I’m not sure they are still in business. I haven’t been to Sitka in a few years. They were down town near the Church I think. The pies were the “creme” type. I’m sure there was plenty of sugar, butter, maybe some creme cheese. They were tasty. The one I had last was more like a peanut butter cheesecake than a pie per se,
You’re right, AKM, it is very unusual. Not sure why anyone would want a vulture rather than an eagle or a wolf head though. I know vultures are valuable animals in the ecology of things but I’ve always found them to be a little too ugly for my tastes. So I don’t think I’d be interested in buying that any time soon.
I think it is gorgeous too. The vulture has not always been the symbol of death or disaster. In Egypt it is the first letter of the hieroglyphic alphabet and was the symbol of motherly love and the feminine. Perhaps the cane was created for an enlightened man.
My favorite Sitka memories were outside of town – at the Goddard hot springs. Find a mudflatter with a boat, and go out for a soak. Don’t miss out on that.
What if it was created for someone as a joke? It’s a fascinating object, but I can’t help but wonder if it was made as a joke between a couple of old rich guys.
Looks like there are a FEW pages of documents on Sarah to be released at the Cal university that has her scheduled to speak at.. AND amzingly, the foundation doesn’t have any money to give out for scholarships now…. wonder where their $ has gone ??
she’s a thief!!! …plain & simple. she lures the money away instead of outright grabbing it…same intentions! I’m sick and tired of her always getting away with her under-handed activities!
Reminds me of a wise old bird;
I find it strangely attractive myself. I’ve always favored silver over other metals. Blue is my favorite colo(u)r, also. too. What IS that blue, do you suppose? Enamel? Pretty, whatever, and the pattern makes for interesting sparklies. The red eyes are a bit creepy-disconcerting; I’d replace them with onyx or lapis, but would that be sacrilege? Better to just embrace the creepiness, I suppose.
As a sometimes walking-stick-assisted ambulator (my cane is black and very plain), I’d be proud to lean on the vulture, just sayin’. Don’t you know a path would clear in the hallways during class changes? No wait…. they’d be all over the vulture cane, checking it out. We’d all be late to class!
Beauty really IS in the eye of the beholder, ennit? Thanks for sharing, AKM.
Downright tropical here today, with clouds so thick and heavy they threaten storms at any moment. Good day for me to be inside.
It’s a lovely and ubiquitous shrub/tree covered with tiny white blossoms that have a distinctive, not totally unpleasant, scent. It’s a common allergy trigger around here, so many folks are taking antihistamines and decongestants. My lungs can apparently detect it in parts per million over great distances, triggering killer asthma, so I stay inside with windows closed until the blossoms fall. The blossoms are starting to brown, so we may be past peak…maybe 2 more weeks, then I can play outside again without wheezing.
Lots of new books stacked up waiting to be read (one of the wonderful benefits of being a librarian) and many end-of-the-school-year projects and loose ends to tie up, so exile indoors is no great sacrifice. When school is out, I may not leave the forest for a couple of weeks, though!
Shalom to you, thatcrowwoman. If you have access to a decent herb store (if not, there are plenty on the web), get yourself some lobelia herb. Make a nice lobelia tea. Every day, drink 1 c. of the tea, to which you’ve added 4 drops of oil of clove (yes, the stuff we use for toothaches. Just get a really good quality, preferably organic). Drink it for a week or two; should prevent asthma attack no matter what kind of triggers abound. Tikkun olam shalom.
Last fall I took a drive to Letchworth State Park here in Western NY. There’s a dam along the river in the park which is a favorite hangout for a large number of turkey vultures. Spotted through binoculars, they’re an unpleasant looking bird with scrawny, fuzzy red heads and big, curved, nasty-looking beaks. They walk along the top of the dam with an ungainly waddle, and the shape of their head makes them seem as though they’re perpetually scowling. They appear to be constantly bickering and pecking at each other, jumping and flapping about when beaks connect with bodies.
However, when they fly, they are graceful and beautiful as they soar on the air currents created by the gorge, riding them like a rollercoaster.
I’m not so sure it’s a vulture. Head is definitely covered with feathers, not fuzz like the bald head of a vulture.
So I’m voting for “eagle.”
As a former art student, I recall being bemused by the somewhat approximate resemblance of Faberge art pieces to the actual animals they were supposed to represent. Close, but never the versimilitude we’re used to after a century of photography and exacting detail in wildlife art.
And as to the blue enamel [putting on Art Major hat again] – it’s called guilloche, or “engine-turning”, as it required a machine to produce the geometric engraving in the metal that underlies the glass enamel coating.
It was _the_ hip thing to have one’s accessories decorated with in the early part of the 20th century.
Google “guilloche enamel” and you’ll see lots of beautiful examples.
Thanks much, mo! Lovely link.
One of my favorite parts of the Mudflats is the home schooling available from our fine ‘flats friends.
Every time I ask a question, I get answers and links to satisfy or stimulate my curiosity. Such a nerd-bird thatcrowwoman is!
I love the various types of enameling. The first major present the bf got me is a gorgeous early 20th century gold pendant. The moment I saw it, I said, “Wow! Plique a Jour enamel!” He was totally impressed that I knew what it was without being told. It’s a woman in profile, 3 little diamonds, and the enamel is the same pink and green as watermelon tourmaline.
Il love museums and old artifacts. Wonder at the great crafstmanship without any of today’s technology. Each item was given detailed attention to, not like the mass-produced stuff today.
May as well make it 3 for 3 – isn’t Sitka a fab little town? All those little forested islets dotting the bay, the beautiful volcanic cone of Mount Edgecumbe towering over the scene, all the historic and beautiful buildings, Tlingit carvings, the Sheldon Jackson Museum – and almost everything is within walking distance.
Well, it’s settled. When I finally visit Alaska (apart from my one visit to an airport many moons ago, which I’ve been assured doesn’t count), I’ll have to visit Sitka. Anyplace where most everything is walking distance has great appeal to my Manhattan sensibilities.
hahahaha caw Caw! CAW!
Isn’t it pretty to think so?
Nah… don’t need but one, and mine’s only 20-something, so miles left to help as long as I make an occasional rubber tip replacement.
No Sitka silk, but cranberry streusel coffee cake is going in to bake shortly…
DH Happy offered to install a cattle prod attachment when I first got my cane. Not quite Bond, James Bond, and a wickedly tempting idea when working with adolescents…and no small number of the annoying “adults.” Shame on me!
Pie in Sitka!
Is the airport cafe still doing all those wonderful pies?
Eagles always remind me of the divine.
Vultures always remind me of the mundane- all the everyday work which has to be done to make things go along as needed.
Vulture to hang onto to carry yourself on a cane ?
Carry yourself through your day with purpose!
Walter Hickel, former two-term Governor (not consecutively) of Alaska, former (canned for criticizing Nixon on Vietnam, shocked by the Kent State massacre of unarmed students) Secretary of the Interior, businessman and responsible growth advocate died last night in Anchorage.
He was for Sarah before he was against her, he had some other crazy actions under his name – but to compare their personal narratives would be an insult to a true visionary who really cared for the growth and development of Alaska to the benefit of the people.
Rest in Peace sir, you leave this magnificent State with your children and grandchildren carrying on your good name.
Down here in the Pimeria Alta, Vulture plays an incredibly important role in the spiritual world of the Piman people. Vulture, along with Coyote, was one of the first two beings created by Ju’vat Ma’kai, the Earth Healer. All Pimans (and in their cosmology, all human beings) belong either to Vulture or to Coyote. Coyote is impulsive, fiery, and creative, while Vulture is contemplative, cautious, and reflective. Coyote creates and destroys, while Vulture picks up and mends the pieces. The whole idea is that we need both beings in our wrld.
Slick Operator: The BP I’ve Known Too Well
by Greg Palast,
“I’ve seen this movie before. In 1989, I was a fraud investigator hired to dig into the cause of the Exxon Valdez disaster. Despite Exxon’s name on that boat, I found the party most to blame for the destruction was … British Petroleum (BP).”
One of my favorite sights when I was visiting Brazil in 1984 (I still want to spell it Brasil, as they do) was the vultures hanging out next to the crosses atop the colonial churches in Paraty, where the royals went to escape the heat before independence http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parati,_Brazil. I took some photos, but never developed the film (I was very depressed upon returning to NY, for a variety of reasons, then when I moved, I lost the film). Great excuse to make another trip to one of the world’s most beautiful countries? Perhaps.
