Oh, good, a column about Hillary, Public Prayer, and the Jes' Folks of Yamhill. The man's a triple threat, the Orson Welles of sucking.
Of course, this approach works in her case only because her religious faith is longstanding. It didn't work for Howard Dean when he described the Book of Job as his favorite book in the New Testament. With a candidate like him, you'd worry that more talk about religion would lead to comments about how much he treasures the Twelfth Commandment.
First, why is it that folks who can't contain their hard-ons when God gets a shout out from public officials find it perfectly acceptable to impugn Dean's, or John Kerry's, religious sincerity? Second, Hillary's faith is longstanding? I don't doubt it, but it seems, I dunno, obvious might be the word, that her committment to talking about it in public is some freshly minted rebranding Nick thinks the Dems so desperately need. I don't recall her spending a whole lot of time addressing the nation's spiritual longings as First Lady. But I'm sure those folks on the West Coast of Heartlandia will see it just your way, Nick.
Democrats are usually more comfortable talking about sex than God. But that doesn't work in a country where 70 percent say that "presidents should have strong religious beliefs."
Sorry, I missed the poll. How many Americans think their president should abstain from sex?
I should have taken my own advice and just said "Fuck you" I suppose. But since when is rewriting John Birch Society slogans from the 60s ("You kin teach kids about Sex in schools but it's illegal to talk about God") a qualification for the Times' Op Ed page?
[snip obligatory disingenuous parsing of Times poll on abortion, followed immediately by liberal-cred backtracking]
Mrs. Clinton is also hard to dismiss as a screechy obstructionist because she's gone out of her way to be collegial in the Senate and to work with Republicans from Trent Lott to Sam Brownback.
Wow, there's a chasm few could span.
I use my hometown, the farming community of Yamhill, Ore., as my touchstone for the heartland, and I have a hard time imagining that she could do well there.
Okay, who cued the banjo player? Yamhill is wine grape country. I didn't see any mules when I was there, or a single bib and tucker, and I tried to find the Gen'r'l Store but I musta got lost.
Ambitious, high-achieving women are still a turnoff in many areas, particularly if they're liberal and feminist. And that's not just in America: Margaret Thatcher would never have been elected prime minister if she'd been in the Labor [sic] Party.
Now, this is the sort of thing that gives us liberal elitists such a bad name. Your run-of-the-mill Freeper could have packed that much stupidity into just one sentence, but with Nick it takes two, with colon. Could someone please tell Mr. Times Opinion Columnist that the Prime Minister of the UK is not an elected position? Unless he's suggesting that Mags could never have been elected leader of the Labour party, in which case I thank him for the keen insight.
Mrs. Clinton's negative ratings nationally were still around 40 percent at last count, and Hillary-hating thrives.
Yep, nobody with that sort of baggage could ever be President.
But it's just the right time for Democrats to be fretting about how to reconnect to the heartland, and they can't find a better model for how to do that than Mrs. Clinton.
We're doomed.
Wednesday, March 16
Amen
From the comments at Roxanne's
The frustration is that we have been yelling ourselves hoarse over the corruption of this administration. We have pointed out the undemocratic actions and attitudes only to be hushed and told to be nice spineless, nuanced liberals who cannot stand up to the righteous, manly republicans. Insults have poured down from pundits and politicians alike on those who pointed out the truth. Look at the mockery of the French. Look at how the Canadians are being vilified for saying no. People so abused become furious.
We have seen people needlessly dying: Iraqi and Afghan, American and Italian and Pole in a war begun in fraud and deception, based on hubris, run by greedy corporations, fought by unprepared soldiers. The Pandora's box of evils this one action alone has unleashed will have ripple effects for generations. We have not yet realized the depth of the trouble we have activated.
America has been declared a Christian nation when Jefferson and Franklin were deists and knew how dangerous a country was that could not keep God out of politics. Suddenly hatred is a new religious tenet. Jesus himself would not recognize some of those who claim to speak in his name. Gays are the new 'Jews', verbal pogroms have begun to vilify our neighbors and our family members.
We have seen our citizens vote in hysteria on issues unimportant to those seeking power. We have the poor voting against their own interests. We have people suggesting that education is liberal and dangerous. We have people suggesting that torture should be legal, that imprisoning and disappearing so-called evildoers is logical.
We have people suggesting that internment did no harm, that Joe McCarthy was a good guy, that the UN is useless.
It is like an abuser slowly cutting off all avenues of escape. Slowly we are being isolated and silenced. We are unable to get the mainstream media to print or show the truth. The internet can hardly contain our outrage.
So finally, when we are empowered by the anger we feel, and have ceased to try to reason and listen to those in power, we are asked to be understanding and grateful to those who have seen the light.
Ok.
C'mon in and sit down. We have something to say.
Posted by: ellroon | March 16, 2005 01:37 AM
The frustration is that we have been yelling ourselves hoarse over the corruption of this administration. We have pointed out the undemocratic actions and attitudes only to be hushed and told to be nice spineless, nuanced liberals who cannot stand up to the righteous, manly republicans. Insults have poured down from pundits and politicians alike on those who pointed out the truth. Look at the mockery of the French. Look at how the Canadians are being vilified for saying no. People so abused become furious.
We have seen people needlessly dying: Iraqi and Afghan, American and Italian and Pole in a war begun in fraud and deception, based on hubris, run by greedy corporations, fought by unprepared soldiers. The Pandora's box of evils this one action alone has unleashed will have ripple effects for generations. We have not yet realized the depth of the trouble we have activated.
America has been declared a Christian nation when Jefferson and Franklin were deists and knew how dangerous a country was that could not keep God out of politics. Suddenly hatred is a new religious tenet. Jesus himself would not recognize some of those who claim to speak in his name. Gays are the new 'Jews', verbal pogroms have begun to vilify our neighbors and our family members.
We have seen our citizens vote in hysteria on issues unimportant to those seeking power. We have the poor voting against their own interests. We have people suggesting that education is liberal and dangerous. We have people suggesting that torture should be legal, that imprisoning and disappearing so-called evildoers is logical.
We have people suggesting that internment did no harm, that Joe McCarthy was a good guy, that the UN is useless.
It is like an abuser slowly cutting off all avenues of escape. Slowly we are being isolated and silenced. We are unable to get the mainstream media to print or show the truth. The internet can hardly contain our outrage.
So finally, when we are empowered by the anger we feel, and have ceased to try to reason and listen to those in power, we are asked to be understanding and grateful to those who have seen the light.
Ok.
C'mon in and sit down. We have something to say.
Posted by: ellroon | March 16, 2005 01:37 AM
Blog, Blog, Blo...zzzzzzz
Salon's Scott ("Not Steve") Rosenberg catches the Gallup people hanging their poll on blogging in a rather interesting but mismatched frame. Turns out that to Gallup, one-quarter of the population amounts to "relatively few Americans." Takedown much appreciated, Scott, but these are the people who don't care to separate out the liars when they publish their religion polls, so whaddya expect?
This follows s.z.'s usual mirthmaking at the expense of Newsweek's Steven Levy's shocking exposé of the dearth of female bloggers he's ever heard of, and Jeff Jarvis' grabbing the wrong end of the stick and beating around the bush with it.
[As an aside here, s.z. is one of our finest Vagino-American bloggers, or rather one of our finest bloggers, period (sorry), who happens to be female. This blog could be vastly improved by simply linking to her every word, if I could manage to keep up with everywhere she turns up these days, but then all this glorious insomnia would go into flipping between The History Channel and Turner Classic Movies, assuming it's not another Claudette Colbert festival.]
Anyway, as I said over there, and because I haven't had another idea since, I really don't give a shite about capital-B blogging. I'm glad blogging exists now as a bee under the expense-account bonnet of what has to pass for journalism these days, and the ability to read and learn from so many great talents, and find new ones I don't have time to read, is right up there on my list of Reasons To Go On Despite Everything. But I care about as much for the Dead Tree Society explaining this whole phenomenon, and the artificial excitement over Convention bloggers and Rathergaters as I do for TV Guide's™ list of Eight Hot New Hunks To Watch. The Goddam Media sold its collective soul twenty-five years ago, and the existence of this new Internet business has nothing whatsoever to do with its well-earned slot between slime mold and Taco Bell™ on the reputation list, and they know it. Blathering about Blogging isn't going to get it back.
This follows s.z.'s usual mirthmaking at the expense of Newsweek's Steven Levy's shocking exposé of the dearth of female bloggers he's ever heard of, and Jeff Jarvis' grabbing the wrong end of the stick and beating around the bush with it.
[As an aside here, s.z. is one of our finest Vagino-American bloggers, or rather one of our finest bloggers, period (sorry), who happens to be female. This blog could be vastly improved by simply linking to her every word, if I could manage to keep up with everywhere she turns up these days, but then all this glorious insomnia would go into flipping between The History Channel and Turner Classic Movies, assuming it's not another Claudette Colbert festival.]
Anyway, as I said over there, and because I haven't had another idea since, I really don't give a shite about capital-B blogging. I'm glad blogging exists now as a bee under the expense-account bonnet of what has to pass for journalism these days, and the ability to read and learn from so many great talents, and find new ones I don't have time to read, is right up there on my list of Reasons To Go On Despite Everything. But I care about as much for the Dead Tree Society explaining this whole phenomenon, and the artificial excitement over Convention bloggers and Rathergaters as I do for TV Guide's™ list of Eight Hot New Hunks To Watch. The Goddam Media sold its collective soul twenty-five years ago, and the existence of this new Internet business has nothing whatsoever to do with its well-earned slot between slime mold and Taco Bell™ on the reputation list, and they know it. Blathering about Blogging isn't going to get it back.
Joke
Via one of the Prairie Home Companion joke shows:
Two Jewish jazz musicians meet one morning in Central Park after a long night of gigging, and they both sink down on a bench:
"Oy," says the first.
"I'm hip," says the other.
I don't know if my favorite thing about this is how hysterical I find it, or the fact that almost no one else laughs.
Two Jewish jazz musicians meet one morning in Central Park after a long night of gigging, and they both sink down on a bench:
"Oy," says the first.
"I'm hip," says the other.
I don't know if my favorite thing about this is how hysterical I find it, or the fact that almost no one else laughs.
Tuesday, March 15
Then There's Charter Schools...
Forwarded from an IPS teacher:
"We've been told the state is broke; there isn't any money; everyone must tighten their belts. Everyone but charter schools, apparently.
"Earlier this year the Governor proposed not to fund the deficiency appropriation caused by public school enrollment of more students than anticipated. The need for the...appropriation was caused by a cap on public school appropriations. But there's no cap proposed for charter school(s).
"Of 22 charters sampled, 16 had double digit funding increases...14 of those were increases of 20% or more. Charter school of the Dunes receives 27.7% and 10% increases over the next two years. Meanwhile, the Duneland public school corporation, which lost nearly half its local levy when Bethlehem Steel went bankrupt sees cuts of -1.6% and -0.5% over the biennium.
"Among other noteworthy charter increases:
Community Montessori, Inc. Indianapolis 40.5% and 32.7%
Flanner House Elementary Indianapolis 34.9% and 3.8%
Christel House Academy Indianapolis 12.9% and 10.7%
KIPP Indianapolis 42% and 29.4%
Indianapolis Metro Career Academy #1 100.7% and 45.5%
"Charters are not serving expensive-to-educate populations to the same degree as public schools:
Indianapolis Public Schools' special ed. population is 18% while only 6% of charter school students are. IPS reports charters are sending special ed. students they can't or won't serve back to IPS.
IPS's non-English speaking population is 6% of enrollment while charters enroll only 2%. IPS serves more than twice the proportion of Hispanic students and 30% more free and reduced lunch students than charters within IPS boundaries."
The State of Indiana went hog-wild for charter schools just as the Edison schools fiasco started making headlines. The assurances that tossing out selected state requirements would lead to academic excellence have been replaced, after two years of sub-par testing, to retorts that charters "aren't performing that much worse" than regular schools, despite their having cherry-picked their class lists. And the legislature wants more. But no, this has nothing to do with disenfranchising poor and minority students.
"We've been told the state is broke; there isn't any money; everyone must tighten their belts. Everyone but charter schools, apparently.
