Weekend Open Thread

Welcome to your weekend open thread. I hope everyone is enjoying the summer weather. I have no weekend plans this weekend but to hopefully get my deceased iTouch restored. Wish me luck!

Another judging controversy – this time messing with the kids at the National Spelling Bee. Why do adults do these things to kids?

Round Six of the 2010 Scripps National Spelling Bee began with 19 contestants, one of whom had been reinstated after a previous judging controversy. Between the several commercial breaks, only four of the first 13 to spell got their words correct. The primetime broadcast typically begins with around a dozen spellers, so it seemed like the pool was being whittled far too quickly.

After yet another ESPN commercial break, the Bee organizers then announced that all 10 remaining spellers on stage — the four who had already gotten words right, and the six who had yet to spell — would advance to the ABC primetime broadcast on Friday night. The order of spellers, I should note, is based on the alphabetical order of their home state. So the remaining kid from Texas was in, while both kids from California — who had already spelled and missed — were out.

…

And then, chaos. There was some scripted bit involving Shaquille O’Neal. Everyone was trying to take pictures of Shaq. Organizers were attempting to set up a press conference for the 10 remaining spellers, less than half of whom had actually qualified for what is known as the championship round. Parents of at least one recently eliminated speller tried shouting out questions to Paige Kimble, the Bee director, and she tried to silence them.

So basically they screwed the nine kids who were already out because of TV promos. The organizers said that the remaining six who hadn’t spelled would be treated the same – that is they had to spell a word right to get into the next round and that they all would get the same prizes. We all know that’s not true, those nine kids didn’t get to go on TV while the other six did. What a boneheaded move by the organizers of the Spelling Bee.

I guess the reality of gay marriage in some states hasn’t dampened Rush Limbaugh’s ardor for marriage. He’s getting married the the 4th time today.

Conservative talk radio king Rush Limbaugh is getting married for a fourth time – and Elton John will sing at the reception.

The Palm Beach Post reports that the 59-year-old Limbaugh is getting married Saturday night to 33-year-old Kathryn Rogers in a Hawaiian-themed affair. About 400 people are expected to attend at the swank Breakers Hotel.

The Post says Limbaugh and Rogers met six years ago when he played in a celebrity golf tournament she ran. He was divorcing his third wife at the time. They became a couple three years ago.

I’m sure this time it will last, because Limbaugh has a great respect for women.