Thursday, August 19, 2010

The Squirrel's Nut Cache - 8/19/2010


The Nut Cache - a collection of recent things I found interesting, or amusing, or nutworthy.

It is true that, in my youth, I was the recipient of a few speeding tickets. Well, actually, they were tickets for not conserving fuel. When the Carter administration forced the 55 mile-per-hour speed limit down the throats of the states, the Montana State Legislature passed a law that anyone violating the 55 MPH rule would be ticketed $5 for not conserving fuel. There were other rules in place to take care of truly excessive & unsafe speeds. This recent speeder in Switzerland wouldn't have gotten away with a $5 ticket, I assure you. In fact, he's just been hit with the largest speeding fine in Swiss history; 650,000 euros! Well, 180 MPH ("We have no record of anyone being caught travelling faster in the country," said a police spokesman.) is a bit on the excessive side... maybe... just a little...

I've never understood folks protesting the names of team mascots. Some folks are offended because they see a team's name as racially or culturally stereotypical. Well, mostly, they are, but that doesn't mean they're insulting. You don't see Scotsmen protesting the Highlanders, or Norwegians protesting the Vikings, do you? I mean, really, who would choose to be offended at what is, in fact, a complement. Than there's the other end of the spectrum, names that are offensive in and of themselves. I could see getting upset if someone wanted to name their team "The Nazis" for instance. But honestly, I don't think the folks who picked the mascot of Warner Robins High School really had diabolical intentions in the name "Demons." It seems Pastor Donald Crosby, of God’s Kingdom Builders Church of Jesus Christ, in Macon, GA, sees a problem with the name. Really, Brother Donald, don't you have anything better to do with your time? (Seems Pastor Crosby has given up the fight...)

It's been almost 9 years since the attacks on September 11, 2001, and we've all gotten way too used to the level of intrusiveness and lack of liberty that the current security measures have brought us. A couple of years ago, I made my first post-9/11 trip to New York City, and I had to remove my belt and shoes to go through security not only at the airport, but to ride the ferry out to the Statue of Liberty, and also to enter the observation deck of the Empire State Building. (I wish I'd known about the security at the Statue of Liberty ahead of time, as I had to throw my favorite pocket knife, that I'd carried for years, into the trash, as there were no lockers or any place to put such items.) Paul Boston of Brooksville, Florida, knows these same frustrations. It seems that he doesn't like the hassle of having to remove his belt while undergoing security screening at the Hernando County Government Center. He doesn't like it so much that he showed up at a recent county commissioners' meeting to complain. While speaking to the commission, he removed his belt. His pants fell down. I think he made his point...

I've not written about the Prop 8 thing at all. It isn't because I don't have any opinion on the matter, it's just that Al Mohler and James White have already said just about everything I'd want to say, and said it much better than I could. However, if gay 'marriage' does become legal, did you know that you could have your wedding done by the Go-Go's rhythm guitarist? No, really, it seems that Jane Wiedlin of the Go-Go's is an 'ordained' 'pastorette' who does weddings. And she's ready, willing and able to do gay 'weddings' just as soon as the law in California allows. Oh, joy. I can't even begin to catalog just how wrong all that is...

And the Nuttiness goes on and on...

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