"Earlier this year the Governor proposed not to fund the deficiency appropriation caused by public school enrollment of more students than anticipated. The need for the...appropriation was caused by a cap on public school appropriations. But there's no cap proposed for charter school(s).
"Of 22 charters sampled, 16 had double digit funding increases...14 of those were increases of 20% or more. Charter school of the Dunes receives 27.7% and 10% increases over the next two years. Meanwhile, the Duneland public school corporation, which lost nearly half its local levy when Bethlehem Steel went bankrupt sees cuts of -1.6% and -0.5% over the biennium.
"Among other noteworthy charter increases:
Community Montessori, Inc. Indianapolis 40.5% and 32.7%
Flanner House Elementary Indianapolis 34.9% and 3.8%
Christel House Academy Indianapolis 12.9% and 10.7%
KIPP Indianapolis 42% and 29.4%
Indianapolis Metro Career Academy #1 100.7% and 45.5%
"Charters are not serving expensive-to-educate populations to the same degree as public schools:
Indianapolis Public Schools' special ed. population is 18% while only 6% of charter school students are. IPS reports charters are sending special ed. students they can't or won't serve back to IPS.
IPS's non-English speaking population is 6% of enrollment while charters enroll only 2%. IPS serves more than twice the proportion of Hispanic students and 30% more free and reduced lunch students than charters within IPS boundaries."
The State of Indiana went hog-wild for charter schools just as the Edison schools fiasco started making headlines. The assurances that tossing out selected state requirements would lead to academic excellence have been replaced, after two years of sub-par testing, to retorts that charters "aren't performing that much worse" than regular schools, despite their having cherry-picked their class lists. And the legislature wants more. But no, this has nothing to do with disenfranchising poor and minority students.
They're Not Left Behind If We Can Still Find 'Em With Binoculars, Right?
Let's start with a little history.
In the mid 1960s Indianapolis Republicans gained control of both the mayor's office (now-Senator Richard Lugar) and the City Council. One party control gave them the opportunity to ramrod a plan which had been kicked about for years: extending the city limits to the borders of surrounding Marion country.
The reasons most talked about for the move were the increased efficiency, reduction of costs, and elimination of redundant and sometimes competing authority. The reason most whispered about was white flight. White voters had been moving to the suburbs for more than a decade. Now those votes were available to keep Republicans in control for another thirty years.
A few of the old inefficiencies were left in place. The county sheriff's department was left intact because no one could solve the political wrangling. Two other areas left untouched had more ominous overtones: school districts and taxing bodies. Here Indianapolis left in place the old township system. Live in Indianapolis, work in Indianapolis, send your children to public schools--but not necessarily Indianapolis public schools. Pay your property taxes to support not all children of your fair city, but a portion.
In 1969 the federal government sued the city over racial segregation of its schools. The court eventually found that the state had contributed to segregation by creating a unified governing structure while keeping school districts separate and by locating all public housing inside the old city limits, and ordered students bused into white districts to achieve racial balance. As defendant in the case the Indianapolis public schools were forced to foot the costs of student education and transportation. A settlement of the case was finally approved in 1998 and busing is being phased out as students complete their education at schools where they began. The agreement was fought by the township schools, which had grown fond of diversity--and the monies those minority students brought in.
Time marches on. So has white flight--out beyond the county lines. There are still eleven different school districts inside the city of Indianapolis. Democrats now control city offices, but they would be powerless to end the township system even were they to show some desire to do so. The township schools have become more integrated as the old barriers to integrated neighborhoods have crumbled.
And Indianapolis Public Schools? They're becoming increasingly black and Hispanic and increasingly poor. IPS, surrounded by much better off districts, is one of two districts in the state where more than 80% of the students qualify for federal free or reduced lunch programs, and one of two where 80% qualify for free textbooks. It's one of three districts where more than 50% of the students live in single-parent homes. Eleven percent do not live with their families. Nearly one percent are estimated to be homeless. One out of ten non-English speaking students in the state attend IPS schools.
