A Vegetarian With a Taste for Duck... Lame

Shakes is at full throttle today.

Now I'm craving meat.

Most worrisome to the White House is the subpoena power that Democrats would gain with a majority in the House or Senate. For years, Republicans have been mostly deferential in scrutinizing the Bush administration, but Democrats are eager to reexamine an array of issues, such as Vice President Cheney's energy task force, the Jack Abramoff scandal and preparations for the Iraq war.

"It obviously affects things a lot," said Charles Black, a Republican lobbyist with ties to the White House. "History tells you that administrations have a hard time achieving things in their last two years. I think the president wants to be as aggressive as he can with a good menu of ideas.

WHAT menu? And where's it been for the past six years?

A True Haiku

I don't know his name
A homeless casualty
His words I treasure

A good meal he craved
I paid him twenty dollars
and got a prayer

I can sure use it
better than twenty dollars
If only I would

Too Poor to Die

Republic of T has a rather disturbing post up concerning the death of Tyrone Garner, one of the plaintiffs in Lawrence v. Texas, which overturned state laws criminalizing same-sex activity.

Although Garner passed away on September 11, the family still does not have the financial means to have him buried. Terrance makes an interesting point:

"Thus, the state that sought to control his body while he was living may end up controlling it in his death. "

Sad.

Where's the Other Me?

Wow. I had no idea I was so special. Found this over at casa SAP

HowManyOfMe.com

There are: 2 people with my name in the U.S.A. How many have your name?

Txrad said, "they have a crappy database." Apparently, he doesn't exist.

Wynton Marsalis is 45 today

Bush Approval Ratings by State

This is cool!

According to SurveyUSA, only four states maintain a 50%+ approval rating for Bush. And they are the usual red-state suspects:


1 Idaho 57%
2 Utah 57%
3 Wyoming 52%
4 Montana 50%

The Decider-in-Chief is below 50% in the remaining 46 states. {sniffle...}

Texas is ranked #8. This is a classic example of where being ranked at the bottom is a good thing. That honor belongs to Rhode Island.

No Pension for Gerry Stubbs' Husband

From 365gay.com:

For the first time the surviving spouse of a member of Congress is being denied death benefits.

Dean Hara, who married former Massachusetts Rep. Gerry Studds shortly after same-sex marriage was legalized in Massachusetts in 2004, has been disqualified for benefits under the so-called federal Defense of Marriage Act.

Surviving spouses of members of Congress collect more than half of the pension for the remainder of their lives.

As if that isn't offensive enough, digest this:

Nevertheless, Rep. Bob Ney (R-Ohio) who pled guilty last week to conspiracy charges and faces up to 10 years in prison for taking bribes will receive about $29,000 a year from his pension for the rest of his life - even while he is in prison.

This country is seriously ill.

An October Surprise?

This is the kind of shit that just makes me seethe.

With Democrats threatening to sweep Republicans out of power in Congress in the November 7 elections, a late-breaking foreign crisis, terrorist attack or another Washington scandal could change the debate and shape the ultimate outcome.

Why? Why the hell would any of these factors change the overall dynamic of the elections just 3 weeks from today? We have plenty of foreign crises right now that are not being adequately addressed; a terrorist attack would blow the Bush Administration out of the water after all the talk about how much safer we are thanks to them; and another scandal isn't going to affect much unless it's something monumental involving Democrats.

I seriously doubt whether much at all could impact the outcome of this election, even the capture Osama bin Laden -- or an announcement of his death. Neither of those two scenarios is going to have an impact on conditions in Iraq (or Afghanistan, for that matter). It might produce a very temporary spike in Bush's dismal approval ratings. I can't see how it would swing voters back to Republicans though.

Nevada Will Have Vote on Legalizing Marijuana

(AFP/File/Robyn Beck)


On November 7, Nevadans will have the opportunity to vote on whether to legalize pot.

If it passes Nov. 7, Nevada will be the first state to allow adults to possess up to an ounce of pot that they could buy at government-regulated marijuana shops.

The "Committee to Keep Nevada Respectable" opposes the measure. What a name for a committee in a state with alcohol pouring 24/7 down the throats of people gambling their asses off -- the ones who aren't visiting one of the legal brothels.

And surprisingly, I find myself somewhat agreeing with a Baptist minister:

"Make no mistake, I don't think using marijuana is a wise choice for anyone," said the Rev. William C. Webb, a Baptist minister who joined dozens of other religious leaders in announcing their backing. But "if there has to be a market in marijuana, I'd rather it be regulated with sensible safeguards than run by violent gangs and dangerous drug dealers."

Voters in Colorado will be voting on a similar measure.

The Picture Meme

Meowkaat has tagged me for the Picture Meme: 8 Things I Find Amazing in Picture Form. Some memes seem easy and turn out to be rather difficult and time consuming. I have a feeling this one falls in that category. But at least it should be fun.

1.

Amazing how peaceful and quiet things can be from this distance.

2.

Amazing that a plant which serves so many purposes can be declared illegal and people serve prison time for cultivating it.

3.

How can something this beautiful choose to come into my life by surprise and be such a perfect match?

4.

How a mushroom can make you think of a penis. These grow in one specific area of our backyard.

5.

I find it truly amazing how so many people can find the top photo more offensive than the war casualty below it.

6.

It's amazing I was ever this young and without a worry in the world.

(April 1965!)

7.

What's truly amazing is how a beautiful tasty heirloom tomato can grow from such tiny little seeds. (txrad grows these tomatoes.)

8.

Lastly, an amazing thing is how I still haven't learned to follow simple instructions written on a tequila bottle.

That was way more difficult than I imagined. I'll tag some people anyway!

Quaker Dave , One Big Jerkoff JackGoff, Waveflux, RedSonja & Karate Monkey, & Miss Cellania.

Sorry folks, it's the price you pay for being visible!

God is a Music Promoter

I'm not one to tell God what to do. But it seems to me, what with all the troubles in the world today, that God might have more important things to promote than music festivals. I could be wrong.

This new genre of Christian music which includes heavy metal, hard rock, soft rock, jazz, hiphop, and whatever else Christian bands feel moved by the hand of God to play, is appearing more often in the press. I caught an article in the Austin American Statesman today about Jim Butt, who is organizing a festival here in Austin called "Power of the Cross Festival" which will be held this coming Saturday.

Jim Butt, a first-time concert promoter, believes that 40,000 people will attend Saturday's [festival.]
The free daylong Christian music event is the day before the Rolling Stones descend on Zilker Park. So, Butt figures, people will be in town looking for something to do. Why not hope for 40,000 to attend?

