Open Thread – “Help, Mom! Coffee is Ruining My Monitor!”
As many of you know, I get lots of “interesting” email. Among the lovely ones, and the strange ones, and the unpleasant ones, I also get lots of offers. Some of them are like the ones you get, which guarantee you untold riches from a foreign land if you’ll only email your bank account number. But I also get all kinds of emails from people offering to make my website successful, or get me on this or that search engine, or put me in touch with people who can unlock the mysteries of Google.
But, you can imagine my surprise and delight as I opened the very special offer I’m about to share. I was not actually drinking anything at the time, but if I had been, you can imagine my eyes going wide and a loud “PFFFPFPFPPFPFPPTHBT!” as I spit coffee with considerable force all over my monitor. You can see the sticky brown trails of liquid running down the screen right over this:
Jeanne
We want to invite you to become affiliate for one of our newest books that is currently enjoying great news coverage:
You will earn 20% of every sale and be able to track sales and how often people are clicking through.
This book is not available but through our site and the authors. Become an affiliate today for FREE and start spreading the word!
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You can imagine my surprise at this generous invitation to become a member of the “Help, Mom! Radicals are Ruining My Country” family. I don’t know quite what I did to deserve this little bit of amusement, but I think I’ll pass.
Well, that is the way to wake me up, for sure! I am remembering our children when they were small, and can’t ever recall one making a statement of this type. Guess they were underinformed.
Reading “Game Change” the second time through – this time for content. What a good book! I do hope you find a copy soon.
Ice fog this morning here. Slick as you know what outside. Do believe a morning indoors is on tap. Fine with me, because I will just read.
You get the best stuff in your emails. I only get stuff about penile enhancement and come-ons from most of the Nigerian population.
AKM,
What you did to deserve this ‘offer’ is to have a very popular website. You write well and you have a quick and lively wit.
Thank you for the good work that you continue to do. Perhaps because so many Palin watchers visit here, the ever wise among them thought that they could ‘trick’ you the way that some (many?) of them bought ‘Going Rouge’ and you shared your story here recently.
The nerve of the greedy propagandists! Indoctrinating the young and ‘real ‘mericans’ in such a controlling way. The nerve of them asking that you be complicit in such a venture. Wow…
…I had no idea we were radicals. Makes me think of bombers and rioters…oh my!
I posted this on the Haiti thread and am repeating it here.
http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2010/1/15/825644/-Rush-Limbaughs-Sponsor-List
Some things are beyond belief!
i checked their webpage, this is the blurb for the book: “From the author of the bestselling, Help! Mom! There Are Liberals Under My Bed! Katharine DeBrecht, comes Help! Mom! Radicals Are Ruining My Country! – a hilarious and entertaining way for parents to sit down with their children and teach them the origins of the new Tea Party movement and the importance of standing up for liberty and the American Dream. ”
eh. to sit down with your kids and teach them hate.
President Obama declares January 16 Religious Freedom Day.
In it he invokes the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom arguably the philosophical, historical and legal taproot of religious freedom, equality and separation of church and state — and a powerful argument against Christian nationalism. And he adds “… it was the genius of America’s forefathers to protect our freedom of religion, including the freedom to practice none at all.
http://www.talk2action.org/story/2010/1/15/232152/844
Update and pictures from SOS Children’s Villages USA re Haiti. Please let us not forget to keep giving what we can!
http://www.sos-usa.org/newsroom/international-news/Pages/We-have-nothing.aspx
This was just to good not to pass on, hope you feel the same way. Pass it on.
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2010/1/15/825634/-Who-needs-journalists-when-LTEs-are-like-this!
Dear Pat Robertson, I know that you know that all press is good press, so I appreciate the shout-out. And you make God look like a big mean bully who kicks people when they are down, so I’m all over that action. But when you say that Haiti has made a pact with me, it is totally humiliating. I may be evil incarnate, but I’m no welcher. The way you put it, making a deal with me leaves folks desperate and impoverished. Sure, in the afterlife, but when I strike bargains with people, they first get something here on earth — glamour, beauty, talent, wealth, fame, glory, a golden fiddle. Those Haitians have nothing, and I mean nothing. And that was before the earthquake. Haven’t you seen “Crossroads”? Or “Damn Yankees”? If I had a thing going with Haiti, there’d be lots of banks, skyscrapers, SUVs, exclusive night clubs, Botox — that kind of thing. An 80 percent poverty rate is so not my style. Nothing against it — I’m just saying: Not how I roll. You’re doing great work, Pat, and I don’t want to clip your wings — just, come on, you’re making me look bad. And not the good kind of bad. Keep blaming God. That’s working. But leave me out of it, please. Or we may need to renegotiate your own contract. Best, Satan
LILY COYLE, MINNEAPOLIS
“This book is not available but through our site and the authors.”
Help Mom! Conservatives are ruining my grammar!
This is funny ~ but also scary…
It’s smacking of Hitler indoctrinating 82,000 young German boys to a fatal attraction.
…call me paranoid.
I just saw the piece titled “Lady BlahBlah” on the New York Times opinion page and knew what it was about before reading:
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/16/opinion/16blow.html?ref=opinion
#9 UK Lady ~
That is GOOD.
OT
I guess I hadnt seen this part of the Hannity/Palin interview.
Brown in MA better be scared, very scared:
Palin: Scott Brown is a conservative, “would love” to see him take Kennedy’s seat
http://www.dailykos.com/tv/w/002476/
LiladyNY Says:
January 16th, 2010 at 4:13 AM
I posted this on the Haiti thread and am repeating it here.
http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2010/1/15/825644/-Rush-Limbaughs-Sponsor-List
____
Thanks for the up-to-date list. I just spent a few minutes calling/emailing and hope others will too, especially the link near the bottom for the Armed Forces Network. They need to be (politely) asked to drop the hateful and seditious Limbaugh from their lineup.
Found this, not sure what it means. Commerce Secretary Gary Locke announces “Fishery Failure” Determination for Alaska Chinook Salmon.
http://www.commerce.gov/NewsRoom/PressReleases_FactSheets/PROD01_008806
Now from what I’m reading this “fishery failure” determination is a good thing for the species. I think. Parnell wants Locke to say that its a fishery resource disaster, not then one were the bycatch is a problem. Maybe?
Scientists (whose and where?) say the problem is mostly natural. Changes in ocean stuff. The Association of Village Council Presidents, the Alaska Federation of Natives and the villages of Kwethluk and Chevak asked for a disaster determination. Which would mean they think it goes beyond the natural?
From what I can tell Locke hasn’t said what has caused it but that the fishery failure is there.
Any one knows what this means for the villages that do subsistence fishing?
Thomas Frank on Bill Moyers’ Journal:
http://www.pbs.org/moyers/journal/01152010/watch.html
Franks is the author of “What’s the Matter With Kansas” and “The Wrecking Crew”. He was also the founder of “The Baffler” magazine.
I think he had some very valid points about the Democrats as well as the Republicans. How the republicans are the enemy within and want to destory government and how the democrates let them by not standing up for government and by pointing out that a well run government offers it’s citizens more freedoms not less. Democrats need to defend the government…not just individual politicians.
I remember reading “What’s the Matter With Kansas?” a long time ago, but I intend to go back and reread it. Haven’t read “The Wrecking Crew” but it will definitely be on my next library list.
UK lady @9…that was great!
aview999 @14…just watched the clip you provided. I thought Sarah said something about balanced reporting. Where was the other viewpoint (as if we all really expected to hear one)? Fox needs to rename themselves…something along the lines of Robertson’s 700 club would be effective.
Not related to coffee, but wanted to bring this article to you:
http://www.politicususa.com/en/Other-Sarah-Palin
LiLadyNY: President Obama declares January 16 Religious Freedom Day. Wow, I love our President. What a great thing to do. Can’t wait to see how the nutbaggers protest “Religious Freedom Day.”
UK Lady -
Oh Hell Yeah !!
Thanks for the smile this morning.
How funny is this…Ms. Palin is backing Brown, a candidate that is considered quite liberal by conservative standards. Maybe she should change her mantra to common sense liberal conservatism? Since MA voters tend to vote for moderate to liberal candidates, I wonder what quitty pants endorsement will do for Brown.
http://www.frumforum.com/how-conservative-is-scott-brown
After reading this, I’m sure that Brown will not draw attention to Palin’s Hannity endorsement:
http://www.frumforum.com/scott-brown-hes-no-tea-partier
Perhaps his opponent should.
Must be a chemistry book with all those free radicals bouncing around.
jimzmum @1-
You get the best stuff in your emails. I only get stuff about penile enhancement and come-ons from most of the Nigerian population.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I got one recently that had the critical word misspelled (u instead of i). Do they really think I’m going to check out their website when they can’t even spell the body part on question correctly??? It’s only FIVE letters, folks!!!
