Camera Protester Running for Office

With Jason Mumpower dropping out of the race for Tennessee State Representative, Lee White, a camera protester, may be the only Republican in the race. I don't know much about him, but I will definitely be giving him a strong look.

Based on my previous post on protesting these cameras during race weekend, it looks like we think alike on at least one thing.

Attention Bristol Race Fans - Get Ready to Have Your Pocket Picked

Not surprisingly, the speed cameras and red light cameras will not be shut off for race weekend. Why would they? It will be a big jackpot weekend for the scameras. Unsuspecting people will come to town to voluntarily spend their money and will get home to find something in their mailbox that will forever leave a bad impression of our area.

I wonder if it would be legal for local residents who value our race visitors to walk up and down the highway in the area of the cameras and waive a yellow flag. Someone could then waive a green flag when safely past the cameras. If it's legal, it ought to be fun and appreciated by the visitors.

People ride bikes up and down that road all the time. Maybe they could put a sign on the back of their bike like I've seen before. Here are some sign ideas:

1. Slow Down or Bend Over
2. Scamera Ahead - Check your Speed
3. Jesus Saves - Bluff City Steals - Speed Camera Ahead

That said, I'd guess the local dippities would find some trumped up charge to try and prevent this, maybe "impeding traffic" or some other overly broad and vague charge. The probably wouldn't want the first amendment to get in the way of them trashing the rest of the Constitution.

Bad Wreck in Piney Flats - Just Past the Speed Cameras

Driving through Piney Flats this evening, I saw the unfortunate aftermath of what appeared to be a rather bad wreck. It was just past the speed cameras which were supposed to dramatically reduce the number of accidents in the area. This accident appeared to be just like so many others that occur in this area (or along any major highway that lacks limited access). Since I only saw the aftermath, I can only guess what happened here but it appeared that a likely inattentive driver simply pulled out in front of oncoming traffic. The person on the 4-lane skidded to try and avoid impact, but it was to no avail. The driver of the car who pulled onto the highway was likely seriously injured or worse.

It was unfortunate I am not making light of the situation at all. That said, there is no way that speed cameras can prevent accidents like this and it is just as likely that they contributed to the accident. If people are staring at their speedometers, they are paying less attention to the road. Again, I'm not saying that is what happened here. By all appearances, the person on the highway made every effort to avoid impact.

Those who believe speed cameras are a panacea for accidents like this are much like the drivers who often cause them - they simply aren't paying attention.

I pray that the people are unhurt.

Calling all Race Pimps

Black Barbie doll sold at a Wal-Mart for less than the white Barbie doll. Eugene Volokh discusses the practical import of the race-baiting (my phraseology):

But what puzzled me about the story is that it didn’t discuss the effects of the price cut: (1) It disproportionately saved money for black parents (assuming, as is likely, that black parents are the ones who are more likely to buy black dolls). (2) It also made it more likely that white parents would buy the black doll for their white children, which might have broadened their child’s racial horizons (a symbolic effect on the child, perhaps, but the article is all about symbolic effects).

Zero Tolerance Idiocy

You just can't make this stuff up. Moronic school suspends student after another student stuck a pill in her hand.

More guns equals less crime

The drop in the murder rate in Washington, D.C. after Heller is nothing short of amazing. You will recall that Heller struck down DC's draconian handgun laws. I'm holding my breath until ABC News reports this. Oh, nevermind.

The Other R-Word

Special Olympics and other groups are working to rid our language of "retarded," or as they call it, the "r-word." I generally oppose efforts to remove words from our language; I think the focus should be placed on removing the perjorative use of the word rather than the use of the word entirely. Despite my views on the PC movement, I am generally sympathetic to their position.

That said, there is another r-word that is overused to a much greater degreee - racism. Some people see it everywhere, because they simply are race-baiters. Some use the word to draw attention to themselves so they can feel like they are somehow more evolutionary advanced than the rest of us. Some use it whenever a white person disagrees with a person of color. I suspect it is misused more often than "retarded" and probably has more long-lasting effects on our culture. Here are a few recent examples of misuse of "racism" or "racist."

Rather than trying to stop the use of words, why don't we just call people out on it when they misuse them? These words serve a useful purpose in that regard. If someone misuses either r-word, we know so much more about what kind of person they are. That is a "tell" that is worth requiring some among us to grow a thicker skin.