Are legislators going to try to fix something that doesn't need to be fixed?
Legislators of both parties say they are ready to revamp a state law that took effect this summer requiring anyone buying carryout alcohol in Indiana to show a photo ID.
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I wonder if City Councilwoman Liz Brown wishes she had kept her mouth shut. In July, she proposed changes to existing anti-begging laws that would exempt charitable organizations and "buskers" such as street musicians who perform in exchange for volunary donations. Now, a fellow council member has upped the stakes:
Constitutionally speaking, City Councilman Tim Pape figures, there's not much difference between begging and busking.
Either Washington Post columnisst E.J. Dionne is delusional, or I am:
Is the Tea Party one of the most successful scams in American political history?
Before you dismiss the question, note that word "successful." Judge the Tea Party purely on the grounds of effectiveness and you have to admire how a very small group has shaken American political life and seized the microphone offered by the media, including the so-called liberal media.
Oh, thank goodness. I was afraid I'd have to deal with them myself, and I'm not quite sure they'd listen to a "Get off my lawn!" command:
THE United Nations was set today to appoint an obscure Malaysian astrophysicist to act as Earth?s first contact for any aliens that may come visiting.
Who's the biggest dunce of the day?
1. Stephen Colbert, for taking treating testimony before Congress on a serious issue as a joke:
"This is America," Colbert continued. "I don't want a tomato picked by a Mexican. I want it picked by an American, then sliced by a Guatemalan and served by a Venezuelan in a spa where a Chilean gives me a Brazilian."
2. Rep. Zoe Lofgre, who invited him to testify:
Just a tad hysterical?
More than a quarter million British children have been accused of racism since the country passed its Race Relations Act in 2000, the Daily Mail reports.
[. . .]
A little good news is always welcome on a Friday:
When retiring University of Illinois at Chicago professor Bill Ayers co-wrote a book in 1973, it was dedicated in part to Sirhan Sirhan, the assassin of Robert F. Kennedy.
That came back to haunt Ayers when the U. of I. board, now chaired by Kennedy's son, considered his request for emeritus status Thursday. It was denied in a unanimous vote.
[. . .]
Those rotten anarchist Tea Party nuts -- why, they don't want to listen to any of us!
The Indianapolis Star's Matthew Tully writes about a panel discussion on the lack of civility in politics. The basic idea, apparently, is that politicians should take a lesson from sports about how to play nice:
"What matters is whether the country respects the process," Leach said. "If you respect the process, you pull together."
The Super Bowl is going to help turn Indianapolis into a paradise!
A soaring blue hotel altering Indianapolis' skyline. Freshly paved streets. A struggling neighborhood seeking renewal.
All are transformational projects taking place in anticipation of the city hosting the 2012 Super Bowl.
Remember the Catch-22 in the book of the same title? To get out of a combat mission, you had to be delcared insane, but you had to ask for the evaluation. But asking for the evaluation was proof you wanted out of the mission, which is the sane thing to want, so you couldn't get out get out of the mission. The perfect gotcha.
Having growing up poor, my parents were always on the lookout for bargains after they moved to the Big City of Fort Wayne. I was the contrarian of the family. Whenever they said they needed to go right and and buy something because it was, say, marked down from $100 to $80, so they could "save $20!" I told they should just stay home and save $80. I still see things that way, as in:
If Americans prefer smaller government, why does it continue to grow?
I think we need to update the superhero canon to reflect modern sensibilities.
We're winning! There is a major announcement of a reduction in the size of government and a strong commitment to the private sector!
Just a reminder that Oct. 4 -- that's just a week from Monday -- is when registration closes for the Nov. 2 election. And even if you've voted recently enough to still have your registration, you still need to re-register if you've changed addresses. Voting tends to be down in off-year elections, so your vote will be even more important. Here's a list from the registration office
(Via an IU news release) The September 2010 issue of the Indiana Magazine of History examines Indiana's unfortunate role in the eugenics movement of the early 20th century. One article by Jennifer Burek Pierce examines John H. Hurty, a Hoosier health pioneer and leading eugenics proponent. He left a positive legacy of improved public sanitation and health practices. But:
