Immigration

I think that people who live in border states have different ideas when it comes to immigration. I lived in Southern California for a few years and I was not happy to learn that my job prospects were cut in half because I was not bi-lingual. I was a receptionist at the time, not working in fast food, but in the corporate world. I had difficulty finding a job because I couldn't speak Spanish.

I am a hard ass on this issue. You move to America, you do it legally and you learn English. I think the government should do whatever it takes to shut the borders down and send everyone that is here illegally back to where they came from. I tend to be a bleeding heart in most things, but this one, I'm not. If those seeking to come here cant follow the rules to do that, what indication does that give that they are going to follow the rules once here?

The tv trend setters

Okay, so I have to say that I love foodnetwork.com. For the person in the household whose job it is to come up with what to make for supper, the site is a godsend. It's wonderful to be able to put in an ingredient in the search, such as chicken, and get all of these fabulous recipes. It makes life so much easier.

The Food Network itself has turned me into somewhat of a foodie, I have sea salt and kosher salt and black finishing salt. All as a result of my friend (who is a Food Network addict) and the Food Network. Chopping vegetables no longer scares me and I've become quite proficient wielding my knives.

This is the same type of trend following HGTV. Everyone that I know has done some kind of home improvement that was likely sparked by the network. And today this made me wonder.

What kind of trend could be set if there was a channel dedicated to worthy causes, Home Building with Habitat for Humanity. Lunch Impossible with volunteers at the local mission. Would exposure to compassion and empathy create the same upswell of wanting to help as these other channels have of wanting to change, to become better.

Would exposure to the wide variety of causes help people who have said, "I'd like to help, but I don't know where to start." These wouldn't have to be infommercials for causes to raise money, but could be made into something interesting and even entertaining that would help the viewers feel like part of something. With the pervasive reality show mentality, maybe we could sneak something in the line up that was reality, at least more of a reality than following around rich girls spending money or past stars who now have tv shows to guarantee they get laid.

Anyway, just an idea.

School prayer

This is an issue that's been bugging me. I actually get twinges when this is brought up. Prayer does not belong in public school. And where did this come from? I didn't have prayer in school while I was growing up. Thankfully I didn't even have one of those coaches asking God for victory. My coaches were more practical, "Get out there and work you asses off" is pretty much what their instructions consisted of. I guess they thought that God would have better things to worry about than my volleyball games or track meets. I guess my coach didn't think about divine intervention winning games for us, he wanted us to learn to do it ourselves.

I guess I get riled on this topic because I know the majority of people that push for prayer in school would have absolute hissy fits if prayer was allowed in school and their little Johnny came home from school with tales of little Suzie praying to the Goddess during prayer time. There is no way that these right-wing fundamentalists would ever condone, a Muslim or a Wiccan, to ever pray near their child.

It's one of those can't have it both ways situations. If they got their school prayer, they better be tolerant. And so far, in my experience, the ones screaming the loudest are the least tolerant.

So, in my opinion, if you would like your child to pray, take them to church.