Blogcritics Comments on Out In The Middle of Nowhere: The U.S. Border Patrol

Comment by Ishmael back on Out In The Middle of Nowhere: The U.S. Border Patrol

Sat, 19 Jan 2008 13:52:11 EST

http://groups.google.com/group/2008-01-12/web/big-boobs;Big Boobs

Comment by Clavos on Out In The Middle of Nowhere: The U.S. Border Patrol

Fri, 23 Nov 2007 23:54:26 EST

"1. As a longtime professional journalist, I do not write pieces to see my name in print--but because I am paid for them" And yet, she shits her words all over this site on a daily basis for free.... Go figure. Free keyboard diarrhea from a "longtime professional journalist." Now, THAT's truly funny.

Comment by STM on Out In The Middle of Nowhere: The U.S. Border Patrol

Fri, 23 Nov 2007 23:23:24 EST

DD: I'd rather have Tony Blair and Gordon Brown any day over John Howard. You blokes should bring back transportation for life and find some excuse to ship Blair Down Under (we've still got a Union Jack on our flag, and the same Queen). For all his faults, Blair at least had some balls, and Brown looks to operate in a similar vein (with his own agenda). Truth is, the UK under Labour has never been more prosperous, and it's not so cut-and-dried divided the way it was under Maggie Thatcher for those seeking to make odious comparisons.

Comment by Dr Dreadful on Out In The Middle of Nowhere: The U.S. Border Patrol

Fri, 23 Nov 2007 20:27:43 EST

You might want to remind any of your mates who may be vacillating and haven't voted yet that the sky was supposed to fall in 1997 if Britain elected a Labour government. Last time I looked, the Old Dart still wasn't a smoking hole in the ground...

Comment by Silver Surfer on Out In The Middle of Nowhere: The U.S. Border Patrol

Fri, 23 Nov 2007 18:56:13 EST

Yeah, but the problem is Doc, people believe the rubbish from the Libs. Their campaign has been almost exclusively on the economy, and about scare tactics, and handing out drachmas hand over fist (mainly in the form of tax deductions and tax cuts), while Labor at least has a vision for the future in regards to Iraq and climate change and what have you - which is an issue here because of our drought status. That's it then, I am now off to cast my vote (for Labor!). I am going to let Mr Howard know that I live in a country, not an economy. The mining boom here feeds the Asian powerhouses and makes this one of the world's strongest economies anyway, and it won't change any time soon so it's all bollocks. PS, my wife was geeing my daughter up this morning and said she would vote Liberal. The Rice Bubbles ended up on the floor - special treat for the dog!

Comment by Dr Dreadful on Out In The Middle of Nowhere: The U.S. Border Patrol

Fri, 23 Nov 2007 18:21:11 EST

Stan, I see that the polls have now opened. Get those beers lined up, whichever way it ends up going... Out of interest, I just had a quick glance at both the Labor Party's and the Liberal Party's websites. It proved to be a classic illustration of the current political climate down there: Labor's home page is heavy on all the things they will do if they win. The Liberals' home page is devoted almost exclusively to slagging off Labor. Desperation, much?

Comment by Benjamin Cossel on Out In The Middle of Nowhere: The U.S. Border Patrol

Fri, 23 Nov 2007 16:51:15 EST

Oi, talk about a slip... If my hat, not hate, is the only thing people have to bitch about...

Comment by Moonraven on Out In The Middle of Nowhere: The U.S. Border Patrol

Fri, 23 Nov 2007 14:36:42 EST

STM, I have made it very clear that: 1. As a longtime professional journalist, I do not write pieces to see my name in print--but because I am paid for them; 2. So long as Nalle is "editing" here, I would not consider writing pieces even if I were paid handsomely to do so.

Comment by Benjamin Cossel on Out In The Middle of Nowhere: The U.S. Border Patrol

Fri, 23 Nov 2007 08:22:35 EST

Well, if my hate is the biggest thing folks have to bitch about, I'll take it.

Comment by STM on Out In The Middle of Nowhere: The U.S. Border Patrol

Fri, 23 Nov 2007 03:29:56 EST

BTW, I agree with all the posts here about the quality of Benjamin's work. It's excellent, a really interesting and informative piece especially for someone 10,000km away who's not fully cognisant of what goes on along the border - and sadly spoiled only by Ben's insistence on keeping that picture of him wearing a US Cavalry titfer. Wait till Clav gets his out. Now THAT's a titfer.

Comment by STM on Out In The Middle of Nowhere: The U.S. Border Patrol

Fri, 23 Nov 2007 03:24:23 EST

No, no elections on Sunday! That's barbecue day or sorrow-drowning day, depending on who wins and where you stand. As you know, I'll be going to church :) Always on a Saturday Doc. We should know the result by around 10pm if it's clear cut. Amazingly, last time I voted (in the state election) it only took 10 minutes. I drove to the tech college up the road from my joint, parked, dodged the Liberal Party volunteers handing out how-to-vote instructions, walked in, got my name crossed off the electoral roll, received the ballot papers, went to a booth, ticked off my choices (Labor), stuck 'em in a giant cardboard box guarded by election scrutineers and buggered off. I hope it's like that tomorrow. Can't see why it wouldn't be as it's the same people voting, and the trend is to have polling places all over the place to make it easier. You know where my vote's going DD, but I still think that wily old drop-kick (that's the strongest term I can use here) Howard will sneak back in by a measly three seats. I hope it's an omen that I saw a poster of Howard lying on its side in the rain yesterday morning as I was driving onto the freeway. Instead of frightening children like he normally does, he looked like he was appealing directly to God - his only recourse. Rudd requires 16 seats to win, and I just don't think he can do it. People in this country have become selfish and are suckers for the Liberal Party's pea-and-thimble tricks with tax and what have you. We've been lied to for 11 years, and people still think he's God's gift. All he ever talks about is the economy. We don't live in an economy though. It's a country last time I looked. Go figure, as they say up your way. They always target the hip-pocket nerve, and depend on low-rent scare campaigns about rising interest rates (which paradoxically is a problem in a strong economy), and unions. Australians notoriously dislike changes of government, so if it's not a landslide to Rudd and looking obvious by 9pm, Howard's won. I'll keep you posted, interested observer that you are. Cheers.

Comment by Dr Dreadful on Out In The Middle of Nowhere: The U.S. Border Patrol

Fri, 23 Nov 2007 02:21:59 EST

Tomorrow? I thought the election was on Sunday? What day are you on down there? And who added more International Date Lines while I wasn't looking? Good luck Kev... you old rascal you!

Comment by STM on Out In The Middle of Nowhere: The U.S. Border Patrol

Thu, 22 Nov 2007 21:34:36 EST

Doc, our current immigration policy is racist, pure and simple. They talk about queue jumping and the like, when processing asaylum seekers from places like Afghanistan, whilst forgetting to tell people that there aren't any queues to jump in the back-of-beyond in many of these places. I hope Labor wins the fedearl election tomorrow. I want to live in a nation that's a compassionate country built on community, not just an economy built on a foundation of fervent right-wing nationalism. There is no compassion any more at the top level of government in this place. We've gone the American way - it's every man/woman for him/herself. Not my idea (nor that of many others here), of what this nation should be. Just think that Howard, sadly, will sneak back in by a whisker - three seats or so. Remember Doc, you read it here first.

Comment by STM on Out In The Middle of Nowhere: The U.S. Border Patrol

Thu, 22 Nov 2007 21:27:11 EST

MR, why don't you write some pieces for the site? Seriously.

Comment by Moonraven on Out In The Middle of Nowhere: The U.S. Border Patrol

Thu, 22 Nov 2007 16:23:40 EST

I see the pot is back to complain about the kettle's language. Too much chemical turkey has fried his brain.

Comment by Dr Dreadful on Out In The Middle of Nowhere: The U.S. Border Patrol

Thu, 22 Nov 2007 16:22:09 EST

Australian immigration policy under the Liberals is certainly known around the world for being draconian. And is seriously preposterous for anyone who knows anything about the place. I mean, what does Howard think is going to happen? That the entire continent will fill up and people are going to start falling into the sea in the struggle for room? Get a grip, Johnno.

Comment by Ray Ellis on Out In The Middle of Nowhere: The U.S. Border Patrol

Thu, 22 Nov 2007 16:18:36 EST

I can't remember a time I've seen reportage of this calibre on Blogcritics. In fact, I'd go so far as to say it rivals mainstream magazines. Benjamin-- you are a real journalist. You just don't see factual reportage like this often these days. Well done, sir.

Comment by troll on Out In The Middle of Nowhere: The U.S. Border Patrol

Thu, 22 Nov 2007 16:15:03 EST

there you go again with the foul mouth...dedicated to the proposition that you have the right to write like a clown [Personal attack deleted by Comments Editor]

Comment by Moonraven on Out In The Middle of Nowhere: The U.S. Border Patrol

Thu, 22 Nov 2007 15:49:55 EST

WRITERS. Period. Are needed here. [Personal attack deleted by Comments Editor] Nor folks who do not speak English. The Comments Editor has dictated that English is the only language permitted on this site.

Comment by daryl d on Out In The Middle of Nowhere: The U.S. Border Patrol

Wed, 21 Nov 2007 22:54:09 EST

Wow, Benjamin! That was a great read. Seriously, we need more writers like you here.

