the random musings not worthy of new thread thread

[Susquehanna Birder]

Hit 'em all. And dislocate every joint in finger guy's arm.

[shorebird]

Well, my son joined the Navy to get away from home. Just got his orders today, he'll be going to Yokosuka, Japan, to be on the USS George Washington, CVN-73.

[PhillyPhreak54]

HAMMOND, La. (AP) — A Louisiana justice of the peace said he refused to issue a marriage license to an interracial couple out of concern for any children the couple might have.

Keith Bardwell, justice of the peace in Tangipahoa Parish, says it is his experience that most interracial marriages do not last long.

Neither Bardwell nor the couple immediately returned phone calls from The Associated Press. But Bardwell told the Daily Star of Hammond that he was not a racist.

"I do ceremonies for black couples right here in my house," Bardwell said. "My main concern is for the children."

Bardwell said he has discussed the topic with blacks and whites, along with witnessing some interracial marriages. He came to the conclusion that most of black society does not readily accept offspring of such relationships, and neither does white society, he said.

"I don't do interracial marriages because I don't want to put children in a situation they didn't bring on themselves," Bardwell said. "In my heart, I feel the children will later suffer."

If he does an interracial marriage for one couple, he must do the same for all, he said.

"I try to treat everyone equally," he said.

Thirty-year-old Beth Humphrey and 32-year-old Terence McKay, both of Hammond, say they will consult the U.S. Justice Department about filing a discrimination complaint.

Humphrey told the newspaper she called Bardwell on Oct. 6 to inquire about getting a marriage license signed. She says Bardwell's wife told her that Bardwell will not sign marriage licenses for interracial couples.

"It is really astonishing and disappointing to see this come up in 2009," said American Civil Liberties Union of Louisiana attorney Katie Schwartzman. "The Supreme Court ruled as far back as 1963 that the government cannot tell people who they can and cannot marry."

The ACLU was preparing a letter for the Louisiana Supreme Court, which oversees the state justices of the peace, asking them to investigate Bardwell and see if they can remove him from office, Schwartzman said.

"He knew he was breaking the law, but continued to do it," Schwartzman said.

According to the clerk of court's office, application for a marriage license must be made three days before the ceremony because there is a 72-hour waiting period. The applicants are asked if they have previously been married. If so, they must show how the marriage ended, such as divorce.

Other than that, all they need is a birth certificate and Social Security card.

The license fee is $35, and the license must be signed by a Louisiana minister, justice of the peace or judge. The original is returned to the clerk's office.

Terrible.

The old south still lives on. I found out from a friend this weekend that there's a town in LA that still celebrates the hangings during the slavery and civil rights periods with a "hanging tree plaque" in the town center.

[DH]

Well, my son joined the Navy to get away from home. Just got his orders today, he'll be going to Yokosuka, Japan, to be on the USS George Washington, CVN-73.

Best of luck to him dude...my old man was a Navy guy

[BigEd76]

20 years ago tonight

[PhillyPhreak54]

I went to the Texas Renaissance Festival today. I've never been to this before, but it is the biggest one in the US. It was pretty fun. Drank a lot of beer, ate turkey legs and played a few games. Most of them involved throwing knives, axes and other sharp objects.

But the weirdo factor is high there. People dress up like fairies, friars, and all of the characters from that era. Not everyone, but a lot of the dungeons and dragons types there. Some were totally in character with them smelling like they hadn't bathed in weeks.

There were a lot of fine women there too. A lot of big ol titties that were magnified because the girls working the festival were wearing corsets.

When you win a game, they give you "kiss cards"...take them and give them to a chick and she has to kiss you. I had three of 'em to use. And I picked out three smokin' hotties.

Cool day

[MDS]

Did they kiss you on the penis?

[PhillyPhanInDC]

Well, my son joined the Navy to get away from home. Just got his orders today, he'll be going to Yokosuka, Japan, to be on the USS George Washington, CVN-73.

I was in Iwakuni, Japan for three years. It's on mainland Japan. I had the most fun of my life there. Kid's going to get in more holes than an 8-ball.

[PhillyPhreak54]

3 runners die in Detroit marathon

BY KORIE WILKINS
FREE PRESS STAFF WRITER

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In the span of just 16 minutes, three men collapsed and died while running the 32nd Detroit Free Press/Flagstar Marathon -- the first deaths in the event since 1994.

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The first to collapse was Daniel Langdon, 36, of Laingsburg, at 9:02 a.m., said Rich Harshbarger, vice president of consumer marketing for the Detroit Media Partnership, which handles business operations for the Free Press and Detroit News. Langdon was on Michigan Avenue between the 11- and 12-mile markers.

Rick Brown, 65, of Marietta, Ohio, collapsed at 9:17 a.m. near where Langdon went down, Harshbarger said. And Jon Fenlon, 26, of Waterford collapsed at about 9:18 a.m., just after finishing the half-marathon in 1:53:37, he said.

Fenlon, whose Facebook page says he worked at the advertising firm Campbell-Ewald in Warren, graduated from Eastern Michigan University.

He made headlines in 2006 when he caught a home run ball hit by Magglio Ordoñez that sealed the Tigers' sweep of the Oakland A's -- sending the team to the World Series, said friend Jenny Wroblewski.

Family members declined to comment Sunday, saying they were too distraught.

Friends and family of Langdon could not be reached for comment; Brown's family declined to comment.

Deaths at marathons are rare. Minneapolis cardiologist Kevin Harris presented a study this year at the American College of Cardiology's 58th Annual Scientific Session showing the death rate for marathons was 0.8 per 100,000 participants.

Sunday's fatalities were the first in the race since 1994, when veteran runner Samuel Grafton, 42, of Troy, died of a heart attack at the 22-mile mark. Grafton's death was the only other recorded death in the race's history.

The deadliest day of running occurred during the 2008 Great North Run half marathon in England in 2005, when four male runners died on a warm and humid September day.

"It's important to emphasize the rarity of it because far more people have health benefits from the sport than these type of issues occurring," said Keith Hanson, coach of Hansons-Brooks Distance Project, an elite running club based in Rochester Hills.

[shorebird]

Well, my son joined the Navy to get away from home. Just got his orders today, he'll be going to Yokosuka, Japan, to be on the USS George Washington, CVN-73.

Best of luck to him dude...my old man was a Navy guy

Thanks. Yokosuka is right on Tokyo Bay. Nice looking city from what you can see on the internet. The GW is the Navy's only foward deployed aircraftcarrier. Boys already gonna' be doing more than his old man ever has.

[shorebird]

Well, my son joined the Navy to get away from home. Just got his orders today, he'll be going to Yokosuka, Japan, to be on the USS George Washington, CVN-73.

I was in Iwakuni, Japan for three years. It's on mainland Japan. I had the most fun of my life there. Kid's going to get in more holes than an 8-ball.

Alright now. I'm just hoping that if he comes home with one she can at least speak the English.

[ice grillin you]

id be more worried about him coming home with more claps than citizens bank

[Susquehanna Birder]

Mmmm...JapClap.

[Seabiscuit36]

I just got a call at noon, someone wanted to see our house.  I WFH 90% of the time, nothing like having to pack my laptop and dog and leave the house for an hour.  Not to mention our house was a mess, normally i'm messy, but my wife took it to a different level this week. 

[NC_Eagle]

id be more worried about him coming home with more claps than citizens bank

There is a reason they have boxes of condoms out at the Quarterdeck (where you go on and off the ship) these days.   

Seriously.

I retired from the Navy, only got to visit Japan briefly but it's reputed to be a hot place to be stationed.

Plus besides the girls, he'll bring home electronics you won't be able to get for years over here...