New Tween Electronics From Disney

Mr Broke Hoedown just sent me the link to GizmoDiva’s page on the new electronics from Disney, aimed at the tween market:

I’m going crazy with the way today’s kids are entertained with gadgets that keep’em busy all thru the day. And if all that wasn’t enough, blame Disney for unveiling more high-techie gadgets for more interesting entertainment. Kids and tweens are in for a ton of fun this fall with a hot line of Disney electronics waiting to be unleashed. The line includes the Disney Flix Video Camera, a digital video camera that comes bundled with Disney Director software, which allows your brats to star in their own Disney movies. They are also offering LCD TVs, such as the 15-inch High School Musical model, resembling a locker.

I know for sure my nieces, who aren’t even close to being tweens yet, would go nuts for the High School Musical television!

Disney Does the Right Thing, Sort Of, in Racial Profiling Case

From NBC News, an update on the possible racial profiling at Downtown Disney:

Late Thursday, Disney reversed its lifetime ban on the four players and made it a one year ban at Downtown Disney only.

This is of course good news . . . especially for the teenager whose mother is a supervisor at the Walt Disney World Polynesian Resort (a lifetime ban would have been awkward on Take Your Child to Work Day, wouldn’t it?). But it’s not enough. Nothing I’ve read justifies any ban at all. These kids deserve not only a complete lifting of the ban, but also an explanation and apology.

Just as important, many of us will still be waiting for answers about what exactly has gone wrong recently with security at Downtown Disney, and assurance that the problem has been addressed.

The blogosphere of course has been ablaze over the story. Disney geeks like myself have probably already seen More Thoughts on Racial Profiling at Downtown Disney on The Disney Blog, but may not have seen the Essential Presence blog (great stuff, it’s now in my blogreader), which I highly recommend, especially for those who wonder what all the fuss is about. The author’s commentary on a recent Orlando Sentinel article is spot on.

More Details on Possible Racial Profiling at Downtown Disney

The Orlando Sentinel has more on the story this morning:

Walt Disney World ejected four of Florida State University’s top football prospects from Downtown Disney last weekend under its anti-gang, no-loitering policy.

The four, including the son of a Disney manager and the son of a Philadelphia civil-rights lawyer, were banned for life from Disney World property late Friday.

A Disney spokeswoman said the youths were expelled because they had been loitering for an extended period and refused to leave when Disney security told them to.

Parents of the youths wonder whether there’s another reason: They’re black.

(I’d wondered why my blog was suddenly getting so much traffic today from a web forum for football recruiters . . . I guess I have my answer now.)

Wondering whether there’s really anything wrong with racial profiling? Amnesty International has an excellent report on the topic.

When law enforcement officials focus on what people look like, what religion they follow, or what they wear, it puts us all at risk.