Vanessa's blog :-)

I’m no longer living in sunny So. California  :-(

My husband and I got fed up with the California lifestyle and got out. We've moved to beautiful Fort Wayne, Indiana where it’s clean and fresh. (The first incident of vandalism in my friend’s neighborhood, graffiti, was committed just over a month ago. It’s been the biggest news topic of the past month. I love it!)

There’s not a lot of people here and EVERYONE SPEAKS ENGLISH!!! woohoo. We see American flags everywhere we go and there's only 1000 students enrolled at the local High School my daughters now attend. I couldn't believe it, I have a feeling my children will get an excellent education here, instead of the constant problems and complaints we had with the California public school system.

People here are courteous and friendly, the houses are well kept and very affordable. We where about to close escrow on a $300,000 small three bedroom town house in Fontana. For $300,000 out here, we can live in a mansion. I LOVE INDIANA :-)

But I love Cali too, and the FOX Website (blogs) are the best, so it's impossible to stay away. Hope you're all doing well out in Los Angeles, and can you believe that Hillary won Pennsylvania? wow. Another comeback. Do we, Americans, love the underdog or what?

Big Hello to some of the best folks back in California: John, Leelila, Moogie, Scooch, blcoffman, Gina, DfD, drk, O'Clee, Samo, and all you other wonderful people I like and admire.

I still love L.A. but Indy's cool too. GO HOOSIERS!

America does not adequately protect the human rights of noncitizens, says an investigator. He takes aim at increased detentions, saying they are overused.

By Teresa Watanabe, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer
March 8, 2008

The United States has failed to uphold its international obligations to protect the human rights of migrants, subjecting too many to prolonged detention in substandard facilities while depriving them of an adequate appeals process and labor protections, a United Nations investigator said Friday.

In the international body's first scrutiny of U.S. treatment of its 37.5 million noncitizen migrants, U.N. investigator Jorge Bustamante took particular aim at what he criticized as the "overuse" of detention for immigrants. Noting that the annual detainee population has tripled in nine years to 230,000, he called on the United States to eliminate mandatory detention for certain migrants and instead expand the use of alternatives, such as electronic ankle bracelets.

Bustamante, who visited Los Angeles last year during a three-week fact-finding mission, also urged that migrants be given the right to legal counsel, more impartial hearings and improved holding facilities, particularly for women and children.

"The United States lacks a clear, consistent, long-term strategy to improve respect for the human rights of migrants," said his report, which was presented Friday to the U.N. Human Rights Council in Geneva. Bustamante serves as the body's special rapporteur on the human rights of migrants.

In a statement to the council, the U.S. delegation called the report disappointing.

The report "focuses only on a narrow slice of the migrant population in the United States and makes no effort to recognize notable, positive aspects of U.S. migration policy," the statement said. "This results in an incomplete and biased picture of the human rights of migrants."

The delegation said the United States had one of the world's most generous immigration policies and offered more than 11 million migrants green cards, citizenship, asylum, refugee resettlement and temporary protected status between 2000 and 2006. The United Nations estimates that global migrants number 200 million, with the United States by far the largest haven, with 35 million as of 2000.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement spokeswoman Kelly Nantel also criticized Bustamante, saying he did not adequately consider the voluminous information provided him by U.S. officials documenting migrant protections in place here.

Those include the right to seek administrative review of detention and deportation decisions, along with access to federal courts to challenge removal orders.

Bustamante "has made a number of inaccurate or misleading claims and has drawn sweeping conclusions that appear to be based on anecdotal evidence from a small sample of individuals, for which he fails to provide appropriate evidence and reasoning," Nantel said.

At the U.S. government's invitation, Bustamante visited seven cities last year to interview dozens of migrants, community activists, immigration attorneys and senior government officials. He toured the U.S.-Mexican border and visited a federal detention center in Arizona, but he was denied access to other facilities in Texas and New Jersey.

