earned their Masters degrees.
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Kristin Laura Kreuk
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Despite any problem I may have with suspending my disbelief when it comes to how the characters have aged so slowly I still find Smallville very entertaining. There is in each Smallville a morality play not always present in other television programs. Clark Kent really does battle dark forces. In the modern age we are asked to believe that there is no good, and that there is no evil. We are asked to substitute subtle shades of good and evil on a continuum.

We live in an age in which the educated, and sophisticated are expected to believe that human actions are never truly good, or never truly evil. We are expected to believe that if only we could see those actions from some greater perspective the most vile would be on the same level as the most sacred.

We live in an age in which a television series can be dedicated to a nice guy serial killer. We live in an age in which children learn that to be a winner in the virtual world of video games they need to be as immoral as possible - they earn points for brutality. These are the lessons of our age. Where then is there room for old fashioned morality? Of good guys triumphing over evil - real evil? Even asking such a question risk being branded a religious zealot at best, or a simpleton at worst.

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Smallville's Lana Lang
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I guess that's what I find so appealing in Smallville. In Smallville the preps aren't just good looking, and athletic. In Smallville the central characters don't win simply because they are popular and powerful, but instead they grapple with evil, and it is how they triumph over that evil that determines the nature of their character. Clark Kent, his family, and friends win because they find a greater truth, and hang onto it.

In Smallville evil doesn't always come in the form of a superhuman foe, but is delivered in forms far more frightening - the darker side of human nature. Smallville's anti-heroes are often just regular people given the opportunity to run amok. Give an average person power to control their own destiny, and soon that person is no longer happy just controlling their destiny. Smallville shines a light on the frightening truth that in every human being there is great potential to do good, but an equal potential to do evil.

Power corrupts, and greater power ends up corrupting even the most innocent. This is the never ending theme which runs through the entire Superman story, and Smallville has stayed true to its portrayal of Superman.

Smallville has morphed some of its main characters, and even killed a few off over the years, but the most interesting aspect isn't how much the characters have changed, but how dedicated the stories have been to maintaining the dignity of the Superman character. One can see a careful crafting in the various stories. Superman discovers his superpowers slowly, and as he does he also discovers a conflict within himself.

Superman's story is the story of all men and women as they mature, and it also is the story of civilization itself. The Superman myth is very much a modern portrayal of ancient Greek myths which in their time allowed every day people to relate to a greater story about them. Smallville will not ultimately be compared to a science fiction series like Star Trek in the way that Star Trek encapsulated contemporary social issues in every episode, however, Smallville has stood true to itself, and has not violated the vision or the legacy of Superman and the elemental goodness, or the elemental godness, for which for which Superman stands.

Smallville premiered less than a month after the 9-11 terrorist attack. A very real conflict between good and evil was delivered to a frightened America. We were shocked out of our feeling of safety, and looking for both heroes, and villains in order to make sense of our world again. While Smallville is not a deliberate response to 9-11 it has been a cultural accompaniment in an age which needs heroes, and in a society which seeks clearly defined evil.

Koshi Kat Likes Plastic Bags

Koshi Kat Loves Plastic Bags

Koshi is not allowed to lick plastic bags anymore. He started this a few years ago, and although I found it odd, I wasn't sure if it was harmful.

After Koshi Kat had surgery earlier this year we agreed that it was too risky to allow our cat to indulge his strange obsession.

I caught him tonight having at it with some Walmart bags. My guess is that since Koshi's sense of smell is over a hundred times more powerful than any human's that he may be experiencing the same kind of evil pleasure that many of us experience while filling up the gas tank.

Office Is Back!

Dave's post

Oh Liberal Canada - Wake Up!

Canada Wages Jihad On Itself

"And for them are whips of iron" - Quran 22:21

The ever liberal Canadians are importing Muslims at a hectic pace. Seems they just can't get enough. Canada, similar to Europe, is rapidly transitioning into an Islamic nation. Ever willing to show how liberal they are (until the bitter end) Canadians are now adopting the Islamic fundamentalist Sharia code into their banking system.

With some of the first Sharia banks soon to open in Canada politically correct westerners once again show how little they value their cultural heritage - the same heritage which is the basis of their freedom, and prosperity.

Soon Canadian Muslims will be able to avoid the commingling of their Godly money with the Devil money of the infidels whose nations they are rapidly colonizing.