Um, yeah. I can see 40,000 Rolling Stones fanatics all standing around on Saturday asking themselves "what to do?" in Austin, Texas the day before the big Stones bash. The good news is, the festival is free.

"I just believe that many can come," he said matter-of-factly. "I have faith. It's a number God has given me."

This is a man who claims that God delivered him from a drug and alcohol addiction. A man who quit his job selling medical equipment and drained his savings and retirement accounts to organize what he hopes will be a "Christian South by Southwest." A man who will do anything God asks him to do, no questions asked.

Butt is spending $100,000 of his own savings and retirement money on the festival and expects a miracle or two:

"I wouldn't be surprised to see somebody get out of a wheelchair and walk," he said.
The prospect of glorifying God and sharing his faith with the city motivated Dale Smith to build a 9-foot-tall cross and wooden prayer panels where people will post their prayer intentions.

It would almost be worth attending this event for the visuals... and to read some of the "prayer intentions."

Vance Russell, senior pastor of Arise Christian Fellowship in North Austin, says his members will offer prayer and support to people who accept Christ on Saturday. He says members who have prophetic gifts will share messages from God in a special tent.

That special tent sounds like it's going to be a blast. The festival has a website including a prayer for the success of the festival, including:

Jesus, we pray that your spirit will attract everyone to the festival that you want so that we don’t have to worry about worldly advertising techniques.

Father God, we pray for your presence at this festival. We would rather have less people and more of you, then [sic] more people and less of you.

Father, you know who you want to play at this festival so we pray that you will call forward the musicians with your anointing.

Our prayers are that the Lord of the harvest will release the labors and the provisions for the vision. We know God isn’t broke so we pray for more then [sic] plenty so that we will be able to fund this ministry long term.

Hopefully, God will bless those in the special tent with some proofreading skills.

(file under "a fool and his money are soon parted.")

Crossposted at B3

Mitt Romney's Verbal Littering in Boston

Mitt Romney is spewing intolerant and untruthful rubbish again. Speaking to a group gathered in Boston for the Family Research Council's annual "Liberty Sunday" event, here's what the presidential hopeful had to say:

"Here in Massachusetts, activist judges struck a blow to the foundation of civilization — the family," Republican Gov. Mitt Romney, a likely presidential candidate, told an applauding crowd of about 1,000 people, some of whom responded with "Amen."

What (the judges) ignored is that marriage is not primarily about adults; marriage is about the nurturing and development of children. ... Every child deserves a mother and a father," he said.

A blow to the foundation of civilization? What a waste of time and a load of smelly crap. Trying to blame same-sex marriage for the failings of traditional marriage and family break-ups has gotten tiresome. Calling it a blow to the foundations of civilization is an asinine exaggeration of incomprehensible proportions. Only an idiot could truly believe this.

Tony Perkins, president of the FRC, chimed in with more of the same rhetoric:

"When we look at what has happened with same-sex marriage, as it began in this state and threatens to spread across the country, we've seen in its wake the loss of religious freedoms and the ability to speak out based upon one's moral convictions."

Come again? If that were true, he wouldn't be speaking at the event. If it weren't so friggin' nauseating, it'd almost be comical watching the fundies scrambling to try and salvage right-wing Republican hopes in the November 7 mid-term elections.

I'll be loudly applauding the sinking of that rusting ship. I'm tired of the incessant lies, smear-campaigns, and scandals. I'm tired of being the scapegoat for the problems of a segment of American society of which I'm not even a part.

Crossposted at B3

If I had but one wish....

it would be for youtube to get their fucking shit together. Since the google buyout, I don't think youtube has had a full day without some annoying problem. Am I having a premonition? Are they smoking dope with their new wealth?? Hello, the rest of us are out here relying on your lazy rich assesssssssssssssssss.

CBGB OMFUG: R.I.P.

This is my tribute post to the New York club, CBGB OMFUG, which will close its doors on October 31, 2006 after a final performance by Patti Smith tonight, October 15. The club was a breeding ground for many bands I continue to hold in high esteem, even to this day. I'm sad I never got to visit there to pay my respects in person.

Hilly Kristal, owner and founder of CBGB, explains the name of the club:

The question most often asked of me is, "What does CBGB stand for?" I reply, "It stands for the kind of music I intended to have, but not the kind that we became famous for: COUNTRY BLUEGRASS BLUES."
The next question is always, "but what does OMFUG stand for?" and I say "That's more of what we do, It means OTHER MUSIC FOR UPLIFTING GORMANDIZERS." And what is a gormandizer? It's a voracious eater of, in this case, MUSIC.

A comical CBGB tribute video:


Disregard the smell of puke:


The Dead Boys at CBGB: 1977


Blondie at CBGB: 1977


In 1981 I spent the summer in Boston and heard a band on the radio called "Avengers." I still have two of their vinyl LPs. I was very surprised to see they performed at CBGB this summer.

Avengers Live at CBGB: September 8, 2006


Here's another nicely done tribute video to CBGB.

And another blogger with something to say at The Techsploder

e e cummings - born October 14, 1894

a total stranger one black day
knocked living the hell out of me--

who found forgiveness hard because
my(as it happened)self he was

--but now that fiend and i are such
immortal friends the other's each

Roger Moore is 79 today

The Bond days are over.

Gerry Studds Passes On at 69

BOSTON - Former U.S. Rep. Gerry Studds, the first openly gay person elected to Congress, died early Saturday at Boston Medical Center, a hospital official said. He was 69. Studds, a liberal Democrat who spent more than 20 years in Congress, was censured by the House in the 1980s for having sex with a 17-year-old male page.

Thoughts from another blogger, Random Thoughts from Reno:

Former Representative Gerry Studds could have picked a better last name than the one he had; moreover, he could have picked a different age to die: 69.

I suppose this is a Republican attempt to divert attention away from the Foley Follies.

A Bit of Sweet Justice: Wal-Mart to Pay $78.5 Million for Forced Labor

Wal-Mart Stores Inc., the world’s biggest retailer, must pay at least $78.5 million for violating Pennsylvania labor laws by forcing employees to work through rest breaks and off the clock, a jury found Friday.

What country do they think this is, China?

Lead plaintiff Dolores Hummel, a single parent, said she worked at a Sam's Club in Reading for 10 years to support her son. Over the years, the pressure to get more work done intensified, she said. Hummel said she worked eight to 12 unpaid hours a month, on average, to meet work demands.

"It should send a message to corporate America that you can't say one thing and do another ... and that you should put people ahead of profits," the plaintiffs' lawyer Michael Donovan said.

Friday Pussy Blog

Rebecca sent in a photo of Mary Anne -- her beloved who passed away 12 years ago today. It just goes to show you we never ever forget our feline family members.


