Thursday, August 20, 2009

Thursday Afternoon Potpourri

I was going to post a nice picture of Michelle Obama getting off Air Force One in a nice pair of shorts, and discuss the minor kerfluffle that has come up about it, but the picture won't post, even though I talked really nicely to my computer. Oh, well, here's a link instead. As you can see she looks good--really. She's not a waif, she's a woman. Here's the discussion part: I have no problem with it in this context. She is on vacation. She isn't meeting anyone, or doing official business. I think some of the flap is from conservatives who will criticize anything the Obamas do. I think some of it is generational. Our generation (I am 10 months older than the president) is much less formal. We are more willing to dress down. If you want to see an example of the change, check out some of the older sports photos. Everyone is dressed up. You dressed up to see your sports team play. Now, you might dress up, but certainly not in a coat and tie!

Elections are taking place in Afghanistan today and so far, there has been minor violence and per msnbc 26 deaths but not the chaos the Taliban were threatening. The people there are very discouraged by the results of their last election, and have been threatened, so it will be interesting to see the turnout. So far, the turnout is reported to be "millions". The area is so riven by centuries old conflicts and has so many cultures within it, and is so backwards--I mean stuck in the 18th and 19th centuries when I say this--that it is just about impossible to centrally govern. Pray for the people of Afghanistan, that they will find their way out of the darkness of unmerciful, un-graceful Islam.

A young woman by the name of Castor Semenya from the Republic of South Africa has won the 800 meters race at the World Track and Field Championships. She'll receive her medal, but they are going to test her genetic gender. This takes a little while to process, she gets to keep her medal until a problem is demonstrated. Here's a link, so you can see her photo. To me, she looks like a female in the head and neck--no prominent Adam's Apple, feminine facial features--and like a guy in the body. She doesn't appear to have external genitalia of a man (can't hide much while wearing those tight track shorts). This is more complicated than it looks: She could be female and 1) doping--injecting testosterone 2) have abnormal hormone levels naturally. She could be male and have been born with weird abnormal genitals, and the doctors cut them off, and her family raised her female. So we'll follow along with you, and await the results.

I am planning an entry on what cars people may be collecting in the future. I was thinking of it when cash for clunkers started. Oh, it just hurts my car loving soul that engines are being deliberately destroyed by this program. I wince every time I think about it. So, reader, any cars of the past 20-30 years you can think of that could generate enough passion that folks would collect them?

Future classic?

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