While Scott Brown may be a clown, Coakley may be her own worse enemy in the style of Walter “Mr. Boring” Mondale: http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2010/01/16/coakleys_rocky_run/
Those who have known Coakley for years do not describe her as without a personality but as warm and humorous. But that’s not a story the reporters are covering. Instead, they leave intact the more recent impression of Coakley – dull, humorousless, without personality – just the things which killed Mondale’s run for presidency 25 years ago.
None of us have moved that far from our positions in 1968. It’s just that the corporatists have commandeered our media and co-opted our processes. Now, “they” are name calling. I’ll call them ignernt punks. They need to relearn recent American history. The baby boomers aren’t buying that old corporatist detritus even if it’s got a new cellophane wrapper. We are just straight forward. That’s not their “style”. Radical? Not so much.
Is it okay I joined as Karl Rove? Just asking.
barbara @6 –
eh. to sit down with your kids and teach them hate.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Unfortunately, some of those kids are already getting that lesson at Sunday school. Just tooooo sad…
pearl @17 says: Franks is the author of “What’s the Matter With Kansas” and “The Wrecking Crew”. He was also the founder of “The Baffler” magazine.
I’ve picked Franks up too, thanks to LoreenW from our Oregon Mudflats meetup in Salem last month. It’s worth reading. I’ve also recently read five histories of the Revolutionary era, and especially recommend books by Joseph Ellis.
My thought is that schools need to emphasize US History and Government at all grade levels. I think back to when I was five and went outside with my uncle to see Sputnik fly over. After that there was increased emphasis on science education because of fears the Soviets were getting ahead of us. I benefited from that science education and am a biologist today. I cannot stress enough how much a good science education undercut the myths like creationism on which I was raised. We can do the same with ignorance about government!
Now we need to raise citizens who can tell the Constitution from the Declaration of Independence, are able to name our Founding Fathers and describe what they did, understand the history of our founding an its implications to governing today, understand how the labor movement benefited the poor and middle class, know what havoc Joseph McCarthy inflicted, have an understanding of basic economics, understand separation of church and state and the role of a free press, and so much more. This should be basic knowledge for anyone living in our country.
We need to promote this kind of education. It’s important to avoid indoctrinating children, but we must raise citizens who can solve the real problems we all face. This ignorance is destroying our country! Ignorance makes it possible for organizers of groups like the Teabaggers to suck in the ignorant and dissatisfied, and it keeps people vulnerable to FOX news’s lies. I suggest we begin pushing for a focus on civics education.
30 Goosedodger Says: January 16th, 2010 at 7:44 AM
Now we need to raise citizens who can tell the Constitution from the Declaration of Independence, are able to name our Founding Fathers and describe what they did, understand the history of our founding an its implications to governing today, understand how the labor movement benefited the poor and middle class, know what havoc Joseph McCarthy inflicted, have an understanding of basic economics, understand separation of church and state and the role of a free press, and so much more. This should be basic knowledge for anyone living in our country.
———
Something tells me these items are things which chuckles heath did not teach his daughter. Don’t know why I have that impression. …
Damn, I’m a radical! How cool is that? Right now I’m torn between strapping on a bandolero and tying a bandana around my head while humming Abba’s “Fernando”, or storming the dean’s office at one of our local colleges. It’s either one of those or standing atop the rubble of our former society, waving a large flag overhead while the grateful masses stretch their arms toward me, grasping for equality. Decisions, decisions…
The link says “Higher Standard Publishing.” How about this for a higher standard? How about some fact-checking? Or is that not part of the higher standard? I think a better name would have been “Inky Dinky Do” or “Standards are for Losers.”
What is a “Higher Standard” in publishing if it does not involve truth? Do they mean “Higher Calling” in that God told them to publish this crap?
https://secure2.convio.net/sierra/site/Advocacy?cmd=display&page=UserAction
is the link for the Sierra Club, where you can sign a petition to help communities prevent further devastation from coal mining.
Health and peace!
Remember Palin’s remarks about Levi…calling him Ricky Hollywood and condemning him for posing semi-nude? Well, my, my how things of changed. Pictures of Scott Brown posing sans clothes…this is the candidate she is backing for the senate.
I hope Rex Butler is paying attention and has also noticed the major hypocracy displayed by SP.
http://blog.newsweek.com/blogs/thegaggle/archive/2009/09/15/gop-senator-s-racy-pics-don-t-matter-because-he-s-a-dude.aspx
jammer5 -
Speaking of Rove , he lives here now. Here is a funny story from The Austin Chronicle , a left leaning weekly.
