Quick Hits
[UPDATED]
• I missed this when it ran in the Washington Post last week, but it appears that the Department of Homeland Security is broadening its databases again.
The federal government has been using its system of border checkpoints to greatly expand a database on travelers entering the country by collecting information on all U.S. citizens crossing by land, compiling data that will be stored for 15 years and may be used in criminal and intelligence investigations.
Maybe I'm just showing my age, but back when I was in elementary school, the fact that programs like this were in place in the likes of the USSR was one more reason why we should oppose communism and be thankful we lived in the good ol' U.S.A.
• A country group called Lady Antebellum was on Jimmy Kimmel tonight. I don't know if it's just me, but when I hear the word antebellum in the context of the South and country music, it reminds me of slavery. But I don't guess I'm their target demographic anyway.
• Speaking of music, when the Democratic convention (I've been trying to stay away from it, but I haven't been able to block it out entirely) nominated Barack Obama by acclimation tonight, they played "Love Train." Does anybody have a problem with that?
• Readers in Chicago have very likely already read about this, and maybe they've even seen the videos, so I won't dwell on it, but sometimes even politicians just need a hug.
• Here's some quick baseball blogging. The six pennant races are shaping up as the Seattle Mariners became the first team to be mathematically eliminated from contention (although they're still alive--barely--for the wild card). They don't have the worst record in baseball--right now that's the Washington Nationals, who reside in the weaker National League East division--and they're not the only team to essentially be out of the running. My team, Boston, is currently leading the AL wild card race, and they're within striking distance of the inexplicable Devil Rays for taking the AL East pennant. For various reasons, I don't especially want to see an all-Chicago World Series (and frankly, I don't expect one), but
UPDATE--I knew I should've checked my baseball history before posting. Jim C. points out in a comment that the 1906 World Series was an all-Chicago affair. The Sox won in six.
posted by Doug @ 3:09 AM
5 comments
5 Comments:
Why do you have to bring slavery into it? Lady Antebellum has nothing to do with that!
Yeah!
Lady Antebellum has nothing to do with slavery! It's all about States' Rights! And those awful tariffs that the northern industrialists are trying to impose!
Besides, Lady Marmalade was their first choice, but it sounded too ... well, you know.
Now, a country band called Underground Railroad would peak my interest immediately.
For various reasons, I don't especially want to see an all-Chicago World Series (and frankly, I don't expect one), but for what may be the first time in history, I don't know, it's a solid possibility.
1906.
(Were it to come to pass, this would be the first North Side - South Side World Series in Chicago. In '06 the Cubs played at the West Side Grounds - which is now covered by part of the UIC Medical complex. The Sox were at the South Side Grounds, which were closer to the stockyards)
But it had nothing to do with slavery.
Now, a country band called Underground Railroad would peak my interest immediately.
There's Confederate Railroad, but I don't think that's the same thing.
You're aware, aren't you, that the song "Love Train" is a thinly veiled reference to the Underground Railroad?
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