JackGoff requested more Tater Tot. Of couse, I'm happy to oblige. I love my boy! I just got home from lunch and caught him napping on Txrad's eggplant sheets. Nice color contrast. The boy knows how to display himself.

Stephen Colbert's Feminist Sketch - an "Ice Cream 3-Way"

Txrad and I watched this a couple of nights ago and I thought it was hilarious. I was hoping someone would youtube it, and voila: found it this morning. Jane Fonda seems to really get off on kissing Colbert on the lips.





Here's a link to Greenstone Media which was plugged in the sketch.

Quote of the Day

Hat tip to Pam and her "Liberty Sunday" coverage.

"I believe it's from the pit of hell itself, that this movement is inspired, that it has a satanic anointing...The civil rights movement was inspired and given by the Holy Spirit, birthed in the church and bathed in prayer...But the gay rights movement, I believe, was birthed and inspired by the Antichrist."-- Rev. Dwight McKissic of Cornerstone Baptist Church in Arlington, Texas, on The Homosexual Agenda at FRC's last wingnut gathering, the "Values Voter Summit."

Texas homobigot Baptists are hard to beat when it comes to blowhard bullshit.

Where did Bono's Peace Sign Go?

This photo appears in the New York Times' online edition today in the piece titled: "Bush Joins Hastert at Rally, and Lavishes the Priase."


Doug Mills/The New York Times
Caption: President Bush, with the rock star Bono and the model Christy Turlington on Thursday after a rally, as he was preparing to leave Chicago.

I much prefer the photo which appeared in my hardcopy of the paper this morning:



Why did they change it?

Has Anyone Seen Cheech & Chong Lately?

Want to go undetected? Camouflage your vehicle with marijuana.

OTTAWA (Reuters) - Canadian troops fighting Taliban militants in Afghanistan have stumbled across an unexpected and potent enemy -- almost impenetrable forests of 10-feet (three metre) high marijuana plants.

General Rick Hillier, chief of the Canadian defence staff, said on Thursday that Taliban fighters were using the forests as cover. In response, the crew of at least one armored car had camouflaged their vehicle with marijuana.

The Lamest Excuse I've Ever Heard....

for crashing a plane into a 42-story building in Manhattan:

Aviator Was Skilled, but in Unfamiliar Skies

Proposed Labor Law in China Angers Corporations Seeking Cheap, Exploitable Workers

The New York Times today was crammed full of blogworthy news, starting with this front page article concerning China's plans to draft a law strengthening labor unions and ending labor abuse.

The reaction by American corporations was a real eye-opener as far as seeing who has the interests of working people at heart. Granted, China's move is intended to reduce the chances of an uprising by workers. However, this does not diminish the obvious greed of corporations seeking and benefitting from underpaid and exploited workers.

The move, which underscores the government’s growing concern about the widening income gap and threats of social unrest, is setting off a battle with American and other foreign corporations that have lobbied against it by hinting that they may build fewer factories here.

The conflict with the foreign corporations is significant partly because it comes at a time when labor, energy and land costs are rising in this country, all indications that doing business in China is likely to get much more expensive in the coming years.

Some corporations have complained that the law smacks of socialism and borrows from labor laws in "union friendly" countries like France and Germany.

The skirmish has pitted the American Chamber of Commerce — which represents corporations including Dell, Ford, General Electric, Microsoft and Nike — against labor activists and the All-China Federation of Trade Unions, the Communist Party’s official union organization.

The workers’ advocates say that the proposed labor rules — and more important, enforcement powers — are long overdue, and they accuse the American businesses of favoring a system that has led to widespread labor abuse.

One of the proposals in the law would make it harder to lay off workers. Some companies have stated this alone might cause them to slow their investments in China.

“This is really two steps backward after three steps forward,” said Kenneth Tung, Asia-Pacific director of legal affairs at the Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company in Hong Kong and a legal adviser to the American Chamber of Commerce here.

I have an idea. Move the jobs back to Mexico and other Central American nations, pay the workers a living wage, and perhaps we won't need that Big Wall. After all, what is China doing for us? I'll get back to that answer later.

Crossposted at B3

One Way to Ease a Blogger Headache

Yum! Starting on the 3rd and last glass. Highly recommended.

Blog Modification in Progress

Update: What a mess... my objective was to fix 2 problems. Prior to the modifications I did today, when someone would do the permalink to my blog, anyone clicking the link would see the top half of my customized blog header disappear. I have removed the Blogger profile and blog description which seems to have solved that problem. However, I've created a new problem: the permalink usage will now cause most of my sidebar to disappear. It starts at "other comrades."

Anyone have any ideas on how to fix this before I pull ALL my hair out and therefore cease being a hippie? It should be an easy fix.
______________________

Pardon me while I shit a brick attempt to make a few minor changes in my blog layout. I've only a blown a few hours so far on this little endeavor! Regular posting will resume asap.

3 Reasons Why I Love Blogs

Radical Russ on National Coming Out Day
1

The Dark Wraith on having fun with trolls
2

And...
3

The Long Haul in Iraq

Less than a month before the critically important mid-term elections, the Army chief of staff, Gen. Peter J. Schoomaker, announced that the Army expects to keep the current troop levels in Iraq through 2010.

"It's just that I have to have enough ammo in the magazine that I can continue to shoot as long as they want us to shoot."

Nice analogy. And we American taxpayers can continue to expect Uncle Sam to have a couple of fingers in our wallets and purses.

In another indication of the burden the Army expects to bear, Schoomaker said he believes the Army will need $138.8 billion in 2008, nearly $40 billion more than its planned expenditures for the 2007 budget year, which began Oct. 1. Schoomaker's proposed figure is nearly $25 billion more than the initial amount discussed by Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld.

Crossposted at B3

National Coming Out Day

With today being National Coming Out Day, as a good queer, I should do something for the occasion. It will not be as maaaahhhhvelous as the posts done by Pam at the Blend and Shakespeare’s Sister.

I very definitely struggled with being gay when I was young. By the time I was 21 I had begun to accept it but was far from telling the world about it. When I was 23 I went to London with a 6-month work visa I obtained in college through some work/study program. I landed a job as a clerk in my favorite record store: the HMV Shop.

As I got to know my work associates better it became obvious that my sexual orientation had been discussed by some of them. Finally, after some coaxing from one of them I confessed that I was indeed gay. Not only did I feel so much better for saying it, but I was strengthened by the reactions of those around me. It wasn't a big deal! I wasn't treated any differently, there was no stigma to being gay, I wasn't branded with a pink triangle, I was just an American kid who was gay. (And it goes without saying, at a four-story record store in the heart of London, I was not the only queer one in the building.)