So, just the sort of students our new focus on educational excellence is going to help, right? Well, funny thing. The state's got this little budget crisis. Plenty of blame to go around for it, at least some of which should fall on Mitch Daniels, former Bush administration OMB director, which is why he was elected governor. He also got something his Democratic predecessors didn't--his party controls both houses of the legislature. And Mitch made immediately balancing the budget his top priority. So schools have been hard hit. The new budget will cost IPS $18M over the next two years.
But we're all in the same boat, right? Share the pain. Except the legislature adopted a formula which actually penalizes school districts more for the students they lose than it awards them for the students they have. Not by a small amount; the difference in 2006 will be 30%. And guess which district just happens to contain 40% of the total charter school students in the state and plans on opening more at fire sale rates? Gee, you have been paying attention all this time.
The budget did create an index to aid districts which serve the greatest number of children at risk of academic failure. Somehow, though, the monies allocated will not cover the costs of state-mandated services.
And that wealthy district to the northeast, the one ranked #6 in per capita income in the state? They're upset because they can't build a new football stadium.
In the mid 1960s Indianapolis Republicans gained control of both the mayor's office (now-Senator Richard Lugar) and the City Council. One party control gave them the opportunity to ramrod a plan which had been kicked about for years: extending the city limits to the borders of surrounding Marion country.
The reasons most talked about for the move were the increased efficiency, reduction of costs, and elimination of redundant and sometimes competing authority. The reason most whispered about was white flight. White voters had been moving to the suburbs for more than a decade. Now those votes were available to keep Republicans in control for another thirty years.
A few of the old inefficiencies were left in place. The county sheriff's department was left intact because no one could solve the political wrangling. Two other areas left untouched had more ominous overtones: school districts and taxing bodies. Here Indianapolis left in place the old township system. Live in Indianapolis, work in Indianapolis, send your children to public schools--but not necessarily Indianapolis public schools. Pay your property taxes to support not all children of your fair city, but a portion.
In 1969 the federal government sued the city over racial segregation of its schools. The court eventually found that the state had contributed to segregation by creating a unified governing structure while keeping school districts separate and by locating all public housing inside the old city limits, and ordered students bused into white districts to achieve racial balance. As defendant in the case the Indianapolis public schools were forced to foot the costs of student education and transportation. A settlement of the case was finally approved in 1998 and busing is being phased out as students complete their education at schools where they began. The agreement was fought by the township schools, which had grown fond of diversity--and the monies those minority students brought in.
Time marches on. So has white flight--out beyond the county lines. There are still eleven different school districts inside the city of Indianapolis. Democrats now control city offices, but they would be powerless to end the township system even were they to show some desire to do so. The township schools have become more integrated as the old barriers to integrated neighborhoods have crumbled.
And Indianapolis Public Schools? They're becoming increasingly black and Hispanic and increasingly poor. IPS, surrounded by much better off districts, is one of two districts in the state where more than 80% of the students qualify for federal free or reduced lunch programs, and one of two where 80% qualify for free textbooks. It's one of three districts where more than 50% of the students live in single-parent homes. Eleven percent do not live with their families. Nearly one percent are estimated to be homeless. One out of ten non-English speaking students in the state attend IPS schools.
So, just the sort of students our new focus on educational excellence is going to help, right? Well, funny thing. The state's got this little budget crisis. Plenty of blame to go around for it, at least some of which should fall on Mitch Daniels, former Bush administration OMB director, which is why he was elected governor. He also got something his Democratic predecessors didn't--his party controls both houses of the legislature. And Mitch made immediately balancing the budget his top priority. So schools have been hard hit. The new budget will cost IPS $18M over the next two years.
But we're all in the same boat, right? Share the pain. Except the legislature adopted a formula which actually penalizes school districts more for the students they lose than it awards them for the students they have. Not by a small amount; the difference in 2006 will be 30%. And guess which district just happens to contain 40% of the total charter school students in the state and plans on opening more at fire sale rates? Gee, you have been paying attention all this time.
The budget did create an index to aid districts which serve the greatest number of children at risk of academic failure. Somehow, though, the monies allocated will not cover the costs of state-mandated services.
And that wealthy district to the northeast, the one ranked #6 in per capita income in the state? They're upset because they can't build a new football stadium.
Monday, March 14
One More Thing
If we're so all-fired-up that high school students learn about controversies real and imagined instead of being force-fed "facts", maybe we should start with our history books.
