2013 archive
Missed America 0
Daniel Ruth reviews the bigoted racist responses to the selection of an American of Indian descent as Miss America (which have been well covered elsewhere in these electrons), and has a wonder.
What is wrong with so many people in this country?
The other day, the great Miami Herald columnist Leonard Pitts, bemoaning the nation’s apparent lack of interest in any remote semblance of reasonable gun control in the face of repeated mass shooting deaths, raised an elegantly simple point.
Is America crazy?
It’s a reasonable question. But, with all due respect to Pitts, it would seem there is another question to raise.
When a Miss America contestant can generate such a groundswell of hatred, vitriol and ignorant accusations, is America stupid?
Follow the link.
Hunger Gamers 0
Republicans vote to kick poor folks off food stamps.
Elsewhere, E. J. Dionne comments on the logic of these tactics. A nugget:
These are not nice people.
The Secesh, Zombie Apocalypse Dept. 0
Determined to be where they are not wanted.
Craig Cobb, 61, purchased a dozen plots of land in Leith (pronounced ‘Leeth’) and plans to turn it into a colony for white supremacists, the Bismark Tribune reported last month. He has already sold or transferred ownership of some plots to people who share his white nationalist beliefs, and advertised the town as a place where “responsible hard core” white nationalists can fly “racialist” banners, the New York Times reported.
Read the story from the Bismark Tribune.
Visit the town’s nascent website.
The Voter Fraud Fraud 1
Gutting out the vote in Virginia:
Every state periodically cleans their lists to remove duplicate registrations. However, unlike most states, Virginia officials are sending notices to voters stating that their registrations have already been cancelled, with no prior notice, only weeks before the October 14th deadline to register for the November election. If a legitimate Virginia voter’s registration is cancelled by mistake and that voter doesn’t see the notice in time to re-register, they’ll be effectively disenfranchised.
Follow the link. Sign the petition.
It likely will not stop this, but do not sit by quietly. Remember, Republicans do this stuff because they know that cheating is their best strategy.
There is virtue in protesting the detestable.
Afterthought:
For all I know, I’m one of the 57,000. I don’t know whether I’m still on Delaware’s or possibly even Pennsylvania’s roles.
I expect the great majority, perhaps almost all, are persons who have moved, registered legally in their new locations, and have no intention of gaming the system.
System-gaming is a Republican thing.
Water over the Damned 0
As I said once, I’m not a big Al Sharpton fan, but, as my old boss used to say, even a blind squirrel finds an acorn once in a while.
Droning On, No Place To Hide Dept. 0
In the Inky, Margaret Kaminsky wonders whether you can protect your droning from their droning.
The “right to record” is not firmly established; nor is it clear how broad this right might be. So far, the “right to record” has been used by courts to protect people who record public officials acting in public, as a matter of public interest.
It is not clear if the “right to record” can be used to successfully challenge privacy laws that protect private spaces, or private citizens. But several older cases suggest that a person appearing in a public space cannot prevent another person from taking a photograph of them.
Several states have wiretap laws that require a person to get permission from all parties in a conversation before recording it. These wiretap laws have been used by police to arrest people who record police activity in public using cellular phones. But several courts have found that such recordings are protected by the First Amendment, recognizing a First Amendment “right to record.”Regardless of what courts may find, I expect we can expect to have the eaves dropped on us with regularity. Pretty soon, there will be no cone of silence.
Like, You Know, Facebook Frolics 0
Like, like, dude.
The U.S. Court of Appeals based in Richmond, Virginia, made the judgment in the case of a Virginia sheriff’s department worker who claimed he was fired for exercising his free speech rights — in this case “liking” a political opponent of his boss.
Nothing To Do, Nowhere To Go 0
Not terrible.
(snip)
The four-week average fell to 314,750, the lowest since October 2007.
The number of people continuing to receive jobless benefits declined by 28,000 to 2.79 million in the week ended Sept. 7. The continuing claims figure does not include the number of Americans receiving extended benefits under federal programs.
In other news, Bloomberg’s experts are back on their trend-line of “don’t take these guys’ advice at the track.”
It’s Not the Same without Bert Parks 0
Stephen Colbert on Miss America. Video below the fold in case it autoplays.
In other news, John Aravosis rounds up some twits that were not disgusting racist pigs.
“Good Guys with Guns” 2
Der Speigel comments on American’s gun fetish (really, you know, that is the correct word). Here’s a snippet:
On the same night, a young policeman in North Carolina fired 10 bullets into the body of a 24-year-old. The young black man was running up to the policeman after surviving an automobile accident — he was looking for help.
Read the rest.