Wednesday Open Thread [10.29.13]

Wednesday Open Thread [10.29.13]

9 Comments
The News Journal has a haunted house expose up. Here is an interesting tidbit from the story:
Former Delaware GOP Chairman Terry Strine, for example, feels exactly the opposite of Milliken about his home near Centreville where a Delaware socialite was beaten to death in her first-floor bedroom in 1967. He finds it “totally illogical, irrational and psychologically crazy” that anyone would be spooked from buying the house where Katharine “Kaa” Thompson Wood died.
In fact, he enjoys conversing with the undead spirits every night as he refines the latest Republican talking points.

Rampant child rape and abuse going unreported

4 Comments
A new study says that each year approximately 7,500 children are admitted to U.S. hospitals having been raped and more than 500 children die during hospital admission as a result of rape.
An abstract of the study, titled "United States Child Rape--Disturbing Trends," was presented on Sunday by researchers at the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) National Conference and Exhibition in Orlando, Fla.
  Why isn't it a national scandal that this isn't covered in the media? It is almost as if someone is covering it up? Oh wait. I changed "gunshot" to "rape." Here is the original.
Tuesday Open Thread [10.29.13]

Tuesday Open Thread [10.29.13]

32 Comments
So last night I attended the Delaware Democratic Party's annual Jefferson-Jackson Dinner. My thoughts: 1) Dem Party Chair John Daniello really hates the 21st Century. He hates the blogs. He hates social media. The venom that dripped off the word "blogs" as he said it was amazing. I looked across my table to a particular State Representative as he said and said "Boy does he hate me." The Representative laughed. The point Daniello was making was that the people in that room are what is important, not blogs and Facebook or Twitter. I wonder if Daniello realized just how many bloggers and former bloggers and users of Twitter and Social Media were in that room. 2) Senator Carper needs to stop drinking caffeine around noon or so. The man spoke at warp speed and wandered around the stage with a microphone in his hand making jokes like he was Robin Williams. Too bad he wasn't as funny as Robin Williams. Also, Tom, for the love of God, it is the DemocratIC Party. I know you just love love love your Republican friends (or should I say Republic friends), but you have been talking like them for far too long. Come inside for more...
The 62 Project: #’s 27 & 35

The 62 Project: #’s 27 & 35

15 Comments
Rebecca Walker has, on paper, the kind of background I look for in a legislator--demonstrated accomplishment in arenas other than politics. She's both a nurse and an attorney, and has practiced in each field. Ernie Lopez first ran for office in New Castle County. I voted for him. Why? Because he was clearly the better candidate when he ran against the ghastly Paul Clark for County Council President in 2004.
15 years ago, Congress kept Mickey Mouse out of the public domain. Will they do it again?

15 years ago, Congress kept Mickey Mouse out of the public domain. Will they do it again?

15 years already? I remember when this money grab went down. If you ever want to get pissed off at the BILLIONS in welfare that gets doled out to wealthy individuals and corporations, just look at copyright law. It is a sick joke. I distinctly remember writing to Senator Joe Biden's office to tell him that extending copyrights on books that should be moving into the public domain (like the Great Gatsby, for example) amounted to a HUGE tax on schools and school districts. His response was, "Go fuck yourself. The Gershwin's and Disney just wrote me some fat checks. What have you contributed?" Something to that effect. Maybe that's a paraphrase.