Don't Bother With Rewrite, I'm Just Phonin' It In
The Washington Post's Peter Slevin brings us up to date on the battle over teaching evolution:
WICHITA – Propelled by a polished strategy crafted by activists on America's political right, a battle is intensifying across the nation over how students are taught about the origins of life. Policymakers in 19 states are weighing proposals that question the science of evolution.
Right off the bat, the cynical reader of, say, my approximate height and shoe size will predict the piece will cover the first trope (the intensifying battle) and ignore the second (the question of science). Gee, right again. Maybe these people should spend some effort battling cynicism. While we're in full Kreskin mode let us risk a few specific predictions. And, once again, I have never met any of the participants prior to today's show:
1) We will inform the readership that public opinion polls say the majority believes in creationism or creationism with a water chaser.
Check.
2) Since our theme here is "the battle over the right's strategy" the first quote goes to them, and probably to a religious spokesman.
Check and check.
3) The second quote naturally goes to the opposition, however, it will merely restate or reinforce the prevaling theme while saying nothing about the actual issues.
Check.
4) This will be followed by at least two more quotes from the right on our way to maintaining at least a 2-1 advantage.
Check.
5) The scientific value of ID will be upheld by using weasel words like "studies", "research", and "scientists" with no attribution. Any academic quoted who does not have credentials in any related field will be identified as "Doctor", or "Professor", or by a note that he has "studied" the problem.
Check, check, check, check, and close. Mathematician and philosopher William A. Dembski is identified as a "scholar".
6) One or two actual scientists from relevant fields will get to debunk the "science" of ID, but rather late in the game.
Bzzzzzt! Never happens. Oh, well, only God's Own Design is perfect.
One comes away from the article knowing no more than what's in the first sentence. Meanwhile the IDers are propped up with the panoply of modern science. They fund scientists! They produced a DVD shown on PBS! They're gonna start a research lab!!! Or my personal favorite, they sell books in secular and Christian bookstores. Nevermind that the "scientists" are funded to work as mouthpieces and authors of those popularizations, or that none has published the first piece in a peer-reviewed journal. Hell, nevermind the concept of peer-review. Let's not even ask how you come to the conclusions first and fund the research lab second. It's all about politics, besides, there are only so many column inches to be had. Aren't there?
Did I forget to mention Rick Santorum?
WICHITA – Propelled by a polished strategy crafted by activists on America's political right, a battle is intensifying across the nation over how students are taught about the origins of life. Policymakers in 19 states are weighing proposals that question the science of evolution.
Right off the bat, the cynical reader of, say, my approximate height and shoe size will predict the piece will cover the first trope (the intensifying battle) and ignore the second (the question of science). Gee, right again. Maybe these people should spend some effort battling cynicism. While we're in full Kreskin mode let us risk a few specific predictions. And, once again, I have never met any of the participants prior to today's show:
1) We will inform the readership that public opinion polls say the majority believes in creationism or creationism with a water chaser.
Check.
2) Since our theme here is "the battle over the right's strategy" the first quote goes to them, and probably to a religious spokesman.
Check and check.
3) The second quote naturally goes to the opposition, however, it will merely restate or reinforce the prevaling theme while saying nothing about the actual issues.
Check.
4) This will be followed by at least two more quotes from the right on our way to maintaining at least a 2-1 advantage.
Check.
5) The scientific value of ID will be upheld by using weasel words like "studies", "research", and "scientists" with no attribution. Any academic quoted who does not have credentials in any related field will be identified as "Doctor", or "Professor", or by a note that he has "studied" the problem.
Check, check, check, check, and close. Mathematician and philosopher William A. Dembski is identified as a "scholar".
6) One or two actual scientists from relevant fields will get to debunk the "science" of ID, but rather late in the game.
Bzzzzzt! Never happens. Oh, well, only God's Own Design is perfect.