Speaking of vultures, aren’t the Paylin family to be on the cover of USA today?
I like it. Though I wouldn’t buy it. I have a soft spot for homely things. A vulture should be given its due. Just imagine this world without natures clean-up crews.
Dick Morris signals that Republicans are now going to use the poor performance of the regulatory system scuttled by W to illustrate that the Federal regulatory system is a failed idea.
Greta Van Susteren allows toe sucker Dick Morris to relay his wet dream about massive Republican victories in November which end up in dismantling our public education system in favor of charter schools and vouchers for private schools and as he touts on his web site, no surprise here, the demise of the dreaded teacher’s union.
Van Susteren also allows people being sick of the problems with the Federal government, Arizona and illegal immigration, oil drilling, higher taxes (which just got lowered under Obama for most Americans but they fail to note), Bernie Madoff, the financial meltdown, Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, the Department of the Interior and Congress’ low approval ratings and every other Republican meme that’s out there for Morris to twice segue into his privatize education because everyone hates government nonsense.
I used to watch greta back when Natalie Holloway went missing…greta was more attorney-like then, but it seems after mccain lost and she met palin, she turned all right-wingy (jumped in with both feet)…can’t stand her now and I don’t even give her channel-surfing ratings.
Disappointing news from the Gulf – BP’s attempt to trap escaping oil inside a containment vessel has initially failed. Hydrate crystals are forming inside the vessel and plugging the outlet at the top. They’re also making the vessel buoyant.
my brother works in the oil industry (Houston area) .. he’s been contacted about trying to solve it, and he won’t touch it…says they need to slice the pipe and seal it, but at 5000 feet depth, there’s not anything designed and on the shelf per se, to do that.. dealing with 10,000 psi min coming out of the pipe, plus the 5000 ft depth… no divers can go that far down.. says it will be weeks before they finally seal it off.
There is a poll on the site below that is asking folks who they would rather have as a mother: Michelle Obama or Sarah Palin.
Right now, Sarah is ahead! Guess a lot of folks want a mother who doesn’t care a damn about what they do, doesn’t make them go to school, and bails them out if they get in trouble, huh?
Anyway, let’s not let Sarah win this poll. Please vote – it’s not earth-shattering, of course, but why feed her already over-blown ego?
I voted…for the life of me, I can’t see why these 2 shared a poll…there’s no comparison! and for palin to be ahead, I guess usa weekend is read by THEM!
Well, we should have realized. The poll is, after all, next to that fantasy article on how Sarah is Wonder Mother – multi-tasking and all. Her faithful sure couldn’t resist voting for her, right?
What was sad, though, is that in the article it skims over the fact that the day of the interview, it was the day before Piper’s birthday. There’s a photo of her sitting alone on a hobby horse, holding a tray of cupcakes, and at the end of the article, after all the gibberish of what a great mother Palin is, is a line about how those cupcakes still don’t have the candles lit.
Oh – and it said that the next day, Piper’s birthday would hold special gifts of her and her friends: Track’s girlfriend would teach them a dance (hopefully, not a pole dance) and then a cousin would teach all the little girls how to target practice with a BB gun.
Sarah thinks that is great because she wants all her kids to learn “Alaskan” skills – hunting, fishing, four-wheeling, and gold-panning. (see captions under photos on first page). Gees, kind of a limited skill set,isn’t it? Sure would have liked to see a good mom mention education generally.
Anyway, is their main house at Lake Lucille really a “modest A-frame” the way the article says. I must have been looking at the wrong photos.
Oh – and don’t miss the put-down remarks Sarah makes at Bristol’s expense. Gees, what a mom.
Sarah is now over 300 votes ahead. Guess the article has drawn all her bots.
..chortle… that’s cuz yore not a REAL Amurikan !! Yore one of them thar furrieners ! we kan tell, cuz yoo spell yore words lak a edumacted person …. and they have NO clue waht the word “fecking” means !! probably confused the hell outta them !!
I never used the word feckin’. Although I take a mad delight in all you Amurikans using it.
The following is my experience from FB,
RAM finally came back from her coffee break. All my comments were deleted and I think I am banned as I see no option for further commenting. However, I saved all my comments as I suspected this would happen sooner or later.
Here is my experience with SP’s facebook page.
“What people need to realise is that Sarah Palin has no ideological values whatsoever. She will do or say anything that is outrageous simply to keep herself in the spotlight so she can make $$$$. Fiorina probably paid Palin to endorse her. If Palin were a genuine member of the tea party movement, then she should have endorsed Devore. What does that tell you about her? She is only in it for the money folks.”
I sent that one in twice and it was deleted within a minute or two. So I decided upon another strategy. Next up was…
“Oh Sarah you are soo wonderful.”
They didn’t delete that so I got BOLD.
“”Oh Sarah you are soo wonderful at making money. What people need to realise is that Sarah Palin has no ideological values whatsoever. She will do or say anything that is outrageous simply to keep herself in the spotlight so she can make $$$$. Fiorina probably paid Palin to endorse her. If Palin were a genuine member of the tea party movement, then she should have endorsed Devore. What does that tell you about her? She is only in it for the money folks.”
This stayed up for ages, so I took heart. I was trying especially hard not to be abusive.
Someone then chimed in saying something like “Good on ya, Gov. Palin.” I responded with
“I thought she quit that job?”
Then her FB went all quiet, so I posted the following very quickly.
“And the job before that also too. You betcha! Wink. ”
“Slightly off topic. Does Sarah (my new BFF) understand what a Deist is? I saw her on the BOR show (I just love him) and she seemed a bit confused about the separation of church and state and the position the founding fathers took on religion. Ah, what the hell if she doesn’t understand all that, she is just sooo pretty!!”
“Also too, can anyone advise me where Sarah (my new BFF) gets her wigs? They are just soooo darn um…. pretty (that is the word I was searching for). It is just a pity about all the hairspray.”
“I am sooo glad that Sarah (my new BFF) believes in free speech also tooo, YOU BETCHA. It is at stressful times like this that I am in need of a mandation. Devore or not Devore, that is the question!”
Well, I joined my husband in a mandation (glass of wine), and when I anxiously returned to my new BFF, I think she had unfriended/defriended me. I am soooo hurt!
I used to coordinate the NY part of a youth exchange program with Ireland years ago, and I visited there with kids every summer. There was one Irish young lady who had been to NY early on and endeared herself to all of the adults. Every year we’d pick her up in Dublin and she would travel with us for the two weeks the NY team was in Ireland. She was a delightful and highly amusing child, with a heart as big as all outdoors…and a vocabulary that would make a sailor blush!
We always visited the US Ambassador while we were there and, one year, also got to meet President Mary Robinson. My young charge was warned over and over to watch her language when we met with dignitaries and, much to my relief, behaved like a young lady. However, for the rest of the trip, her favorite line was, “Ya know the cursin’ t’ing? I’m feckin’ trying to give it up!” Said with a sly smile, naturally!
You might enjoy renting and watching “The Commitments” sometime. It features the very best of Dublin vernacular, don’t you feckin’ know? It’s a great window into northside Dublin culture in the late 80′s. I’ll be showing it in a course I’m teaching at the community college this fall. Irishgirl – what’s your review?
so AWesome, dudette !!! your husband must have been ROLLING on the floor with laughter !! Amurika, Land of Free Speech.. so long as you pay to hear about it !!
Irishgirl, I tried to send you a reply to your message on the Forum, but it says your inbox is full and my message can’t be sent. Can you fix? I’ll check back later. Meanwhile, hello!
It was childish, but I must admit to a perverse delight in running amok on her FB page. I felt I was getting funnier as time went on. Too bad I was banned…I’m sure the best was yet to come.
Irishgirl – Good on ya. I think aul’ Mick Collins and Missus Markiewicz would be proud.
(For the rest of yez, Michael Collins and Constance Markiewicz were leaders in the Irish revolutionary movement of the early 1920′s. Both operated secretly, did a lot of damage, and were never caught.)
Those of you who are garden enthusiasts will appreciate the happy little surprise I had this afternoon.
I decided to brave the roaring winds (45 sustained and 65 MPH gusts…hold on to your hats!) and visit a local nursery for some help identifying a small tree that sprouted up on my fence line. After getting my tree information, I decided to stroll through the main indoor part of the nursery just to look around (ha ha!).
