MSNBC was happy to show today that the percentage of Americans self-identifying as Republican has sunk to yet another new low: 20%. Given the behavior of what passes for a Republican party these days, I can’t say I’m disappointed myself.
But instead of just rubbing salt into the festering sore that passes for a Grand Ole Party, I thought I’d pause to consider the party that is growing the fastest:
“None of the Above.”
Keith Bardwell, justice of the peace in Tangipahoa Parish, says it is his experience that most interracial marriages do not last long, and notes that the mother of the boy who was believed lost in a balloon accident looks a little bit Asian to him.
“The dad is a plain old white guy,” Bardwell said. “Not latin-white, or even Italian, more like British-white – maybe with a bit of Kraut. None of those southern European countries like Greece (not really sure you’d call them ‘white’, anyway), and he doesn’t really have the lilly-white you find in Scandinavia either, so I’d place his breed more mid-latitude. Could be some Welsh in him, he’s got the hair for it.” Bardwell said that he’d only marry Balloon-boy’s dad to another mid-European, “but I’d marry the mom to any slant-eyed guy, they’re pretty well all the same over there. Bless their hearts.
“I don’t do interracial marriages because I don’t want to put children in a situation they didn’t bring on themselves,” Bardwell said. “In my heart, I feel the children will later suffer.”
Justice Bardwell claimed that he isn’t a racist. “I have an Asian friend in town – Chinese or something. And I ate sushi a couple months ago and really liked it.”
Bardwell has also been making waves recently in his efforts to ensure the purity of the black racial strain. Or at least to keep it from diluting the white strain.
He is –you-.
In England today there are millions of Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) cameras pointed at public places. Fortunately (depending on your point of view), most of them are completely unmonitored the vast majority of the time.
Seeing an opportunity to leverage the voyeuristic inclinations of millions of people at home with time and computers on their hands, a group of entrepreneurs have created a company called Internet Eyes where you can register for free to randomly watch some of these. If you spy someone Doing Wrong (shoplifting, being impolite to a picture of the Queen, what-have-you) you can peck a button and send an alert. If you alert a shop-owner to a crime you can be eligible for an award.
So what do you think? Is this “Crowd Sourced” surveillance a Bridge Too Far into invading privacy, or just a sign of changing norms?
Having just fired guns for the first time recently I thought I would take up the issue of Gun Control/Gun Rights. I am further going to consider this in the context of how honestly this is being handled by both sides.
That paragon of honesty in political debate – Human Events – has been so kind as to send me a note today from the Second Ammendment Foundation. I have copied the bulk of it below and made an effort to see if it accurately expresses the reasons gun owners should be concerned about the current administration. I will accept the SAF as an established voice (35 years) for the political right on this topic, and allow President Obama’s words speak for themselves, as specifically referenced by SAF.
There has been enough talk about the possible racial motivations behind some portion of the Tea Bag Express to warrant an Open Thread starting with the basic questions:
How much do you think race is behind the opposition furor? What do you think could/might be done to counteract these underlying drivers?
Today crowds of protesters have gathered in Washington, DC to voice opposition to the current administration. Early reports show a large turnout. The event is primarily related to TV talk-show host Glen Beck and the “9/12” movement that he has encouraged.
No doubt this event will be the catalyst for significantly heated commentary from both ends of the political spectrum. For my part I will be interested in both the actions of the more extreme protesters as well as the (hopefully common) more average folks.
On September 10, 2008 a new creature was born into the world. Like all newborns it was very similar to those of its kind who had come before it. Also like all newborns it was in ways slightly unique, bringing into the universe something that had never precisely existed before. A new creature of kind, slightly changed from the mold of its forebearers. Evolved in modest ways it came into the world on wobbly legs with a subtly different set of aspirations, seeking a niche as yet unexploited.
Today, this Motley Moose begins its second year of life.
Today I found out that my children were not given access to the address by the President and Commander in Chief of the United States of America intended for the nation’s students. My son’s high school has not returned my call, but the receptionist agreed that it was ridiculous. The principal at my daughters’ elementary school spoke to me and explained that they had been told by the County that they would need to get permission from all of the parents – over the Labor Day weekend – so they gave up. He, too, expressed disgust with the situation.
Turns out the Wake County Public School System left the schools no real choice but to ban the President, at the request of Dr. Rebecca Garland, Chief Academic Officer, NC Department of Public Instruction.
I’m sitting on the back porch of my house in Sarasota, Florida for among the last nights before we move to Raleigh, North Carolina. It’s a good move, the kids are looking forward to it and I’ve been flying there a couple times a month for the most of the two years we’ve lived here so I’m looking forward to driving to work
, it’s a Still it’s a melancholy Raleigh a great area with wonderful weather and forests and lakes