September, 2010 | Blacknell.net

You Got a Problem With That, Boy?

By MB

On September 8, 2010

Once again, Georgia just makes me shake my head. Â The Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals just ruled that:

there were no racial overtones when a white supervisor called an adult black man â€œboy.â€

â€œThe usages were conversational,â€ the majority explained, repeating what it had told the trial court after the Supreme Court ruled, and â€œnonracial in context.â€ Even if â€œsomehow construed as racial,â€ the unsigned 2-to-1 decision went on, â€œthe comments were ambiguous stray remarksâ€ that were not proof of employment discrimination.

I’m thinking the majority hangs out in the same places that Rep. Lynn Westmoreland does.

Access for All Americans

By MB

On September 8, 2010

In Distribution, Law, Policy

Carl Malamud, who I just realized I might call a personal hero, lays out what information the Federal government owes its citizens.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KemM5-s-bLU[/youtube]

All of it.

American Exceptionalism: Pedestrian Safety

By MB

On September 8, 2010

In DC, Policy

Time points us to GOOD Magazine’s recent:

comp[ilation of] a list of the most dangerous cities for pedestrians, naming 21 urban spots around the globe with the highest fatalities rates for walkers. Topping off the list are Atlanta, Detroit and Los Angeles with 10.97, 10.31 and 7.64 deaths per 100,000 pedestrians. Continuing with its hazardous image, the U.S. manages to take up the first ten slots on the list, with 13 cities named in all.

That’s quite an achievement, America!

New Public Enemy: Say It Like It Really Is

By MB

On September 8, 2010

In Music

New Public Enemy track/video just dropped:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=73F3S5uNe9s[/youtube]

Why Is Pakistan Left Begging For Help?

By MB

On September 7, 2010

In Personal, Society

There’s been some coverage of the remarkable non-response of the world to the flooding and human suffering in Pakistan. Â And there are myriad reasons – But Mosharraf Zaidi gets to the most important issue:

The fact that people in other countries don’t like Pakistan very much doesn’t change the humanity of those affected by the floods or their suffering. It is right and proper to take a critical view of Pakistani politicians, of their myopia and greed.

[ . . . ]

Pakistan has suffered from desperately poor moral leadership, but punishing the helpless and homeless millions of the 2010 floods is the worst possible way to express our rejection of the Pakistani elite and their duplicity and corruption. The poor, hungry, and homeless are not an ISI conspiracy to bilk you of your cash. They are a test of your humanity. Do not follow in the footsteps of the Pakistani elite by failing them. That would be immoral and inhumane. This is a time to ask only one question. And that question is: “How can I help?”

Here’s a start. Â Take out your phone and SMS â€œFLOODâ€ to 27722 to contribute $10 (added to your phone bill) to the Pakistan Relief Fund (which is run by the US State Department).