After a Fashion
BY STEPHEN MACMILLAN MOSER
LE SCANDAL ROVALE I hardly know how to talk about this but can trust you to lend a sympathetic ear. I have a good friend, a dangerously exciting, blond, tennis-playing Tarrytown housewife whom I adore. But I’m trying to be discreet, so I won’t mention her name (sorry, Jessica). So, Madame X was telling me a little Christmas story that has shocked and disturbed me since. Apparently, a formerly vacant home behind her property had a new resident. It seems that some unexplained noise brought all the neighbors out of their homes on Christmas morning, wondering what the sound was and where it had come from. One particular neighbor knocked at the door of the previously vacant home to ask the new resident if they had heard the noise, too. While chatting with the resident, who has apparently signed a two-year lease, the neighbor kept thinking, “Hmmm, I think I’ve seen this guy somewhere before.” Soon, the new resident offered his hand and introduced himself … as Karl Rove. He said he had just moved in and was awaiting construction on his new home on Tarry Trail. Pleasant and genial, Rove bade the neighbor goodbye. Neighbor couldn’t wait to tell the others about her experience. Shocked, another neighbor decided to “drop by” the Rove residence with a plate of Christmas cookies. Again, he introduced himself as Karl Rove and revealed that he was here to work for Kay Bailey Hutchison. Make of it what you will, chickens, but I knew you’d want to know.
7 LiladyNY Says:
January 16th, 2010 at 5:13 AM
President Obama declares January 16 Religious Freedom Day.
http://www.talk2action.org/story/2010/1/15/232152/844
Thanks for the link. Mudpups are a tremendous source of great sites.
Hey my kiddos live in Terrytown….. I better ask them if they’ve met the neighbors.
Yes, I’ll bet they WOULD like to get hold of you…it would probably add more class than all of them combined. : )
And BTW, Scott Brown has consistently flip-flopped on the choice issue; now claiming he is “pro-life”, from what I’ve read.
And funny how Palin can endorse someone who did the same thing Levi did–she secretly probably wishes she could boff both of them. Meow.
they were all taught as little children to respond to any uncontrolled ‘crisis’ with the words: “I’m rubber, you’re glue, whatever you say, bounces off me, and sticks to you”…they NEVER grew up! obviously & apparently
16 Newfoundland Dogs Rule-
This ruling has potential to alleviate some of the problems faced by the folks along the Yukon. However, it is not necessarily good news for the species… in and of itself.
Part of the law quoted by the Secretary insists that
“2) Upon the determination under paragraph (1) that there is a commercial fishery failure,
the Secretary is authorized to make sums available to be used by the affected State, fishing
community, or by the Secretary in cooperation with the affected State or fishing community
for assessing the economic and social effects of the commercial fishery failure, or any
activity that the Secretary determines is appropriate to restore the fishery or prevent a similar
failure in the future and to assist a fishing community affected by such failure. Before
making funds available for an activity authorized under this section, the Secretary shall make
a determination that such activity will not expand the size or scope of the commercial fishery
failure in that fishery or into other fisheries or other geographic regions.”
While celebrating this federal ruling the State is on the verge of ignoring important scientific evidence that the “highway” salmon use to return to the Yukon and other places here, in Area M , and accepting proposals in that area at BOF meet coming up which could have impacts well outside Area M’s boundaries…
No one knows yet how this ruling will affect subsistence fishing on the Yukon as it technically cannot address it as the Secretary says. Even though it is inseperable at so many levels this particular disaster law is not set up to deal with subsistence fishing.
Yet another virtual high five for UK Lady at #9. Or, why the comments at Mudflats are always worth reading!
I, like many who have already posted, am a little confused…To Palin, Levi is a p*rn king but Brown is a “common sense conservative” that she thanks god is running for the Senate? (Palin’s gushing was disgusting to watch and I’m sure that Todd didn’t appreciate it all that much either.) I saw the photo of Brown and I saw the photo of Levi (and no, I did not buy the magazine…I saw it on the news just like everyone else). The photos seem the same to me. So what am I missing–don’t tell me that Sarah is a hypocrite?
By the way…I sent an email to Coakley’s campaign with the link to Palin gushing over Brown on Hannity. I’m sure that they’ve already seen it but thought that Palin’s endorsement of her opponent might not be appreciated by moderate voters in the State. I also don’t think that the moderate to liberal voters who might have supported Brown will like the far right getting their claws into him if he is elected. He may be moderate now but once in office the tea parties and the Palin gang will apply pressure and just like others before him….
Thanks Alaska Pi
I’ll watch to see what happens. The problem of the subsistence fishers is really upsetting.
Wish the new governor does not seem to want to be of any help.
Pecan Farmer -
I know the neighborhood and gonna look tomorrow. BTW , it’s the same neighborhood where Matthew McConauhey performed the nekkid bongo dance.
http://www.thesmokinggun.com/mugshots/mcconaugheymug1.html
24 sauerkraut Says:
January 16th, 2010 at 7:36 AM
Must be a chemistry book with all those free radicals bouncing around.
Yeah. Dr Frankenstein’s lab. Mix chemicals well, drink, and out pops a guy who wears seep thru tea bags and doesn’t know a commie from a nazi, and doesn’t know Medicare is socialist medicine.
Now, that is radical. A conservative who worships the pre-product of the world’s most elitest drink.
44 Newfoundland Dogs Rule -
At this point, the new governor is giving very mixed messages.
This declaration also includes a provision that the Feds will kick in NO more than 75% of the costs, when they do kick in some $s, and we haven’t heard what part the state anticipates taking on.
IF the 1.3 mil he’s propsed in the budget http://www.gov.state.ak.us/archive.php?id=5190&type=1
is intended to be the state’s portion , we’re in for a fight here…
28 jammer5 Says:
January 16th, 2010 at 7:42 AM
Is it okay I joined as Karl Rove? Just asking.
Sounds OK to me, uh Karl?
Wonder if you will get any response?
AKM….. I believe the ‘ reason ‘ you received this ‘ Great offer ‘ is simple.
Being the Tech savvy individuals they are, they used the Google thingy right there on their keyboards. Pretty much the same way McCain vetted S’error.
Might have even been the SAME people… doncha think..? Anyways……
They saw on the Googles their name and saw that you had written a story about it way back when when it first came out. ( FREE advertising ) The Googles also saw that you have a blog and many of your stories mention ‘ Tea Party ‘ and or the name ‘ Sarah Palin ‘ and these people are their friends, also too.
So Voila!!!…. Off goes the email!!
You write stories about the same subjects they do. Perfect partner for them.
They fact that they CAN’T/didn’t actually read what you wrote or and they can’t put a whole sentence together correctly ( ala Palin word salad ) and rely on just one or two key words thrown into a sentence randomly ( Palin-speak ) just for effect was not important to them.
I think they vetted You with the same little Googles as Sarah. It’s that simple.
A very good piece written by Fineman in Newsweek about Ailes as the leader of the RNC:
http://www.newsweek.com/id/231098?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+headlines%2Fpolitics+(UPDATED%3A+Headline+Feed+-+Politics)
Sarah Palin Truth Squad had a funny article on the Help Mom book.
http://sarahpalintruthsquad.wordpress.com/2009/12/02/sarah-palin-guest-stars-in-help-mom-radicals-are-ruining-my-country/
I can’t figure out if this is in the book or satire about the book. Here’s a snip:
“The anchorwoman excitedly went on, ‘And from this exclusive source, we can confirm that Governor Sarah feeds her children dog food for breakfast, lunch and dinner.’ ”
30 Goosedodger Says:
Since you mentioned McCarthy. –
“The Rehabilitation Of Joseph McCarthy? Texas Textbooks Process Grinds On”
http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2010/01/the_rehabilitation_of_joseph_mccarthy_texas_textbo.php
Texas State Board of Education, which pre reads and edits public school text books was taken over almost 20 years ago by stealth far right candidates and they have been dumbing down the states text books ever sence. They don’t bother with the stealth part any more.
That is important to the whole country since Texas is such a huge purchaser of school books. What they want in they get and what they want out they get.
It is way past time for educators on the national level to stand up to this gang of hacks that want to turn out stupid religiously blinded Americans. These rewriters of history are rewriting your child’s text book, no matter what state you live in.
That DKos piece had me laughing out loud. Thank you
Lily and the paper that published it.
My solution to Pat Robertson involved better living through chemistry involving water and oxygen to go with his stinky sulfur smell. This Haiti statement will be on his obituary. Nice going, jacka$$.
This one took my breath away.
Why does Dr. Tiller’s killer get to argue that his alleged crime was justified?
http://www.slate.com/id/2241426/
Under an ill defined Kansas law Tiller may be allowed to lower the charge from murder to manslaughter – “Kansas extended the definition of voluntary manslaughter from an intentional killing “upon a sudden quarrel or in the heat of passion”—the traditional scope—to an intentional killing that results “from an unreasonable but honest belief that deadly force was justified in self-defense.” This is called an “imperfect self-defense.”
And the presiding Judge is actually considering this argument.
Wow, just take your breath away Wow.
Thanks, pearl #17 for this about Thomas Frank.
“I think he had some very valid points about the Democrats as well as the Republicans. How the republicans are the enemy within and want to destory government and how the democrates let them by not standing up for government and by pointing out that a well run government offers it’s citizens more freedoms not less. Democrats need to defend the government…not just individual politicians. ”
That’s really it, isn’t it? For years we’ve been hammered deaf by such mantras as:
government-is-the-problem,
the-free-market-will-magically-solve-everything,
I-vote-for-the-man-not-a-party
And now look. We’re wrecked. Incompetent Republican moles are buried like bot larvae in every level of government. So that crappy cartoon book [that will set of the Bogus Detector on any kid, no matter who their parents are, thank goodness] is way much ironic, isn’t it? Should be:
Help, Mom, Republicans Have Already Ruined My Country! The Rogues Gallery.
“set off the Bogus Detector,” of course.
Marnie Says:
January 16th, 2010 at 10:46 AM
This one took my breath away.
Why does Dr. Tiller’s killer get to argue that his alleged crime was justified?
http://www.slate.com/id/2241426/
Under an ill defined Kansas law Tiller may be allowed to lower the charge from murder to manslaughter – “Kansas extended the definition of voluntary manslaughter from an intentional killing “upon a sudden quarrel or in the heat of passion”—the traditional scope—to an intentional killing that results “from an unreasonable but honest belief that deadly force was justified in self-defense.” This is called an “imperfect self-defense.”
And the presiding Judge is actually considering this argument.
Wow, just take your breath away Wow.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
So if you believe somebody is going to kill an abortion doctor, you can use this defense to justify killing that somebody before they kill said abortion doctor?
Sounds like a Kansas range war to me.
How a Group of Texas Conservatives are Rewriting Your Kids’ Textbooks –
http://tinyurl.com/yehttma
**** As the state goes through the once-in-a-decade process of rewriting the standards for its textbooks, the faction is using its clout to infuse them with ultraconservative ideals. Among other things, they aim to rehabilitate Joseph McCarthy, bring global-warming denial into science class, and downplay the contributions of the civil rights movement. ****
**** ….. never before has the board’s right wing wielded so much power over the writing of the state’s standards. And when it comes to textbooks, what happens in Texas rarely stays in Texas. The reasons for this are economic: Texas is the nation’s second-largest textbook market and one of the few biggies where the state picks what books schools can buy rather than leaving it up to the whims of local districts, which means publishers that get their books approved can count on millions of dollars in sales. As a result, the Lone Star State has outsized influence over the reading material used in classrooms nationwide, since publishers craft their standard textbooks based on the specs of the biggest buyers. As one senior industry executive told me, “Publishers will do whatever it takes to get on the Texas list.” ****
It’s a long article but very good .
I saw this Fantastic story showing on PBS last night which was part of their ” Independent Lens ” series. It was picked up and promoted by ” Fox Searchlight Films “.The people profiled in this film are great. It was an independent filmmaker documenting the story of the ” Young at Heart Chorus ” and the guy who organized it by the name of Bob Silman.
I had to force myself to turn off the TV and go to bed.. it was on for another 2 hours I think. These people were wonderful and they have so much Fun being in the Chorus. As described on another website the film was described this way.
———–
“Documents the true story of the final weeks of rehearsal for the Young@Heart Chorus in Northampton, MA, whose average age is 81, and many of whom must overcome health adversities to participate. Their music is unexpected, going against the stereotype of their age group, performing songs, for example, by James Brown and Sonic Youth. Although they have toured Europe and sang for royalty, this account focuses on preparing new songs, not an easy endeavor, for a concert in their home town, which succeeds in spite of several real heart breaking events.”
————————
This webpage has numerous video snippets and some YouTube clips up.
You will really enjoy them. And if they are performing in the New England area you might check them out. Watch a few clips.
I Googled them on YouTube.. there are LOTS of clips there as well.
They are a Hoot!
http://www.foxsearchlight.com/youngatheart/
The average age for Members is 81. They really have some characters in this Chorus. They have even traveled to Europe and performed over there on Tour. One for the King and Queen of Norway I believe.
These are NOT retirees singing Lawrence Welk songs. They perform Rock songs from the Beatles or Rolling Stones or Punk bands and the like.
Gryphen’s posted photos from MA candidate Scott Brown’s Cosmo layout on IM. I don’t see how Palin can criticize Levi for doing ‘p@rn’ and then support this guy for US SENATOR (!) when his photos are just as revealing as Levi’s.
Then again, she’s never felt the need to justify or explain her hypocricy. Sheesh!
http://theimmoralminority.blogspot.com/
43/44/47-
AK Pi and Newfoundland Dogs
I too am concerned with what this declaration will do to assist the Yukon runs and peoples. At the same time, although not getting the press, there are runs both in Norton Sound, farther north and Bristol Bay, farther south, that are suffering also.
The monies MUST be channeled to research, habitat restoration and monitoring. There are already various organizations set up to do this that are working together and now need the state to sit down with them to move forward.
There is genetic information on fish that travel through Area M, the fishing district where most of these fish must travel through to get ‘home, is clearly following a pattern of other research that ID that this area fishes the same fish before they get home to the BB, the Yukon and Norton Sound. IT is called a “Mixed Stock” fishery for a reason. Not all the fish that come into that area are headed to local rivers, they are just ‘movin through’.
The two BOF meetings coming up at the end of the month, first for the Arctic/Yukon/Kus in Fairbanks and then Area M the first week of Feb need a coordinated efforts by all stakeholders to make sure these stocks of fish are not depleted before they can get to their rivers of origin.
IF Alaska wants to keeps it good name for sustainable fish it MUST mange for the good of the entire fisheries, not just a piece meal one area against another.
Gov. Parnell PLEASE step up and show the world that Alaska knows how to manage a fishery so ALL will benefit, not just some big out of state stakeholders and a few paid lobbyists. We will be watching those BOF meetings and how your biologists, department heads and other ‘state’ stake holders ‘work the meeting’.
With good commercial fishery management will come the subsistence recovery too.
Re: Dr. Tillers murderer’s charges reduced to manslaughter. Manslaughter as in accidentally running over someone? Or causing the death of another human with having no intention of harm? This crime was a premeditated cold blooded murder of another human in church yet. It was an act of domestic terrorism.
62 jc in co Says:
This crime was a premeditated cold blooded murder of another human in church yet. It was an act of domestic terrorism.
——-
It’s not terrrrrrrrrorism unless some non-white guy does it; didn’t you get the memo?
I thought the judge said he COULD be considered for manslaughter.
HIG @59 – I’ve seen part fo the doc and it really is uplifting. I’ll be looking for it to run again.
leenie17 @60 – I actually think Brown’s layout is less tasteful than Levi’s and what’s worse is that he was already touting his conservative , patriot values. On top of that he’s technically pro-choice. I can’t see how she is justifying her support other than the fact that she’s backing someone that uses the term “conservative”. Hypocrites. The whole lot of them.
I’m doing a 2nd read of the article I posted @58 about the work being done on the text books in TX to revise them to conform to ultraconservative views. I just read this and it sure explains the Palin followers and the extreme right –
*** In late 2007, the English language arts writing teams, made up mostly of teachers and curriculum planners, turned in the drafts they had been laboring over for more than two years. The ultraconservatives argued that they were too light on basics like grammar and too heavy on reading comprehension and critical thinking. “This critical-thinking stuff is gobbledygook,” grumbled David Bradley, an insurance salesman with no college degree, who often acts as the faction’s enforcer. ***
Yep. critical thinking ain’t nuthin but gobbledygook. (and poppycock, even)
Feeding hate and ignorance to the young’uns. And they wonder why there is bullying in the schools.
If you do search Youtube for ” Young at Heart Chorus”… this is just one of the clips. And a nice little tie-in they are singing ” The Road to Nowhere”.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-wgrM-R6yfY&feature=PlayList&p=A35A7E5EAD4271A9&index=0&playnext=1
Thanks Marnie #52 and BuffaloGal #58 for the links.
I’m not surprised the Republicans are already trying to rewrite history. We’ve had to expend a huge effort in science to stop a similar conservative plan to substitute creationism for evolution. One battle is what goes into public school textbooks. Texas and California lead in textbook sales and, therefore, their standards control the content. The result has been to remove evolution from science books.
We need both an effort to stop historical bias AND to teach content relevant to what citizens need to know, including historical context and governmental process.
A model from science is The National Center for Science Education (NCSE), lead by Eugenie Scott and found on the web at http://ncse.com/ . NCSE serves as a central information center, including as an information resource for teachers and parents and a network for concerned citizens.
@Alaska Pi
“Before making funds available for an activity authorized under this section, the Secretary shall make a determination that such activity will not expand the size or scope of the commercial fishery failure in that fishery or into other fisheries or other geographic regions.”
This is a terrific sentence. If only we could get the government to apply this standard to ALL activities before funding them.
@68 Moose Pucky-
Yup!
And sure wish the BOF and state were required to consider things in that light when they sit down and hash out proposals for fisheries, especially in Area M , here pretty soon.
