Getting Political

One of our regular blog readers has asked, why don’t we weigh in on political issues?

Okay, here goes:

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It started with campaign buttons, a natural outgrowth of our badge business. But it has expanded to include virtually all kinds of campaign promotional materials – bumper stickers, lawn signs, posters, banners, rally placards and more.

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Incoming!

A history buff in Pennsylvania who re-creates 19th century cannons accidentally fired a two-pound cannonball through a wall in his neighbor’s house in September of last year.

When he fired the cannonball outside his home it ricocheted and hit a house some 400 yards away. The cannonball, about two inches in diameter, crashed through a window and a wall before landing in a closet. No one was injured.

The man apologized and said that he would stop firing the cannons on his property, but police charged him with reckless endangerment, criminal mischief, and disorderly conduct.

They’re Cousins, Identical Cousins

From the Police Blotter column:

A bouncer reported an underage girl tried to use a fake ID to get into a bar. She attempted to use a friend’s ID — a friend who had just entered the same bar and who had handed the same bouncer the same ID.

What Rhymes With #@!&*?

In the news this week is a report of a woman in northern New Jersey being charged with disorderly conduct for cursing at a school principal during a school forum. The woman has since said that she regrets her outburst, but school officials reportedly have said that they are prosecuting her to show that people can't get away with calling principals vulgar names.

Immediately this reminded us of a case from decades ago, in which a man frustrated with judicial delays cursed at a court clerk over the telephone. He, too, was then charged. He was convicted, but on appeal his conviction was overturned. The basis of the reversal was that cursing often springs forth spontaneously, from emotion. Memorably, the ruling judge issued his opinion entirely in rhyme. We can’t claim to remember it verbatim, but we recall:

Can you curse when hitting your thumb with a hammer
Without risk of spending a month in the slammer?
When the bank computer errs and bounces your checks
Should your language be confined to Aw Gees and Oh Hecks?

Perhaps the North Jersey woman can cite this legal precedent.

POTUS

Yes, that’s President Obama shaking hands with Bob King this past December.

Who is Bob King? Well, you probably haven’t heard of him, but he’s a friend and colleague of ours. When President Obama paid a visit in December to the Allentown, Pennsylvania, company at which Bob works, Bob was offered the opportunity to meet and speak briefly with the President. Politics aside, who wouldn’t jump at that chance?

Bob told us, President Obama decided to visit a working class city, and I guess Allentown is as good as any being fourth largest in Pennsylvania. At our company initially they didn't confirm he would be here, but we noticed five or six big black Suburbans driving around throughout the week and people walking through the plant and roof areas. The sniffer dogs canvassed the site also. On the day he arrived we noticed six snipers with awesome looking rifles in position.

We were the last stop that day, Friday the fourth as I recall. Everyone that was on site had an option to shake hands with him and actually say a couple things. I made a comment that I saw him giving a speech the night before and although Fox didn't have anything nice to say I thought he did a hell of a job.

It was an opportunity that was too convenient to miss, getting paid to wait less than an hour to meet the President! It was kind of surreal standing there next to someone that important.

We live in a celebrity-obsessed culture, and President Obama is frequently portrayed more as a celebrity than as someone who can truly affect our lives. But any President – Democrat or Republican – can truly affect our lives, and having the opportunity to share just a minute with a sitting President is a rare opportunity indeed.

Dumb Begets Dumb

According to a published report from last year, a New Jersey resident became a guest in the Northampton County jail in Pennsylvania, for having done a dumb thing followed by another dumb thing.

He was arrested for drunken driving. His car was impounded. He then later went to the impound lot after hours and tried to remove his vehicle.

Police spotted him inside a tow truck at the impound lot. He told the officer that he was trying to move the tow truck in order to get his vehicle.

Police rewarded his bright thinking by holding him in lieu of $20,000 bail.

The Eagle Has Landed (briefly)

Here is something that you do not see in New Jersey every day. A bald eagle.

The bird was spotted not in the rural regions of the northwest portion of the state, but in suburban Clark, a few blocks from the Garden State Parkway. The photo was taken by an eagle-eyed resident of the neighborhood on December 9, 2009.

2010 Moron of the Year

The new year has scarcely begun and already we have our first nominee for Moron of the Year.

Across the country, new laws took effect on January first. Among these were bans on texting while driving in three states, bringing to 19 the total number of states that outlaw this practice. One of the states in which the law has now taken effect is New Hampshire.

In reporting this story, the Associated Press included the opinion of a New Hampshire resident:

Tina Derby, 42, of Warner, N.H., said she has no intention to stop texting while driving, despite the possible $100 fine she could receive.

"I’d better start saving my money," she said.

The Associated Press article does not go any further toward explaining why Ms Derby thinks this way, but based on the above information she is our first nominee for Moron of the Year.