This was probably one of the few instances in my life where I was comfortable in a work environment. So comfortable in fact, I stayed on for more than a year in violation on my work visa.

A few weeks ago Txrad and I were out shopping for cat food. As we approached the register the young woman there asked us if we were brothers. (We've had that question asked of us more than once which is quite strange.) Txrad shot back, "No we're a couple!"

The woman didn't flinch. She asked how long we'd been together and we continued the chit chat. Of course it's easier to be that honest in a town like Austin -- it should be that easy anywhere. If someone asks a question, they deserve to know the truth. And that's not "flaunting" it.

Iraqi Death Toll May Exceed 600,000

The price of establishing democracy chaos in Iraq just jumped.

A team of American and Iraqi epidemiologists estimates that 655,000 more people have died in Iraq since coalition forces arrived in March 2003 than would have died if the invasion had not occurred.

It is more than 20 times the estimate of 30,000 civilian deaths that President Bush gave in a speech in December. It is more than 10 times the estimate of roughly 50,000 civilian deaths made by the British-based Iraq Body Count research group.

A Defense Department spokesman did not comment directly on the estimate.
"The Department of Defense always regrets the loss of any innocent life in Iraq or anywhere else," said Lt. Col. Mark Ballesteros. "The coalition takes enormous precautions to prevent civilian deaths and injuries."

Feel better now?

Related: ThinkProgress has a rebuttal to Rep. Steve King (R-IA) who made the absurd claim that living in Iraq is less dangerous than living in Washington DC. The post titled "REALITY CHECK: Iraq Is 22 Times More Violent Than Washington DC" includes a nifty chart from the FBI.

Photo of the Day

Replicas of human fetuses are pictured in a display with literature and fund-raising materials at the 'Vote Yes For Life' anti-abortion campaign headquarters in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, October 5, 2006. (Carey Gillam/Reuters)

Sure, Blame Clinton

Some pair of cojones John McCain is swinging around.

While campaigning in Michigan for Republican Senate candidate Mike Bouchard, McCain accused Clinton of failing in the 1990s to stop North Korea from developing nuclear weapons.

Hmm. Who declared North Korea part of the "axis of evil?" Is Bush incapable of dealing with the North Korean situation? It's not like the man just stepped into the White House last month. This has been going on for almost 6 years now.

McCain is obviously stumping for himself as much as anyone. It's interesting how he brought Hillary into the mix:

"I would remind Senator (Hillary) Clinton and other Democrats critical of the Bush administration's policies that the framework agreement her husband's administration negotiated was a failure."

Philippe Reines, a spokesman for Clinton, responded:

Five years after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, Bush "has allowed the 'axis of evil' to spin out of control. Our Iraq policy is a failure. Iran is going nuclear and North Korea is testing nuclear weapons," the statement said.

Unfortunately, the "axis of evil" is just one of many things that have spun out of control during the reign of Bush, with more than two years remaining.

Birthdays Today

Update: How could I forget John Prine??? He's in my sidebar! One of my favorite singer/songwriters and he's 60 today.

"All the Best:"


Thelonious Monk was born on this day in 1918.

Midge Ure of Ultravox is 53.

And the incomparable David Lee Roth is 51. Hopefully he'll be enjoying his day with a bottle as he was here in this concert clip:


Who likes rock & rollllll.. yeahhhhhhhhhhh!!!

Remembering John Lennon

"I don't want to die at 40."--John Lennon

John Lennon would have been 66 today -- and, no doubt, still in prime musical form -- had he not been gunned down at the age of 41 by Mark David Chapman almost 26 years ago.

I'm happy to see that one of our local favorite radio stations, KGSR, is having a birthday tribute tonight at Threadgill's World Headquarters in Austin.

John, you are so missed.

Also, Sean Ono Lennon is 31 today.

Firing a Few Rounds in School

Remember when the worst thing that got fired off in school was a spitball from a straw?

13-year-old fires an AK-47 in Missouri.

The NRA hasn't yet published an opinion on this story yet on their site, but it'll probably be similar to this bit regarding the shooting last week in the Amish school:

Do the media play a role in causing mass murders in schools and other public places? Certainly. Can anything be done about it? Perhaps.

The ARA then presents a link to this article in the Rocky Mountain News.

In a nutshell, it suggests gun control isn't the answer, or even feasible. The media bear some responsibility however. So, let me get this straight: You report the news and you have responsibility for copycat actions. You sell guns indiscriminately, no questions asked, and you have no responsibility. Interesting.

It wasn't immediately clear how the boy got access to the assault rifle.

I'll be waiting on that explanation.

Foley Impact on Evangelical Voting Patterns

Don't get excited; it may be very minimal based on this New York Times story today.

...in dozens of interviews here in southeastern Virginia, a conservative Christian stronghold that is a battleground in races for the House and Senate, many said the episode only reinforced their reasons to vote for their two Republican incumbents in neck-and-neck re-election fights, Representative Thelma Drake and Senator George Allen.

Yep, you read that correctly. George "Macaca" Allen can apparently do no wrong in the eyes of many conservatives.

“This is Foley’s lifestyle,” said Ron Gwaltney, a home builder, as he waited with his family outside a Christian rock concert last Thursday in Norfolk. “He tried to keep it quiet from his family and his voters. He is responsible for what he did. He is paying a price for what he did. I am not sure how much farther it needs to go.”

Oh, believe me, had Foley been a Democrat it would go a lot further. Heads would be rolling.

Also, the New York Times began running a 4-part series yesterday examining "how American religious organizations benefit from an increasingly accommodating government." This is highly recommended reading for anyone concerned about court-protected bias and discrimination practiced by increasingly powerful religious institutions.

The article, "Where Faith Abides, Employees Have Few Rights" starts off with this jewel:

J. Jeffrey Heck, a lawyer in Mansfield, Ohio, usually sits on management’s side of the table. “The only employee cases I take are those that poke my buttons,” he said. “And this one really did.”

His client was a middle-aged novice training to become a nun in a Roman Catholic religious order in Toledo. She said she had been dismissed by the order after she became seriously ill — including a diagnosis of breast cancer.

In her complaint, the novice, Mary Rosati, said she had visited her doctor with her immediate supervisor and the mother superior. After the doctor explained her treatment options for breast cancer, the complaint continued, the mother superior announced: “We will have to let her go. I don’t think we can take care of her.”

