Wearing a political T-shirt can get you shot if you happen to come across a nutcase

by Jamie Rhein on

The U.S. election is heating up–even in Great Britain. Earlier this week [UPI.com reported the story on Oct. 7}, a man in London was shot three times because he was wearing a T-shirt in support of Barack Obama.

At the time of the shooting, the man was buying a cell phone and minding his own business when a guy came up to him and shouted racial slurs about the Obama T-shirt.. Not comfortable with the barrage of verbal abuse, the man zipped up his jacket and got into his car.

At that point, the nutcase pointed a gun at him and shot him–not just once once, but two more times for good measure. After being shot, Dube Egwuatu drove to call for help and was taken to a hospital. He said that the gunman had tried to get him to go somewhere with him.

Good thinking Egwuatu. As everyone ought to know, you never, ever, ever, ever, go with a person who is pointing a gun at you. That’s what I’ve read anyway. You have a better chance of survival if you immediately try to get away.

The gun, a gas-powered ball bearing pistol, left a piece of metal in Egwuatu’s jaw.

Personally, I’d say the gunman has a few screws loose, and is using the T-shirt as an excuse to go all vigilante on someone who happens to be black. Still, it’s unfortunate that cases like this one points out that freedom of speech can have dangerous consequences if one happens to be in the wrong place at the wrong time–although, I’m betting that such instances are very, very rare. Although, I was living in India during September 11 and was very uncomfortable driving in any car that had a U.S. government license plate. After awhile, the feeling lessened.

The story did not say if the gunman was caught. I sure hope so.

Just yesterday, as I was driving through a neighborhood with both McCain and Obama signage peppering its yards, I thought how great it is that neighbors can have differences of opinion and still rake their leaves together, say “hello” and lend cups of sugar if asked.

Top ten unnecessary highways

by David Breisch on

Highways are, of course, an essential part of our national transportation system. Trouble is, at least in urban areas, they seem to go right through the areas that you would rather not see them go through. For instance, Seattle’s Puget Sound coastline. Now, I’ve been to Seattle, and while I was there, I stayed in a hotel about a block away from the bustling waterfront, busy shopping areas and active nightlife. The only thing between me and the sights was a giant, towering road known as the Alaskan Way Viaduct. It’s elevated, so getting across it wasn’t a problem. That’s not the point. It’s big – about five stories. It’s loud. It’s a mass of bright lights at night. And, if it weren’t there, I would’ve be able to see across Puget Sound from my hotel room.

Thus, you can imagine my delight when I discovered that the Alaskan Way Viaduct is, in fact, number one on the Congress for the New Urbanism’s “Freeways Without Futures” – a list of the top ten freeways in North America that we really could just do without. And they’re not roads that people are just running around complaining about – these roads actually have pleasant, viable alternatives that would free up valuable urban real estate and drive economic growth. Check out the article for the full list of roads, and if you live in one of those areas, consider adding your voice to the growing number of people calling for reasonable alternatives.

(Via Wired Magazine)

Somalia most corrupt nation — Denmark the least

by Grant Martin on

Transparency international released their annual numbers on corruption around the world, and would you believe it, Denmark edged Zimbabwe out by 165 places to clinch the number one spot.

Each year the organization dedicated to fighting corruption compiles data from a variety of sources to publish this list as a means to raise public awareness and point to the rampant corruption around the globe. Despite the ongoing failures on Wall Street and among the upper ranks in the financial sector, this year the United states is ranked at number 18, surprisingly just above Japan. The five least countries in ascending order were:

  • Denmark
  • Sweden
  • New Zealand
  • Singapore
  • Finland

while the lowest in descending order were:

  • Afghanistan
  • Haiti
  • Iraq
  • Myanmar
  • Somalia

Incidentally, the most corrupt countries are also those with the least stable governments, poorest infrastructures and poorest economies. Funny how those things go hand in hand, isn’t it?

You can check out the wealth of statistics and better explanations of the system over at transparency.org, including a dandy corruption map and complete list of nations and their ranks.

Where did the commies go?

by Grant Martin on

With September came the near fall of another Communitst leader, as Kim Jong Il, dictator over North Korea vanished from the limelight, joining his Cuban counterpart Fidel Castro in the murky depths of unknown, fiercely hidden ailments.

The realist in me knows that both leaders are gravely ill. Kim Jong Il is said to have suffered a stroke early this month and hasn’t since been seen in public — even for state celebrations. In a similar light, Castro, who seems to have largely recovered from last year’s digestive problems, has resigned from his official state role in Cuban politics and now stays largely out of the public eye — no doubt because he is still an aging, fragile man.

But the conspiracy theorist in my has broader, more hopeful aspirations. I think about these two ailing leaders and wonder if perhaps, Communism has taken a toll on them over these last years and if maybe they’ve finally thrown in the towel and headed out to the beach for some good old vaycay.

I see Kim Jong and Fidel sitting on chaise lounges in the Indonesian Archipelago somewhere, bare feet up and drinking out of coconuts while looking out at the setting sun over a crisp, white beach. And Kim Jong looks over, out of his massive blue blockers at Fidel as the Cuban puts down his latest Harry Potter book to take a pull off his strawberry daiquiri. And Kim says, “Hey buddy… we gave it a shot.”

Wherever you two are, know this: I would take two old school Communist evil doers over one rambunctious Latin American president any day of the week. May your countries be open and peaceful and prosperous without you.

Shanghai, Havana and Tel Aviv among Cities with Most Improved Gay Tolerance

by Josh Lew on

Shanghai, China’s most westernized city, has one of the world’s fastest growing gay scenes, according to The Independent. Unlike most authoritarian states, there are currently no laws in China directly prohibiting homosexuality.

The list of 5 cities with the most improved gay tolerance included a couple of other surprising entries, Havana being one. Though Castro outlawed homosexuality when he came to power, his edicts have since been overturned. Gay tourists flock to Cuba from Europe and there is a thriving scene.

Tel Aviv also earned a spot on the list, probably because it is one of the only gay-friendly places in the Middle East. People from Palestine, Lebanon and Jordan who are persecuted in their home countries, are able to join in the happening gay scene in Israel’s most modern metropolis.

In case you are curious, the worst places to be gay include Saudi Arabia, Iran, and Afghanistan. The most surprising member of the “least fabulous countries” list is the popular vacation destination of Jamaica. Homosexuality is against the law and punishable by 10 years on the chain gang.