One comes away from the article knowing no more than what's in the first sentence. Meanwhile the IDers are propped up with the panoply of modern science. They fund scientists! They produced a DVD shown on PBS! They're gonna start a research lab!!! Or my personal favorite, they sell books in secular and Christian bookstores. Nevermind that the "scientists" are funded to work as mouthpieces and authors of those popularizations, or that none has published the first piece in a peer-reviewed journal. Hell, nevermind the concept of peer-review. Let's not even ask how you come to the conclusions first and fund the research lab second. It's all about politics, besides, there are only so many column inches to be had. Aren't there?
Did I forget to mention Rick Santorum?
Questions I Didn't Used To Ask Myself
1) Is there any reason to respond to yet another fatuous Nick Kristof column which not only has to go back to the 70s and misstate facts in order to show that environmentalists are extremists, but tosses in meteorologists when he thinks no one's looking?
No.
2) Is there any reason to respond to an even more fatuous David Brooks column which turns a dinner at Antoine's and the existence of decaffeinated coffee into a Lesson for Our Times?
Yes. Dude, I know it was on someone else's nickel, but you were in Nawlins and you ate at Antoine's? See anybody in there who wasn't obviously from out of town?
No.
2) Is there any reason to respond to an even more fatuous David Brooks column which turns a dinner at Antoine's and the existence of decaffeinated coffee into a Lesson for Our Times?
Yes. Dude, I know it was on someone else's nickel, but you were in Nawlins and you ate at Antoine's? See anybody in there who wasn't obviously from out of town?
TV Guide™ Roundup
One thing I really like about TV Guide is that they're unafraid to change their layout every three weeks. They change layouts more often than my grocery store changes endcaps.
And it's always accompanied by a thoughtful Letter from the Publisher, or at least a page one banner informing their readership of their newly enhanced convenience and readability. Loyal readers of their Letters column are keenly aware of the panic such changes might cause if they occurred without warning.
Letters: Having said that we immediately give a Jeer-Within-A-Cheer as the Letters column springs a new format on us without warning! Apparently having just gotten wind of the hot new national trend of polarization the Editors debut a Pro vs. Con sidebar. This week's topic is Eden Riegel, All My Children's Bianca. Norma Jenkins writes from Tupelo to say she was stunned when Eden didn't win the Daytime Emmy. Salt Lake City's A. Jackson isn't really down on Eden, so much as her character, suggesting that the producers must think "fans only want to watch young actors". A. finds this "insulting".
Not a strong inagural effort, but the format shows promise. In the future I'd like to see some space given each side for rebuttal.
Back to Letters: Peggy Roman has had it with Monk, which is just not the same without Sharona. Maxine Gotto is appalled at the way Iowa was portrayed on The West Wing. She's from Council Bluffs, so it's personal. On the West Coast, Colleen McDonald of Bend, OR, thought the musical episode of 7th Heaven was awful, Heeeeere's Vegas' David Kaliner to praise the late Johnny Carson's special brand of humor, class, and wit, and Diane Garratt down Mesa, AZ way, is one sexagenarian who hopes the WB "doesn't grow up too much", especially the pure escapist fun of Smallville.
Crossword Stumper (WARNING: SPOILER)
14 Across The ____Ranger.
ans: LONE.
And it's always accompanied by a thoughtful Letter from the Publisher, or at least a page one banner informing their readership of their newly enhanced convenience and readability. Loyal readers of their Letters column are keenly aware of the panic such changes might cause if they occurred without warning.
Letters: Having said that we immediately give a Jeer-Within-A-Cheer as the Letters column springs a new format on us without warning! Apparently having just gotten wind of the hot new national trend of polarization the Editors debut a Pro vs. Con sidebar. This week's topic is Eden Riegel, All My Children's Bianca. Norma Jenkins writes from Tupelo to say she was stunned when Eden didn't win the Daytime Emmy. Salt Lake City's A. Jackson isn't really down on Eden, so much as her character, suggesting that the producers must think "fans only want to watch young actors". A. finds this "insulting".
Not a strong inagural effort, but the format shows promise. In the future I'd like to see some space given each side for rebuttal.
Back to Letters: Peggy Roman has had it with Monk, which is just not the same without Sharona. Maxine Gotto is appalled at the way Iowa was portrayed on The West Wing. She's from Council Bluffs, so it's personal. On the West Coast, Colleen McDonald of Bend, OR, thought the musical episode of 7th Heaven was awful, Heeeeere's Vegas' David Kaliner to praise the late Johnny Carson's special brand of humor, class, and wit, and Diane Garratt down Mesa, AZ way, is one sexagenarian who hopes the WB "doesn't grow up too much", especially the pure escapist fun of Smallville.
