Archive for March 27th, 2008


Poll results: let it ride…

Posted on March 27, 2008 by Samuel Smith under Scholars & Rogues [ Comments: 1 ]

The results of the latest S&R poll are in. The question was: What should happen to the FL and MI primary delegates?

1: Nothing; the states violated Dem rules (54)
2: Do-over primaries in both states (18)
3: Seat delegates from both (11)
4: Caucuses in both states (6)
   Each state should decide for itself (6)
6: Other (4)

Our new poll, which asks about your opinions on popular music, is now posted in the column to the right.


Emigration 2: Leaving Home

Posted on March 27, 2008 by Gavin Chait under Freedom, Politics, Law & Government, Race & Gender, World [ Comments: 11 ]

One makes a life-changing decision for some time in the future and then … And then time goes by. The shock wears off. Denial (or futurism) creeps in.

It wasn’t until I was emptying my flat as my cleaning lady took possession of most of my bits and bobs that it really hit home.

The life of a cleaning lady

There are around 15 million South Africans of working age (out of a population of 41 million). Around 8 million have jobs. The rest don’t.

For 2 million uneducated, barely literate women there really is only one choice for earning a living. They clean the homes of the people who do have jobs. These are the cleaning ladies, or “Domestic Workers”. Maids, in other words.

Sometimes they live in and cook and clean and wash. Sometimes they turn up once a week to do some ironing and basic cleaning. They’re not paid much. The minimum Government-mandated wage is less than $1 per hour.

Since most white English-speaking South Africans battle with African names, these women call themselves mundane platitudes, like Beauty, or Faith, or Monica. I think half the cleaning ladies in Cape Town are called Monica. Full story »


Condoleezza Rice: Never met a milestone she wasn’t willing to render meaningless

Posted on March 27, 2008 by Russ Wellen under American Culture, Politics, Law & Government [ Comments: 13 ]

ricemccain2.gifAt The Washington Note yesterday, the estimable Steve Clemons wrote “Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is speaking this morning to Grover Norquist’s weekly powerhouse gathering at Americans for Tax Reform of conservative associations, think tanks, and political operations.” What’s not business as usual about this?

It seems a major Republican operative told Clemons that it was an attempt to “secure her future in Republican politics and to position herself as a ‘potential’ VP candidate on the McCain ticket.” Full story »