06/24/09 05:23 - ID#49066

SC vs. NC

SC's finally eclipsed us NC folks in some area. The best our former senator could do is some cougar videographer. Meanwhile Sanford goes for Argentinian hotties. Bonus kudos if the whole affair involved an exceptionally well-done tango.

Permalink: SC_vs_NC.html
Words: 47

Category: politics

02/11/09 03:11 - ID#47709

Mittens for Kittens

Every time I hear talk for/against the stimulus package, this video I saw a year and a half ago keeps playing through my mind.

I hope for all our sakes that President Obama will be careful to strategically place bacon in the right areas to fix the economy and not listen to stupid people who would dilute the spending into powerlessness.

Permalink: Mittens_for_Kittens.html
Words: 69

Category: politics

09/03/08 12:41 - ID#45544

Rare political post

A conservative vice-presidential candidates who has fought for abstinence-only sex-education as only effective way of combatting teenage pregnancy finds out that her own teenage daughter is pregnant.

That's irony for you. Or karma, depending on your belief system.

tinypliny writes at 07:29:53 09/03/08 - Comment #38510: @metalpeter: I just read your comment and something else came to mind. I was walking home from Guercio's a few days back and I was at the crossing in front of Lafayette high school. There was this little boy - around 9-10 years old purposely dribbling his ball across the road and stopping every motorist going past. I thought it was a one time thing and he was just crossing the road and playfully dribbling his ball. BUT NO. He was at it a whole half hour or maybe more! I could see him still stopping cars and annoying the hell out of drivers as I reached the roundabout. It was just so bizarre. He was doing all of it on purpose. Now what if a motorist had not been paying attention and had come zooming through the intersection? Was the boy looking for trouble? He was certainly old enough to understand that what he was doing was wrong.

I see this sort of behaviour as examples of poor parenting. I know it's a little harsh but what you are reflects on your kids. If you are irresponsible, so will your kids. You could argue that parents can't forever be watching kids and I agree. But if your kids respect you, then your constant presence would not even be required. If you have been a good parent then respect alone would make good habits a way of life, rather than a way of forced education. Environmental influences (including parental guidance and care) weigh in a lot on behavioural attributes of an individual.

tinypliny writes at 07:09:20 09/03/08 - Comment #38507: A few days back, in response to my question on when it's right to judge politicians on their family and personal issues, (e:zobar) commented that it's okay when they make it an agenda/selling point for themselves. I agree. Did Palin make an agenda/selling point out of good parenting? Is she not practicing what she is preaching? If yes, then this is a nasty turn of events for her campaign, indeed.

If not, I would say that it's her family and thus it's her business, just as Hoyt's affairs are his business.
While it's not for us to say (or even point fingers), it definitely is high time she shook herself out of this ill-informed reverie and change her stance on sex education - having seen its effects first-hand.

@(e:janelle): I see your point of view. The approach to sex education matters a LOT. Just going through the motions and reciting stuff from a pamphlet or viewing a video has never been and never will be effective. For any education to be effective (Abstinence/safe sex/whatever), good parenting and quality time with kids is an ABSOLUTE necessity. It takes a lot to be an educator. Lip-service just doesn't cut it. :/ You could push out safe-sex education and condoms with the whole state behind you and yet have teenage pregnancies. It all boils down to how much time you are willing to spend with your children and how much of a guidance and role-model you are to your kids. If you don't worry about when they are coming home and what kind of company they keep, then I am afraid no sex-education, however intense, is ever going to help.

metalpeter writes at 06:56:17 09/03/08 - Comment #38505: Here is my problem with not teaching kids about sex in school, it is just silly. It is like when you have a kid and they cross the street what do you tell them look both ways. You learn that before you know a green light means go and red means stop. The reason that is taught is because if you teach them to only cross at a light the second a toy or ball goes into the street they won't know what to do so like a kid they chase the ball into the middle of the street and if they are lucky they live and if not then the there buddy gets to watch his friends brains get splatered in the middle of the street. The same thing is true about sex. When that sexy boy or girl likes them and they are willing to go behind the bleachers they are now the kid who brings a Knife to a gunfight. I'm not saying you should say go out and have sex. But when it happens the kids won't know what to do to be safe.

ajay writes at 06:44:07 09/03/08 - Comment #38502: I think "karma" might just edge out "ironic", but it's too close to tell. Maybe we can call it "karmic irony"?

janelle writes at 12:00:33 09/03/08 - Comment #38479: I really don't find it that ironic. I think whether you as a parent encourage abstinence or choose to teach the basics of safe sex, your teenage son or daughter can end up with a pregnancy on their hands. It's just particularly unfortunate for her due to her public life and public stance on abstinence education.

This isn't to say, I support abstinence only education, because I don't. More safe sex education please.

jason writes at 10:24:02 09/03/08 - Comment #38475: Yes, the conservative position on sex ed is untenable. There are times, on both sides, when ideological orthodoxy trumps common sense. What's that southernism? You can hope in one hand and shit in the other, and see which one fills up first.

dcoffee writes at 09:59:42 09/03/08 - Comment #38474: Learn about Birth Control in school!! Gasp!! What do you want these kids having sex! My daughter is not having sex before she is married.. oops.

Oh, and if she gets raped she better have that baby too.

Permalink: Rare_political_post.html
Words: 49

Category: politics

08/26/08 08:40 - ID#45456

Same as it ever was

Every so often during an election year when I get tired of spin, mudslinging, and negative campaign ads, I need to remind myself that these sorts of things have been a part of American politics since the inception of the country.

Permalink: Same_as_it_ever_was.html
Words: 53

Category: politics

05/01/08 12:51 - ID#44209

Same Ol Same Ol

In response to (e:jason,44190) and (e:dcoffee,44207)

Politics has largely been about stuff tangential to real issues since its inception. We've actually progressed quite a bit considering that voters a century and half ago voted for candidates on the quality of their jawlines and candidates would routinely hold drinking parties to ply voters with booze (which is why alcohol sales on election days are banned in some places). And that's why we require a strong education system, because critical thinking is required to ignore the BS and objectively evaluate candidates' pre-political-compromise-plans for dealing with real issues.

Permalink: Same_Ol_Same_Ol.html
Words: 97

Category: politics

08/03/07 09:56 - ID#40366

War on Error

To get a passport, I had to take half the day off from work, spend $100 in fees, and postpone any trips across the peace bridge in Canada for 12 weeks because I was required to send the government my notarized birth certificate. Yesterday, I get back my passport only to find that my first name is misspelled.

This brings to mind a lot of scary thoughts. Such as being stranded in a foreign country and not being to leave because some overzealous bureaucrat will only let a fellow with the first name of "Nial" leave (Nial is my first name misspelled. (e:inscrutable) helpfully suggested I solve the problem by legally changing my name to "Nial"). I am also worried that Osama Bin Laden will be allowed to enter the country because Osama Bin Lader's passport does not show up on any warning lists.

I don't think that this is how the War on Terror was supposed to work.