Much to my delight, I discovered that there was a huge (unadvertised) sale of quart-sized perennials for 99 CENTS each! Since last year, I’ve been redesigning the big circle garden in my yard (former site of a pool) and have a lot of bare ground that needs to be filled with something other than the weeds which are trying to take over at the moment. Being on a fairly limited budget, I was thrilled to find such a treasure trove. One of the employees explained that ‘he’ was running out of room and was going to keep selling those plants until they ran out. I don’t know who ‘he’ is, but I’m very glad he decided to empty the greenhouse! Many of the plants on sale are the right kinds and colors that I need so I filled my shopping cart. I have no kids so these were my Mother’s Day gift to myself!
Of course, now I actually have to PLANT the 25 new additions…….
wife tends to go wacko too,,,, but guess who has to do the planting ???? ah well, can’t get rid of her for that one…” yes yer Honor.. I keep having to dig myself a hole and she keeps filling them up , I’m afraid she’s gonna fill it up with me in there…..”
mein Gott ! 30 years with the same woman on Monday !! WHAT was I thinking ????
Irishgirl, I saw that you sent me a message. I have forgotten what my sign-in is to be able to access that message, but it is written down at my office and I will go there tomorrow and retrieve your message. I will reply. And, thank you.
A friend who lives in Wasilla was visited by her mother (who lives in Wisconsin and runs a cheese business). Mom wanted to visit Anchorage and daughter let her drive. As they drove down the highway Mom was extolling the merits of various cheeses, their manufacture, etc and wasn’t paying attention to the speed at which she was driving. A State Trooper did observe and pulled her over. Mom tearfully explained to the officer that she and daughter were engaged in a rapturous discussion of cheeses and she was so sorry that she had failed to notice she was speeding. Trooper goes to his vehicle to verify her identity, etc and upon returning said he wasn’t going to issue her a citation as “someone who is so joyously discussing Jesus has to be a good person”!
Here is an Interview that everyone should see. It’s a MUST SEE!
They things he talks about point directly to what the GOP and the Tea Party rail about.
Tavis Smiley is an interviewer on PBS. Last night his interview/ Guest was Richard Dreyfus.
It was EXCELLENT! Dreyfus explained that once he reached a certain age his focus was going to be on teaching as one of his Goals. Crowwoman and the other teachers here will love his interview.
He spent 4 years studying at Oxford getting ready for this sort of second career and goal in life.
He talked about the fact that America is a great country and he loves it. But we are failing to educate people ( the younger generation ) these days. They know nothing about History and Civics.. Hello Sarah..?
She didn’t know why there was a North and South Korea. Didn’t know about W.W. II.. etc… etc.
He said we are not preparing the next generation with the tools they need to keep this Nation great.
At one point said you can/ARE still ‘ patriotic ‘ and support our Troops… and can be against a War.
He talked about how we are loosing our Freedoms… IE the Supreme Court ruling saying Corporations can use their power in Elections.
He mentioned that People should be worried when a single person can and does own 35-50 % of the Media (Rupert Murdoch) and the power that brings. And his interests tied to the Chinese who he talks with.
And also about the Media… he said the Journalists and the Media these days are more worried about keeping their Jobs… instead of doing them. His quote was… ” they are afraid of asking the impolite questions “.. because of that fear.
This is just a small recap… there was much more.
The link here has a quick 2 minute clip on the front page that is sort of a teaser. Find the full 30 minute interview or podcast.
NOTE to AKM: You are probably very busy being at the Convention right now. Save this clip.
I’ll bet you could use it as part of a post later with one of you great stories.
In a brief chat with my husband today about the achievements so far of the Obama admin – he asked “This is news. Why isn’t the media reporting this? They are supposed to report the facts!”
I quite agree. I concede they do try to report facts yet most of the time – it’s all sensational spin and nonsense rather than a straight out presentation of what is going on. Which is why I don’t watch the mainstream news shows anymore.
I believe that a nation can only be free and democratic if its citizens are active, educated and participate on the democratic process. Media should be part of that process in reporting the truth and challenging those who spin BS.
The other day I looked at my elementary school’s calendar and counted the spring testing weeks. In the ten weeks from late March through early June, we have NINE WEEKS that have some kind of testing. The ONLY week that didn’t have a test was the week we had off for spring break. There are three rounds of state testing (thanks ever so much NCLB!), mock testing, field testing, standardized testing for kids too young to take state testing, NYSESLAT testing and benchmark testing. And that doesn’t include the state social studies test the 5th graders took in November or the diagnostic testing that many of our kids go through this time of year in preparation for their CSE meetings.
Not all of the kids take every test, but the 4th graders took at least six of these tests. It’s reaching the point where we have no time to teach because we’re spending half the year testing for things we don’t have time to teach.
And we wonder why our kids don’t know anything when they finish school…
(actually, those of us in education don’t really wonder!)
And next year I can look forward to administering the listening part of the state language arts test to a profoundly deaf child. This year, she only had to match vowel sounds that she can’t hear. Yeah, THAT works really well!
The next time I hear someone say that teachers need to be more accountable, I’m really going to have to hurt them!!!
Oy, vey, Leenie17, and Amen also, too.
The expansion of testing over teaching is the main reason why I left the classroom and moved to the library. I don’t have to give grades, but the skills I teach help students get better grades. I can satisfy and stimulate curiosity. I can share the Joy of Learning something new…
The question I keep asking is, “Can we please spend as much time Teaching as we do Testing?!”
Yes, I used to administer the tests to the special ed kids I worked with in high school. They took the regular tests. Everyone took those tests except the seniors. So regular classes were suspended, even for seniors because every class except English had mixed ages. Then, we administered the high school exit exam. Everyone who hadn’t passes took that, so, once again, regular classes were suspended. Then, for special ed, every kid got individually tests prior to their annual individual education plan meeting. Even more testing every third year. So they missed classes for that. Then there was the sophomore writing exam. Oh, and finals. I don’t know why we had finals the second semester. When had classes actually been in session.
Oh, and the tests? They were stupid. I know because I had to read them out loud (except the reading comprehension, but those were stupid, too.) I mean, to graduate from high school, there were questions about certain types of graphs I’d never seen before, and I took advanced calculus in college. If I didn’t know about them and had managed just fine in society, did a high schooler need to know about them to graduate?
Every parent should be looking at the tests and reading them through. Teachers often don’t say much against the questions themselves, but they are often plain stupid.
Next time people want teachers to be more accountable, invite them to teach your classes for a week. They’ll run screaming. Wimps.
This just proves my point about useless stuff the MSM does. USAWeekend not only profiled Palin as the do-it-all mom for Mothers Day, they also had a poll asking who would you want to be your mom, Palin or Michelle Obama!
I OF COURSE voted and OF COURSE voted for MICHELLE. As weird as that poll is – I just had to be sure to chuck in my 2 cents!
How about an intellectual debate between the Obama kids and the Palin kids? From Track down to Piper! Which kids would win? Or better still, a debate between Michelle and Sarah on any topic. I would pay to see that!
BTW. USA Today is written at a 5-6 grade level. Most national papers are at 7-8 grade level. The Washington Post and NY Times have been a little higher in the past, but I’m not sure now, and I’m not going to stop to test them out. The Christian Science Monitor and the Wall Street Journal are written at a 10-12 grade reading level, though, and this is not my opinion, but from several of my social science college professors, the content, and varying view points of the Monitor makes for some higher end reading.
Just for fun, I tested out part of USA Today’s article. It’s readability level was between 2.6 and 5.8 (second grade to fifth grade level) A movie review on The Christian Science Monitor was 8.4-11.5 grade level.
OK. Now I’m having fun. And I promised myself I wouldn’t do this. I took the following excerpts from a fictiony booky thing and did some readability tests on them (at what grade level reading ability could someone read this and understand it.) Now, a lower grade level doesn’t mean it’s badly written or not challenging, but it writers do tend to write for the demographic which they are targeting or they don’t sell books/magazines. The scores? 6.4-9.1 (Sixth grade through ninth grade, depending on the test given.)
Then I did another book below. Have a look.
“He’s got to be drunk, I thought. I didn’t want to offend the president of France, but this was getting stupid. I kept thinking, surely, someone will pop up and say something like, ‘OK, the five minutes are up,’ but the call just went on and on and on.”