Crossword Stumper (WARNING: SPOILER)
14 Across The ____Ranger.
ans: LONE.
Getting An Education
Last Wednesday at the weekly waste of one hour of daylight known as the Teachers' Meeting at my wife's school the principal, Dr. Doolittle, announced that there would be a roughly 15% Reduction in Force (RIF, in this jargon-happy world) with notices going out Friday. They had to go out Friday, as this was the last day it could be done contractually. I suppose that was preferable to letting the anxiety build for weeks.
Lots of tears and anger on Friday from both teachers and students. Most of the RIFees had never gone through such a thing before--it's been a decade since it's been done en mass. (The teachers are not, at this point, actually laid off, which would entitle them to unemployment benefits over the summer. They're on hold for reassignment which could come at any time and send them anywhere they're qualified, assuming one turns up. Last time it happened to my wife she got a job two days after the school year began.)
It's the same story as any business facing large layoffs--the survivors' morale goes into the crapper same as the victims'. My wife will go from being one of two teachers in her specialty to having all four classes, meaning less time to work with students outside of class time, more time doing grades, solo responsibility for the student shows and contests. There'll be fewer teachers to do police work in the halls and the cafeteria, fewer on hand during the big state tests. The good news, of course, is that none of the children will be Left Behind.
Lots of tears and anger on Friday from both teachers and students. Most of the RIFees had never gone through such a thing before--it's been a decade since it's been done en mass. (The teachers are not, at this point, actually laid off, which would entitle them to unemployment benefits over the summer. They're on hold for reassignment which could come at any time and send them anywhere they're qualified, assuming one turns up. Last time it happened to my wife she got a job two days after the school year began.)
It's the same story as any business facing large layoffs--the survivors' morale goes into the crapper same as the victims'. My wife will go from being one of two teachers in her specialty to having all four classes, meaning less time to work with students outside of class time, more time doing grades, solo responsibility for the student shows and contests. There'll be fewer teachers to do police work in the halls and the cafeteria, fewer on hand during the big state tests. The good news, of course, is that none of the children will be Left Behind.
Friday, March 11
Paddlin' A Canoe? That's a Paddlin'
I see that Hugh Hewitt, (as avid readers know, the inspiration for this blog) is tossing off threats to the Party Faithful that they'd better remain faithful. Badmouth John Bolton? There go your presidential asperations. Oppose Bill Frist's nuclear option? There go your presidential asperations.
Sure, Hugh. One step outa line and McCain is toast.
But since you brought it up, I can't help but wonder what the Over/Under is on Lame Duckitude. August? The naked giveaway on bankruptcy even has the Freepers pissed off, fer chrissakes. Social Security's DOA. Gas prices zooming. You've milked all the triumphalism out of "Middle East democracy"; the warm glow may remain but there's only the hard nubbins of truth left to be chewed. Iraq? The news for the next six months is blown-up bodies, not purple fingers. A little Iran tick-tock? You can try, but they've got little reason to listen.
And for the Religious Right, '08 is their chance and they know it. They're gonna have to step out from behind the curtain real soon, and if you think that's a cheery prospect, why have you kept them off the Convention podium since '92?
Sure, Hugh. One step outa line and McCain is toast.
But since you brought it up, I can't help but wonder what the Over/Under is on Lame Duckitude. August? The naked giveaway on bankruptcy even has the Freepers pissed off, fer chrissakes. Social Security's DOA. Gas prices zooming. You've milked all the triumphalism out of "Middle East democracy"; the warm glow may remain but there's only the hard nubbins of truth left to be chewed. Iraq? The news for the next six months is blown-up bodies, not purple fingers. A little Iran tick-tock? You can try, but they've got little reason to listen.
And for the Religious Right, '08 is their chance and they know it. They're gonna have to step out from behind the curtain real soon, and if you think that's a cheery prospect, why have you kept them off the Convention podium since '92?
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