Delaware House Bill 291 would ban text messaging while driving in Delaware.  It proposes a $25.00 fine as a secondary offense.  (you have to be stopped for something else for the fine to take effect).  It’s meaningless and a waste of time, as Dan Gaffney listener Matt Opaliski explains:

“Dan,

There is no need to enact a new law to deal specifically with texting or emailing when we currently have a statute that applies to what the suggested problem is that Rep. Hudson is attempting to combat, inattentiveness. Regardless of what other states are doing which is more likely the reason that it’s been introduced here, legislation like that can carry only one accurate label, Feel Good Legislation…

Excerpt from  Title 21:
§ 4176. Careless or inattentive driving.
(a) Whoever operates a vehicle in a careless or imprudent manner, or without due regard for road, weather and traffic conditions then existing, shall be guilty of careless driving.
(b) Whoever operates a vehicle and who fails to give full time and attention to the operation of the vehicle, or whoever fails to maintain a proper lookout while operating the vehicle, shall be guilty of inattentive driving.
(c) Whoever violates this section shall for the first offense be fined not less than $25 nor more than $115. For each subsequent like offense occurring within 3 years of a former offense, the person shall be fined not less than $50 nor more than $230, or imprisoned not less than 10 nor more than 30 days, or both.”

A better idea for lawmakers:  record some public service commercials to tell folks not to be stupid.  I’ll air them on WGMD.

This is the Boston Herald’s take on little Jack-Jack…

http://news.bostonherald.com/news/regional/general/view.bg?articleid=1073459&srvc=home&position=5 

 

This was at the Washington Post website today.  As I expect CommonThug won’t enjoy it I’m posting it for his blood pressure spike.  He can go complain to Uncle Nicademo.  Or try and call the radio station and swear on-air again.  A true sign of intelligence if there ever was one.  As you can see, John McCain isn’t much for pork barrel spending.  Never has been.  I understand Mitt Hair Perfect started opposing pork barrel spending 18 months ago.  Nothing like a panderer in American politics.  I’m not joining the McCainanites just yet but if you have one standard for one canidate then it should apply to all…

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/02/13/AR2008021303635.html?hpid=topnews

It’s been over one year since she was shot in broad daylight, in her home just outside of Rehoboth Beach.  The two witnesses, Paula’s son and his female friend have not talked to the press.  Last week Paula’s father pulled the $100,000 reward. 

Today he gives us this statement:  (bold is my emphasis)

Press Release Statement:
Mr. Fran J. Grossi
19606 Coastal Highway, suite 102
Rehoboth Beach, De.  19971
Date:  February 11, 2008
Re:  Paula Grossi Murder, January 26, 2007
I have chosen to withdraw the $100,000.00 reward offer for the murderers of my daughter, Paula F. Grossi, murdered January 26, 2007.
It has been over a year since her horrific murder without an arrest.  I never had any confidence in the accuracy of the composite sketch of one of the murderers released to the public in February 2007.  It is very difficult to get an exact sketch of a person in the manner it is done, so I am told.
From February 2007 to February 2008 there has been over 50 leads documented and a number of these leads are presently under investigation.
We have hired a highly professional private investigation company consisting of ex-F.B.I. agents.  These agents will have the flexibility of unethical actions verses the Delaware State Police’s ethical actions and the freedom to travel, etc, plus feeding each other information, a helping hand could go a long way.
This hiring has no reflection on the Delaware State Police what so ever.  At this time we need all the help we can get to apprehend these murderers.
I know there are many doubts and questions out there about my grandson being involved in his Mother’s murder and/or why two-(2) witnesses were left unharmed.  My grandson is innocent of any involvement, but the question of the unharmed witnesses still remains.
 

Sincerely,
Fran J. Grossi

 