Whatever is right about local input can be offset by myopia about the larger picture…
Re: The conservatives adding their bias and dumbing down America’s textbooks:
The conservatives are pulling their crap on our education system at a time when the US has never faced the scale of global competition that it does today – and that competition is increasing rapidly, while we continue to fall short. For some perspective – in China, the number of people in the top 25% IQ bracket exceeds the total population of North America. To match that, India would have to count their top 28%. China and India each can count more honors students than the total count of US students. We are in the position of preparing students for jobs that don’t yet exist, that will utilize technologies that have not yet been invented, in order to seek still newer innovations and solutions to problems we don’t yet know are problems. America doesn’t have the luxury of time to recover from the consequences of allowing those who cling to bronze-age fears, superstitions and ignorance – and who are hell bent on dragging us backwards – to conduct their socio-religious experiments. Here in AZ, 40% of our state legislators now have no education beyond high school, and the predictable consequence of that has been an almost unthinkable degradation in the quality of legislative debate and decision making. During a recent debate on the issuance of an environmental permit for a Uranium mine adjacent to the Grand Canyon, one Republican supporting the permit summed up her position this way, “The earth has been here for six thousand years and has done just fine without environmental regulations.” (After the environmental permit was issued, Interior stepped in and quashed the project.) They have also plundered funding for education in general and for our state universities in particular. Viewed in a global context, there is nothing any outside entity can do to us that would ultimately be as destructive to America’s future as what the Rebiblicans are doing from within – and all while they gloat over their “successes” against secular education and values. If the mythical Free Market is such a wonderful thing, then it’s overdue for school book publishers to respond to the market – and for other states to stop allowing Texas Rebiblicans to dictate the content of their text books.
I just checked Shannyn’s webpage and her story up is about her TV show today and her Guests.
Does anyone know if she will be on the air for one last time on KBYR today..?
I’m thinking KBYR would have dropped her once she had the KUDO gig.
Anybody know for sure?
Is this the open thread? Oh, yes it is.
Wanna talk about crazy? I just thought I might, actually, really, run for the next open spot on … the school board!
Although at the moment I have no reason to believe our current board is particularly ‘dangerous’, I think maybe I can make a good and positive difference in the future, when it might be needed.
What really boggles my mind is, here I am, wondering if I think I have what it takes to be a school board member in Hollywood Florida, when Sarah Palin told Bill O’Reilly point blank that she felt she was qualified to be president of the United States.
If Katie O’Perky had asked me “what do you read?” I would probably have started with “I prefer non-fiction..” and if Glenn O’Beck had asked me who my favorite Founder was, I wold have said “I think Benjamin Franklin, because …”.
And I’m supposed to be worried if I’m qualified to run for school board?
What say you, Mudpups? Yea or Nay?
(Off to research … )
Just read this great post by Frank Rich of New York times.
The Great Tea Party Rip-off
In this cause, Steele is emulating no one if not Sarah Palin, whose hunger for celebrity and money outstrips even his own. As many suspected at the time, her 2008 campaign wardrobe, like the doomed campaign itself, was just a preview of coming attractions: she would surely dump the bother of serving as Alaska’s besieged governor for a lucrative star turn on Fox News. Last week she made it official.
Here is the link:
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/17/opinion/17rich.html?
terp -
If you think you can make a difference in a positive direction , than by all means , DO IT !!
GinaM -
Thanks for the link. That will be in the Sunday NYT and I can skip over it and keep reading. Good stuff.
Re: Dr. Tiller’s murder, and “manslaughter”. If Marnie’s (@54) quote is accurate, the “imperfect self-defense” concept still requires that the killing involve self-defense, not defense of a hypothetical someone else who is not present at the time.
There have been cases where judges have permitted consideration of reduced verdicts because (I believe) they have concluded that the makeup of the jury was likely to result in a hung jury if only the most severe verdict was on offer. In many such cases, the prosecutors agree, figuring that it is better to get a conviction for a reduced charge rather than a series of mistrials that might end up with abandoning the case.
This would not be a good case on which to employ this strategy. There is no interpretation of “manslaughter” that could encompass stalking and intentionally killing someone who is unaware of your presence, and who has never had any prior interaction with you. If the verdict in the Tiller case were to be manslaughter, then by extension, if you feel that someone is a threat to others, you can kill them and expect a manslaughter verdict.
If I were the judge, I’d think long and hard about that.
@72 terp — YEA from Groveland.
Here’s a great analysis by Frank Rich summing up how Granny Grifter and Michael “Spending Spree” Steele are cut from the same cloth.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/01/16/frank-rich-the-great-tea-_n_426076.html