Open Threads

The Instapundit links to this first-hand account of the police efforts in the D.C. Sniper Case:

It’s getting to the point around here where people driving white vans have been pulled over multiple times, so much so that a reporter asked a question of Montgomery County’s Chief Moose: were officials going to institute a system so that vans wouldn’t be pulled over multiple times? As of a few days ago, he said “no,” they had no such system in place.

Profiles are tools to help cops predict the perpetrator’s next move. They aren’t pretexts for searches. As a 25-35 unmarried white male who owns two handguns (and might at some point in the future own a long gun), I don’t think that, because I may fit the very vague profile, I should be subject to searches, seizures, stops, or other kinds of questioning.

I tend to agree with him.

One point about Chief Moose, though. I normally do not find many reasons to praise police (I think the state of policework in this country is generally deplorable), but I must admit that there is something I really like aboiut Chief Moose. He seems competent, confident, compassionate, reolute, determined, focussed, and fair. He reminds me of an old 1st Sergeant- I can’t think of higher praise than that. At any rate, if you disagree with me, just try this- compare Moose to the freckle-faced half-wit from D.C. who ran the Chandra Levy investigation. In that light, Chief Moose seems almost Giulianesque.

The Instapundit links to thisPost + Comments

Strom Thurmond Emits Fiery Speech on Senate Floor:

What caused the aged Senator to blow his top:

1.) Aides confirmed that ‘colored people’ are allowed to vote.
2.) Senate Energy Committee intends to tax battery-operated wheelchairs.
3.) Confederate flag boxers are washed with bleach by maids, causing them to turn a ‘faggy pantywaist pink.’
4.) Sudden realization that Patrick Leahy is a partisan hack and a liar.

Strom Thurmond Emits Fiery SpeechPost + Comments

Chris Rock asked on his first comedy album:

Q: Who is more racist? Black people, or white people?

A: Black people- cuz we don’t even like other black people.

Check out these charming remarks from Harry Belafonte:

Belafonte, appearing on San Diego’s 760 KFMB, told host Ted Leitner that Powell was like a plantation slave who moves into the slave owner’s house and only says what his master wants him to say.

“There’s an old saying,” Belafonte began. “In the days of slavery, there were those slaves who lived on the plantation and were those slaves that lived in the house. You got the privilege of living in the house if you served the master… exactly the way the master intended to have you serve him.

“Colin Powell’s committed to come into the house of the master. When Colin Powell dares to suggest something other than what the master wants to hear, he will be turned back out to pasture.”

Hey Harry- I have seen your daughter naked in Playboy. Thbbbt!

Chris Rock asked on hisPost + Comments

Have You Ever Noticed

Every time that there are protestors on Capitol Hill, they are immediately ushered away from cameras and then arrested. Why don’t they ever arrest them on the spot? Is it because they don’t want to set the precedent of arresting someone for saying something stupid on the floor of the Senate?

Actually, that is probably a good idea. Both Senators from West Virginia would be incarcerated already if public stupidity were a crime.

Have You Ever Noticed EveryPost + Comments

Crazy In NY

A postal worker protesting human rights abuses in North Korea jumped over the fence in front of the United Nations today and fired seven shots in the air and at the main tower before he was arrested by guards.

Do you think the U.N. is going to spend some time soul-searching? Why do they hate us? Should we look for root causes?

Scrappleface comments.

Crazy In NY A postalPost + Comments

Check Please…

I love it when companies try to take something old and re-market it to appear as if it is an innovation. Tonight while watching Monk, I saw a commercial for Outback Steakhouse. It seems they have something new called “Call-Ahead Seating.”

We call that “Reservations” here in sophisticated West Virginia.

Check Please… I love itPost + Comments

Can Anyone Follow The Damned Law?

This is not the same as the direct manipulation by the Dems in NJ, but this is just as damned infuriating:

Katherine Harris, the states Chief Election Officer, stepped down as Secretary of State to comply with Florida law after discovering that she had made a procedural mistake. Florida’s resign-to-run law requires candidates to file a letter stating their intent to resign immediately when he/she qualifies to run for another office. If candidates don’t do so, state law says they must resign immediately. When Harris qualified to run for the 13th Congressional District, the letter should have been filed that day.

You know what? I think I am just gonna go out and shoot up some drugs, beat some people, rob some stores, and then drive home drunk. Why? Cuz I can. The law in the United States apparently means nothing.

*** Update ***

Reader P.S. from Kent, WA, writes this:

“Regarding your claim today about the former Florida Sec’y of State: First, you’ve got the law wrong (but, almost everyone else does too). This peculiar law requires a current state officeholder who chooses to run for a different office (rather than run for re-election to his/current one) to resign immediately upon filing for the new position.

UNLESS, that person files a piece of paper notifying potential candidates for the office currently held, that, in effect, there will be no incumbent running for re-election. If that paper is filed on time, then the incumbent can continue in his/her office until the term expires, all the while campaigning for the new office to which he/she aspires.

Again, this is a peculiar law, that as far as I know is unique to Florida. However, Katherine Harris quite logically concluded it was moot in her case. Because the Sec’y of State position was abolished as an elective office. It is now an appointive office, thus there is no one to notify about an incumbent-free position available for which to run.

Interestingly, the Democrat state Attorney General Bob Butterworth also concluded this law didn’t apply to him, because he was term-limited and could not run for re-election. I don’t find his argument as strong as Harris’s.

But, Harris, when challenged about it, resigned the position. Contrast that with the conduct of the Democrats in New Jersey!

Further, I’ve heard this bandied about by recipients of DNC Talking Points Memoes (no doubt written by James Carville), including Alan Combs on FOX, that this has something to do with Harris’s eligibility to run for Congress. That’s not true. There’s no such penalty I’m aware of.”

So I stand corrected. She did not break the law. I didn’t do drugs, beat anyone up, rob anybody, or drive drunk last night either. Thank you for the correction.

Can Anyone Follow The DamnedPost + Comments