Category: Politics

‘Pull your pants up’

In case you’ve seen them, or haven’t seen them yet, new billboards are going up around town to support Dallas Deputy Mayor Dwaine Caraway‘s fashion police initiative to encourage everyone to ‘Pull your pants up.’ Dallas rapper Dooney ‘Da Priest has even gotten involved and produced a song and video to help spread the message. Maybe I need to add that to the OrangeNoiseRadio rotation.

From NPR:

Dooney says that most of the boys and young men who are saggin’ don’t know where it really comes from. But another word for saggin’ is jailin’.
“They don’t know why their pants are low … They think it’s a fad, or it’s something to do or it’s cool. And I say, ‘Well, No … it come from behind the bars.'”
Clear Channel has agreed to donate billboard space around town and Dooney designed a billboard showing him with his arms crossed, standing in front of downtown Dallas.
Dallas is not the first city to confront saggin’. Shreveport, La., Atlanta and Stratford, Conn., have discussed passing laws. But Dallas is taking a different approach, trying for the hearts and minds of its young people.
Glad folks in Dallas have time to worry about such things.

Watch the news report from Fox 4 News:

And listen to the report and song by Rapper Dooney Da’ Priest from NPR/KERA.

The founding fathers and the battle over church and state

From KERA’s Think:

What role did religion play in the founding of our nation? This highly-debated topic is the subject of Dr. Forrest Church’s new book “So Help Me God: The Founding Fathers and the First Great Battle Over Church and State” (Harcourt, 2007).

I’m listening to the program now. Sounds very interesting – take 45 minutes or so and give it a listen – then share your comments.

conservativism in 2007

Moby makes some great interesting points on his blog about the current state of the GOP and conservatives in 2007.
As I mentioned earlier, it seems like the “top runners” for the GOP nomination want to argue about who’s more conservative than the other. For some reason it brings to mind, “The first shall be last and the last shall be first.”
But either way, Moby asks, “What does it mean to be a conservative in 2007?” He gave his list and I want to share my thoughts (surprise surprise Rick Reynolds ;-))
I don’t know if my thoughts make me a conservative or not – I’d consider myself more of a moderate – but see what you think and share your thoughts.
Continue reading conservativism in 2007

What are reporters saying about Iraq

After serving as a journalist in Iraq on 21 different trips, what do you think you would have to say and report?
Tom Bullock reports:

My last view of Baghdad will be of the city by air. I will leave frustrated at that death of that golden era of pizza parlors and barber shops; frustrated with Iraqi’s I’ve talked to who proudly say “we are all brothers,” then take up arms against each other; frustrated with American military and civilian officials who stand up and say everything in Iraq is working, then when they leave write books about how everything in Iraq has failed and its not their fault.
And I’m pained by the number of people I’ve personally known who’ve been killed here: journalists, Iraqis and American soldiers.

This is a must listen. Take a few minutes and listen to what Bullock reports.

First Baby Boomer applies for Social Secuirty

Kathy Casey Kirschling was the first Baby Boomer to apply for Social Security benefits. She was born Jan. 1, 1946.
There’s only 80 million other Baby Boomers coming behind her.
NPR’s “Wait, Wait, Don’t Tell Me” said the Social Security Admin said, “There’s no reason to panic,” however they did recommend that other Baby Boomers learn to acquire a taste for cat food.

Read more from the Social Security Office