In his two-day visit to Los Angeles in May, Bustamante said he was concerned about "rising anti-immigrant sentiment in the United States" and took testimony about worker abuse, government raids, family separations and other issues. In his report, he wrote that xenophobia and racism toward migrants had worsened since the Sept. 11 attacks, with a particularly devastating effect on children, Afro-Caribbean migrants, and those perceived to be Muslim or ethnic South Asians and Middle Easterners.

But the report said that two federal laws passed in 1996 accounted for the biggest changes toward a stricter approach in U.S. immigration policy. Among other things, the laws increased the number of people subject to mandatory, prolonged and indefinite detention, including those who commit an expanded list of crimes such as minor drug offenses, the report said. The laws also reduced avenues of appeal and limited judges' discretion to grant migrants the right to remain in the United States.

The growing reliance on detention tears families apart and costs U.S. taxpayers $1.2 billion a year, the report said. In contrast, alternatives such as electronic monitoring are far cheaper -- about 20% of the cost of detention, according to a 2006 congressional report.

Human rights activists hailed the report as an important and independent voice that brings public attention to problems faced by migrants.

"The U.S. touts the importance of human rights abroad, but rhetoric doesn't match the reality at home," said Chandra Bhatnagar of the American Civil Liberties Union in New York. "All we are asking is to bring human rights home."

teresa.watanabe@latimes.com

"The United States lacks a clear, consistent, long-term strategy to improve respect for the human rights of migrants," ?????

Pardon me while I LMAO!!!!!

How about "the migrants" implement a clear, consistent, long-term strategy to improve respect for the human rights of Americans? Because Americans, already do, and continue to improve their treatment of everyone around the world. Unbelievable! Break our laws, and then complain when you get caught and we enforce them. What are we, pushovers? To be used and abused to the criminals hearts content?

Jorge, are you insane? Seriously.

I was really pisst off at some of you who spoke up against illegal immigration and labeled you racists. I did it because I read some comments that I deemed cruel. Maybe I misunderstood you, or maybe you really are cruel- whatever! That aside, I would like to know, how in the heck someone can say: "Bustamante said he was concerned about "rising anti-immigrant sentiment in the United States" , when I just saw a news report on T.V. on how racially motivated attacks are down?

A representative for the ADL said that racially motivated attacks where down from last year. First the ADL says they're up, (I posted their articles) now they say they're down, but according to Bustamante, now there’s rising anti-immigration sentiment. YEAH RIGHT! So what’s it going to be next week? "Anti-Immigration sentiment is now down this week"....shut-up. What a load!

And Teresa, how about you ask actual immigrants, and how about legal immigrants for a change, what they think of this country and how American Citizens treat them? Oh, off the top of my head, how about me for instance? Well, lets see now, ever since I stepped foot in this country, American Citizens have been the ones who have shown me love, respect, compassion, helped me, educated me, given me a great quality of life and supported me. How about you write that huh?

The United States of America treats EVERYONE humanely & compassionately. I'm not saying we're perfect, we do make mistakes and there’s bad and good everywhere, BUT in general, we are the best country in the world and don't you forget it.  If we make a mistake, we fix it, and we hold ourselves accountable. (That’s just one reason that makes us a great Nation, there's many)

So how dare you United Nations? Get your story straight please.

He's the only one I've heard admit that he's made a mistake and will fix it. I'm talking about his stance on illegal immigration. He's said that he's heard the American people, what they think, what they want, and that he will change his plan to better serve Americans and their needs. Or something like that, I don't remember his exact words, but that’s what he meant. So why would Rush or any other Republican continue to smear his name and badmouth him? He's not perfect, he acknowledged that, no one is, and now he's trying to make things right. Give the guy a break.

And Mr. McCain, could you please consider Condee as your Vice-President? that would be so cool.

I'm in the process of trying to understand what's happening to our country, so please bear with me.

I've been paying close attention to what's happening in my city and surrounding cities, and through the years I've noticed how there’s been a shift, a change of sorts. I've noticed that stores used to carry mostly American products for the convenience of Americans and their culture. Now, there's an effort to provide Mexicans with Mexican products for their convenience & culture. American culture is being transformed, no, replaced by Mexican culture. That obviously upsets many people, including me.

