Poll: Majority of Californians oppose banning same-sex marriage

Only 40% of California voters say they are supporting an initiative to define marriage as between a man and a woman, while 54% oppose the initiative. A great graphic from the LA Times shows how Californians' attitudes have changed in a very quick amount of time on this issue. So what about Arizona, where we have a similar initiative on the ballot this November? The big difference is that same-sex marriage is currently illegal in Arizona, while it is already legal in California, with many same-sex couples already having legally married.

97 year old still upset she can't vote; predates voter ID

Shirley Freeda Preiss was profiled months ago by a Phoenix TV station, and now is featured in a column by Anne Denogean in the Tucson Citizen. Read about how the 97 year old woman is barred from voting due to the state's voter ID laws, because she predates birth certificates being issued in the state in which she was born, and nobody who witnessed her birth is still alive. Her old Texas driver's licenses do not count for identification in Arizona. Thanks to the Arizona Advocacy Network for bringing her case forward.

Sheriff Joe and the illegal Mexican...corn

Sheriff Joe Arpaio has begun a crackdown on unlicensed food cart vendors. If you live in my neighborhood, or one similar, you know the guys. They sell elote (which, for those of you who don't live in neighborhoods like mine, is corn). Channel 15 caught Arpaio's deputies on tape checking people for their papers and detaining them if they could not prove their legal status in the United States - even if they are in the U.S. legally or are citizens. The man profiled (in the story, and I suppose, by the Sheriff's deputies) insisted he didn't have to say whether he was legally in the United States when he was stopped for having an unlicensed food cart. After hours in detention, he proved he was in the U.S. legally, and was let go. What is more funny is that Sheriff Joe says in the story that this is an issue because the corn is not just corn, but rather it comes from drop houses. Huh? It's illegal corn from drop houses? Perhaps Channel 15 cut the Sheriff off in that clip before he said something that actually made sense, or perhaps he is just really off his rocker. I suppose if the new rule is to ask to prove the legal status of anyone stopped by the Sheriff, then it has to be equally enforced. So if you are more fair skinned than me, and have been stopped by Sheriff's deputies lately and had to prove your legal status/citizenship, please post your story as a response on here. I want to know if the Sheriff's office is enforcing this policy equally. Most law enforcement agencies do check citizenship/legal status when arresting people (some only when arresting for felonies), but when confiscating an unlicensed food cart? Is that a bit extreme?

Racial gap in AP exams narrowing in AZ; Rural students less likely to take AP exams

Data from the College Board, shows the racial gap that exists in AP exams is narrowing in Arizona. For example, African-American students made up a 12% greater share of Arizona's student population in 2007 than they did in 2002, but the share of students taking AP exams who were African-Americans jumped by 63% during the same period. Latino students grew 18% as a share of the student population from 2002-2007, but 41% as a share of those taking AP exams. Those scoring a 3 or above did not increase by as much as those taking the exams, however, but it at least indicates schools (or somebody) is encouraging more students of color to take AP exams, with many passing.

The state still lags the nation in the percent of students who take AP exams, which is not a good sign if we intend to be the Sillicon Desert and not a minimum wage wasteland.

The rural blog The Daily Yonder points out that rural students are less likely to take AP exams. This is a big issue for rural economic development, since AP exams indicate a head start on college, and a head start on better jobs. But it is a chicken or the egg argument: are there not good jobs in rural areas because people don't go to college, or do people not go to college because (at least if they intend to stay in their community) they don't see a need to do so for the low wage jobs available in their community?

Arizona still lags the nation in the percent of students who take AP exams, which is not a good sign if we intend to be the Sillicon Desert and not a minimum wage wasteland.

An end to Father's Day?

Usually it is better to be underestimated by your enemies than to be overestimated. And in my humble estimation, one of the problems facing non-heterosexuals in our country is that we have been overestimated by our enemies. After the LGBTQ community has been blamed for the 9/11 attacks and Hurricane Katrina, now those who dislike us are telling people that we are trying to eliminate Father's Day. Whew. No wonder so many gay people are so tired all the time! And I feel really sorry for my friends who are gay AND Jewish, because on top of masterminding all the aforementioned, they have to control Hollywood and Wall Street on top of everything else!

(And if you don't realize that this blog is tongue-in-cheek, then quit reading it and go back to watching Fox News)