OUR IMMIGRATION SYSTEM IS BROKEN. WHO BROKE IT?
WHEN IS TOO MUCH SECURITY TOO MUCH?
Measures that slow the economy block better solutions 
Should Americans be spending more on public security, or less? After a week of two horrific events, the Boston Marathon attack and the Texas fertilizer-plant explosion, most would probably answer the above question by saying, “We’re not spending enough.” Such an emotional response is not surprising particularly after seeing the highly competent and courageous response of the police, firefighters and medical first responders. On Friday, I received an email from a friend asking the question, “Did it make sense to close down half of Massachusetts for a day to capture one 19-year-old suspected terrorist? No, unless he was part of a bigger cell which was the unknown for the police. Did the huge redeployment of law enforcement resources for the week to catch the perpetrators result in more nonrelated terrorist murders or auto fatalities (or perhaps even fewer)?” One occasionally hears the comment that “we should spend whatever is necessary” to stop terrorism. It sounds good, but on reflection, it makes no sense, and here's why...
THE OSTRICH APPROACH TO FIGHTING TERROR DOESN’T WORK
HALF-FULL REPORT 04/19/13
Salon. columnist David Sirota hoped the guy who planted two IEDs at the finish line of the Boston Marathon Monday was a "white American" like Timothy McVeigh. But the culprits are radicalized Muslims from Chechnya. Liberal journalists have begun to caution us against "overreacting" to the Boston Massacre. The same liberals, mostly, who want us to overreact to the Newtown massacre. Liberals often have expressed fear the Great Unwashed, frightened and angered by a horrific act of terror, would string up Muslims from lampposts. But ordinary Americans have responded to Boston in exemplary fashion, as they did after 9/11/2012. Bad behavior has pretty much been restricted to Democrat politicians and bigfoot journalists. * * * * The defeat of gun control legislation is an "unmitigated disaster" for President Obama, which threatens to make him a lame duck far earlier than any president before him. Neither he nor the news media took defeat well. What had to be especially galling for Zero and his media allies is that defeat came in the Senate, at the hands of Red State Democrats. * * * * The "Gang of Eight" introduced an 844-page immigration reform bill. Big majorities of Republicans as well as of Americans support what the bill's sponsors say it will do. But will it?
FREEDOM PARADISE FOUND
Edinburgh-of-the-Seven-Seas, Tristan da Cunha, South Atlantic Ocean. Welcome to the most isolated community on the planet, on the world's remotest inhabited island. Named after the Portuguese captain who discovered it in 1506, Tristão da Cunha, it is 1,736 miles from Africa, and 2,466 miles from South America. The nearest inhabited land is the island of St. Helena 1,343 miles to the north, itself so remote that the Brits exiled Napoleon there. It's not simply that Tristan is far away from anywhere else, it's amazingly difficult to get here. We are the first passenger ship to land here since March of 2012. Why bother? Why brave often incredibly rough and dangerous seas for days or even weeks to come here on the off-chance that you can go ashore? Just to be able to tell your friends back home you set foot on the world's remotest inhabited island? Maybe for some. For me, it was the opportunity to meet perhaps the most extraordinarily unique people on earth. I came hoping to find a freedom paradise (more accurately, a conservative-libertarian paradise) - and I found it. But before you start packing your bags, be advised: there is, of course, a catch.
ONLY SOME VICTIMS HAVE “UNIQUE MORAL AUTHORITY”
SMEARING THE RIGHT
When something terrible happens, people tune in to CNN, Fox News or MSNBC because they want to find out more about what happened. But the hosts of cable "news" shows, and the reporters and "experts" they interview have precious few hard facts to tell them, because in the immediate aftermath of a terrorist incident, the authorities either don't know who is responsible, or aren't saying as they seek the culprit or culprits, and gather evidence. But if cable news show hosts told their suddenly swollen audiences the truth, it would be hard to hang on to their suddenly swollen audiences. So they "report" rumor and gossip, and engage in wild speculation, based on little more than their abundant prejudices.
FROM STAGNATION TO PROSPERITY, THEN BACK DOWN AGAIN
The success of the Reagan-Thatcher era has been quickly erased The great tragedy of our time is that so few know economic history; thus we have been doomed to repeat the mistakes of a generation ago, and millions suffer. By the late 1970s, many viewed Britain and the United States as in terminal decline. The United Kingdom had been rotting for decades. The empire had been lost, and Britain began to look more and more like a Third World country as incomes stagnated and inflation soared. Then, along came a remarkable lady, Margaret Thatcher, who said “no” to the status quo and through incredible toughness, ability and just plain smarts turned around Britain. On this side of the Atlantic, the United States was also in despair. Real incomes had stagnated, inflation seemed to be out of control, and the establishment political class had little idea of what to do. President Carter referred to the country as being in a “malaise.” Out of the American West, a savior, Ronald Reagan, rode into Washington and turned around the nation.
HALF-FULL REPORT 04/12/13
Lady Margaret Thatcher suffered a stroke Monday while reading a book in bed at the Ritz Carlton hotel in London. * * * * America is in "deep doo doo" in the North Korea "crisis," former Vice President Dick Cheney told GOP Congressional leaders this week. But people in South Korea aren't worried. * * * * The Senate voted 68-31 Thursday to start debate on gun control. But if you're gearing up to go on a RINO hunt, chill. The vote on whether to stop debate will come later. * * * * My belief that Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky, is the smartest politician among Republicans in Washington was reinforced by the speech he made Wednesday. * * * * Testimony in the murder trial of Pennsylvania abortion doctor Kermit Gosnell should "shock anyone with a heart," says Kirsten Powers, a liberal who still has one. But there's been not a word about the trial on the television news. * * * * The Washington punditocracy has turned pessimistic about the prospects for President Obama's second term.
ENDURANCE
Grytviken, South Georgia Island, Antarctic Ocean. It's a shame I can't transmit pictures where I am, but at least I can send this text for Miko to post on TTP. Then again, there are no pictures that could do this place justice, for you can't put awe into a photo. That's something you can only experience first-hand. There is no place on earth I know of with more spectacular geology, geography, and jaw-dropping scenery, combined with such a hyper-abundance of wildlife it puts Africa's Serengeti to shame, than South Georgia. Add to this one of history's most heroic sagas, the perseverance of one man to overcome odds that are beyond belief, which can serve to inspire us to surmount the travails our country faces today. It is considered the most impressive accomplishment in the history of exploration. Let me tell you the story - and the lesson we can learn from it.