“That day in sunny Texas when the divorce rumors were rampant in the tabloids, I watched Todd, tanned and shirtless, take the baby from my arms and walk him back to the ranch house so Trig could nap while I made calls. Seeing Todd’s blue eyes smiling, I chuckled. Dang, I thought. Divorce Todd? Have you seen Todd?
“The bigwigs haggled back and forth over my appearance with Alec, the writers sending down some lines where Alec was basically supposed to perform a comic dissection on me. Then I was supposed to passively take his arm and stroll offstage.
From a political messaging standpoint, the campaign could see that wasn’t going to work. We put our heads together and sent the producers a counteroffer: Alec would still get his barbs in, then I would say, ‘Hey Baldwin, weren’t you supposed to leave the country after the last election?’ Uh… no, producers said.”
“If any vegans came over for dinner, I could whip them up a salad, then explain my philosophy on being a carnivore: If God had not intended for us to eat animals, how come He made them out of meat? I always remind people from outside our state that there’s plenty of room for all Alaska’s animals – right next to the mashed potatoes.
“Should Secretary Clinton and I ever sit down over a cup of coffee, I know that we will fundamentally disagree on many issues, but my hat is off to her hard work on the 2008 campaign trail.”
Clinton, meanwhile, told the same channel’s Meet the Press: “Absolutely would look forward to having coffee… I’ve never met her… I’m ready to have a cup of coffee, and maybe I can make a case on some of those issues we disagree on.”
This excerpt, which you may remember:
12.9-13.8 reading level (Senior in high school-college freshman)
In September of 2008, Alaskans for Truth held a rally in downtown Anchorage. More than 1500 Alaskans showed up to protest the administration’s handling of “Troopergate,” the insinuation of the McCain campaign’s attorneys into Alaska’s Department of Law, and the outrageous behavior of Meg Stapleton, then Attorney General Talis Colberg, and Palin herself. One of the speakers at the rally was Betty Monegan, the mother of Walt Monegan, who carried a sign referencing the outrageous accusations made by the Palin administration.
But Monegan was not the only one to stand accused of being a “rogue.” Mike Wooten, the infamous ex-brother-in-law was called a “rogue trooper” and Palin said he was a danger to her family and to the public. She made it clear that in no uncertain terms that being a “rogue” was not a good thing. These accusations were soundly refuted by Steven Branchflower, an independent investigator hired by the bipartisan Legislative Council to investigate Troopergate.
No wonder we like Mudflats so much! The writing treats us like thinking, educated people!
A couple more readability tests (reading grade level)
For fun, Stephen King, Bag of Bones
Readability 6.9-13.8
On a very hot day in August of 1994, my wife told me she was going down to the Derry Rite Aid to pick up a refill on her sinus medicine prescription — this is stuff you can buy over the counter these days, I believe. I’d finished my writing for the day and offered to pick it up for her. She said thanks, but she wanted to get a piece of fish at the supermarket next door anyway; two birds with one stone and all of that. She blew a kiss at me off the palm of her hand and went out. The next time I saw her, she was on TV. That’s how you identify the dead here in Derry — no walking down a subterranean corridor with green tiles on the walls and long fluorescent bars overhead, no naked body rolling out of a chilly drawer on casters; you just go into an office marked PRIVATE and look at a TV screen and say yep or nope.
The Rite Aid and the Shopwell are less than a mile from our house, in a little neighborhood strip mall which also supports a video store, a used-book store named Spread It Around (they do a very brisk business in my old paperbacks), a Radio Shack, and a Fast Foto. It’s on Up-Mile Hill, at the intersection of Witcham and Jackson.
And from Audacity of Hope by some Hopey Changey Presidenty Author
9.4-12.2
Two days after I won the Democratic nomination in my U.S. senate race, i received an email from a doctor at the University of Chicago Medical School.
“Congratulations on your overwhelming and inspiring primary win,” the doctor wrote. “I was happy to vote for you, and I will tell you that I am seriously considering voting for you in the general election. I write to express my concerns that may, in the end, prevent me from supporting you.”
The doctor described himself as a Christian who understood his commitments to be comprehensive and “totalizing.” His faith led him to strongly oppose abortion and gay marriage, but he said his faith also led him to question the idolatry of the free market and the quick resort to militarism that seemed to characterize much of President Bush’s foreign policy.
The reason the doctor was considering voting for my opponent was not my position on abortion as such. Rather, he had read an entry that my campaign had posted on my website, suggesting that I would fight “right-wing ideologues who want to take away a woman’s right to choose.” He went on to write: “Whatever your convictions, if you truly believe that those who oppose abortion are all ideologues driven by perverse desires to inflict suffering on women, then you, in my judgment, are not fair-minded. … I do not ask at this point that you oppose abortion, only that you speak about this issue in fair-minded words.”
I think Ms. Palin and Mr. President were targeting two different audiences. One, elite (some high school level work). The other, middle school level education. No wonder she always sounds like a middle school mean girl!
Now, correct me if I’m wrong, but is it really elite to have graduated with a twelfth grade education?
Wish I could get my hands on one of her college papers! Wouldn’t that be fun! :-/
Take a hike through “totem pole” park. It’s kind of cool. There is also a bald eagle rehabilitation center there. And lastly, enjoy a Sitka silk pie!
Sitka silk pie??? Sounds yummy…what’s in it???
“Sitka silk pie.” Try saying that three times fast!
I’m not sure they are still in business. I haven’t been to Sitka in a few years. They were down town near the Church I think. The pies were the “creme” type. I’m sure there was plenty of sugar, butter, maybe some creme cheese. They were tasty. The one I had last was more like a peanut butter cheesecake than a pie per se,
You’re right, AKM, it is very unusual. Not sure why anyone would want a vulture rather than an eagle or a wolf head though. I know vultures are valuable animals in the ecology of things but I’ve always found them to be a little too ugly for my tastes. So I don’t think I’d be interested in buying that any time soon.
i think it is beautiful
I think it is gorgeous too. The vulture has not always been the symbol of death or disaster. In Egypt it is the first letter of the hieroglyphic alphabet and was the symbol of motherly love and the feminine. Perhaps the cane was created for an enlightened man.
My favorite Sitka memories were outside of town – at the Goddard hot springs. Find a mudflatter with a boat, and go out for a soak. Don’t miss out on that.
Having come to the defense of vultures in the comment above, I have to admit that the more I look at that photo the more it looks like John Boehner.
Yes , it does.
Those ruby eyes remind me of Boehner’s alcohol fueled bloodshot eyes.
http://boehnerbooze.wordpress.com/
And the color of the head looks like Boehner’s tan.
On second thought, it looks more like Eric Cantor! No enough Botox for McConnell.
Ha ha! I was thinking that it was made as a ‘congressional convincer’ for the good old days when stupid congressmen were caned!
good one Tantef
No, it’s not even pretty. Yuck.
Do they have any with kittens or puppies?
lol paula…no but BuffaloGal got lots of them kittehs looking to come visit you.
What if it was created for someone as a joke? It’s a fascinating object, but I can’t help but wonder if it was made as a joke between a couple of old rich guys.
Looks like there are a FEW pages of documents on Sarah to be released at the Cal university that has her scheduled to speak at.. AND amzingly, the foundation doesn’t have any money to give out for scholarships now…. wonder where their $ has gone ??
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/05/07/MNKT1DAP89.DTL
Palin sure has a wonky eye in that photo.
Ex governor Wonky Winky Twitter Quitter Granny Grifter. She’s building quite a resume.
she’s a thief!!! …plain & simple. she lures the money away instead of outright grabbing it…same intentions! I’m sick and tired of her always getting away with her under-handed activities!
Reminds me of a wise old bird;
I find it strangely attractive myself. I’ve always favored silver over other metals. Blue is my favorite colo(u)r, also. too. What IS that blue, do you suppose? Enamel? Pretty, whatever, and the pattern makes for interesting sparklies. The red eyes are a bit creepy-disconcerting; I’d replace them with onyx or lapis, but would that be sacrilege? Better to just embrace the creepiness, I suppose.
As a sometimes walking-stick-assisted ambulator (my cane is black and very plain), I’d be proud to lean on the vulture, just sayin’. Don’t you know a path would clear in the hallways during class changes? No wait…. they’d be all over the vulture cane, checking it out. We’d all be late to class!
