Breaking Bad

The NY Times runs a shocking headline:

Border at ‘Breaking Point’ as More than 76,000 Unauthorized Migrants Cross in a Month

The number of migrant families crossing the southwest border has once again broken records, with unauthorized entries nearly doubling what they were a year ago, suggesting that the Trump administration’s aggressive policies have not discouraged new migration to the United States.

More than 76,000 migrants crossed the border without authorization in February, an 11-year high and a strong sign that stepped-up prosecutions, new controls on asylum and harsher detention policies have not reversed what remains a powerful lure for thousands of families fleeing violence and poverty.

The nature of the problem can be confusing and the Times quickly switches over to playing dumb:

President Trump has used the escalating numbers to justify his plan to build an expanded wall along the 1,900-mile border with Mexico. But a wall would do little to slow migration, most immigration analysts say. While the exact numbers are not known, many of those apprehended along the southern border, including the thousands who present themselves at legal ports of entry, surrender voluntarily to Border Patrol agents and eventually submit legal asylum claims.

The main problem is not one of uncontrolled masses scaling the fences, but a humanitarian challenge created as thousands of migrant families surge into remote areas where the administration has so far failed to devote sufficient resources to care for them, as is required under the law.

Well. We are seeing a surge in immigrant families claiming asylum because if children are involved the family won't be detained for more than three weeks:

Families with children can be held in detention for no longer than 20 days, under a much-debated court ruling, and since there are a limited number of detention centers certified to hold families, the practical effect is that most families are released into the country to await their hearings in immigration court. The courts are so backlogged that it could take months or years for cases to be decided. Some people never show up for court at all.

As to the idea that a wall wouldn't help, the Times reports within this story (and more here) that the wall at the legal crossing in Tijuana let Trump enforce the new policy of keeping asylum applicants in Mexico while their claim was processed. Hence the re-routing by would-be immigrants away from areas that have a wall and into the wild.

The Times also had fun with numbers last summer and we see it in some charts today: total apprehensions were much higher in the late 90's and early 2000's. But that was mostly single men who could be turned back to Mexico the same day. (Consequently those single men did not cross and promptly surrender). Now we are "apprehending" families as they surrender and claim asylum. Shortages of detention facilities, medical facilities, judges to process claims - all a problem.

From the Times:

Central American families have become the new face of undocumented immigration.

In the first five months of the fiscal year that began in October, the Border Patrol detained 136,150 people traveling in families with children, compared with 107,212 during all of fiscal 2018.

A trend toward family migration from Central America that began when Barack Obama was president has endured, after temporarily dipping during Mr. Trump’s first year in office.

A picture being worth a thousand words...

Pew Research has a similar chart with commentary.

If Congress won't fund a wall that could change our asylum laws. As if Democrats don't want this crisis.

FUN WITH NUMBERS AND PICTURES:

Here is a very misleading graph showing the huge illegal influx twenty years ago (mostly single men) with a picture of what looks to my cis-normative eyes to be a family.

Comments

[Narciso79]

I gave away most of my books to local libraries I kept a few like the great upheaval

[Ignatz Ratzkiwatzki]

The other day someone posted a pic of the latest Bugatti; a run of one car for $15 million. For a mere $2.8 million Christian Koenigsegg will build you a Koenigsegg Jesko with 1600 HP and a 300-MPH Top Speed.

Looks better, goes faster, costs one fifth as much and he named it after his pop. Put me down for two.

[D]

Robin:
I like the recommendations from Porch and others wrt New Orleans.
Jackson Square right on the mighty Mississippi is a great location.
Just seeing that mighty river is a joy.
All the food recommendations are excellent.
If you can tour a plantation, that can be fun as well.

[Ignatz Ratzkiwatzki]

--If you can tour a plantation, that can be fun as well.--

Woke up, lady, your privilege is showing.

[D]

Iggy:
I love touring plantations!
Magnolia Plantation is a favorite.
I love the moss on the old oak trees and the magnolia trees.
In another life I am sure I was a Southern belle.