Some months later Ms. Rosati was told that the mother superior and the order’s governing council had decided to dismiss her after concluding that “she was not called to our way of life,” according to the complaint. Along with her occupation and her home, she lost her health insurance, Mr. Heck said. Ms. Rosati, who still lacks health insurance but whose cancer is in remission, said she preferred not to discuss her experience because of her continuing love for the church.

Good Lord! Slap me or slap her, but one of us is missing something here.

Legislators and regulators are not the only people in government who have drafted special rules for religious organizations. Judges, too, have carved out or preserved safe havens that shield religious employers of all faiths from most employee lawsuits, from laws protecting pensions and providing unemployment benefits, and from laws that give employees the right to form unions to negotiate with their employers.

A federal court decision has given religious broadcasters an exemption from some of the fair-hiring requirements of the Federal Communications Commission, even when they are hiring secretaries and receptionists. Two other decisions, one in federal court affecting a Mormon church and the other in a state court of appeals case involving a Roman Catholic nursing home, affirmed the right of religious employers to dismiss employees whose faith changed after they were hired.

Read the rest of the article and tell me what you think.

Dress Code Protests Roil Arkansas School

Control freaks are at it again. I understand the point of dress codes but this one borders on feverish insanity.


From the Arkansas Democrat Gazette:

The wristband protest was organized by Fighting Education-Depriving Uniform Policies, or FEDUP, a group founded by sisters Wendy Crow and Amanda Lamb to protest the dress code, which was made more restrictive this school year to specify shirt colors, numbers of buttons and pockets, and other details.

From KTHV, the CBS-affiliate in Little Rock:

The rules include wearing hunter green or white polo type shirts, khaki pants, shorts and solid black or brown belts.

Emma was suspended for wearing a fashion style belt. It was a brown belt with brads in them. Her mother, Amy Tatum, shows Today’s THV the belt and says it was that belt that Emma was sent home for. She says she was told it was a school violation because it had holes in it. Tatum asks, “How do you buckle a belt without holes?"

Tatum says, “It doesn't benefit Emma’s education to be sent home six times in six weeks for an extra button or pocket in the wrong place. Teach my child. My tax dollars don't pay you to be the fashion police."

The ACLU is expected to take legal action. Meanwhile students will be expected to continue counting buttons and pockets.

GreatSchools.net has some interesting parental reviews of the school:

"This school is just plain horrible. Don't expect to be prepared for college, because most of everything that you'll learn here, is obsolete. School is supposed to be fair for everyone, but I guess they don't really care about their students. This school is so judgemental of everyone. That's why I'd have to say that whoever enrolls at this school, would just be wasting their time. "

"This is probably the worst school I've sent my kids to in the state of Arkansas. Original thought is discouraged, the learning environment is hostile, and the only thing administrators are concerned with are dress code violations. Try and send your children elsewhere if at all possible."- John

"Absolutely horrible! If administrators would spend more time on education and less time on dress code violations, children might be able to learn something. The administrators absolutely refuse to work with parents, and most times won't even interact with parents. "- Steve

"Watson Chapel is 'THE' worst schools in Jefferson County. I am split between 3 districts in my area, and Chapel is it. If I could pull my kid out legally, I would. Some of the teachers are just pulling a pay check. Let your child fail in a credited course and you will find out in 4 1/2 weeks, but be out of dress code. You receive a call in 5 minutes. 'Please come pick your child up from school. My child has missed 6 days since the start of school for dress code violation. (Black or Gold lantern). The hand book dose not recommend any color as long as the lantern is visible. What is Chapel teaching my child?"

Good question.

crossposted at B3

Remembering Johnny

Johnny Ramone was born on this day in 1951.

It's All About War

It must be what he lives for. The Walking Soundbite in Search of a Purpose undoubtedly had a rock-hard boner in anticipation of this christening for papa Herbert.

"She is unrelenting, she is unshakable, she is unyielding, she is unstoppable," Bush said, lauding the warship's state-of-the-art design before pausing for a punch line aimed at his mother's well-known steely constitution. "As a matter of fact, probably should have been named the Barbara Bush."

41 is doing a happy dance.

Maybe Homeboy Should Stay in the Sunshine State

I'd like to say it couldn't happen to a more deserving fella... but then there's his brother...

Protesters greeted Florida Gov. Jeb Bush on his way to a campaign event for a Pennsylvania senator, and he briefly took refuge in a subway station supply closet to avoid the anti-Republican demonstrators.

Did anyone get photos of Jeb coming out of the closet?

Thom Yorke of Radiohead was born today...

...he is 38.

"Lucky"

Friday Haiku

Ben Stein can kiss mine
Hastert had better resign
Time to drain the swamp

George Westinghouse born today in 1846

Thank God for this brilliant man.

Interesting little historical trivia here:

Westinghouse's promotion of AC power distribution led him into a bitter confrontation with Edison and his DC power system. The feud became known as "the War of Currents." Edison claimed that high voltage systems were inherently dangerous; Westinghouse replied that the risks could be managed and were outweighed by the benefits. Edison tried to have legislation enacted in several states to limit power transmission voltages to 800 volts, but failed.

The battle went to an absurd, and some would say tragic, level, when in 1887 a board appointed by the state of New York consulted Edison on the best way to execute condemned prisoners. At first, Edison wanted nothing to do with the matter, declaring his opposition to capital punishment.

However, Westinghouse AC networks were clearly winning the battle of the currents, and the ultra-competitive Edison saw a last opportunity to defeat his rival. Edison hired an outside engineer named Harold P. Brown, who could pretend to be impartial, to perform public demonstrations in which animals were electrocuted by AC power. Edison then told the state board that AC was so deadly that it would kill instantly, making it the ideal method of execution. His prestige was so great that his recommendation was adopted.

Harold Brown then sold gear for performing electric executions to the state for $8,000. In August 1890, a convict named William Kemmler became the first person to be executed by electrocution. Westinghouse hired the best lawyer of the day to defend Kemmler and condemned electrocution as a form of "cruel and unusual punishment". The execution was messy and protracted, and Westinghouse protested that they could have done better with an axe. The electric chair became a common form of execution for decades, even though it had proven from the first to be an unsatisfactory way to do the job. However, Edison failed in his attempts to have the procedure named "Westinghousing".

Securing Our Borders with Smoke and Mirrors

Get a load of this from the WaPo today. After the Republican-controlled Congress pandered to the brownphobic base by voting to authorize a 700-mile fence on the Mexican border, both the House and Senate have subsequently given Bush a clean slate to determine where and how to appropriate the money for border security.

No sooner did Congress authorize construction of a 700-mile fence on the U.S.-Mexico border last week than lawmakers rushed to approve separate legislation that ensures it will never be built, at least not as advertised, according to Republican lawmakers and immigration experts.