My point is that just like the "Si se puede" marches last year, this too will backfire. It's one thing for us to willingly conform to a different culture if we so desire, it's quite another to have that culture shoved in my face and rammed down my throat. It wont go down smoothly. Top that off with the fact that Americans are speaking up against it, no, screaming at the top of their lungs against it, trying desperately to hold on to their American culture and way of life, well, it becomes an unpleasant situation.

The last time my husband and I went to the movies we drove past the Mexican agency Tu Hermandad that empowers Hispanics and helps them by providing them with information and assistance they might need, and instead of the Mexican flags they've always had hanging outside their office, we saw American flags waving instead. Good for them, that's the way it should be. WE - the immigrants - are the ones who should conform and assimilate to the AMERICAN culture & lifestyle, not the other way around.

Government leaders and members of the media please take notice and listen to what your constituents & viewers are yelling, if Americans express their views and opinions only to be ignored, it's going to create a hostile & uncomfortable situation for all us. These blogs have been an example of that hostility, how many times have we argued with each other over this issue? How upset have we become discussing this situation?

I hope we find a resolution to this problem soon because Americans shouldn’t have to be inconvenienced or upset or move to another state just because they want to live as an American.

Times sure have changed in the 19 years since Harrison Ford last donned the signature fedora of thrill-seeking archaeologist Indiana Jones. The viral spread of the trailer for "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull" is proof of that.

Harrison Ford and Shia LaBeouf star in "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull."

After premiering February 14 on "Good Morning America," Lucasfilm and Viacom Inc.'s Paramount Pictures sent the trailer to the Web, plus movie theaters and TV stations around the world. Paramount estimates the trailer was seen more than 200 million times worldwide in the first week alone.

Harry Knowles, who runs the movie fan site AintItCool.com (his official title is Head Geek), says he first saw a bootleg version of the trailer online, then the official version online, and then saw it twice in theaters.

  Watch the whip-cracking trailer here »

There were cheers in the theater when the familiar theme song kicked in, Knowles said, and comments on his Web site have been positive. "People generally really, really loved the trailer," he said. "Some people think it's a little more cartoonish-looking compared to the prior (films), with him whipping the lights and swinging on them and stuff. But at the same time, it seems that everyone is extremely excited that there's a new 'Indiana Jones' film. The excitement for it is palpable. It's much more aggressively anticipated than anything else that's coming out right now."

"The trailer caught on like wildfire, around the world, in all mediums," said Gerry Rich, Paramount's president of worldwide marketing, who's targeting moviegoers "from 8 to 80. The response has been sensational and it shows what technology can do when you have material that is so appealing to audiences."

Older audiences certainly remember Indy, but that's not the prime ticket-buying demographic. Thus the aggressive online campaign, which included what Paramount says is a record 4.1 million views on the Yahoo movie site in the first week and 2.6 million on the official IndianaJones.com site, the most ever for the studio.

"It looks to be THE highly anticipated movie of the summer," said Mark Mazrimas, marketing manager for independent theater chain Classic Cinemas. However, "this hasn't been on the screen for so long, (the challenge) is capturing the youth."

The brainchild of George Lucas and Steven Spielberg, the franchise kicked off with "Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark" in 1981, followed by "Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom" three summers later. "The Last Crusade" was released in 1989, boosting the worldwide box office total to $1.2 billion.

Now, with the buzz sparked, Rich -- who declined to make opening weekend predictions -- just wants to keep fans' attention: "The (only) negative comment from people was that they have to wait until May to see the movie."

I can't wait! And the best part is that Karen Allen & Cate Blanchett are in too!!!

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez says Colombia violated Ecuador's sovereignty.

The move was in apparent reaction to Colombia's joint operation Saturday in Ecuador that resulted in the death of the second-in-command of the FARC Colombian rebels group.

Chavez condemned the operation Saturday, saying the Colombian government violated Ecuador's sovereignty. He said if the operation had been conducted in Venezuela, he would have declared war against Colombia.

"Colombia's government recognizes -- in a happy and irresponsible attitude -- that it has violated the sovereignty of a neighbor country. And that's worrisome," he said.