[henry]

re the DoD JEDI cloud contract with Amazon Web Services:

https://medium.com/@furrier/yesterday-i-had-a-story-taken-down-on-forbes-for-a-post-about-jedi-dod-33675fd89a01

[Dorothy Jane]

I’m so sorry I might have offended with my comment. Please know I did not mean it to be so. I will truly miss Daddy’s commentary. As I said on the last thread, Daddy very kindly used to comment on my blog many years ago and was so thoughtful in his comments. I really appreciated that effort on his part. Anyway, Captain H, I meant no disrespect. I mostly lurk anyway but I love this comment section and get so much good info from it.

[Captain Hate]

I wasn't aiming it at you, Dorothy Jane.

[MissMarple2]

Dorothy Jane,

I do hope you will stop by and comment more often. Any friend of daddy's is a friend of ours!

[Captain Hate]

Nifong Junior's on another purge spree.

[MissMarple2]

https://www.theregister.co.uk/2019/03/06/hipsters_all_look_the_same_fact/

This is hilarious. MIT uses a stock photo to illustrate a humorous article about how all hipsters end up looking alike, guy complains it is his picture and objects, turns out that the guy in the photo is NOT the complainer, thus proving that they all do look alike, even to themselves!

[MissMarple2]

Captain Hate,

Who is Nifong Junior?

[henry]

CH, he has people left to purge?

[MissMarple2]

https://www.breitbart.com/tech/2019/03/07/leaked-audio-google-discusses-steering-the-conservative-movement/

[Captain Hate]

An increasingly select few. Any idea where happyfeet relocated, narc? I haven't seen him in the Horde.

[Buckeye]

Woke up, lady, your privilege is showing.

There were many plantation owners in my family.

Funny, growing up I never experienced any of this mythical "privlege".

Is there some place I can go to get me some of that??

[Tom R]

https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2019-03-07/hell-die-prison-ma

In court filings from a few weeks back Mueller claimed Manafort violated his plea agreement in regards to his promise to cooperate with other ongoing investigations. I assume this is concerning the SDNY investigation into Tony Podesta, Greg Craig and Vin Weber. I think Manafort refused to testify against Podesta. If true sounds like Manafort was more scared of what would happen to him and his family if he turned on the Podestas than he was scared of what Mueller could do to him.

[MissMarple2]

Tom R,

Sounds like a reasonable theory. I am hoping that we see some action soon. Rumors on Twitter are ramping things up

[Captain Hate]

Arkancide is a powerful deterrent.

[Ralph L]

Nifong Jr = Patterico

[Ralph L]

Last time I looked, happyfeet and narciso were half the comments.

[Captain Hate]

Sorry, Miss Marple, I somehow skipped over your question.

KK's tribute to daddy

Hi daddy---

Well, here we go approaching the 4th day

Since the Soul of the Earth beckoned,

And you heeded its Call.

Sanctified as you turn that bird of yours

Into the Sun, was kind of hoping you’d

Give us a few more reads.

Being Loved like you were is a great gift.

That you would KNOW you were loved is

An even rarer gift. So here goes.

Words have failed me here more than a time or two.

But your voice always inspired one more try.

Today is no different.

There is a small fire burning in my home this morning

While this song plays on repeat.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6GkdCiqsFUI

Somehow today its melody and musicianship remind me of your heart

And how it always showed through to those of us

Who were so fortunate to feel you here

While on this trip around the same Sun.

The woman’s voice is so much more important than the lyrics:

Smooth like an old lazy bourbon, enchanting one to just hang out

One moment longer, to dwell on the detail of a verse, a joke,

Those three fingers that are always pointing back at ourselves while

We try to make sense of a world which often doesn’t.

And just like you’re jubilant ferocity, the soloist crashes like lightning

You’ve seen up close and thunder hammering all around you,

The soloist brings the song home.

You always brought your song home here to us--- life as you saw it;

As you lived it; as you devoured the savor of it all.

I will miss you terribly. You have sanctified at least small parts of everybody

Who loved you. I know you did so here in my own heart though we never

Looked deeply into the other’s Left Eye--- as kindred spirits will do when meeting.

Please favor me by giving my Mother Priscilla a good report about me

Despite all of my shortcomings and sharp edges.

And I will keep the prayer fire lit for your beloved Barbara and your baby girls is they

will often feel the warmth of your touch and devotion to them all of their days

Before you are reunited in Love Eternal.