I like diners.  Sure you can take me to a 5-star restaurant and I even won’t complain about the long wait for service, the long wait for my meal and the long wait for the check.  If the food and company are good I’ll still enjoy myself, however.  For ambience give me a local diner.  I would postulate local and independently owned diners are the ancestors of modern fast food restaurants.  Seriously, there are certainly variations in taste and menus but there are just so few methods for grilling beef and frying potatoes.  One diner may not look like another diner but the staples from the kitchen are pretty much the same.  I’ll even grant a regional nod or two but most people still come for the staples.  These would be caffeine, eggs and community conversation.  The last of these is why I most like diners.
 Two weeks ago I had my Sunday lunch at the Milford Diner.  Business was brisk.  The attached dining room filled with the after church crowd and in a booth across from the counter were the folks like me.  The ones looking for a quick and inexpensive meal but perhaps hoping for a much longer conversation.  I’ve been to a handful of diners in Delaware and find the best are the real town halls.  The meeting places, if you will, for the general public.  I’ve been going to diners since my earliest days in the arms of a parent.  My folks could’ve received their mail at their favorite diners as they spent so much of their time in these places.  For my mom it was a one known as The Kopper Keg.  It’s still on Main Street back home and for the expatriated it’s a must stop on any return visit.  It’s where you see old friends and catch up on everything missed. 
Perhaps my favorite stop is a diner located in a small hollowed out city in upstate New York.  Hunter’s is located in Auburn, in the Finger Lakes, and was opened shortly after World War Two by a man named Bob Hunter.  Mr. Hunter was Joe Baden’s first father-in-law, or that was what I was told when I went to work at the local radio station 21 years ago.  The diner was two blocks from broadcast headquarters.  After wrapping up local election coverage way back in 1987 I took the staff there for a little celebration.  We sat in corner seats and drank milk shakes made on an old mixer and poured from tall stainless steel glasses.  Hunter’s Dinerant has changed hands a few times but little inside is different.  It sets on concrete stilts over the Owasco River and entry is through a front door accessible by bridge.  The building is stainless steel and the seats are covered in pink vinyl and the outside edging is trimmed by lime green, yellow and orange lights.  When city busses cross the bridge over the river the diner vibrates.  Breakfast, lunch and dinner are accompanied by these miniature earthquakes. 
There are differences, I’m told, between diners and coffee shops.  Diners are noisy with the sounds of silverware against plates and you can hear the chatter from the kitchen.  A coffee shop serves much the same food but I think is a little too quiet and antiseptic for my tastes. 
The best diners exhale atmosphere.  One dilapidated place in one of my old lives was located on a dusty old pre-Interstate highway but served grilled Italian toast with breakfast.  I couldn’t get enough of the place even though an old girlfriend thought the building should’ve been condemned.  Yet it was packed from doors opening at 5:00 A.M. until closing at 2:00 P.M. 
Another favorite resembled an aging Quonset hut but made banana pancakes the size of hubcaps from a ‘68 Olds 98.  And the staff served something called frittata.  If you could manage to eat this in one setting the owner would take your picture and post it on a wall.  There must have been some world class eaters because all of the walls are plastered with photographs. 
It’s the good life inside a diner.  The best are filled with friends and good cheer and I’ve even wondered if there is a preview of heaven.  A warm place on a cold day in winter where you can warm your fingers over a fresh cup of coffee and be greeted by a smiling face asking you to choose a pleasure. 
 

I came across an interesting article about who many Christian voters are support:

“A surprising new survey finds that more born again Christian voters said they would support a Democratic candidate than a Republican candidate, breaking the long tradition of born-again support for the GOP. The new Barna study shows that if the general election was held today, 40 percent of all born again adults who are likely to vote in November would choose the Democratic candidate, and only 29 percent would choose the Republican candidate. The remaining 28 percent are currently unsure whom they would support, preferring to vote for a specific candidate rather than strictly along party lines. If the election was held today and all the candidates from both parties were on the ballot, the frontrunners among born again voters would be Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.), favored by 20 percent of born again likely voters; Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.), favored by 18 percent of voters; and former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee with 12 percent. No other candidate reached double figures. 30 percent of born again likely voters said they are still undecided as to who to support…”

http://www.christianpost.com/article/20080204/31077.htm

While it does seem surprising that Christians would vote for Hillary, the overall issue in this country and the rest of the world is not Republican vs. Democrat. Because there are Christians who are Democrats and non-Christians who are Republicans. So it isn’t Republican vs. Democrat, but rather morals vs. decadence; good vs. evil—what direction they will take this country. Nonetheless I am curious if any Christian voters around here support Hillary Clinton.

 

Obama wins the First State.  Hillary only wins Sussex County.

McCain wins Delaware, and all three counties.

Nationally, Obama wins more states, Hillary more delegates.  This IS a race!

Big wins for McCain, but what a night for Huckabee, winning 5 states and staying in.  Romney wins 6, but a disappointing night.  He’s still in.

CLINTON: AR, AZ, CA, MA, NY, NJ, OK, TN
OBAMA: AK, AL, CT, CO, DE, GA, ID, IL, KS, MN, MO, ND, UT

HUCKABEE: AL, AR, GA, TN, WV
MCCAIN: AZ, CA, CT, DE, IL, MO, NJ, NY, OK
ROMNEY: CO, MA, MN, MT, ND, UT
PLEASE JOIN THE CONVERSATION, WE WOULD LOVE TO READ YOUR COMMENTS!

For those of you that would like to enjoy a Nestle’s Crunch visit this site, but for everyone else still having trouble distinguishing between Presidential candidates today, here’s some sources I used on the program today to identify major issues and positions of some of the candidates.

