Arizona official may keep Obama off ballot

USA Today:

President Obama’s birth certificate continues to make headlines in ways he doesn’t want.

The latest: Arizona’s top elections official is trying to explain why he’s seeking to verify the document before placing Obama on the November ballot.

Arizona Secretary of State Ken Bennett, a Republican exploring a 2014 race for governor, issued a statement insisting he is not a “birther,” the word he and others use for those who believe Obama was not born in the United States and is not legitimately president.

Bennett told a radio interviewer yesterday it was “possible” he would keep Obama off the ballot if the issue isn’t resolved.

Apparently Hawaii doesn’t release a birth certificate without a strong need to know.   What is it about Arizona?  Is it the water?  The over-all educational level?  Too close to Area 51?  (Area 51 is in Nevada for Pete’s sake!)   Is there any way we can just insist that Arizona secede and go on off about their own business?  Maybe we could just give the Grand Canyon to Utah before they go. 

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Facebook IPO: to buy or not to buy

Trading supposedly begins at around 11 am. Facebood Friday. Will you try to buy or wait?
video platform video management video solutions video player

The IPO share will probably be around $40.  The institutional guys can buy at that price.  The common man cannot.   It will be fun to watch.  I think I might just hold back for a while.  I can’t see the real money in Facebook.  Who has ever bought anything off of Facebook?  There is just too much free there.  We’ll see.

Let the frenzie begin.  Let’s hope the FB frenzie stirs up the bulls and has them hoofing it, kicking the bears back as they charge.

Bob Marshall Continues to Embarrass Virginia

 
The interview from CNN continues to embarrass the Old Dominion and the 13th State District.  According to the Huffington Post
:
 

A Virginia Republican delegate who led the effort to defeat the nomination of a gay Richmond prosecutor to a post on the general district court defended his opposition to the nomination, questioning how he would rule in the case of a “bar room fight between a homosexual and heterosexual” and added that “sodomy is not a civil right.”

Speaking Thursday on CNN, Bob Marshall said, “You could preside as a district judge for a marriage of two guys if he wanted to, in violation of the law.” He continued, “Moreover, if you have a bar room fight between a homosexual and heterosexual, I’m concerned about possible bias.”

Marshall makes no attempt to hide his bias.  He pronounced to  CNN:  “Sodomy is not a Civil Right.”  Marshall immediately proved that he does want government in people’s bedrooms.  Does he worry that in that same fight he described,  a heterosexual judge might be biased?   I believe what we seek in a judge, regardless of level, is for that judge to be impartial. 

 

The Lady  Justice is often pictured holding the Scales of Justice while blindfolded.  Wikipedia states:

 Since the 15th century, Lady Justice has often been depicted wearing a blindfold. The blindfold represents objectivity, in that justice is or should be meted out objectively, without fear or favor, regardless of identity, money, power, or weakness; blind justice and impartiality.

Sideshow Bob Marshall’s attempt to justify his outright prejudice doesn’t fly in Virginia.  He might have sealed his own political fate this time.  I don’t believe the people of the 13th  district are all  prejudiced people who ignore a man’s job performance as a prosecutor because of their own bias against gays.  Marshall has called attention to himself nationally.  The 13th might just have its own Stonewall uprising next election and I don’t mean Stonewall Jackson, if you get my drift.  

Marshall’s minions continued to make their political calls and one poor woman was unfortunate enough to get Mr. Howler on the phone yesterday.  Mr. Howler launched into his usual diatribe against the senatorial wannabe claiming  that Marshall is a single issue voter .  The lady tried to tell him that Mr. Marshall wasn’t a single issue voter and that reproductive rights were just part of the Republican platform. Mr. Howler begged to differ.  Finally the woman hung up on him before he could even get to the fact that Marshall had embarrassed the state of Virginia by being openly prejudiced against gay citizens.    Most of us forget that he is running for Senate.  What a joke. 

What will Sideshow Bob do for his next act?  I am meanwhile thinking of all the money that is going to pour into the 13th next election to defeat Marshall.  Whoever runs against him will have money to burn.  If I were a king-maker, I  would run an Independent actually.  That person won’t need party money.  Elena, will you be busy in about a year?  Carl?  Ann? 

 Further Reading:  Michael Paul Williams: A Turning Point in the Gay Rights Movement, Richmond Times Dispatch

 

White will no longer be the majority?

From the Washington Post:

For the first time in U.S. history, most of the nation’s babies are members of minority groups, according to new census figures that signal the dawn of an era in which whites no longer will be in the majority.

The latest estimates, which gauge changes since the last census, are a reflection of an immigration wave that began four decades ago. The transformation of the country’s racial and ethnic makeup has gathered steam as the white population grows collectively older, especially compared with Hispanics.

The census has forecast that non-Hispanic whites will be outnumbered in the United States by 2042, and social scientists consider that current status among infants a harbinger of the change.