Some people leave their bodies and to the rest of us it is

No more than seeing a hand being pulled out of a bucket of water.

But as you are leaving now, Brother, for now it feels like I am being pulled back

Through the Knothole backwards.

I can scarcely bear the thought of our sadness, feeling loss so surprisingly, as we set

Aside the possibility of meeting you in some time zone on Earth.

Well, according to my usual JOM form, I’ve carried on much too long.

You have many stops to make before that final vector shot toward the Big Star.

May your entrance be even more joyful than all of the smiles

You brought to us over the years.

Come and see us when you can.

Love always; and, fare thee well. Every time I go to Alameda, I’ll send up the daddy signal and wave hello.

Anthony

[Captain Hate]

Ralph,

happyfeet was banned a while back. Sometimes I think the remaining posters are sock puppets of the Chief retard's multiple personalities.

[GUS]

Just for the record POOOOOOTERICO is a SPINELESS PIECE OF SHIT.

[MissMarple2]

Captain Hate,

Please tell Kev to come back to us. I miss him.

[Buckeye]

I sent the NOLA tips to Jr. who goes to the Jazz Fest every year.

This is what I got back, for what it is worth:

Already did the Acme Oyster House a couple years ago--there's another hole in the wall called Casamento's that is better, and its not exactly roasted, they call them chargrilled with parmesan, garlic and lemon.

Maybe this is the year I need to go with him:)

[GUS]

Capn, I've been in contact with KEV numerous times in the last few days. As YOU KNOW, KK is an inspiration and a hell of a man.

[Tonto]

@ Jim, I grew up in Monterey and agree 100% with Porchlight's recommendations:

"Jim in Sunnyvale, my brother and SIL stay in Big Sur every January. They like the very quaint Deetjen's Inn for lodging, Nepenthe for drinks and the view, and the restaurant at the Mission Ranch Hotel in Carmel for dinner and more drinks and more view.

I hear Point Lobos National Reserve is also worth a trip."

Deetjen's Big Sur Inn is wonderful, but tends to fill up quickly, so make early reservations -- their food is excellent, too. Also, the Monterey Bay Aquarium is terrific. Point Lobos is sheer beauty. Holly's coffee shop in Pacific Grove has terrific breakfasts -- Olliberry (sp.) buckwheat pancakes (if you haven't gone full Keto) and artichoke omelets if you have.

[Ralph L]

An appropriately windy comment.

[Captain Hate]

Gus,

You mean like when the ignorant chimp started making NeverTrump comments on dead threads @ AoS until I noticed him and sent him scurrying back to his blog asylum? I don't know what embedded quisling at PJ Media thought it would be a smart idea to infest their blog with that lunatic but they can fuck off too. Actions have consequences, punks.

[GUS]

YEP. He's a lib. He pretended to be Conservative.
He's absolutely a punk. TDS, has shined a light on the cockroaches. Rear Admiral being the greasiest.

Another permanent benefit of POTUS DJT.

[Captain Hate]

Add me to the recommendations for the Monterey Bay Aquarium. I've been multiple times and would readily go back again. Ditto Point Lobos.

[Tonto]

Thank you to KK from another Priscilla. And also to everyone who has written so beautifully about Daddy.

[Jim Eagle]

If you read the paper at MM's 10:53, there is some high-math there to justify the hipster theory, including "The Hipster Model", and "The Binary Hipster Model". My brain is hurting from reading it.

[henry]

New

[MissMarple2]

Jack,

I have to confess I didn't try to read the paper. Just having "MIT" associated with it gave me conniptions! Ha!

[Ignatz Ratzkiwatzki]

I have to confess I never got the fascination with Big Sur. The ocean is largely remote and inaccessible and the views are mostly from a half mile away and there's barely a place to stand up.
The stretch of coast from Mendocino south to around Sea Ranch or so is IMO much prettier, more accessible, less crowded, in a banana belt of decent weather and has a vastly better array of small towns, redwoods, restaurants and flat areas where one may even stand up and walk about.

[JimNorCal]

RalphL: "I was conceived in Carmel. I believe there's a monument and museum"

I've spent hours not responding to Ralph's post. But I want to thank him for gales of laughter. :) :)

Also, thanks Porch!

[JimNorCal]

New