Tuesday, June 07, 2011

Morning view and nekked people


This was yesterday's 7 a.m. view at Pin Oak Marsh, not today's --- since it's still dark --- and besides it's not clear what the sun will be doing this morning. But it was beautiful, intensely green, and still is.

It's due to be even warmer today, with stronger winds built into the equation; then stormy from Wednesday onward.

Anticipatory evacuations and sandbagging continue in Hamburg, where breaches in nearby levees have been repaired for now. But because the flooding along the Missouri is expected to continue for weeks, if not months (courtesy of the Army Corps of Engineers), it promises to be a long hot wet summer along Iowa's west coast.

+++

What is it with all these married male heterosexual politicians sending half-nekked pictures of themselves to strange women via the Internet? Talk about bipartisanship.


The alleged, er, upper parts of Anthony Weiner.

U.S. Rep. Anthony Weiner (D-New York) admitted yesterday that a photo of a bulging crotch obscured by gray shorts was, yes indeed, his. And that this little hobby of his had involved other women, too.

Earlier this year, U.S. Rep. Chris Lee (R-New York) resigned abruptly after acknowledging that he'd sent topless photos off to a gal he met via Craigslist.

Topless is one thing, crotch another --- but still.

There have been sexual shenanigans and rumors of shenanigans among politicians for about as long as there have been politicians and they've ended up in many instances in the news --- Thomas Jefferson and Sally Hemmings, for example; cruel allegations about Andrew Jackson and his Rachel. Even Jimmy Carter lusted in his heart (but wisely didn't visually record the experience).

It's probably time the whole bunch learned that we've entered a new, more instant era; and so it's probably wise to keep those cameras focused on faces rather than crotches.

Weiner does not seem inclined to resign, and Democrats do seem to have fairly good luck toughing these things out even when the infractions are somewhat more serious. So we'll see how this goes.

If I were the spouse of either Weiner or Lee, I'd be concerned --- maybe even dump the guy. But by now we all know the nature of most politicians, Democrat and Republican alike, so from a consumer standpoint it's merely a matter of picking the poison least likely to be personally lethal.

I think we can be reasonably sure that there are no nekked photos of Iowa's own Chuck Grassley out there, however.

+++

Speaking of nekked people, The Register is reporting this morning that Dallas County supervisors will consider an ordinance designed to ensure that Raccoon River tubers keep their pants on (in the case of women, presumably, tops too). Seems that too many bare butts, and other stuff, have been sighted on the river out there west of Des Moines. Jimminy crickets!

Singled out for special attention is the clothing-optional beach at long-time Des Moines activist Harold Wells' Raccoon River Retreat, always considered gay-friendly. Golly, homosexuals --- and nekked ones, too. Wells also operates the Thoreau Center in Des Moines, host over the years to such subversive organizations as the Des Moines Zen Center.

I'm not sure how this will work out, especially in relation to the Retreat --- since it's not operated as a business, is on private land and on previous occasions it's been decided folks can run around buck nekked there if they want to.

And I'm not sure what the rules governing tubers on the Chariton River are, although I've got to say I've never seen one nekked or otherwise. It's our river and we love it, but just not designed for recreation until you get downstream to Rathbun.

But if Lucas County supervisors do take up public nudity, I want a provision built in that would require all persons without regard to sex over a certain age and beyond certain weight limits to be fully covered at all times by loose-fitting garments. This restriction certainly would apply to me, fully covered in nearly every instance anyway.

You see things at Hy-Vee these hot days that could give an impressionable child nightmares and I just don't think it's right.

+++

Most likely we should spend more time watching the grass grow and less time on the lookout for bare skin. It's just more restful. Prettier, in most cases, too.










No comments: