July, 2010 archive
Gatesgate 0
I glanced at the stories regarding the recent report on Gatesgate and they did not stir my blogging nerve. Today, Joan Vennochi’s column in the Boston Globe helped me figure out why:
Skin color.
That’s what made it international news. That’s what drew in President Obama, who got caught up in the story when he said the Cambridge police acted “stupidly’’ and then wiggled out of it by hosting a White House beer summit.
But the 60-page report on the show-down between Henry Louis Gates Jr. and Sergeant James Crowley barely mentions race. Instead, it’s all about respect and the need for more of it from citizens and law enforcement officials.
It is not just that color is what made it news.
It is very likely that color–a white cop and a black citizen–was a big part of what made it happen in the first place.
The flour, sugar, salt, and water in the recipe may have come from other sources, but I am certain that race was the yeast without which the loaf would not have risen.
Any “analysis” that avoided the issue of race was no analysis at all.
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QOTD 0
Nicolai Tesla, from the Quotemaster (subscribe here):
To stop war by the perfection of engines of destruction alone, might consume centuries and centuries. Other means must be employed to hasten the end.
“An Armed Society Is a Polite Society,” Truth or Dare Dept. 0
Dick Polman anticipates the next steps forward for the gunslinger lobby. Follow the link to see which proposals are imagination and which are real.
For example, is this one truth or dare?
Facts on File, Wingnuts on Spin 0
What happens when wingnut lies are challenged by facts (if you’re short of time, focus on the last two minutes):
There’s not enough grains of salt in the world to counteract wingnut lies.
Via Bob Cesca.
Swampwater 0
According to the story, they got drunk, defied orders to remain within their base or whatever they call it, went for a joyride, and killed two persons.
For now, the mercenaries remain in the dock:
U.S. District Judge Robert G. Doumar quickly dismissed that notion.
“You’re asking that he be sent back to Afghanistan” to face charges there? Doumar asked Cannon’s lawyer. “Is that what you really want?”
“That’s not an option for this court,” said Assistant Federal Public Defender Larry Dash, one of Cannon’s lawyers.
More at the link. The story isn’t real clear, but, based on the excerpt above, the defense strategy seems to be that no one has jurisdiction.
Nothing To Do, Nowhere To Go, Nothing To Eat 0
“I’ve explored every avenue of employment that I can, to no avail,” said the New Castle resident, who has resorted to church food closets in recent weeks to get by. “I just make call after call after call.”
For Dziegielewski and thousands of other Delawareans, the temporary salvation of extended unemployment benefits has run dry, giving way to an existence of fear, despair and bitterness that the nation’s so-called economic recovery seems to be passing them by.
In other news, I heard some Republican hack quoted on the news regarding jobs and deficits. Apparently, everything that happened before January 21, 2009, has gone down some Republican memory hole.
One more time, this is the Republican Economic Theory. If Republicans get back in power, they will just do it all over again once more.
Introspection 0
John Cole points out the intellectual incoherence of “shoot first, ask questions later” Neocon foreign policy.
Dustbiters 0
I missed the one last week, but already the digit counters are starting to fall:
When it starts this early, if often indicates the FDIC has found the huntin’ good.
Later:
Can This Romance Be Saved? Stupid Pet Tricks Dept. 0
30 days in the pokey, three years probation:
Toll admitted attaching her boyfriend’s dog — then named Rex – to the fridge, saying she did it as a way of getting back at him for paying more attention to the dog than to her, according to police.
Still Afloat 0
Good news:
The money will allow the Washington-based SS United States Conservancy to buy the ship from Norwegian Cruise Line, a subsidiary of Genting Hong Kong, and maintain the vessel in its South Philadelphia berth for up to 20 months while redevelopment and refurbishment plans are completed.
The Rich Are Different from You and Me 0
From the Toimes:
By contrast, homeowners with less lavish housing are much more likely to keep writing checks to their lender. About one in 12 mortgages below the million-dollar mark is delinquent.
Though it is hard to prove, the CoreLogic data suggest that many of the well-to-do are purposely dumping their financially draining properties, just as they would any sour investment.
“The rich are different: they are more ruthless,” said Sam Khater, CoreLogic’s senior economist.
Via John Cole, who wonders
how Republicans (will) try to pin this . . . on black people and Fannie Mae and Barney Frank.
Stray Thought 0
If your cat won’t sit still, give your catatonic.
All Your Vowz Does Belongz to Virginia 0
Kook-Kook-Kooky-a-choo.
Aside: When I was a young ‘un growing up here, sure, it was a Jim Crow state and bigotry was the law, but, like Firesign Theatre, it was Not Insane.
Via the Richmonder.
One More Time: Cost of Anti-Science Anti-Vaccine Hysteria 0
Whooping cough is the “P” in “DPT“:
California Department of Public Health spokesman Ken August says as of June 30, there have been 1,337 reported cases of whooping cough in California. About 700 more cases are being investigated by local health departments.
Whooping cough was declared an epidemic in California after 910 cases of the highly contagious disease were reported as of June 15.