First the 2008 Presidential Calculator, it’s a poll that gives you twenty some questions to answer and it’ll pick the best candidate for you to vote for, if you can’t make up your own mind, why not allow a computer to do it for you? Heck, it worked for Matthew Broderick in War Games… Although that almost didn’t turn out that well…

http://www.selectsmart.com/president/2008.html

2Decide.com has a page devoted to the candidates on such issues as immigration and abortion with a simple “Support” or “Oppose” Check list:

http://www.2decide.com/table.htm

Selectstart.com has a cool contrast and compare page about the candidates and previous candidates where you can input two candidates and look at how they stand side by side, this one is particularly helpful and has more than just yes/no or plus/minus features:

http://selectsmart.com/president/2008/comparethem.html

Here’s a .pdf from AFA.net that is a quick one-sheet on the candidates with simple yes and no’s for the time and or comprehension impaired:

http://www.afa.net/pdfs/08vg.pdf

And lastly, the Media Matters “Myths about Obama” page I referenced towards the end of today’s radio show, with some interesting information regarding some misconceptions about Mr. Obama..

http://mediamatters.org/items/200703200011

If you’re reading this after you’ve voted, heck, bone up, maybe it’ll help you in November, assuming that the candidates positions don’t change that much between now and then.. What do you mean by “Not a Prayer” –

Ah forget it, “How About A Nice Game of Chess?”

Here we go.  Predictions only.  Not endorsements, but predictions:

Turnout in Delaware: 11%

Delaware results:

Obama 56% Clinton 40%

McCain 40% Romney 36%  Huckabee 19%

11am Tuesday.

 

We’ll see tonight after 8.

There was a terrible tragedy this last weekend across the bay in Maryland.  A teenager shot and killed the members of his family after a long running dispute with his politically and socially well connected father.  Now the media scrutiny is focused on a kempt suburb and the anger and frustration that follows because nowhere in the prelude to the crime did anyone yell stop.  This morning’s lead editorial in The Sun newspaper of Baltimore calls for gun confiscation and the disarming of the masses.  All I can offer is that I’m surprised it took the editorial board this long to offer the expected reaction after a tragedy strikes their own kind.
 Three hundred plus million Americans and most of them have never even considered killing another human being, however.  In any population there is aberrant behavior.  In three million, three hundred thousand and in three hundred.  Yet the “progressive” response is to disarm all. 
Firearms are a recent addition to human history but homicide has a much more distant past.  The jawbone of an ass, poisons, knives, these things all were the weapons of the angry, the psychotic and anyone looking to silence a perceived enemy.
This past day the wife of former Reagan media assistant James Brady, Sarah Brady, telephoned my program.  The Brady family, as students of history can attest, was deeply wounded by gun violence.  I share sympathy.
 One morning long ago when I was a student in the fourth grade I rose for school and my dad wasn’t home.  My normally talkative mother had little to say; only that he had been called out during the middle of the night.
 More details followed at school.  A woman had been killed near the Oil Springs Indian Reservation, which sat just outside the state park where my father was a patrolman.  I would also later hear that she had been gunned down, shot in the back, while walking along the side of the road.  My father was part of the investigative team.  She had crossed park property while walking.  Later I would learn that she had been at a bar at lakeside and that there had been an argument with a man.  These things I learned after my dad picked us up at school.  While pick-up wasn’t rare we usually took the bus home. 
Dad explained that day that mom was spending time with members of her family.  Her cousin had been killed during the night.  She had been killed by a man from our neighborhood, a man married into an influential family. 
Thirty six years have passed and I still don’t have all the facts.  Many of the people who could’ve told me are now dead after living long lives.  What I did learn from later conversations with dad was that the neighbor wanted to silence his victim and even without a firearm would’ve likely found another method.  Would we then have heard calls to outlaw knives, rocks or jawbones?
There are going to be people coming forward in Maryland this week saying the signs were evident.  These same people likely didn’t act because the accused was from a “good family” and the family itself may not have acted because, after all, what would people say at the club?
This is the Virginia Tech defense.  A student may be bats but, you know, the loonies and minorities need to be handled differently.  Lord, forbid he files suit and wins the quad as judgment and then develops condominiums on the spot.  Better we sacrifice a few dozens students and professors to the gods of political correctness, and, oh yes, disarm the masses. 
It may sound trite but bad guys aren’t going to follow any confiscation orders.  The aberrant already flaunt law and social convention. 
Meanwhile, as thousands of Chinese froze to death in recent weeks the government sent in soldiers to shoot anyone demanding shelter, warmth and accountability.  The Chinese masses were long ago disarmed but for a pitchfork or two and these devices won’t defeat an oppressive regime.  A few Chinese civilians may have guns, those that prey on the cold and hungry.  You will also find that when homicides do occur in the Chinese countryside the pitchfork often gets a good workout.  It has yet to be confiscated as the party leadership wants to be fed and agricultural tools it appears have a good public purpose.  This is protection against famine.  Like firearms protect against oppression.    
Spare me The Sun’s drivel and drive to control our actions and lives.