GOP leaders have singled out the fence as one of the primary accomplishments of the recently completed session. Many lawmakers plan to highlight their $1.2 billion down payment on its construction as they campaign in the weeks before the midterm elections.

But shortly before recessing late Friday, the House and Senate gave the Bush administration leeway to distribute the money to a combination of projects -- not just the physical barrier along the southern border. The funds may also be spent on roads, technology and "tactical infrastructure" to support the Department of Homeland Security's preferred option of a "virtual fence."

Bush was quoted:

"That's what the people of this country want," the president said. "They want to know that we're modernizing the border so we can better secure the border."

What the people of the country should want is for Congress to be less manipulative and dishonest in their pursuit of the illusion of doing what they claim to do for the sake of public opinion polls, and then cleverly shifting gears afterwards. What's truly sad is how unaware vast numbers of Americans are to these all-too-common political manuevers.

What will be interesting is seeing which corporations get the contracts for these "virtual" security enhancements.

Crossposted at B3

Friday Pussy Blog

photo editing by Rebecca

Tater Tot enjoys hanging out in the kitchen at night when we get the music cranked up while making dinner. I think he likes watching the Daddy Circus.

Check out the NY Times story today on hypoallergenic cats, if you can part with $4,000 and are willing to wait.


photo credit: Julie Chytrowsky

Since it announced the project in October 2004, the company, Allerca, of San Diego, says it has received inquiries from people in 85 countries seeking to buy a cat bred so that its glands do not produce the protein responsible for most human cat allergies.

“You’re not just buying a cat; it’s a medical device that replaces shots and pills,” said Megan Young, chief executive of Allerca. “At the same time, this is a living animal, so the well-being of our product comes before our customers. This is not some high-priced handbag that you put back on the shelf if it doesn’t match.”

Also, William Grimes had a hilarious article about his road trip with cats in the Times today. It stresses me out when I have to drive 3 miles to the vet with a cat in the car. A 1,500 mile roundtrip would have me seeking therapy.

Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On...

update: I just changed the title of this post since I misspelled a word anyway and only caught it the next morning. Never drink and post!

My workload had me so busy today but I did notice a pair of hairy brass balls over at Shakes, but didn't get a chance to read the post until now. Then I popped over to Pam's House Blend and saw the same pair of hairy nuggets...

... it's Shakespeare’s Sister’s BLOGIVERSARY! TWO YEARS!

Honey, I would have baked you a cake had I known in advance. It's marked in my calendar for next year though. I know you'll still be hammering away, and more power to ya.

HBH stands for "Her Burly Highness."

Forget Gay Marriage; Afterlife Marriages Are All the Rage

This was a bizarre story in today's New York Times about a custom in a remote area of China in which families offer up tokens to ancestors who might need a little helping hand in the afterlife, such as money. Some are extending the concept to include a post mortem marriage.

...here in the parched canyons along the Yellow River known as the Loess Plateau, some parents with dead bachelor sons will go a step further. To ensure a son’s contentment in the afterlife, some grieving parents will search for a dead woman to be his bride and, once a corpse is obtained, bury the pair together as a married couple.

The rural folk custom, startling to Western sensibilities, is known as minghun, or afterlife marriage. Scholars who have studied it say it is rooted in the Chinese form of ancestor worship, which holds that people continue to exist after death and that the living are obligated to tend to their wants — or risk the consequences. Traditional Chinese beliefs also hold that an unmarried life is incomplete, which is why some parents worry that an unmarried dead son may be an unhappy one.

Pity the gay & lesbian ancestors who are getting stuck in an unwanted heterosexual port mortem marriage. It gets worse:

“For girls, it doesn’t matter about their minds, whether they are an idiot or not. They are still wanted as brides.”

“There are girls who have drowned in the river down there. When their bodies have washed up, their families could get a couple of thousand yuan for them.”

Eewwwww.

Crossposted at B3

Steve Miller is 63 today

That cannot be possible, is it?
Here's an acoustic version of "The Joker" recorded in June 2006. Nice stuff.

Five Things Feminism Has Done for Me

Abby Scott Baker served as an officer of the National Women's Party. This picture of Abby Scott Baker in prison dress dates to 1917, after her arrest and conviction for participating in a suffrage protest in Washington, DC.

I got tagged by Shakespeare’s Sister a couple of days ago for this. From a male perspective, this is obviously going to be very different from the women participating. While I can't claim to have reaped any direct benefits (damn, it's so fucking hard being a white male) along the lines of the right to vote, the right to own property, the right to control my body as I see fit, etc., I can claim to have been affected by feminism. What it has done for me can basically be summed up as education. However, I'll list 5 stages during my life in which feminism played a part:

1. Before I knew there were people who were gay & straight, black & white, rich & poor, I knew there were men and women. I knew I was male. I also knew I had a very strong feminine side. I would be wrestling with it for years. Feminism forced me to think about and deal with who I am.

2. Feminism got me interested in politics from the time I was 12. It was the first political movement I recall following. I supported the E.R.A. through the 70s and initially was excited that it appeared to be on a fast-track for ratification. I remember the utter frustration as fewer and fewer of the required 38 states would ratify the amendment. By the time I was 16 it appeared to be dead and I could not understand why. (Nor could I understand my own mother's opposition to it.)

3. Feminism taught me there are people out there in power who are not to be trusted. Phyllis Schlafly comes to mind. (I called her "Syphilis Shitfly." Come on, I was a juvenile!) I learned for the first time just how dirty and corrupt politics can be. I learned how hard one must fight for something as basic as equality, and even then there are no guarantees.

4. In the early 1980s I saw Gloria Steinem speak at the University of Arkansas - Little Rock. I certainly wasn't the only man in attendance. It reinforced my view that the feminist movement doesn't have to exclude involvement and participation by men. In fact, it was at this point when I began to realize how interconnected things are. Feminism wasn't a threat to men; rather it was an essential element in the evolution of humanity to a higher level. And my attendance at the event was a way for me to show my solidarity with all my sisters who were having to struggle for rights that I never had to think about.

5. In the mid-80s as I was nearing the end of my studies in college I selected a history class to fulfill one of the necessary electives for my degree. The class was called "History of Women in Witchcraft." I thought it would be interesting but I had no idea it would impact my life the way it did. The class was small... no more than 9 or 10 students. Only 2 of us were male. For the first week or two it was quite obvious some of the women in the class were not very happy about 2 men being present. They did warm up to me later but the other guy just caught hell because he never fit in with the group. He even dressed in the patriarchal garb (suit & tie) which I'm sure contributed to his ostracision. The class taught me so much about life -- not just women. It was probably the point at which, for the first time, I was truly comfortable knowing that I was a gay man.

