a WTF moment

Md. delegate seeks ban on first-cousin marriage - wtop.com:

A Maryland delegate says it's time for his state to ban marriages between first cousins, unless both people are over 65 or if one party is unable to reproduce.

Delegate Henry Heller, D-Montgomery County, says he wants to bring Maryland "into the enlightened world of other states such as West Virginia and Arkansas" that already prohibit unions of first cousins.

Heller, a retired special education administrator, says when first cousins marry they are "playing genetic roulette" because of the increased odds of having a child with birth defects.

He says he has "no problem," however, with seniors or infertile people marrying a first cousin.

Heller says if they want companionship, he's not against that.

There are 24 states that prohibit marriage between first-cousins.

Ok, NOWHERE in my background, training, and experience did it ever occur to me that someone could ever use the phrase the enlightened world of other states such as West Virginia and Arkansas with a straight face.

schools as big brother in the wrong in the worst possible way...

School used student laptop webcams to spy on them at school and home Boing Boing:

According to the filings in Blake J Robbins v Lower Merion School District (PA) et al, the laptops issued to high-school students in the well-heeled Philly suburb have webcams that can be covertly activated by the schools' administrators, who have used this facility to spy on students and even their families. The issue came to light when the Robbins's child was disciplined for "improper behavior in his home" and the Vice Principal used a photo taken by the webcam as evidence. The suit is a class action, brought on behalf of all students issued with these machines.

hey, who needs that pesky 4th amendment anyways...

for good measure, I want the administrators under arrest for facilitating child porn, 'cause if a laptop can take a picture of a clothed student on demand to be examined, there's no reason it couldn't take a picture of a nude one.