just sayin’

The new year continues to please.  My beloved 49ers avenged a regular-season loss AND advanced to the NFC championship game with a convincing road win over the Carolina Panthers Sunday.  The political problems for Chris Christie — the GOP’s best (only, really) hope for 2016 — are piling up higher than debris from Superstorm Sandy.  Quadra is getting lots of rain after three unusually dry months.  Our logging project is unfolding nicely.  I’m having a meeting this week about possible production of a play I’m writing.

I’m scattered more than my usual pleasant fog today as I consider the possibilities straight ahead, but I did have two items I wanted to share.

(1)   The Omaha Police Officers Association recently posted a video on its website that alerted us to the newest threat to democracy.  In it an African-American toddler exchanged about 35 swear words (including “ho’ bitch”) with some adults.  The Association felt compelled to release it to show the “cycle of thuggery” that seemingly plagues Omaha.  Police removed the toddler and three other children from the home, even though the city prosecutor said no crime had been committed.

The kid did flip off the adults, but apparently that’s not illegal even in Nebraska.  Plus, according to International Business Times, he also used the words “b____ a__ n_____”.  No wonder he’s in trouble.  I remember how upset my mom would get with me if I even uttered “h___”, “d___” or “s___”.

In an alternate universe, Will Farrell and Adam McKay launched their comedy video website Funny or Die in 2007 with a short bit featuring McKay’s 2-year-old daughter Pearl.  Pearl played Farrell’s abusive landlady, calling him “bitch” and “asshole”.  The clip has had 80 million views.  Entertainment Weekly put it on its end-of-the-decade “best-of” list.  Pearl was not removed from the McKay home.  Presumably she is still exposed to the thug cycle.

(2)   Although I pride myself on my channel-surfing skills, I sometimes inadvertently see commercials.  One of the most ubiquitous ads I can’t quite avoid is for ChristianMingle.com, which can “find God’s match for you”.  A teary-eyed woman confides in us, voice cracking, that her new-found love is her second chance.  I’m not Christian and I only mingle with Jude, but I find this patently offensive.  I’m fairly certain that no supreme being would get involved with capitalism.  Ask Pope Frank.  He’s infallible.

The website is run by Sparks Networks, Inc., established in 1997.  Its stock on the NYSE today is trading for about $6 a share.  The corporation is based in Los Angeles, well known for Jewish entertainers, Korean shopkeepers, pagan surfers, profane thugs and the vaguely noncommittal.  Sparks does have additional offices in Utah, but it’s unclear how the Mormon influence might affect this.