Feminism has made me an angry activist. I am pissed off because we haven't yet had a woman president or vice-president after 200+ years. I am pissed off there's only one woman currently sitting on the Supreme Court. Frankly, I'm ready to see a Supreme Court comprised ONLY of women. It would help make up for the years of male dominance. It's also frustrating to know that only 14 of our senators are women, (and far more frustrating to realize how many of those are anti-feminist and among the most repugnant representation out there.)

It's interesting to note how many firsts for women have occurred in my lifetime:

Margaret Chase Smith, of Maine, was the first woman nominated for president of the United States by a major political party (Republican!) in 1964.

Shirley Chisholm, of New York, was the first African-American woman in Congress in 1969.

Sandra Day O'Connor was the first woman to serve on the Supreme Court. She was appointed (by Ronald Reagan!) in 1981.

Geraldine Ferraro was the first woman to run for vice-president on a major party ticket in 1984.

Madeleine Albright was the first woman to hold the position of secretary of state in 1997.


"I do not wish [women] to have power over men; but over themselves."
--Mary Wollstonecraft (1759-1797)


tagged: jami, shamanic, kelly, theresa, spyderkl

That should be enough to twist some shit up!

kudos to progressive bloggers in Canada.

In Memory of Janis Joplin

She died on October, 4, 1970 at age 27. Her death came on 16 days after the death of Jimi Hendrix. 1970 was a rough year.






Here was my Janis tribute from a Halloween party about 3 years ago.

No Hotel Surcharges for Virus Exposure

When I was a young teen my father bought a motor home for our family vacations. Prior to that we had taken a few shorts trips involving hotel stays. I recall one instance when we had to change rooms because there was a hair in the bed. I believe that contributed to my dad's desire to travel and continue to sleep in his own bed.

Here's more unpleasant news for those with germ phobias.

We know that viruses can survive on surfaces for a long time — more than four days," said Dr. Birgit Winther, an ear, nose and throat specialist at the university who led the study.

Its aim was to test the survival of rhinoviruses, which cause about half of all colds, especially in children.

Researchers had 15 people with lab-confirmed rhinovirus colds spend a night in individual rooms at a nearby hotel and, after they checked out, tested 10 items they said they had touched. About one-third of the objects were contaminated with rhinovirus.

Virus was found on 7 out of 14 door handles and 6 of 14 pens. Six out of 15 light switches, TV remotes and faucets tested positive, as did 5 of 15 phones. Shower curtains, coffee makers and alarm clocks also harbored viruses.

Surprisingly, virus turned up on only one of the 10 toilet handles tested.

Apparently the test was only performed at one hotel. I'd be fascinated by some comparisons between busy hotels in major tourist areas. Hmmm, let's see, maybe the Excalibur or Circus Circus in Vegas. And test for germs on those slot machines!

Ick!

Crossposted at B3

Birthdays on October 2

Busy day for births:

Gandhi. QuakerDave paid a nice tribute.

Don McLean ("American Pie") is 61. I had that song as a 45 RPM single back in my days as a "young 'un" when Mark Foley would have been happy to have me as a congressional page, although I can assure you I would not have measured my dick for him.

Sting is 55. I was in Albuquerque on vacation the first time I heard the Police on the radio with "Roxanne." That song was the one that caused a HUGE musical change in direction for me around 1978 or so.

Phil Oakey, lead singer of the 80s band Human League is 45 today. When I was working at the HMV record shop in London (1983-1984) he would shop there and it was such a thrill to see someone who, at the time, was big on my list of faves.

Indulge yourself if you still cling to synths:

"Circus of Death" - Human League


And let's not forget the anti-births: Rock Hudson died of AIDS on this day 21 years ago.

Muslim Integration Into Western Cultures

One of my goals as a blogger is to occasionally step away from my comfort zone and tackle an issue with unclear answers. It's a strenuous and soul-searching excercise which often leaves me only slightly less-confused than when I began. Such is the case with immigration -- particularly immigrants who are Muslim. Clearly, many Muslims -- especially women -- have come to the U.S. and other western nations to escape religious persecution. Others come here steadfastly clingling to their religious beliefs from which others seek to escape.

I have been grappling with this issue for a long time -- at least since the murder of Theo Van Gogh in Holland over his film critical of the treatment of women under Islam. Just how much responsibility do immigrants have to acclimate themselves into a vastly different culture from whence they came -- especially if that culture is accustomed to being free to speak out about religious injustices?

If I were to move to Spain or Mexico (depending on the outcome of the 2008 elections) I would certainly make an effort to become a viable part of the culture I was living in, including speaking the language of those with whom I live. However, I would not become a Catholic or adopt the official state religion of whatever country I decided to inhabit. I would continue to maintain my own belief system even if it ran contrary to the official government position. And that's where things can -- and have -- gotten rather sticky.

Let's discuss the influx of immigrants who are Muslim and what responsibility they bear for assimilation, if any. I am certainly not advocating that we restrict Muslim immigrants; we are (the last time I checked) a nation where people are free to practice their religions beliefs (with a few exceptions) and I welcome anyone to our shores who seeks a better life for themselves and their families.

I read a short blurb in the New York Times recently about Muslim taxi drivers serving the Minneapolis/St. Paul airport and refusing to provide service to those who were carrying liquor. Here's a link to the story in the Minneapolis StarTribune.

About three-quarters of the 900 taxi drivers at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport are Somalis, many of them Muslim. And about three times each day, would-be customers are refused taxi service when a driver sees they're carrying alcohol.

"It's become a significant customer-service issue," said Patrick Hogan, a spokesman for the Metropolitan Airports Commission, on Thursday.

The airports commission has devised a plan to utilize color-coded lights on the taxis which refuse service to those carrying alcohol. This is rather admirable given most Americans' knee-jerk reaction to immigrants with different ways and beliefs. Even I was initially angry until I analyzed the information.

There was a time in my early adulthood when my views on alcohol were not so different from Muslim beliefs. The color-coded lights may very well solve the issue. The immigrants will not risk losing a much-needed source of income (although they may lose a few fares) nor will they be required to sacrifice an important religious belief.

Alcohol is a serious concern for devout Muslims, said Hassan Mohamud, an imam and vice president of the society. The Qur'an, Islam's holy book, strictly forbids buying, selling, drinking or carrying alcohol.

The observant drivers object only to transporting openly displayed alcohol, said Ali Culed, a Somali Muslim who's been driving an airport cab for eight years. They won't search passengers or quiz them about what's in their bags.

