MINOR STORIES ABOUT INTERESTING TIMES

May you live in interesting times is an ancient Chinese aphorism and, for better or worse, we seem to be living in very interesting times. Whether our times will be times to remember fondly is another matter entirely.

None of the following stories come close to matching the newsworthiness of the debacle in Illinois where Governor Rod Blagosomething had a rude awakening this morning and was carted off to the hoosegow for being what is traditional for Illinois governors, a crook: http://www.cnsnews.com/public/content/article.aspx?RsrcID=40546.

However, they all have to qualify as being interesting for various reasons.

BLACK GOV ON BLACKS

Governor-By-Scandal David Patterson of New York made a witty, racist remark at the Gridiron Dinner the other night in New York. During the gag-filled occasion, he said, “Once you go black you can’t go back”: http://www.politico.com/blogs/anneschroeder/1208/Gov_David_Paterson_at_the_Gridiron_He_said_what_.html?showall. His quip was a reference to the election of the nation’s first black president and his own ascendance to the governorship by virtue of previous Governor Spitzer’s inability to keep his zipper zipped. Okay, it was meant in jest, I suppose, but imagine the uproar had a white governor made an equivalent remark. Think Senator Trent Lott and Rush Limbaugh. Double standard, anyone?

A DAY WITHOUT A GAY

Back in the old days, Americans who like to protest would do it actively by sending a letter of complaint or by taking to the streets and marching and chanting and waving placards. Protesters still do that of course but gay protesters are adding a new wrinkle....

(Read the rest of this article at http://genelalor.com/.)