Marathon Pundit

Friday, December 31, 2010

From Publius Forum: The entertainment industry’s PC year in review

The Tea Party movement as one of Captain America's villains? Batman assisting a Muslim superhero in France? More flop anti-Iraq War films? White sheriffs shooting innocent Mexicans?

What is this mayhem?

Why, it's our politically-correct entertainment industry and Publius Forum looks at 2010 in PC-land.

By the way, what religion is Batman, anyway?

Related post:

Captain America comic attacks Tea Parties

The Dark Knight parking garage

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movies

entertainment

Repost: Lake Superior State University--home of the Banished Words list

Last summer I visited Michigan's Upper Peninsula and Sault Ste. Marie, home of Lake Superior State University, which released its annual list of banished words this morning. Below follows a repost from my Upper Peninsula Upventure Series.

While in Saulte Ste. Marie, I thought I'd take a look at "old" New Fort Brady.

Click on any image to make it larger.

Michigan's smallest public college, at 3,300 students, is Sault Ste. Marie's Lake Superior State University. Although it does have a NCAA Division I sports program, men's hockey.

Originally a branch of what is now Michigan Tech that opened in 1946, Lake Superior State traces its beginnings to New Fort Brady--the old fort was closer to the St. Mary's River. After World War II, the military figured that an attack from Canada was very unlikely--it donated the fort's buildings and land to the state of Michigan. However, during world wars, the fort hummed with troops--German sabotage against the Soo Locks would have had a devastating effect on our economy--and our war effort.

On the upper left is LSSU's administration building, which was the Quartermaster's Building at New Fort Brady. On the upper right is Brady Hall, a dormitory, it was once a barracks. Over on the lower left is the Fletcher Center, an university office building. When it was part of the fort, the building shelter's the mules of the base. If the LSSU bureaucrats are like some of ones I dealt with when I was in college, I'm sure more than a few students are wondering when the mules are moving out.

Lake Superior State has one claim to international fame. Each year in compiles the banished words list, which is stuffed with hackneyed, contrived, or just plain annoying words. "Carbon footprint, "green" (not the color, but its use as an environmental label), "maverick," "first dude," and "bailout" were among this year's additions.

Thursday, December 30, 2010

Feds charge two for hitting Dem senator in face with pie

While meeting with consituents in northern Michigan in August, Democratic Senator Carl Levin was struck in the face with an apple pie by Ahlam M. Mohsen, a student at Michigan State Unversity.

She did this while her friend, former Ferris State student Max Kantar, read a long anti-war statement during Levin's question and answer session.

This was quite rude for two reasons. During question-and-answer sessions, it's customary to ask questions. Hitting someone in the face in the pie, well, not only is it impolite, it's a crime, which is why Mohsen was charged with two counts of assault today. Blabbermouth Kantar was charged too.

Levin is the chairman of the Senate Committee on Armed Services.

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crime

No post-racial Chicago for Jesse Jackson

The inauguration of Barack Obama as our 44th president was supposed to begin the post-racial version of America. Although there is no love lost between the Reverend Jesse Jackson and his fellow South Sider, it's very disappointing to me that the leader of Rainbow PUSH is still playing the race card.

And the sun will rise in the east tomorrow.

The Chicago Tribune is reporting the the two remaining major African American candidates for Chicago mayor, U.S. Rep. Danny Davis (D-7th) and for US Senator Carol Moseley Braun met with Jackson last night. Jackson wants one of them to drop out so the city's blacks can line up behind one of them--and Chicago can have an African American on the fifth floor of City Hall again.

How not post-racial.

"They know it's going to be difficult to get two candidates through the race. There will be two losers and no winner," Jackson said, according to the Tribune's Clout Street blog. "It's difficult to get one camel through the eye of the needle. It's impossible to get two."

Why not just settle on the best candidate for all Chicagoans, Jesse? Or, have Davis, or if such a thing is possible, Moseley Braun expand their base of support.

Unfortunately, Jackson remains mired in the racism business.

And the sun will set in the west tomorrow evening.

Related posts:

Clownish Carol Moseley Braun wants Sun-Times columnist fired

Danny Davis calls on Bill Clinton to stay out of Chicago mayoral race

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Oil exploration: America is being left behind

Fuel prices keep going up. Why? There is less drilling going on here. I wonder if that oil rig, which I drove past after driving west from Wichita three years ago, is still pumping oil?

The harsher than usual winter in the Northeast is another strain on oil supplies. Most homes are heated by oil there.

Meanwhile, a de facto ban on new oil well permits in the Gulf of Mexico continues.

Yes, we could be looking at $5-a-gallon gasoline prices soon. Meanwhile, the Wall Street Journal (paid registration required) reports that outside of the United States, energy firms are planning to aggressively explore new sources for oil.

America is being left behind. And we'll be paying for it at the pump.

More change I can't believe in.

Related post:

$5-a-gallon gas coming?

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oil

Drill here, drill now

Kansas

Wichita