Fair enough. While I may not agree with someone else's religious beliefs I respect their right to believe what they wish and to practice their religion peacefully. It's not as if the taxi drivers are threatening to chop off my hand which holds the shot glass. What does continue to disturb me is the propensity for violent flare-ups by people (of any religion) who think their beliefs trump the law, as with the murder of Theo Van Gogh in Holland. We also witnessed the violent uproar over the publication of cartoons depicting the Prophet Muhammad in Denmark, and most recently, the Pope's inflammatory comments about Islam as well as the cancellation of the Mozart opera Idomeneo by the Deutsche Opera in Berlin due to "incalculable" security risks. (Read what Leonard Pitts of the Miami Herald has to say.)

What is important to remember, and I sincerely hope this is factual, is that people prone to violent outbursts are minority extremists rather than a majority. We don't (or shouldn't) judge all Christians based on the behavior of Fred Phelps and his Westboro Baptist Church clan. I frequently see Muslims around Austin. I don't freak out by a woman in a hijab or a burqa. I don't fear for my life and honestly, I don't care what people wear (unless it's that Greg Norman golf attire crap coupled with an overuse of shitty cologne which can send me into a projectile vomiting frenzy).

Much of the problem is due to stereotypes and reactions by extremely vocal (usually right-wing) groups who feel threatened by an influx of people adhering to what they perceive to be a strange religion.

Many Europeans nations are undergoing what I'd consider to be an immigration cultural crisis related to Muslims who number at least 4% in many nations. Germany has 3+ million Muslims representing about 4% of the total population, and clearly problems are brewing which urgently need to be addressed. France has also been busy dealing (ineffectively) with its huge Muslim population which numbers between 8% and 10%.

...the growth of the [Muslim] community has challenged the French ideal of strict separation of religion and public life. There has been criticism that Muslims face high unemployment and often live in poor suburbs. A ban on religious symbols in public schools provoked a major national row as it was widely regarded as being a ban on the Islamic headscarf. Late 2005 saw widespread and prolonged rioting among mainly immigrant communities across France.

The BBC has an excellent summary of Muslims in Europe by country from which the above excerpt and the following map were taken:



There is widespread disagreement over the number of Muslims living in the United States and the census bureau does not track religious affiliation. The number is likely to be between 3 million and 9 million. In either case, the percentage of Muslims is somewhat less than in many western European nations.

There are far fewer Muslims in Canada. According to Wikipedia, as of 2001, there were 580,000 Muslims in Canada, about 1.8 percent of Canada's population. That number has probably doubled in the last 5 years. Many Muslim immigrants to North America have chosen Canada rather than the U.S. due to a spike in anti-Muslim attitudes post 9/11.

The last couple of years have seen a great deal of controversy in Canada after the province of Ontario decided to allow the use of Shariah to settle disputes among the Muslim population. More here.

The province of Ontario decided recently that it would allow the use of Shariah (Islamic law) to settle family disputes among Canadian Muslims. The decision – which in September came after a year long raging controversy – has done little to absolve the social conflict in the Canadian Muslim community. It has also further widened the rift between those who follow Shariah and those who oppose it.

[Some] say that by not making Shariah legal, Ontario has helped helpless Muslim women from being abused by their partners in the name of religion.

One of the major concerns of people critical of Shariah law is that it is subject to interpretation and evolution. There is virtually no formal certification process to designate someone as being qualified to interpret Islamic law.

As it stands today, almost anyone can make rulings as long as they have the appearance of piety and a group of followers.

The Progressive Muslim Union of North America is one group opposed to the use of religious laws tailored for specific groups.

Update: Thanks to Chet Scoville for this link:Ontario subsequently passed a law to prohibit shariah.

I can't imagine very many immigrants coming to the U.S., Canada, or any other secular nation, and having no idea what they are getting themselves into. We supposedly have a free and open society. Western morals are definitely more relaxed than in many parts of the world and virtually all immigrants are aware of this. The fact that Muslim immigrants still seek a new life on our shores indicates a willingness to, at the very least, co-exist with those who have starkly different belief systems.

Will the U.S. and Canada successfully avoid the cultural crises we're seeing unfold in Europe? We should observe the situation there closely. But knowing how Americans have handled our own internal cultural battles over the past decade, I have my doubts that we're capable of handling a much bigger genuine crisis.

As with any other group, it is impossible to categorize all Muslims into one simple box. As we can see in Canada, there are Muslims in favor of Shariah and some adamantly opposed to it. As with any other complex issue, our first responsibility is to educate ourselves with regard to the religion of Islam and get to know those who are here. Otherwise, an intelligent solution to the issues confronting us will never be achieved.

Whatever allure America presents for immigrants around the world, including Muslims, is hopefully the same allure that makes those of us lucky enough to have been born here proud to have it, and proud to share it with newcomers. How we'll deal with issues of religious differences remains to be seen.

Any comments are appreciated. I'm not lecturing and I do not have all the facts or all the answers. I bring this up to explore.

crossposted at B3

Teacher Suspended for Field Trip to Art Museum

This is not only mind-numbing but frightening as well. Sydney McGee, a teacher at Wilma Fisher Elementary School in Frisco, Texas (a Dallas suburb) was suspended from her position after a child's parent complained about the child seeing nude art in the Dallas Art Museum.

Although the tour had been approved by the principal, and the 89 students were accompanied by 4 other teachers, at least 12 parents and a museum docent, Ms. McGee said, she was called to the principal the next day and “bashed.”

She later received a memorandum in which the principal, Nancy Lawson, wrote: “During a study trip that you planned for fifth graders, students were exposed to nude statues and other nude art representations.” It cited additional complaints, which Ms. McGee has challenged.

The uproar has swamped Frisco school switchboards and prompted some Dallas-area television stations to broadcast images of statues from the museum with areas of the anatomy blacked out.

That's just great. Let's have the media reinforce the idea that nude art is indecent and deserving of censorship. Of course, the FCC would have probably fined them the maximum $325,000 had they broadcast the images uncensored.

As for those "additional complaints" cited by the principal, it's quite clearly a witch hunt:

In the May 18 memorandum to Ms. McGee, Ms. Lawson faulted her for not displaying enough student art and for “wearing flip-flops” to work; Ms. McGee said she was wearing Via Spiga brand sandals. In citing the students’ exposure to nude art, Ms. Lawson also said “time was not used wisely for learning during the trip,” adding that parents and teachers had complained and that Ms. McGee should have toured the route by herself first. But Ms. McGee said she did exactly that.

These Talibanical American nuts make me want to scream. It's the same idiotic mentality which brought about the destruction of the Buddha statues in Afghanistan in 2001. The only difference is these people are here among us.

crossposted at B3