“This is a watershed moment,” said Andrew Cherlin, a sociologist at Johns Hopkins University who specializes in family issues. “It shows us how multicultural we’ve become.”

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A little more history…..that special air rifle

About once a year, I dig out my Ken Burns Lewis and Clark video to watch.  I always cry and I am not sure why.  I believe it just amazes me.  It amazes me that my homies were able to traverse this continent and make it back with only one death–from appendicitis.  The Corp of Discovery happened 250 years ago.  Amazing.  250 years ago we really knew nothing about the interior of  what is now the United States. 

I call them my homies because Meriwether Lewis is an Albemarle County guy. My cousins are closely related to him and his family.  He worked for TJ, another homie. How could I not cry?  How could the Corp of Discovery accomplish all this?    Why didn’t the Native Indians overpower these 38 men, take their weapons and possessions and rule the roost?  Watch the video.  The Corp of Discovery might be one of the top 5 most important events in American history.  It is totally amazing that this small band of men and eventually one woman, Sacajawea, could cross this vast continent and return with samples, notes, animals, and even dinosaur bones. 

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Peter Candland is on the right track!

Discretionary funds have been the topic of conversation ever since Wally wanted to give 100 grand to Rainbow Riding.   Peter Candland found himself in the spotlight again, but this time, Moonhowlings can tell him “good job!”

Supervisor Candland has proposed elimating disrectionary funds.

On Tuesday, Candland presented the Board of County Supervisors with a rough draft of a resolution that would move their  donations to private entities or nonprofits into the annual budget process. Candland’s resolution is tentatively scheduled for more discussion at the board’s June 5 meeting.

Donations to schools would be excluded from this procedural change, said Candland. The Gainesville supervisor would also like to discuss what to do with annual funding carried over by some supervisors for future projects.

“We should be like other localities and handle this in the normal budget process,” Candland said.

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The Virginia Wall of Shame: Anderson, Marshall, Lingamfelter, and Miller

Today 33 Virginia men and women voted to appoint Tracy Thorne-Begland to the General District court.  He needed 51 votes.  Thorne-Begland is openly gay. Then there were those who voted NAY or who didn’t vote because Thorne-Begland is gay.  This is not MY Virginia.

The Wall of Shame

All that is necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing.” Edmund Burke

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Bob Marshall targets openly gay judical nominee: Part 2

From the Washington Post:

Del. Robert G. Marshall (R-Prince William), who is running for U.S. Senate, said he will seek to remove the name of “homosexual activist” Tracy Thorne-Begland from the list of 41 nominees for judgeships that the General Assembly will consider appointing Monday afternoon.

Thorne-Begland, Richmond prosecutor for the past 12 years, came out as a gay Naval officer on national TV 20 years ago to challenge the military’s now-abandoned “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy. A former board member of the gay rights group Equality Virginia, he has since spoken out in favor of same-sex marriage. He and his partner, a Richmond lawyer, are raising twins.

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Openly gay judical nominee targeted

Openly gay judicial nominee Tracy Thorne-Begland who currently serves as a  well-respected deputy prosecutor,   has been targeted by legislators and conservative groups simply because he is gay.  Tracy Thorne-Begland  is currently a deputy prosecutor in Richmond.

From the Washington Post:

Thorne-Begland, the deputy commonwealth attorney for Richmond, has been nominated to serve as a judge for the city’s 13th General District Court.

On Friday, the Family Foundation of Virginia issued a statement opposing his appointment, arguing that his public work on behalf of gay rights makes him unsuitable for the impartial role of judge.

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Open Thread…………………………………………….Saturday, May 12

Do you all look at www.bing.com?  It has great maps and about once or twice a week it posts fabulous pictures that can be used as background or wallpaper.  When I see ones I like, I do the old right click thing and save.

Today’s Bing pic is a favorite.  I recognized it immediately:  Glacier National Park.  What a fabulous place to spend a few days!  The main feature of the park, other than its mountain goats and special tour cars is Going to the Sun Road, which is an engineering feat in itself.

What neat vacation spots can you think of that aren’t your ordinary trip to Ocean City and the Outer Banks?  Leave your secret hideaways here and tell us why we should go.  Meanwhile, don’t forget to check out bing.com.

Additional reading:  Going to the Sun Road

Obama stance of same sex marriage stirs up the religious right

 

Washington Post:

President Obama’s endorsement of same-sex marriage is energizing Christian conservative support for Mitt Romney in a way that the likely GOP nominee has so far not been able to do on his own, according to religious leaders and activists.

Pastors in Ohio, North Carolina, Florida and other swing states are readying Sunday sermons inveighing against same-sex unions, while activist groups have begun laying plans for social media campaigns, leaflet drives and other get-out-the-vote efforts centered on the same-sex marriage issue. Romney could benefit from a strong turnout among evangelicals and other social conservatives, many of whom remain skeptical of his commitment to their causes.

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