Beauty really IS in the eye of the beholder, ennit? Thanks for sharing, AKM.
Downright tropical here today, with clouds so thick and heavy they threaten storms at any moment. Good day for me to be inside.
The feckin’ ligustrum is blooming, also, too.
http://classes.hortla.wsu.edu/hort231/List03/LigustrumJapForm.jpg
It’s a lovely and ubiquitous shrub/tree covered with tiny white blossoms that have a distinctive, not totally unpleasant, scent. It’s a common allergy trigger around here, so many folks are taking antihistamines and decongestants. My lungs can apparently detect it in parts per million over great distances, triggering killer asthma, so I stay inside with windows closed until the blossoms fall. The blossoms are starting to brown, so we may be past peak…maybe 2 more weeks, then I can play outside again without wheezing.
Lots of new books stacked up waiting to be read (one of the wonderful benefits of being a librarian) and many end-of-the-school-year projects and loose ends to tie up, so exile indoors is no great sacrifice. When school is out, I may not leave the forest for a couple of weeks, though!
Shalom Bayit, all. Peace in our homes.
You know, I don’t think that blue piece is contemporary to the rest. It looks almost like an acrylic tube that has a reflective pattern inside.
I hate waxleaf legustrum. Don’t like the smell. I hope it passes quickly!
Shalom to you, thatcrowwoman. If you have access to a decent herb store (if not, there are plenty on the web), get yourself some lobelia herb. Make a nice lobelia tea. Every day, drink 1 c. of the tea, to which you’ve added 4 drops of oil of clove (yes, the stuff we use for toothaches. Just get a really good quality, preferably organic). Drink it for a week or two; should prevent asthma attack no matter what kind of triggers abound. Tikkun olam shalom.
Last fall I took a drive to Letchworth State Park here in Western NY. There’s a dam along the river in the park which is a favorite hangout for a large number of turkey vultures. Spotted through binoculars, they’re an unpleasant looking bird with scrawny, fuzzy red heads and big, curved, nasty-looking beaks. They walk along the top of the dam with an ungainly waddle, and the shape of their head makes them seem as though they’re perpetually scowling. They appear to be constantly bickering and pecking at each other, jumping and flapping about when beaks connect with bodies.
However, when they fly, they are graceful and beautiful as they soar on the air currents created by the gorge, riding them like a rollercoaster.
I’m pretty sure it’s enamel, the colour is almost like lapis lazuli.
I’m not so sure it’s a vulture. Head is definitely covered with feathers, not fuzz like the bald head of a vulture.
So I’m voting for “eagle.”
As a former art student, I recall being bemused by the somewhat approximate resemblance of Faberge art pieces to the actual animals they were supposed to represent. Close, but never the versimilitude we’re used to after a century of photography and exacting detail in wildlife art.
Here’s a funny picture of Vulture & Eagle, but it shows the radical differences in the two bird heads:
http://www.freakingnews.com/Eagle-and-Vulture-Pictures-29100.asp
Hmmmmm. Nice contrast.
Vulture, eagle, crow..all birds have a place in my heart…
I’ll stick with wise old bird.
And as to the blue enamel [putting on Art Major hat again] – it’s called guilloche, or “engine-turning”, as it required a machine to produce the geometric engraving in the metal that underlies the glass enamel coating.
It was _the_ hip thing to have one’s accessories decorated with in the early part of the 20th century.
Google “guilloche enamel” and you’ll see lots of beautiful examples.
Wow. Thanks. That’s interesting.
Thanks much, mo! Lovely link.
One of my favorite parts of the Mudflats is the home schooling available from our fine ‘flats friends.
Every time I ask a question, I get answers and links to satisfy or stimulate my curiosity. Such a nerd-bird thatcrowwoman is!
I love the various types of enameling. The first major present the bf got me is a gorgeous early 20th century gold pendant. The moment I saw it, I said, “Wow! Plique a Jour enamel!” He was totally impressed that I knew what it was without being told. It’s a woman in profile, 3 little diamonds, and the enamel is the same pink and green as watermelon tourmaline.
Huh, a vulture. How apropos. I can only think of one person when I see that word. Guess.
Il love museums and old artifacts. Wonder at the great crafstmanship without any of today’s technology. Each item was given detailed attention to, not like the mass-produced stuff today.
May as well make it 3 for 3 – isn’t Sitka a fab little town? All those little forested islets dotting the bay, the beautiful volcanic cone of Mount Edgecumbe towering over the scene, all the historic and beautiful buildings, Tlingit carvings, the Sheldon Jackson Museum – and almost everything is within walking distance.
http://www.sitka.org/attractions.html
Well, it’s settled. When I finally visit Alaska (apart from my one visit to an airport many moons ago, which I’ve been assured doesn’t count), I’ll have to visit Sitka. Anyplace where most everything is walking distance has great appeal to my Manhattan sensibilities.
Yeah, yeah! What’s a Sitka silk pie?
Is it a variation on chocolate silk pie?
Inquiring minds wanna know!
it’s not even $9,000…so feel free to buy a couple.
hahahaha caw Caw! CAW!
Isn’t it pretty to think so?
Nah… don’t need but one, and mine’s only 20-something, so miles left to help as long as I make an occasional rubber tip replacement.
No Sitka silk, but cranberry streusel coffee cake is going in to bake shortly…
DH Happy offered to install a cattle prod attachment when I first got my cane. Not quite Bond, James Bond, and a wickedly tempting idea when working with adolescents…and no small number of the annoying “adults.” Shame on me!
Pie in Sitka!
Is the airport cafe still doing all those wonderful pies?
Eagles always remind me of the divine.
Vultures always remind me of the mundane- all the everyday work which has to be done to make things go along as needed.
Vulture to hang onto to carry yourself on a cane ?
Carry yourself through your day with purpose!
Oh, I’ve got purpose, Alaska Pi, but sometimes I do need my cane for balance and support. Life is mundane and divine; it’s all in the balance for me.
Much prefer my walking-stick to a walker or wheelchair, that’s for true. The day may come, but I hope to be a much older and much wiser bird by then.
me too Crow…me too
Walter Hickel, former two-term Governor (not consecutively) of Alaska, former (canned for criticizing Nixon on Vietnam, shocked by the Kent State massacre of unarmed students) Secretary of the Interior, businessman and responsible growth advocate died last night in Anchorage.
He was for Sarah before he was against her, he had some other crazy actions under his name – but to compare their personal narratives would be an insult to a true visionary who really cared for the growth and development of Alaska to the benefit of the people.
Rest in Peace sir, you leave this magnificent State with your children and grandchildren carrying on your good name.
Yes, read that too this morning.
Overall a good man for Alaska and still working to improve our state.
Rest in Peace!
Down here in the Pimeria Alta, Vulture plays an incredibly important role in the spiritual world of the Piman people. Vulture, along with Coyote, was one of the first two beings created by Ju’vat Ma’kai, the Earth Healer. All Pimans (and in their cosmology, all human beings) belong either to Vulture or to Coyote. Coyote is impulsive, fiery, and creative, while Vulture is contemplative, cautious, and reflective. Coyote creates and destroys, while Vulture picks up and mends the pieces. The whole idea is that we need both beings in our wrld.
*waving to Mag the Mick*
In that case, I’d be predominantly vulture, with a streak of coyote.
Howling and croaking right back atcha, Crowwoman!
Thanks for the lesson, Mag! The cosmology of native peoples everywhere is fascinating.
thank you Mag….i love to learn new things everyday if i can.
Oh my…..
Look what I just now stumbled upon.
Slick Operator: The BP I’ve Known Too Well
by Greg Palast,
“I’ve seen this movie before. In 1989, I was a fraud investigator hired to dig into the cause of the Exxon Valdez disaster. Despite Exxon’s name on that boat, I found the party most to blame for the destruction was … British Petroleum (BP).”
http://www.antemedius.com/content/slick-operator-bp-ive-known-too-well
how come i am not surprised?
Wow. Thanks for that article.
So much for Palin’s spewing about less goverment when “less government” means that big oil wins.
But, what the Hel* does she care about the environment. She gets paid by Discovery in spite of her bad record on wildlife and the environment.
Also too, I still want to know what long-term benefits they get from Todd’s employment at BP. Healthcare?, pension?, etc.
One of my favorite sights when I was visiting Brazil in 1984 (I still want to spell it Brasil, as they do) was the vultures hanging out next to the crosses atop the colonial churches in Paraty, where the royals went to escape the heat before independence http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parati,_Brazil. I took some photos, but never developed the film (I was very depressed upon returning to NY, for a variety of reasons, then when I moved, I lost the film). Great excuse to make another trip to one of the world’s most beautiful countries? Perhaps.
Speaking of vultures, aren’t the Paylin family to be on the cover of USA today?
I like it. Though I wouldn’t buy it. I have a soft spot for homely things. A vulture should be given its due. Just imagine this world without natures clean-up crews.
yes indeed Laurie..good point
Happy Mother’s Day to all the mom’s out there in Mudflats land! Enjoy your Sunday!
thanks love and the same to you.
thank you
Thank you very much Lainey, I wish all you special ladies a Happy Mother’s Day as well! We are supposed to hit 73 degrees tomorrow, Wahoo!
In case you’ve not seen Janey Cutler yet – she rocks!
Britain’s Got Talent
http://tinyurl.com/27n5pnr
Read it and weep: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/05/07/gulf-oil-rig-disaster-and_n_566806.html
Also, too, TN flood victims need our help.
Dick Morris signals that Republicans are now going to use the poor performance of the regulatory system scuttled by W to illustrate that the Federal regulatory system is a failed idea.
Posted by Heather
http://videocafe.crooksandliars.com/
I used to watch greta back when Natalie Holloway went missing…greta was more attorney-like then, but it seems after mccain lost and she met palin, she turned all right-wingy (jumped in with both feet)…can’t stand her now and I don’t even give her channel-surfing ratings.
I hate to say it, but that bird head looks like a Dodo.
Or my uncle Ralph.
Disappointing news from the Gulf – BP’s attempt to trap escaping oil inside a containment vessel has initially failed. Hydrate crystals are forming inside the vessel and plugging the outlet at the top. They’re also making the vessel buoyant.
BP news conference (Youtube)
http://tinyurl.com/32qwabs
my brother works in the oil industry (Houston area) .. he’s been contacted about trying to solve it, and he won’t touch it…says they need to slice the pipe and seal it, but at 5000 feet depth, there’s not anything designed and on the shelf per se, to do that.. dealing with 10,000 psi min coming out of the pipe, plus the 5000 ft depth… no divers can go that far down.. says it will be weeks before they finally seal it off.
There is a poll on the site below that is asking folks who they would rather have as a mother: Michelle Obama or Sarah Palin.
Right now, Sarah is ahead! Guess a lot of folks want a mother who doesn’t care a damn about what they do, doesn’t make them go to school, and bails them out if they get in trouble, huh?
Anyway, let’s not let Sarah win this poll. Please vote – it’s not earth-shattering, of course, but why feed her already over-blown ego?
http://www.usaweekend.com/article/20100507/HOME02/100505003/-1/health/Sarah-Palin-welcomes-you-into-her-home-for-a-family-first
I voted…for the life of me, I can’t see why these 2 shared a poll…there’s no comparison! and for palin to be ahead, I guess usa weekend is read by THEM!
Well, we should have realized. The poll is, after all, next to that fantasy article on how Sarah is Wonder Mother – multi-tasking and all. Her faithful sure couldn’t resist voting for her, right?
What was sad, though, is that in the article it skims over the fact that the day of the interview, it was the day before Piper’s birthday. There’s a photo of her sitting alone on a hobby horse, holding a tray of cupcakes, and at the end of the article, after all the gibberish of what a great mother Palin is, is a line about how those cupcakes still don’t have the candles lit.
Oh – and it said that the next day, Piper’s birthday would hold special gifts of her and her friends: Track’s girlfriend would teach them a dance (hopefully, not a pole dance) and then a cousin would teach all the little girls how to target practice with a BB gun.
Sarah thinks that is great because she wants all her kids to learn “Alaskan” skills – hunting, fishing, four-wheeling, and gold-panning. (see captions under photos on first page). Gees, kind of a limited skill set,isn’t it? Sure would have liked to see a good mom mention education generally.
Anyway, is their main house at Lake Lucille really a “modest A-frame” the way the article says. I must have been looking at the wrong photos.
Oh – and don’t miss the put-down remarks Sarah makes at Bristol’s expense. Gees, what a mom.
Sarah is now over 300 votes ahead. Guess the article has drawn all her bots.
When I voted just now, Michele was ahead.
The sea of p has it posted and it was on her facebook somewhere.
I joined Sarah Palin’s facebook today. I had soo much fun on it for an hour or so. Then I was inexplicably banned?
..chortle… that’s cuz yore not a REAL Amurikan !! Yore one of them thar furrieners ! we kan tell, cuz yoo spell yore words lak a edumacted person …. and they have NO clue waht the word “fecking” means !! probably confused the hell outta them !!
I never used the word feckin’. Although I take a mad delight in all you Amurikans using it.
The following is my experience from FB,
RAM finally came back from her coffee break. All my comments were deleted and I think I am banned as I see no option for further commenting. However, I saved all my comments as I suspected this would happen sooner or later.
Here is my experience with SP’s facebook page.
“What people need to realise is that Sarah Palin has no ideological values whatsoever. She will do or say anything that is outrageous simply to keep herself in the spotlight so she can make $$$$. Fiorina probably paid Palin to endorse her. If Palin were a genuine member of the tea party movement, then she should have endorsed Devore. What does that tell you about her? She is only in it for the money folks.”
I sent that one in twice and it was deleted within a minute or two. So I decided upon another strategy. Next up was…
“Oh Sarah you are soo wonderful.”
They didn’t delete that so I got BOLD.
“”Oh Sarah you are soo wonderful at making money. What people need to realise is that Sarah Palin has no ideological values whatsoever. She will do or say anything that is outrageous simply to keep herself in the spotlight so she can make $$$$. Fiorina probably paid Palin to endorse her. If Palin were a genuine member of the tea party movement, then she should have endorsed Devore. What does that tell you about her? She is only in it for the money folks.”
This stayed up for ages, so I took heart. I was trying especially hard not to be abusive.
Someone then chimed in saying something like “Good on ya, Gov. Palin.” I responded with
“I thought she quit that job?”
Then her FB went all quiet, so I posted the following very quickly.
“And the job before that also too. You betcha! Wink.
”
“Slightly off topic. Does Sarah (my new BFF) understand what a Deist is? I saw her on the BOR show (I just love him) and she seemed a bit confused about the separation of church and state and the position the founding fathers took on religion. Ah, what the hell if she doesn’t understand all that, she is just sooo pretty!!”
“Also too, can anyone advise me where Sarah (my new BFF) gets her wigs? They are just soooo darn um…. pretty (that is the word I was searching for). It is just a pity about all the hairspray.”
“I am sooo glad that Sarah (my new BFF) believes in free speech also tooo, YOU BETCHA. It is at stressful times like this that I am in need of a mandation. Devore or not Devore, that is the question!”
Well, I joined my husband in a mandation (glass of wine), and when I anxiously returned to my new BFF, I think she had unfriended/defriended me. I am soooo hurt!
I used to coordinate the NY part of a youth exchange program with Ireland years ago, and I visited there with kids every summer. There was one Irish young lady who had been to NY early on and endeared herself to all of the adults. Every year we’d pick her up in Dublin and she would travel with us for the two weeks the NY team was in Ireland. She was a delightful and highly amusing child, with a heart as big as all outdoors…and a vocabulary that would make a sailor blush!
We always visited the US Ambassador while we were there and, one year, also got to meet President Mary Robinson. My young charge was warned over and over to watch her language when we met with dignitaries and, much to my relief, behaved like a young lady. However, for the rest of the trip, her favorite line was, “Ya know the cursin’ t’ing? I’m feckin’ trying to give it up!” Said with a sly smile, naturally!
Well at least she was feckin’ trying.
You might enjoy renting and watching “The Commitments” sometime. It features the very best of Dublin vernacular, don’t you feckin’ know? It’s a great window into northside Dublin culture in the late 80′s. I’ll be showing it in a course I’m teaching at the community college this fall. Irishgirl – what’s your review?
Mag the Mick,
I loved the commitments!
so AWesome, dudette !!! your husband must have been ROLLING on the floor with laughter !! Amurika, Land of Free Speech.. so long as you pay to hear about it !!
He was impressed that I got banned so quickly!
HA !!! I’m surprised you lasted as long as you did !!! Slip wouldn’t have lasted at all…straight off to the orange shag carpet area !
LOL Irishgirl!! you so baaaad.
Are ya eatin’ these?? You are on a warpath.
http://www.crackheadscandy.com/assets/images/current_feature_new.jpg
Irishgirl, I tried to send you a reply to your message on the Forum, but it says your inbox is full and my message can’t be sent. Can you fix? I’ll check back later. Meanwhile, hello!
Will do.
I have deleted some of my messages.So hopefully you’ll be able to get through to me. My inbox is like my house. I hate getting rid of stuff!
I’m not a FB member, but I would have loved to have seen that Irishgirl
It was childish, but I must admit to a perverse delight in running amok on her FB page. I felt I was getting funnier as time went on. Too bad I was banned…I’m sure the best was yet to come.
Irishgirl – Good on ya. I think aul’ Mick Collins and Missus Markiewicz would be proud.
(For the rest of yez, Michael Collins and Constance Markiewicz were leaders in the Irish revolutionary movement of the early 1920′s. Both operated secretly, did a lot of damage, and were never caught.)
Constance is my hero.
Who knew Irishgirl, who knew????
The airport in Sitka has a delicious peanut butter pie!
Those of you who are garden enthusiasts will appreciate the happy little surprise I had this afternoon.
I decided to brave the roaring winds (45 sustained and 65 MPH gusts…hold on to your hats!) and visit a local nursery for some help identifying a small tree that sprouted up on my fence line. After getting my tree information, I decided to stroll through the main indoor part of the nursery just to look around (ha ha!).
Much to my delight, I discovered that there was a huge (unadvertised) sale of quart-sized perennials for 99 CENTS each! Since last year, I’ve been redesigning the big circle garden in my yard (former site of a pool) and have a lot of bare ground that needs to be filled with something other than the weeds which are trying to take over at the moment. Being on a fairly limited budget, I was thrilled to find such a treasure trove. One of the employees explained that ‘he’ was running out of room and was going to keep selling those plants until they ran out. I don’t know who ‘he’ is, but I’m very glad he decided to empty the greenhouse! Many of the plants on sale are the right kinds and colors that I need so I filled my shopping cart. I have no kids so these were my Mother’s Day gift to myself!
Of course, now I actually have to PLANT the 25 new additions…….
My dad used to get attacked by plant sales too. My mom had to make the rule “dig the hole, buy the plant” to keep the potted orphans in check.
wife tends to go wacko too,,,, but guess who has to do the planting ???? ah well, can’t get rid of her for that one…” yes yer Honor.. I keep having to dig myself a hole and she keeps filling them up , I’m afraid she’s gonna fill it up with me in there…..”
mein Gott ! 30 years with the same woman on Monday !! WHAT was I thinking ????
Congrats!!
thanks !! ….. and the guys with the white coats say I can go home on Tuesdays and Thursdays now, so long as I take my meds….
Irishgirl, I saw that you sent me a message. I have forgotten what my sign-in is to be able to access that message, but it is written down at my office and I will go there tomorrow and retrieve your message. I will reply. And, thank you.
WOW!!! how wonderful. congratulations and big hug for your lady for Mother’s Day….bubs
Sort of a “Mother’s Day Story”
A friend who lives in Wasilla was visited by her mother (who lives in Wisconsin and runs a cheese business). Mom wanted to visit Anchorage and daughter let her drive. As they drove down the highway Mom was extolling the merits of various cheeses, their manufacture, etc and wasn’t paying attention to the speed at which she was driving. A State Trooper did observe and pulled her over. Mom tearfully explained to the officer that she and daughter were engaged in a rapturous discussion of cheeses and she was so sorry that she had failed to notice she was speeding. Trooper goes to his vehicle to verify her identity, etc and upon returning said he wasn’t going to issue her a citation as “someone who is so joyously discussing Jesus has to be a good person”!
I once had a rapturous discussion about cheeses, but it ended with a fight about Armacheddon.
Oh, what a friend we have in cheeses.
LOL…one of my favorite church songs. i don’t like sermons but i love a good choir.
OMG!! what a sweet story.
The trooper must be a gouda’ld boy.
Here is an Interview that everyone should see. It’s a MUST SEE!
They things he talks about point directly to what the GOP and the Tea Party rail about.
Tavis Smiley is an interviewer on PBS. Last night his interview/ Guest was Richard Dreyfus.
It was EXCELLENT! Dreyfus explained that once he reached a certain age his focus was going to be on teaching as one of his Goals. Crowwoman and the other teachers here will love his interview.
He spent 4 years studying at Oxford getting ready for this sort of second career and goal in life.
He talked about the fact that America is a great country and he loves it. But we are failing to educate people ( the younger generation ) these days. They know nothing about History and Civics.. Hello Sarah..?
She didn’t know why there was a North and South Korea. Didn’t know about W.W. II.. etc… etc.
He said we are not preparing the next generation with the tools they need to keep this Nation great.
At one point said you can/ARE still ‘ patriotic ‘ and support our Troops… and can be against a War.
He talked about how we are loosing our Freedoms… IE the Supreme Court ruling saying Corporations can use their power in Elections.
He mentioned that People should be worried when a single person can and does own 35-50 % of the Media (Rupert Murdoch) and the power that brings. And his interests tied to the Chinese who he talks with.
And also about the Media… he said the Journalists and the Media these days are more worried about keeping their Jobs… instead of doing them. His quote was… ” they are afraid of asking the impolite questions “.. because of that fear.
This is just a small recap… there was much more.
The link here has a quick 2 minute clip on the front page that is sort of a teaser. Find the full 30 minute interview or podcast.
http://www.pbs.org/kcet/tavissmiley/archive/201005/20100507.html#
NOTE to AKM: You are probably very busy being at the Convention right now. Save this clip.
I’ll bet you could use it as part of a post later with one of you great stories.
In a brief chat with my husband today about the achievements so far of the Obama admin – he asked “This is news. Why isn’t the media reporting this? They are supposed to report the facts!”
I quite agree. I concede they do try to report facts yet most of the time – it’s all sensational spin and nonsense rather than a straight out presentation of what is going on. Which is why I don’t watch the mainstream news shows anymore.
I believe that a nation can only be free and democratic if its citizens are active, educated and participate on the democratic process. Media should be part of that process in reporting the truth and challenging those who spin BS.
The other day I looked at my elementary school’s calendar and counted the spring testing weeks. In the ten weeks from late March through early June, we have NINE WEEKS that have some kind of testing. The ONLY week that didn’t have a test was the week we had off for spring break. There are three rounds of state testing (thanks ever so much NCLB!), mock testing, field testing, standardized testing for kids too young to take state testing, NYSESLAT testing and benchmark testing. And that doesn’t include the state social studies test the 5th graders took in November or the diagnostic testing that many of our kids go through this time of year in preparation for their CSE meetings.
Not all of the kids take every test, but the 4th graders took at least six of these tests. It’s reaching the point where we have no time to teach because we’re spending half the year testing for things we don’t have time to teach.
And we wonder why our kids don’t know anything when they finish school…
(actually, those of us in education don’t really wonder!)
And next year I can look forward to administering the listening part of the state language arts test to a profoundly deaf child. This year, she only had to match vowel sounds that she can’t hear. Yeah, THAT works really well!
The next time I hear someone say that teachers need to be more accountable, I’m really going to have to hurt them!!!
Oy, vey, Leenie17, and Amen also, too.
The expansion of testing over teaching is the main reason why I left the classroom and moved to the library. I don’t have to give grades, but the skills I teach help students get better grades. I can satisfy and stimulate curiosity. I can share the Joy of Learning something new…
The question I keep asking is, “Can we please spend as much time Teaching as we do Testing?!”
Yes, I used to administer the tests to the special ed kids I worked with in high school. They took the regular tests. Everyone took those tests except the seniors. So regular classes were suspended, even for seniors because every class except English had mixed ages. Then, we administered the high school exit exam. Everyone who hadn’t passes took that, so, once again, regular classes were suspended. Then, for special ed, every kid got individually tests prior to their annual individual education plan meeting. Even more testing every third year. So they missed classes for that. Then there was the sophomore writing exam. Oh, and finals. I don’t know why we had finals the second semester. When had classes actually been in session.