I don't believe we in the United States should be so critical of the millions of Hispanic immigrants (even illegal) into this nation. There may be a language barrier, but they don't see themselves as too good to use the evil Judeo-Christian banking system in use around the world.
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Conversion A One Way Street

My recommendation: For every million Islamic immigrants allowed into the West a million Westerners should move into an Islamic nation. We should be allowed to start our own churches, banks, and micro-economies within those nations.

Don't think that will happen? Why not? Oh yes, they'd never allow it.

Doh! Trouble In Springfield - Vermont?

Life Can Be Like A Box Of Stale Donuts

Sunday I received an email from a resident of Springfield, Vermont. That's right, Springfield - Vermont. Settle down now - hear me out before anyone does anything rash.

This Springfield resident was one of two hundred "extras" who had volunteered for several hours to help make Springfield, Vermont's Simpson's movie. Each competing Springfield across the nation made a little video showing why their town deserved the title of the real Simpson's Springfield. The movie played an important role in Springfield, Vermont's victory.

As it turns out, however, once the time came to dispense tickets to the Simpson's Movie premier no one who had participated in making this important movie was invited. None of the two hundred extras where given free tickets, or asked to attend the premier!

Instead tickets were given to the politically connected, and well to do local business people.

It is alleged that at the premiere not one mention of the people who had volunteered was made.

Having done their part to bring the movie to Springfield, Vermont - they were swept under the red carpet like scattered pieces of popcorn, and donut crumbles - ah donuts.

Check out this quote which reveals the treatment of Homer's Homies!

"A number of local business and community leaders did get invitations. It wouldn't be fair to make that group compete with thousands of ordinary folks in the random drawings for free tickets. Less than 10 percent would have gotten seats that way. Some got extra tickets to quietly pass on to friends and associates.

It would have been nice if one of the community leaders who spoke in the public ceremony had taken a moment to acknowledge and thank us for our contribution. And maybe have some of us lined up down in front of the stage to turn and take a bow. But I guess they thought since they weren't inviting us to see the movie, it would look better for them if there was no mention of us at all. Getting attention off from us wasn't difficult for them. Any talk of the video itself could be focused on the two main stars, outside professionals from northern Vermont. Keep us off the yellow carpet and swept under the rug.

Quite a few out-of-towners who never did any volunteer work for our community won the honor of free seats at the big premiere while most of us in the winning video who gave up to four hours of our time to complete it would have to wait a week and pay to see the film. That's just not right".

One local Springfield, Vermont commentator states,

"I was very disappointed at the way the town handled the tickets. It was very clear watching the people stroll out of the theater that the distribution was rigged. The whole thing makes me sick. What a way to represent our town with lies and corruption. I even talked to a few people who had tickets but had never seen the show, and didn’t really care one way or the other. Being a fan for 15 years, I was disgusted. The people who were in the making of the movie should have seen the premiere and Springfield residents who were real fans of the show should have also been put ahead of someone who was there because they wanted something to do for the day".

While another states:

"Just read the letter to the editor in the Reporter...I agree completely. My son and I were very visible in the vid, but as we are "nobodies" in town we were blown off. We managed to score tickets in a drawing, but the point is, we shouldn't have had to get them that way. The part that galls me the most is the fact that the majority of local "VIP"s wouldn't have been caught dead viewing the movie under any other circumstances. Don't brag about how you never watched the show and then snatch up tickets! It's been a couple months and I'm still fuming. Thanks for letting me vent".

Here's the link to the website dedicated to the two hundred Springfield, Vermont residents who participated in making the Springfield, Vermont video. The website includes group photos.

I've even posted a comment on their website at this link:

Here's what I wrote:

"Greetings to the fine people of Springfield, Vermont.

I am from Springfield, Illinois - the town which came in second place to your town in the Simpson's Hometown competition of last Summer (2007).

Many of us here in Springfield, Illinois were scratching out heads wondering how your fair locale could have beaten us for the title of real Simpson's Springfield.

After some thought there's little doubt that your video played a pivotal role. Everyone I've spoken to on this said that your video showed true civic pride, and it showed how important winning the coveted Simpson's hometown status was to you.

I simply can't believe - well come on now we've all seen enough Simpson's episodes to know how things like this really work - but still I find it hard to believe that you all weren't invited to the Premiere.

If I had the money I'd buy you all movie tickets, a soda, popcorn, and some candy - sadly I'm just too darned broke for that. Still you deserve it!"