“If [the media] convince enough voters that that is negative campaigning, for me to call Barack Obama out on his associations,” Palin told host Chris Plante, “then I don’t know what the future of our country would be in terms of First Amendment rights and our ability to ask questions without fear of attacks by the mainstream media.”

The First Amendment, as well as all other Amendments, protect you from the GOVERNMENT, not from the media, not from corporations, and not from me, Seth the Blogger. In fact, the First Amendment guarantees me the right to call you, Sarah Palin, a fourth-class intellect that makes Dan Quayle look like William F. Buckley by comparison. Now I’m no great constitutional scholar, but I did pretty well in Political Science 320, aka Constitutional Law.

Personally, I gave her a pass on her “gaffe” that she said the Vice President is in charge of the U.S. Senate. While not, erm, true, you can legitimately argue that “presiding” over something rather sounds like you are in charge of it, and I don’t see any reason to latch on to that as evidence of Constitutional ignorance.

However, this is a different matter. Even if she was, tragically, elected to office, how could she swear to uphold and defend the U.S. Constitution when she seems to not even understand the very principles she’d be taking an oath to uphold? She seems to think that the First Amendment means you can say whatever crazy shit you want, and if (a non-governmental) someone points out that reality (which has a well-known liberal bias) differs with your batshit-crazy-conspiracy-theory-of-the-day regarding your opponent, then they are not, in fact, exercising their rights to free speech, but somehow infringing upon your own.

Support Services Coordinator/User Consultant

ITS – User Services

Provides primary support for fifteen general student computer centers (labs) including servers and workstations; oversees operations and student staffing; provides software consulting and support to centers and to University faculty and staff; interfaces with faculty regarding software needs for curriculum; creates and maintains software documentation; and provides secondary support for faculty and staff servers and workstations. Bachelor’s degree plus at least one year of experience in server administration and computer applications as applied to computer support or related field required. Interpersonal communication and organizational skills also required. Experience in supervision, computer communications, networking, as well as experience with Active Directory and Group Policy preferred. Experience with a package management system like SMS, SCCM, or Altiris also preferred. Student experience will be considered. Criminal and other relevant background checks required. Application materials received by November 17, 2008 will be given first consideration. Additional information provided upon request (319) 273-3424. Send cover letter, resume, and names, addresses, and telephone numbers of three references to: Support Services Coordinator Search Chair, Human Resources, 027 Gilchrist, UNI, Cedar Falls, Iowa 50614-0034. Fax 319-273-2927. Email: HRS-Applications@uni.edu URL: www.uni.edu. UNI is a smoke free campus.

You made a bad decision, and overpaid for your house. Tough. You thought it was a reasonable price at the time you signed the contract. The fact that you could have bought it for less later doesn’t mean anyone owes you a damned thing, and I certainly don’t owe you a cent of my tax dollars because you thought $500,000 was a reasonable price to pay for a 3 bedroom house. I paid $399 for my Xbox 360 3 years ago, now they sell for $299, where’s my bailout? Or am I only entitled to it if I’m still paying interest on it? Only if the interest is tax-deductible maybe?

Matt Cooper (of Plamegate fame) has an article up today, entitled “McCain’s Insane Mortgage Proposal”. I couldn’t agree more…