"President Uribe, think well. Don't think about doing that over here, don't think it. Because it would very serious, a military raid in Venezuelan territory would be 'causus belli.' There is not any excuse."

Colombian Defense Minister Juan Manuel Santos denied that Colombia violated Ecuadoran airspace in the joint operation that killed Luis Edgar Devia Silva, known as "Raul Reyes."

The operation, which involved Colombian air forces attacking a FARC camp from the Colombian side, also involved Colombia's national police Santos said. Reyes was among 17 killed.

Santos also said Colombian President Alvaro Uribe had spoken to Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa to inform him on the activities.

The White House weighed in on the situation Sunday, saying, "We're monitoring the situation."

"This is an odd reaction by Venezuela to Colombia's efforts against the FARC, a terrorist organization that continues to hold Colombians, Americans and others hostage," spokesman Gordon Johndroe said.

FARC is the Spanish acronym for the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia. The Marxist group has been trying for some 40 years to overthrow the Colombian government.

On Wednesday, the group released four former Colombian lawmakers who were among the estimated 750 hostages the group has held in the jungles of Colombia.

In the past two months, FARC has released six hostages overall. Reyes, who was a member of the seven-man FARC leadership council, known as the general secretariat, had played a key mediation role in the release of those hostages.

Chavez, whose left-wing political philosophy comes closer than that of Colombia's rightist leaders to the stated doctrines of FARC, brokered the two deals to release hostages.

Not exactly comforting.

I found this very interesting:

Race/Ethnicity - Demographics of U.S. fatalities in Iraq

Since fighting began on March 19, 2003, more than 4,200 coalition troops have lost their lives in the conflict in Iraq. Of that number more than, 3,800 are U.S. troops.

Countries - Non-U.S. coalition fatalities in Iraq

HUH? Where's Mexico? Argentina? Guatemala? Colombia? Brazil? Bolivia? I'm confused, are Latin American countries (besides El Salvador, go El Salvador!)  even helping with this war on terror or not? Are they just really lucky and haven’t had any casualties?  I tried to find a complete list of countries helping the United States of America in the war on terror...but couldn’t find one. Anyone know the complete list of countries? Someone please tell me that Latin/Hispanic American countries are helping. Please.

After everything this country has done for other countries, this is the help we get? Now of course some will say this is an unjust war..blah blah blah..I might even agree with them…..BUT, that’s besides the point. Do friends not help each other out? Are we friends? And if they are against this war & refuse to fight in it, is there anything else they’re helping us with? Anything?

The UK's Prince Harry is in Afghanistan and has seen combat, the UK Ministry of Defense confirmed Thursday.

Prince Harry followed a family tradition of serving in the military. He was deployed 10 weeks ago and his fellow soldiers were sworn to secrecy. The prince's status is currently being reviewed, the Ministry of Defense said.

Harry is third in line to the British throne and a lieutenant in the Blues and Royals. In a recent interview with CNN Correspondent Paula Newton, Prince Harry said, "At the end of the day I like to sort of be a normal person, and for once I think this is about as normal as I'm ever going to get." And in a pre-deployment interwith the British Press Association, he said: "If I'm wanted, if I'm needed, then I will serve my country as I signed up to do."

The head of the British Army, Chief of the General Staff Sir Richard Dannatt, said Harry's deployment had been kept secret after striking an agreement with the media. He said: "What the last two months have shown is that it is perfectly possible for Prince Harry to be employed just the same as other Army officers of his rank and experience.

"His conduct on operations in Afghanistan has been exemplary. He has been fully involved in operations and has run the same risks as everyone else in his Battlegroup. "In common with all of his generation in the army today, he is a credit to the nation. "In deciding to deploy him to Afghanistan, it was my judgment that with an understanding with the media not to broadcast his whereabouts, the risk in doing was manageable." Dannatt added that he and senior commanders will now be reviewing Harry's deployment. Last year, the military ruled Harry could not be sent to Iraq because publicity about the deployment could put him and his unit at risk.

