Immigration: Will a wall work?

July 21, 2007July 22, 2007 / chr1 / Leave a comment

Clearly, Mexico does not have the political will to examine why so many of its citizens come here to work. Mexico has corruption, lack of education, and an enormous wealth disparity to deal with, among other things. They’re getting angry at us for not solving their problems to their satisfaction.

A wall could work as a deterrent, but personally, I don’t think think it’s the most effective long term solution. People climb around walls, or under them, or tear them down. Walls can get covered in resentment, graffiti and wasted dollars. I think it’s more of a way for some politicians to release the steam of their constituents at the moment.

Here’s a current wall proposal:

from 10 miles west of the Tecate, California, port of entry to 10 miles east of the Tecate, California, port of entry;

from 10 miles west of the Calexico, California, port of entry to 5 miles east of the Douglas, Arizona, port of entry;

from 5 miles west of the Columbus, New Mexico, port of entry to 10 miles east of El Paso, Texas;

from 5 miles northwest of the Del Rio, Texas, port of entry to 5 miles southeast of the Eagle Pass, Texas, port of entry; and

15 miles northwest of the Laredo, Texas, port of entry to the Brownsville, Texas, port of entry.

Estimated cost: at least $2.1 billion dollars

Here’s some Robert Frost.

How good are our reasons?

Election 2008. One semi-informed citizen’s opinion.

July 21, 2007July 21, 2007 / chr1 / Leave a comment

Hillary Strengths–Good statesmanship, broad and deep policy knowledge, knows Washington well, lots of experience. Won in New York.

Hillary Weaknesses–More Clintons! Knows Washington too well. Can be stiff and tone-deaf. More Clintons! According to polls, many people find her loathsome.

Overall—strong candidate. very divisive.

Obama strengths–Charismatic and eloquent speaker, well-positioned to institute change, tuned-in to people, Harvard law degree. Illinois state senator. U.S. senator

Obama weaknesses–Experience? A little too eloquent, maybe? Experience?

Overall–fairly strong candidate. could be too liberal for many moderates.

More Kant: more space and time

July 21, 2007July 21, 2007 / chr1 / Leave a comment

Most people think that math is an accurate reflection of a world out there. There are spatial distances, after all, between objects, for atoms as well as planets. It just depends on the measurement.

Time alters things, too. Nothing stays the same. Time moves foward, not backward. Time has passed as I’ve written this. Our physical laws and our best knowledge depend on this being true.

Kant’s response was: space and time are parts of us. As you read this, time is marching on for you, and you are sitting there in space. But it’s a built-in part of you, not neccesarily a part of what lies beyond. Furthermore, it’s a part of what he calls the sensible intuition. You essentially aren’t aware of your sensible intuition because it’s a precondition of you having any experience at all.

So…what’s out there, then? Some timeless, spaceless reality? Something beyond Einstein’s space-time and all the wacky geometry I don’t understand?