And Now, The Next Float In The GOP Sexual Hypocrite Parade

Ken AshfordSex ScandalsLeave a Comment

Glenn Murphy, Jr. is the recently elected chairman of the Young Republican National Federation (also the RNC Chair for Clark County, Indiana and formerly the YRNF Secretary).  When he was elected president of the YRs last month, he told his hometown newspaper, “I will essentially be the mouthpiece and effective leader for the tens of thousands of Young Republicans, 18 … Read More

I Hate The Westboro Baptist Church

Ken AshfordGodstuff1 Comment

I really do: The Westboro Baptist Church of Topeka, Kan., plans to stage protests at funerals of victims of the 35W bridge collapse to state that God made the bridge fall because he hates America, and especially Minnesota, because of its tolerance of homosexuality. The church and its pastor, the Rev. Fred Phelps, have become notorious over recent years for … Read More

aka “The Fox/Henhouse Law”

Ken AshfordWiretapping & SurveillanceLeave a Comment

Today’s Washington Post: The Bush administration plans to leave oversight of its expanded foreign eavesdropping program to the same government officials who supervise the surveillance activities and to the intelligence personnel who carry them out, senior government officials said yesterday. The law, which permits intercepting Americans’ calls and e-mails without a warrant if the communications involve overseas transmission, gives Director … Read More

Obama Girl

Ken AshfordElection 2006Leave a Comment

I confess: I don’t get all the hub-bub and titters regarding the fact that Giuliani’s daughter, age 17, has declared herself (in her Facebook profile) to be a "liberal" and a supporter of Barack Obama. Both Rudy’s kids from his second wife are estranged from him.  Are they somehow still obligated to adopt the same political philsophies as him?

Court Case Of The Day

Ken AshfordConstitution, Election 2008Leave a Comment

The Ninth Circuit has held that vote-swap sites are protected by the First Amendment. What’s a vote-swap site?  The Ninth Circuit explains: Appellants created two websites, voteswap2000.com and votexchange2000.com, that encouraged people to “swap” their votes and provided email-based mechanisms for doing so. The vote-swap mechanisms enabled third-party supporters in a swing state such as Florida or Ohio to agree … Read More

’08 Guide

Ken AshfordElection 20081 Comment

I’m intentionally avoiding Election ’08 blogging, because it’s all going to change a lot over the next few months, and I don’t want to get burnout. But this handy chart is pretty cool.  You’ll need to click on it to get the full thing.  It’s a chart of 18 Democratic and Republican presidential candidates and their positions on 25 issues … Read More

Texting While Driving

Ken AshfordRandom MusingsLeave a Comment

89% of Americans surveyed think it should be outlawed. 56% of Americans admit that they’ve done it. Sounds about right.  And, by the way… guilty as charged. UPDATE:  Of course, it could be worse: Police in the Baltic state of Estonia stopped a man who was driving erratically at the weekend, only to find he was blind. The 20-year-old was … Read More

756

Ken AshfordRandom MusingsLeave a Comment

If it were anyone other than Barry Bonds, and the fact that he — you know — cheated to get this high, I would be all into the hype, just as I was several decades ago when Hank Aaron shattered Ruth’s record. But Bonds, you know, cheated.   I think he should get the record — obviously, he can’t not get … Read More

On Clutter

Ken AshfordRandom MusingsLeave a Comment

A good essay: And unless you’re extremely organized, a house full of stuff can be very depressing. A cluttered room saps one’s spirits. One reason, obviously, is that there’s less room for people in a room full of stuff. But there’s more going on than that. I think humans constantly scan their environment to build a mental model of what’s … Read More

A Novel Approach To Health Care

Ken AshfordHealth CareLeave a Comment

Is this coming to an employer near you? For employees at Clarian Health, feeling the burn of trying to lose weight will take on new meaning. In late June, the Indianapolis-based hospital system announced that starting in 2009, it will fine employees $10 per paycheck if their body mass index [BMI, a ratio of height to weight that measures body … Read More

Little Late, Isn’t It?

Ken AshfordDisasters, RepublicansLeave a Comment

Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty (R) has always, like a good little Republican, been strongly against raising taxes (especially against the wealthy).  In the past two years, he has twice vetoed legislation to raise the state’s gas tax to pay for transportation needs.  Needs, like, oh, building better bridges. Now, with at least five people dead in the collapse of the … Read More

What’s Your House’s Walk Score?

Ken AshfordRandom Musings2 Comments

What is Walk Score? Walk Score helps people find walkable places to live. Walk Score calculates the walkability of an address by locating nearby stores, restaurants, schools, parks, etc: 90 – 100 = Walkers’ Paradise: Most errands can be accomplished on foot and many people get by without owning a car. 70 – 90 = Very Walkable: It’s possible to … Read More

Bad Excuse

Ken AshfordCrime, Republicans, Sex ScandalsLeave a Comment

A month or so ago, I wrote about the Florida state congressman Bob Allen (a proud member of the GOP, of course) who was busted for soliciting sex.  Specifically, he offered $20 to an undercover police for a blowjob.  Not to get a blowjob; Allen paid $20 to give one to the undercover officer. Well, a little more has been … Read More