Welcome back to our weekly installment of Stop the Stupid. It is amazing how very ridiculous the world seems when you are actually looking at it with jaded eyes. This is how I am beginning to feel with Stop the Stupid. So without any further delay, here we go!
1. Our American cousins were full of stupidity this week. They seem to thrive on it. The leader of the stupids was in typically fine form, when on Tuesday while meeting with the president of the Philippines, he remarked: "I am reminded of the great talent of our Philippine-Americans every time I eat dinner at the White House." The man just makes it way too easy. Oh my God!! Stupid hopefully ends in the White House on January 21, 2009!!!
2. In the latest installment of "Hypocrisy: Thy name is Republican", comes word from the race for an open congressional seat in Oregon. It seems that the GOP nominee, an avowed Right to Lifer who has accepted the endorsement and backing of the Pro-Life movement in Oregon, is facing allegations that he knowingly pressures and paid for a former girlfriend's abortion in 2000-2001! The Oregonian has published a detailed accounting of the women's story including medical records and receipts. For his part, the congressional candidate says that he gave her the $300.00 for some unknown medical procedure and that he had no knowledge of the termination. Needless to say, his congressional aspirations have taken a serious blow due to his hypocritical stupidity!!
3. The pro-gun factions in both countries had a mixed week of stupidity. In the States, the Supreme Court ruled on the legitimacy of the Second Amendment for the first time in US history. In a narrow ruling, the court affirmed the rights of American citizens to own handguns and rifles for the purposes of self-defense and hunting, striking down a law banning said weapons in the District of Columbia. It seems rather implausible to me that the framers of the Constitution could have foreseen American society in 2008 with it's proliferation of automatic and semi-automatic weapons, and that this is what they had in mind when they spoke of an armed militia. 80 million Americans own guns. That is one in five!!! The stupidity defies logic. On this side of the border, the geniuses at Toronto City Hall voted overwhelmingly to remove 2 target shooting clubs from city property, thinking that this measure might curb gun violence on the streets. While I have no use for gun clubs and even less use for city council, this seems like a stupid waste of the city's time and resources. How about fixing the infrastructure problems STUPID!!!
4. The city of Bracebridge decided to show their patriotic verve this week, by hoisting Canadian and Ontario flags in preparation for it's Canada celebrations next week. The flags failed to follow proper flag-flying protocol. (Who knew?) Rather than flying free in the wind, the flags are affixed to frames so that they are permanently stretched their full length. Oy! The flap heard across the province! Who really cares? Shouldn't the fact that the city of Bracebridge cares enough to fly the flags in the first place, be the real story? Stop the Stupid!!
5. This one from my friend LN who is noticing the increased stupidity of signs around the city. Two that caught her eye really illustrate her point. "Road closed--Sorry for the inconvenience", as if it might actually be inconvenient. Or her favourite, usually seen at pay booths for parking garages - "Use two lanes" - a little selfish and dangerous, wouldn't you say? There must be more! Send us more stupid signs seen around the city and I will post them.
6. Vaughn City Council!! I am at a loss for words. I live in the "City Above Toronto" and have been witness to the stench of their politics for almost 20 years. Since the death of the beloved mayor almost 10 years ago, the rate payers of Vaughn have had to live through one smarmy politician after another. The city council is truly dysfunctional in that they all loathe each other and as such haven't been able to do any constructive city work in years. Now comes word that the mayor who was elected on a platform of integrity and cleaning up the mess will be charged with election fraud. Not only that, but the deputy mayor, who hates the mayor with a passion, is also being investigated for election fraud. The stupidity is too rampant to really believe.
Have a wonderfully stupid-free Shabbat and an equally easy long weekend. Summer is finally here so let's enjoy!!!
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