the unequivocal notion

Had to run up the hill yesterday to throw some grass seed down in preparation for this summer.

And one of the now defunct Tamarack Resort — say good-bye ski lifts.

Another thing that I love about Idaho is that we can drive 2 hours to the north and require jeans and a jacket, but then come home and change into shorts and flip flops (yesterday at least).

We had lunch at Kit’s Riverside Restaurant in Horseshoe Bend, I meant to take a picture of their monster burgers but I was starving and forgot all about until it was too late. If you’ve never been there I suggest stopping by when you’re headed up north sometime, or just take a cruise out to Horseshoe Bend some wild weekend. When you’re coming into town from the south it’s on the righthand side of the road just after you cross the bridge. They have a decent selection of beers (for Horseshoe Bend) on tap, good burgers and fries.

“Liberals are the racists. I’m not a racist, I have negro and Mexican friends.”

Idaho slays me sometimes.

…so that means it’s hate on immigrants day for 670 KBOI’s Idaho Talks Live.

It amazes me that people think that immigrants should be able to learn a whole new language in a matter of months. I mean, a lot of times we are talking about people who have a very poor education to start off with, let alone trying to learn a new language in their later years. It takes time to learn a new language, it’s one thing to be able to converse in a new language, but it’s a whole ‘nother thing to be able to understand and fill out government or financial paperwork. Hell, we’re partly in this economic crisis because most Americans didn’t understand basic math and didn’t know how to read their mortgage paperwork.

I know a few Hispanics who are first generation Americans, one, born in Mexico and immigrated with his parents when he was about 10, 12… right now he’s got a better command of the English language than most native born Americans. His parents? They still need help with some things, e.g., taxes, buying a home, car etc… but they are learning English. I’ll also note that his younger brother is currently in the Army and served a combat tour in Iraq and is getting ready to head back for another.

You always hear the argument that “my parents came from Germany, or Italy or whatever and they learned English”, well yeah, but I bet they didn’t do it in a few months. My guess would be that it took a generation or so before their families became fluent in English. Maybe here it just seems more prevalent because of the amount of immigrants condensed into a smaller area but it’s disingenuous to say that no immigrants are trying to learn English.

Will immigrants still speak their native tongue? Sure, just like they still do in the Little Italy’s, Koreatowns or Chinatowns in any of America’s larger cities.

I’ve got a family member who teaches ESL at an area school and she’ll tell you that some of those kids are busting their butts to learn English and doing what they can to get an education — they know what the alternative is. It’s naive and presumptuous to assume that all immigrants aren’t trying to learn English.

Are there immigrants who don’t want to take the time to learn English? Sure, just like there are Americans who don’t want to take the time to learn English or even get a basic education. Does that mean we shun them away or kick them out of the country? People also have to realize that some immigrants aren’t here for the long haul, they’ll stay for a couple of years and head back home. Do they really need to learn the complete ins-and-outs of English? Or should they pick up what they need to get by? If you ask me, this just makes it more obvious that we need a guest worker program.

Sometimes it seems that people don’t want to give others the benefit of the doubt or a chance simply because of the color of their skin, not because of their language.

…and here I thought we were on our way to spring.

Pretty nifty…

Mayor Bieter was just on my teevee telling me it’s so.

Speaking of Bieter, how many more terms as the Mayor of Boise does he have to do until we get the chance to call him Governor Bieter?

That this email will be/is circulating on state, county or city owned computers in Idaho?

Subject: FW: Amazing!

I’m confused

How can 2,000,000 blacks get into Washington, DC in 1 day in sub zero temps when 200,000 couldn’t get out of New Orleans in 85 degree temps with four days notice?

The official, later sent out another apologetic email wondering if; “they were going to be allowed to keep their sense of humor”. The Florida Republican Committewoman could potentially lose her job.

One thing is for sure, I bet Canyon County Commish Steve Rule won’t be making that mistake again.

They’ll drive 10-under on a 55mph or 65mph stretch of road just to hold up traffic because they can, but they’ll be damned if the government is going to tell them to slow down in a school zone.

3 cases in point just today.