WOW! What a guy......ahhh...he's so dreamy. Thanks for your service Harry. Its so nice to see him doing what so many other brave men & women do everyday to protect all of us.

 To all the men and women in the Armed Forces:

~ THANK YOU ~

                   But....it made me wonder if our Presidents have doubles. Does anyone know if they do? If they don’t, that'll be another reason why I didn’t like it. Too far fetched. There’s some action, so that’s a plus, but...Dennis Quaid's character ruins it. To me this movie was more like a Dennis Quaid ego trip. No offense to Dennis, I like him, he's a great actor. But seriously, his character alone saves the day? c'mon now.      

Then there's Forest Whitaker. What a great actor this man is.

I know this isn’t funny, so why am I laughing? Hillary is pisst of at Obama over his campaign literature. She's scolding him and Gov. Ted Strickland's standing behind her nodding. ha ha....it just looks funny. Then Obama responds and the poor guy looks frightened...I think Moogie was right, Hillary's mean. I think she scared Obama, heck even I'm scared. And I didn’t even do anything.

Settle down Hill, it cant be all that bad.

A visibly angry Sen. Hillary Clinton lashed out Saturday at Sen. Barack Obama over campaign literature that she said he knows is "blatantly false," while Obama called her outburst "tactical."

Sen. Hillary Clinton waves campaign literature she says is false. Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland is behind her.

"Shame on you, Barack Obama," she said.

Polls show Clinton and Obama are in statistical dead heats in delegate-rich Ohio and Texas, which both hold votes March 4.

With Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland nodding in agreement behind her, Clinton accused Obama of emulating the tactics of Karl Rove, President Bush's former political director who is reviled by Democrats.

Obama "is continuing to send false and discredited mailings with information that is not true to the voters of Ohio," Clinton said. Watch Clinton demand a 'real campaign' »

One mailing says her health care proposal would force everyone to buy health insurance, regardless of ability to pay, a charge Clinton vehemently denied.

Obama denied Clinton's assertions that the literature was false.

"There's nothing in that mailing that is inaccurate," he said, adding that he was puzzled by the sudden scrutiny since the mailers had been around for days, if not weeks.

"We have been subject to constant attack from the Clinton campaign, except for when we were down 20 points. And that was true in Iowa. It was true in South Carolina. It was true in Wisconsin, and it is true now," Obama said.

He described Clinton's anger as "tactical" and defended his campaign.

"The notion that somehow we're engaging in nefarious tactics I think is pretty hard to swallow." Watch Obama respond »

"I'm very disappointed in the article. It's not true," the likely Republican presidential nominee said as his wife, Cindy, stood beside him during a news conference called to address the matter.

"I've served this nation honorably for more than half a century," said McCain, a four-term Arizona senator and former Navy pilot. "At no time have I ever done anything that would betray the public trust."

"I intend to move on," he added.

Poor guy, I feel bad for him. And I still think he's a good man. I'm sorry, but is it really that big a deal? I bet this sort of thing happens all the time, with just about every Politician. I'm just waiting to hear who Obama and Hillary are messing around with. But not Ron Paul,  I dont know why, but he just doesnt seem like the type. Hillary and Obama, oh yeah.

Fidel Castro announced his resignation as president of Cuba and commander in chief of Cuba's military Tuesday, according to a letter published in the state-run newspaper, Granma.

Fidel Castro, shown in an undated file photo, took power in Cuba in 1959 and reigned with an iron hand.

Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte said the U.S. embargo on Cuba will not be lifted in the near term.

Castro revealed his plans without notice by publishing a letter in the middle of the night in state-run newspaper Granma.

"I will not aspire to, nor will I accept the position of president of the council of state and commander in chief," Castro wrote. "I wish only to fight as a soldier of ideas. ... Perhaps my voice will be heard."

President Bush said Castro's decision ought to spark "a democratic transition" for Cuba.

"The international community should work with the Cuban people to begin to build institutions that are necessary for democracy and eventually this transition ought to lead to free and fair elections," Bush said Tuesday in Rwanda. "The United States will help the people of Cuba realize the blessings of liberty." Watch Bush's reaction to Castro's resignation »