Comment by STM on Out In The Middle of Nowhere: The U.S. Border Patrol

Wed, 21 Nov 2007 21:44:06 EST

Bliff, I don't think you'd have much to worry about in Europe, but then I've never had them keep my passport. They just have a quick look and hand it back. Given that the Euro is worth a squillion these days compared to the greenback, such a scenario is more likely to play out in the good ole US of A. Asia, however, is a place where you do have to be careful. I don't even use credit cards over there. I take Aussie dollars and switch them to the local currency outside the hotels, so you get the best rate. But credit cards, ATM cards or debit cards - never, never, never. On the other bit, I can tell you of some very worrying situations here in Australia in recent years involving the immigration department. In one case, a German-born woman who had lived here nearly all her life and was a permanent resident was arrested and held as a result of an incident that occurred because of her psychiatric illness. She was locked up in one of our disgraceful immigration detention camps (the Aust govt requiring all illegal aliens including asylum seekers to reside in the camps while their bona-fides are checked out or their court cases heard). She was locked up for about 12 months, I believe. Only the intervention of her sister and the media saved her, and it was later established that she'd been mistreated because of her condition. Of course, the department just thought she was putting it all on. In another situation, a wheelchair-bound disabled Filpino-born Australian citizen who had lost her passport and documentation was deported to the Phillippines, because no one believed her. Eventually, a shamefaced government had to pay to bring her back. I believe it all took a couple of years. Again, only the media and a group of immigration activists saved her. And recently, it was discovered that a Chinese-born permanent resident was locked up in one of the camps for FIVE years - yes, five - because it was suspected he was an illegal immigrant. He wasn't. He was living here perfectly legal and would have been eligible for Australian Citizenship at the time. All such cases are then subject to litigation and probable compensation, which the taxpayer ultimately pays for. So yes, you are right on that score: governments aren't to be trusted with this stuff.

Comment by bliffle on Out In The Middle of Nowhere: The U.S. Border Patrol

Wed, 21 Nov 2007 21:07:22 EST

"I am really mystified by the term, UNDOCUMENTED ALIEN." I have no idea what that means. But my foster-daughter is an undocumented legal resident. Her papers were demanded and then held by her high school several years ago as "standard operating procedure". Subsequently, the school burned down along with her papers. None of those officious bureaucrats who demand much but return nothing has any interest in her burned papers. FOIA, several expensive lawyers, nothing helps in spite of numerous people who know the young woman and how things came to pass. So she lives here "illegally" moving from home to home and job to job. The lesson? Never hand over your passport to, e.g., a European hotel when you checkin. It is NOT for 'safekeeping', it is so they can blackmail you later. For identification you might give them a copy. Or better, a copy of your drivers license so they can't run it out the backdoor to counterfeit.

Comment by STM on Out In The Middle of Nowhere: The U.S. Border Patrol

Wed, 21 Nov 2007 20:37:30 EST

Fantastic to see Benjamin has his US cavalry hat on too. Great titfer! Not as good as Clav's, but not bad. Perhaps I can dig out a few feathers from the toybox Ben, and we'll see whose looks best. On a serious note, I have been pulled over three times by the border patrol, once in New Mexico and the other times on the Arizona-Mexico border. All within the space of a couple of days ... I was in a Virginia-registered Ford Bronco, with surfboards on the roof (and the steering wheel wrongly placed on the passenger side of the car, like all cars over there). My mate and I were on a surf trip and were driving across the US to Florida, so that we could surf some spots up the east coast, ultimately heading for Cape Hatteras and then to New York and New Jersey. I have blue eyes and in those days, had near-white blond hair from being in the sun and saltwater 24/7. My mate, also an Australian and a surfer, looks pretty anglo too, and also had blond surf hair. The border patrol asked if we were US citizens. Perhaps they were fooled by our suntans and the skin peeling off our noses. We had to show them our passports. One bloke didn't know where Australia was, and had to radio in to see if it was a real country because he wasn't sure the passport was genuine. Not having been to Australia, the others didn't realise that we'd prefer to go home after our trip rather than stay in the US (and in those days, the $A was worth the same as the $US so we had plenty of cash, too, plus return airline tickets). When we showed our New South Wales drivers licences, one guy said: "What's this? That's a state? Man, you guys could've bought these in a drugstore". On the third stop, when I asked: "Mate, fair dinkum, do we look like #%&*#@!* Mexicans?", it probably didn't help our case. They went right through the car, and our gear, and left us standing there for half an hour. Luckily, I'd managed to talk my mate out of buying a small bag of pot in a bar the night before. Meanwhile, I suspect 30 illegal immigrants had probably slipped across the border about a mile down the road while the border patrol was humming and hawing over the potentially illegal Aussies and the veracity of their passports/drivers licences. But at least they were thorough the last time. I have to give 'em that.

Comment by moonraven on Out In The Middle of Nowhere: The U.S. Border Patrol

Wed, 21 Nov 2007 16:54:20 EST

Bodies, none. (There are buzzards in the Sonora Desert even bigger and more omnivorous than the ones on this site.) Skeletons, plenty.

Comment by Dr Dreadful on Out In The Middle of Nowhere: The U.S. Border Patrol

Wed, 21 Nov 2007 16:02:13 EST

Interesting piece, Benjamin. It sounds like a job for the contemplative type - especially those who aren't into sports. Do they even have the internet out there? I also wonder how many bodies are lying around out there of people who didn't make it and didn't even cause a blip on the Border Patrol radar.