Oh, and the tests? They were stupid. I know because I had to read them out loud (except the reading comprehension, but those were stupid, too.) I mean, to graduate from high school, there were questions about certain types of graphs I’d never seen before, and I took advanced calculus in college. If I didn’t know about them and had managed just fine in society, did a high schooler need to know about them to graduate?
Every parent should be looking at the tests and reading them through. Teachers often don’t say much against the questions themselves, but they are often plain stupid.
Next time people want teachers to be more accountable, invite them to teach your classes for a week. They’ll run screaming. Wimps.
Happy Mother’s Day to all Mudpups!!
This just proves my point about useless stuff the MSM does. USAWeekend not only profiled Palin as the do-it-all mom for Mothers Day, they also had a poll asking who would you want to be your mom, Palin or Michelle Obama!
I OF COURSE voted and OF COURSE voted for MICHELLE. As weird as that poll is – I just had to be sure to chuck in my 2 cents!
http://www.usaweekend.com/article/20100507/HOME02/100505003/-1/health/Sarah-Palin-welcomes-you-into-her-home-for-a-family-first
Show your support for Michelle cuz honestly, MSM needs to realise – WE HAVE HAD ENOUGH OF PALIN.
Current results on Saturday 10:30PM in California: Michelle 53% $$arah 47%.
Happy Mothers Day to all who have children, dogs, cats…and may we resolve to take better care of Mother Earth.
7.4 earthquake in northern Sumatra, Indonesia.
http://www.businessweek.com/news/2010-05-09/indonesia-hit-by-magnitude-7-4-quake-usgs-says-update1-.html
tsunami watch/warning:
http://nctr.pmel.noaa.gov/sumatra20100406/
How about an intellectual debate between the Obama kids and the Palin kids? From Track down to Piper! Which kids would win? Or better still, a debate between Michelle and Sarah on any topic. I would pay to see that!
a fabulous antique silver Faberge
vulture….. eagle
Michelle 64%
Palin 36%
Thank cheeses that many of the readers are sane!
BTW. USA Today is written at a 5-6 grade level. Most national papers are at 7-8 grade level. The Washington Post and NY Times have been a little higher in the past, but I’m not sure now, and I’m not going to stop to test them out. The Christian Science Monitor and the Wall Street Journal are written at a 10-12 grade reading level, though, and this is not my opinion, but from several of my social science college professors, the content, and varying view points of the Monitor makes for some higher end reading.
Just for fun, I tested out part of USA Today’s article. It’s readability level was between 2.6 and 5.8 (second grade to fifth grade level) A movie review on The Christian Science Monitor was 8.4-11.5 grade level.
OK. Now I’m having fun. And I promised myself I wouldn’t do this. I took the following excerpts from a fictiony booky thing and did some readability tests on them (at what grade level reading ability could someone read this and understand it.) Now, a lower grade level doesn’t mean it’s badly written or not challenging, but it writers do tend to write for the demographic which they are targeting or they don’t sell books/magazines. The scores? 6.4-9.1 (Sixth grade through ninth grade, depending on the test given.)
Then I did another book below. Have a look.
“He’s got to be drunk, I thought. I didn’t want to offend the president of France, but this was getting stupid. I kept thinking, surely, someone will pop up and say something like, ‘OK, the five minutes are up,’ but the call just went on and on and on.”
“That day in sunny Texas when the divorce rumors were rampant in the tabloids, I watched Todd, tanned and shirtless, take the baby from my arms and walk him back to the ranch house so Trig could nap while I made calls. Seeing Todd’s blue eyes smiling, I chuckled. Dang, I thought. Divorce Todd? Have you seen Todd?
“The bigwigs haggled back and forth over my appearance with Alec, the writers sending down some lines where Alec was basically supposed to perform a comic dissection on me. Then I was supposed to passively take his arm and stroll offstage.
From a political messaging standpoint, the campaign could see that wasn’t going to work. We put our heads together and sent the producers a counteroffer: Alec would still get his barbs in, then I would say, ‘Hey Baldwin, weren’t you supposed to leave the country after the last election?’ Uh… no, producers said.”
“If any vegans came over for dinner, I could whip them up a salad, then explain my philosophy on being a carnivore: If God had not intended for us to eat animals, how come He made them out of meat? I always remind people from outside our state that there’s plenty of room for all Alaska’s animals – right next to the mashed potatoes.
“Should Secretary Clinton and I ever sit down over a cup of coffee, I know that we will fundamentally disagree on many issues, but my hat is off to her hard work on the 2008 campaign trail.”
Clinton, meanwhile, told the same channel’s Meet the Press: “Absolutely would look forward to having coffee… I’ve never met her… I’m ready to have a cup of coffee, and maybe I can make a case on some of those issues we disagree on.”
This excerpt, which you may remember:
12.9-13.8 reading level (Senior in high school-college freshman)
In September of 2008, Alaskans for Truth held a rally in downtown Anchorage. More than 1500 Alaskans showed up to protest the administration’s handling of “Troopergate,” the insinuation of the McCain campaign’s attorneys into Alaska’s Department of Law, and the outrageous behavior of Meg Stapleton, then Attorney General Talis Colberg, and Palin herself. One of the speakers at the rally was Betty Monegan, the mother of Walt Monegan, who carried a sign referencing the outrageous accusations made by the Palin administration.
But Monegan was not the only one to stand accused of being a “rogue.” Mike Wooten, the infamous ex-brother-in-law was called a “rogue trooper” and Palin said he was a danger to her family and to the public. She made it clear that in no uncertain terms that being a “rogue” was not a good thing. These accusations were soundly refuted by Steven Branchflower, an independent investigator hired by the bipartisan Legislative Council to investigate Troopergate.
No wonder we like Mudflats so much! The writing treats us like thinking, educated people!
Well done, AKM!
A couple more readability tests (reading grade level)
For fun, Stephen King, Bag of Bones
Readability 6.9-13.8
On a very hot day in August of 1994, my wife told me she was going down to the Derry Rite Aid to pick up a refill on her sinus medicine prescription — this is stuff you can buy over the counter these days, I believe. I’d finished my writing for the day and offered to pick it up for her. She said thanks, but she wanted to get a piece of fish at the supermarket next door anyway; two birds with one stone and all of that. She blew a kiss at me off the palm of her hand and went out. The next time I saw her, she was on TV. That’s how you identify the dead here in Derry — no walking down a subterranean corridor with green tiles on the walls and long fluorescent bars overhead, no naked body rolling out of a chilly drawer on casters; you just go into an office marked PRIVATE and look at a TV screen and say yep or nope.
The Rite Aid and the Shopwell are less than a mile from our house, in a little neighborhood strip mall which also supports a video store, a used-book store named Spread It Around (they do a very brisk business in my old paperbacks), a Radio Shack, and a Fast Foto. It’s on Up-Mile Hill, at the intersection of Witcham and Jackson.
And from Audacity of Hope by some Hopey Changey Presidenty Author
9.4-12.2
Two days after I won the Democratic nomination in my U.S. senate race, i received an email from a doctor at the University of Chicago Medical School.
“Congratulations on your overwhelming and inspiring primary win,” the doctor wrote. “I was happy to vote for you, and I will tell you that I am seriously considering voting for you in the general election. I write to express my concerns that may, in the end, prevent me from supporting you.”
The doctor described himself as a Christian who understood his commitments to be comprehensive and “totalizing.” His faith led him to strongly oppose abortion and gay marriage, but he said his faith also led him to question the idolatry of the free market and the quick resort to militarism that seemed to characterize much of President Bush’s foreign policy.
The reason the doctor was considering voting for my opponent was not my position on abortion as such. Rather, he had read an entry that my campaign had posted on my website, suggesting that I would fight “right-wing ideologues who want to take away a woman’s right to choose.” He went on to write: “Whatever your convictions, if you truly believe that those who oppose abortion are all ideologues driven by perverse desires to inflict suffering on women, then you, in my judgment, are not fair-minded. … I do not ask at this point that you oppose abortion, only that you speak about this issue in fair-minded words.”
I think Ms. Palin and Mr. President were targeting two different audiences. One, elite (some high school level work). The other, middle school level education. No wonder she always sounds like a middle school mean girl!
Now, correct me if I’m wrong, but is it really elite to have graduated with a twelfth grade education?
Wish I could get my hands on one of her college papers! Wouldn’t that be fun! :-/