Word Clouds From the Coons/O'Donnell Debate

I found a transcript of Wednesday night's debate between Chris Coons and Christine O'Donnell at the University of Delaware and decided (of course) to make a series of word clouds.

I made a word cloud of the whole thing (at right), and one of each participant's comments alone. That is, one of Wolf Blitzer, one of Nancy Karibjanian, one of Christine O'Donnell and one of Chris Coons' comments.

For the two candidates, I left in their names, which appear at the start of each section of their comments in the transcript. I did so for artistic purposes.

If you haven't figured it out by now, I am voting for Chris Coons. I was leaning that way anyway; we've seen enough of Christine O'Donnell over the last two election cycles to know that she is not qualified.

The debate did nothing at all to change my mind.

RIP: Tim Westbrook

I learned last week that a colleague, who I knew to be battling cancer, has lost his fight and passed away. Tim Westbrook was in a leadership post in New Castle County, Delaware, government and took part in our state GIS Coordination group for many years. I knew him as a wise and experienced friend who offered generous and useful advice. He will be missed.

His obituary answers a question I had wondered about -- his on-line username. Tim was active on wikipedia; he made a mission of writing and managing entries about Delaware's political leaders:

I would also like to add articles on other notable Delaware political figures such as certain members of the Delaware Judiciary, Delaware General Assembly, some Mayors of Wilmington, some members of certain politically active families, and some defeated major party candidates. This project also includes several lists of these people and articles describing their positions. While much is done, there is no end in sight.

He wrote on wikipedia as "Stilltim," which I had assumed might be a combative reaction to having cancer. I was wrong. I learn this evening that his given name was "Stillman" and his handle was simply his given name and nickname combined.

It seems oddly appropriate. I remember Tim as a simple and very straightforward man. I'm glad to have known him and sad that he is gone.

I Broke 100? Sorta

Andy and I played golf at Salt Pond, outside of Bethany Beach, this afternoon. I carded a 92, which I'm tempted to brag about. But maybe I shouldn't.

I am not a very good golfer, though I love the game. It has been my ambition lately to break 100. I've made some small strides this year and I think my goal is in reach.

Today I scored a 92, but Salt Pond is an "executive" course. It is short and has a par of 61, where a long course would be a 72. So I don't think I'll count this as having broken 100.

But I had a pretty good round in spots. At one point I made par on consecutive holes. And many times, I made bogey, which is usually my goal.

So. The hunt for 100 continues.

This May Be the Most Accurate News Story Ever

Maybe the most accurate news story ever
Originally uploaded by mmahaffie

I found this via twitter on the NPR web site. I don't expect it to survive there long, so I did a screen-grab and posted it to flickr.

I can't help myself. I love things like this.

I did not see this coming: Insane Clown Posse have been secretly evangelical Christians all along

If you don't know who or what the Insane Clown Posse might be, good for you. But they have been, for 20 years, a violet, apparently misogynist rap group that worrked the outre side of the music business and inspired legions of young fans to self-identify as "Juggalos" and act as a loosely organized, fairly violent street gang.

Apparently, it has all been an act, designed to draw young people closer to God, based on what I read in The Guardian this morning (Insane Clown Posse: And God created controversy).

Violent J explained himself unapologetically to a New Jersey newspaper: 'You have to speak their language. You have to interest them, gain their trust, talk to them and show you're one of them. You're a person from the street and you speak of your experiences. Then at the end you can tell them: God has helped me.'

Of course, one might argue that 20 years was, under the circumstances, an incredibly long time for them to have pretended to be unholy, and that, from a Christian perspective, the harm they did while feigning unholiness may even have outweighed the greater good.

I think they may have gone too far.

In Which Pat and Mike Play Golf With Jay and Silent Bob

I got a chance to play golf at the Sussex Pines Country Club today. It was a fund-raiser for the Possum Point Players, a community theater group in Georgetown, Delaware.

Karen and I used to take part in Possum Point shows on a regular basis. We dialed back a bit when the kids came, but I have been back a bit since.

My friend Pat came down from New Castle County to join in and we were paired with two gents named Jay and Bob.

We played a scramble format, in which we each hit our ball but used whichever shot out of the four that we judged to be the best. Often, that was Bob's drive; he was playing very well. Pat was also playing well. And though he started slowly, Jay proved to be a long-driver as well. I was the weakest, of course, but among us we managed to play fairly well.

We finished at 3-under par - a 69 -- and finished fourth in the tournament. I believe there were 18 teams. The winners, by the way, scored a 61!

The weather was a challenge. Rain was forecast for the afternoon, but it started in the late morning and by the time we finished it was a steady, cold rain. At one point, we took refuge in a gazebo to wait out a particularly heavy squall. I found myself considering just how wet my feet were getting.

But we persevered and finished our 18 holes. And my play wasn't all terrible, I made a wise choice and used one of my mulligans to sink a long putt for a birdie that may have made the difference between fourth place and fifth.

Craig Ferguson on Christine O'Donnell

Craig Ferguson's Late Late Show Wednesday night started with an audience member who had moved to California from Delaware (Are you a witch?") in the cold open. And he spent most of his monologue talking about our laughable republican Senate candidate Christine O'Donnell. Bless her heart.

Farewell Ted Kaufman, We Knew You Too Little

elaware's newest Senator made his farewell speech on the floor of the US Senate today. Ted Kaufman was selected to take over for Joe Biden when he was elected Vice-President and has turned out to be what a Senator maybe should be, smart, experienced, and not worried about reelection. That last may be because he is a special case, but the results should tell us something.

It seemed a good excuse for a word cloud.

That, and I've been looking for a way to get that creepy looking guy's picture off the top of the page.

How Nice That This Man Could Own Guns

Delaware state police had to use explosives and a robot to arrest this man, David Stanley, after he was found to be shooting from his house in upstate Delaware on Thursday.

They had to close down the main north-south highway (State Route 1) in both directions where it ran past his neighborhood. He was shooting at cars on the highway from his apartment.

Yup, shooting at cars from his apartment. He'd not have been able to do that without the ability to buy as many guns as he needed.

Thank You, Mike Castle

I am a little bit shocked tonight to see that Christine O'Donnell has defeated Mike Castle in the republican primary. Pundits will talk about what this means. I don't really care.

I do know that Mike Castle has been a leader in Delaware since I arrived in the First State. He was governor when I was a reporter and when I started working for the state. He's been our Congressman for a good long while. And, while I am a Democrat and might (might) have voted against him for Senate, I like Mike Castle and I am proud to have worked for him and to have known him in a minor way.

Mike Castle is a statesman. In a time of partisan divide, Mike Castle governed. In a time of anger and nastiness, Mike Castle led.

Christine O'Donnell is a joke and there is no way in hell I would ever vote for her for anything.

Now she faces Chris Coons in the general election.  Chris Coons has my vote. He has my support. He will have my energy and he will have large shoes to fill when he takes office after the general election.

More importantly, I want to thank Mike Castle for his outstanding service to the people of Delaware.

Mr. Castle, you have been an inspiration. Thank you.