It’s well known that California never met a law it didn’t like, but now it appears New York state is following the lead. A couple of weeks ago a state senator proposed banning using electronic devices when crossing the intersections in major cities such as New York City. Apparently three pedestrians were killed by cars while crossing streets and were found to be using iPods. They would be ticketed $100 if spotted by police.

I traveled to New York City for five years in a row when I was a magazine writer to cover a press event. It was the early to mid-90′s, and I noticed something about people crossing the streets there, I called it “The Lemming Effect”. They would be reading newspapers, magazines, any number of things besides paying attention to the lights. They would see movement out of the corner of their eye, they’d step in to the street thinking they had the signal. This was pre iPod mind you, and cell phones were just picking up speed. Some people weren’t even reading or using anything, they were just zoned out. Also, I really can not see cops taking time out of their day to cite people for using electronic devices when crossing the street.

Now there’s a new one, a different state senator is proposing banning “spinner” hubcaps as a distraction. His law, however, would not ban hubcaps with built in LED lights or advertisements. On the third citation, it would be a $750 fine for the spinners.

This is government as “nanny” in my eyes. These are pointless laws where these men feel they have to hold your hand and help you cross the street. They are nothing but a burden on the people who have to enforce them, on the courts, and on the government itself. No distractions when crossing the street? Ok, you’d better include newspapers and magazines. What about people who get lost in their own thoughts? Deaf and blind people? This is silly and a waste of time. The government has to stop trying to be our parents and protecting us from ourselves.

I am sure these men have the best of intentions, but they are just silly laws that do nothing but irritate people, take up valuable police time and do nothing but further take away personal rights. How about concentrating on actual problems like state budgets?

Could we please get finished with THIS election before we start talking about the 2008 Presidential? As I write this, this one isn’t even finished yet, and it seems to be more about the ’08 election than anything. I know this is normal, but come on folks! Clinton, McCain, it doesn’t matter which side, they are all posturing and it just seems silly when this night isn’t even over.

Six years.

It’s been six years since the 2000 election debacle and I am oddly not surprised to find this:

Computer glitches and poll workers’ unfamiliarity with the new equipment were also blamed for long lines in such states as Tennessee, South Carolina and Illinois.

How, HOW, can you have not had intensive training on the new machines to avoid mishaps today? This article states many places just chucked the machines and went to stand-by paper ballots. GOOD!

I am sure people are thinking “Oh Sean, that will mean hanging chads again!”. Well…no. My county did something interesting this time. Next to each candidate there was an arrow pointing to their name, broken in to thirds. To vote for the person, you had to draw a line, with a pen, between the first part and last part of the arrow. It’s fairly lengthy, so just one pen dot, like you thought about it, won’t be enough to complete the arrow, it’s closer to an inch in length you had to draw in. Archaic? Yes. Fool proof? Probably not. Made me feel more comfortable than using an electronic voting machine that can be hacked? HELL YES!

It’s finally here. Now let the flippin’ ads stop!

No matter which way you lean, please do go vote. I love people who don’t vote and then site around complaining about it. So please, no matter what, do get out and vote today! For the record, I already did. Yep, in Missouri you only need to go by the County Clerk’s office and ask to vote absentee and they don’t even ask why you are voting. So I voted 2 weeks ago so I could avoid the rush today and interestingly, I was the 468th person to do so. Both my parents, my grandmother and both employees also did it. A couple of them are actually out of town today, but most of us did it just to avoid the lines today. My feeling is, if the options there, why not use it?

Anyway, come on folks, stop reading this and get out there and vote!

Ok folks, politics have gone waaaaaaaaaaaaay too far when politicians are telling you who to vote for on a silly reality show like Dancing With The Stars. Tom DeLay, the former Republican House Majority Leader, recently sent out an email to his supporters telling them they should vote for country singer Sara Evans in the upcoming third edition of the hit show.

Sara Evans has been a strong supporter of the Republican Party and represents good American values in the media. From singing at the 2004 Republican Convention to appearing with candidates in the last several election cycles, we have always been able to count on Sara for her support of the things we all believe in. Let’s show Sara that same support by watching and voting for her each week to help her win this competition.

and

One of her opponents on the show is ultra liberal talk show host Jerry Springer. We need to send a message to Hollywood and the media that smut has no place on television by supporting good people like Sara Evans.

(Quotes from here, I can’t find a copy of the unedited email anywhere)

When we start voting along personal politics on a DANCING SHOW, I’m thinking the crazy train has gone off the tracks and is headed straight in to Nutty Land. (It’s just slightly pass Candy Land, but before the Gum Drop Forest) If you want to vote for Sara Evans based on her DANCING ability, go for it, but to vote for her “to send a message to Hollywood and the media that smut has no place on television” is just stupid. It’s not going to send anyone a message! I wouldn’t even be saying anything if DeLay had simply said “Hey, she’s my friend, throw her some votes.”, instead he turned it in to a war of politics and morals. I honestly don’t know a thing about her, but I know I would vote on ability, not beliefs.

I’ve said on this blog for ages that I like to remain politically neutral for the sake of my business, but anymore I really can’t stand either party. The endless bickering, pettiness, and shouting back and forth over utter non-sense has just turned me off to the whole political process. Nothing of real substance gets done any more, and though I know DeLay has left the House now, this is a perfect example of it. Dancing With The Stars is mindless, harmless, entertainment, and now it’s being turned in to a battleground for politics?

I don’t have any particular love for Springer, but I don’t begrudge him the niche he fills on television. Quite frankly, he doesn’t strike me as a dancer, he’ll be out in the first few rounds. I just hope Evans goes soon also so this silliness can be left behind. I watch DWTS (yes, I do watch it) to wind down after a long day at work, not to carry on a war against “smut” on television. My big question is when Tucker Carlson will get the backing of the National Bowtie Brigade. They must send a message to all non-bowtie wearers!

A couple of days ago, the House of Representatives voted 317-93 to ban most forms of payment to online gambling web sites. According to news reports, the $12 Billion-per-year industry was making it too easy for young people to make themselves bankrupt.

So, let’s think about this for a moment. Upwards of $12 Billion dollars a year is floating around that the government could have taxed, but instead they choose to ban it all together. Was this really for the greater good? Were they really protecting you? I was not aware that the government was my parent and when I misbehaved with something they would just take it away from me. I guess everyone just got grounded.

People are putting themselves in to debt with online gambling and people need to be protected from this. Um…ok, are we now going to ban $4000 plasma TVs? $30,000 H3 Hummers? 30 year mortgages? I mean, all those things could lead people to debt and bankruptcy. If I don’t know how to manage my money, I could just as easily make myself bankrupt buying material goods. I guess that’s ok though since the government gets a cut of those sales.

It would seem that when someone can’t manage their own life, it’s time to pass a law about it punishing everyone, even those responsible enough to handle their own lives. How about you just let me spend my money the way I see fit. (for the record, I have never gambled online)