11.30.2006
11.27.2006
Choose Life
The weekend was great. I spent quality time with good friends, including Meghan and Paul's fabulous wedding on Saturday where I witnessed not only the greatest father-of-the-bride speech ("I'd like to thank everyone for coming. Peace."), but also heard the greatest back-to-back-songs-at-a-wedding ("Wake Me Up Before You Go Go" by Wham followed up by "Just Like Heaven" by The Cure). I danced like Molly Ringwald.
Chris also, while listening to "Needle in the Hay" by Elliott Smith, buzzed his head. Along the way he looked like my 7th grade boyfriend, Anthony Kiedis circa 1991, and Travis Barker. Transformation photos to follow.
Speaking of Chris, he got HEATED by an e-mail forward from one of his friends. Have y'all seen the e-mail, sent by Republicans, about the ant and the grasshopper? It's basically uses the story of the ant and the grasshopper to make the case that people are poor because they don't work hard enough and people who work shouldn't have to help out those that don't. The forward ended with "Vote Republican." This pissed Chris off and he fired back an eloquent rebuttal that silenced the haters, I think. I mention all this because I had a similar conversation, via e-mail/blog, with my good friend Geoff, who has recently started owning his Republicanism. Anyone who knows Geoff knows that he's kind of bandwagon, so he'll probably come back to the brighter side of things sooner than later. Anyway, his argument, which I can understand, when it comes to poverty and public assistance, was that when he opened his business, he was working a ton and was broke but he didn't go on welfare or EBT. He goes on to say that if people want better jobs, they have to educate themselves and work hard. In theory, this is true. In practice, however, this shit is false as hell. Not to diminish what Geoff has done, because I am incredibly proud of how he started his own business and I know he's worked his tail off. However, Geoff comes from a comfortable family. He is independent in the sense that he pays his own bills, but not in the sense that if something were to happen, it's not like he would starve, lose his house, or not be able to pay the bills. Clark and Annie would help out. As they should, as good parents. However, not everyone has that luxury. That is a middle-to-upper class luxury. So who helps out the working poor when they have an emergency?
We live in a world of middle class values and norms. If you were not raised in the middle or upper class, how would you know how to properly navigate a middle-class world? For example, in my middle-class upbringing, it was never an option for my brothers and I to not go to college. The question was just which one. My parents knew how to help me fill out a FAFSA. They knew what questions to ask on a college visit. They knew about college visits, for chrissakes. They took me to a college counselor. For some of my kids, who have no one in their family who has ever gone to college, that idea is not automatic. It takes calculated efforts from teachers and other influential adults to get them to assume that college is their future and to help them jump through the hoops that they have to in order to be successful. I think a lot of middle-to-upper class people have no idea of what poverty means. I have seen where some of my students live and it would shock you. Honestly, even I had no idea until I saw it myself.
There are several books published in the last five years that document the struggle of those in poverty. Two fascinating reads are Barbara Ehrenreich's Nickle and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America and David Shipler's The Working Poor: Invisible in America. All three are excellent reads and I own them if you want to borrow them.
The idea of the American Dream is dead. Nothing teaches you more about the cyclical nature of poverty and ignorance more than working in a school. I can't tell you how many kids I have that are messed up and rightfully so if you meet their parents. If outside agencies such as education and social services don't step in to help people break that cycle, impoverished people will continue to be impoverished and society will bear the burden of that poverty. We are becoming less of a nation of opportunity and more of a nation of classist castes that doom children to repeat their parents mistakes.
My kids are sponsoring their second annual Tent City on January 13th at my school. Kids will camp out for 12 hours in support of poverty-relief efforts in their community. We are taking donations of new or gently-used clothing to benefit the Salvation Army in Maplewood, canned food to benefit America's Second Harvest, and money to support Joe's Place, a new home for homeless teenaged boys in our school district. There will be displays with information on poverty and every donation is tax-deductible. Please come support my kids and their efforts to help make a difference in their community.
Chris also, while listening to "Needle in the Hay" by Elliott Smith, buzzed his head. Along the way he looked like my 7th grade boyfriend, Anthony Kiedis circa 1991, and Travis Barker. Transformation photos to follow.
Speaking of Chris, he got HEATED by an e-mail forward from one of his friends. Have y'all seen the e-mail, sent by Republicans, about the ant and the grasshopper? It's basically uses the story of the ant and the grasshopper to make the case that people are poor because they don't work hard enough and people who work shouldn't have to help out those that don't. The forward ended with "Vote Republican." This pissed Chris off and he fired back an eloquent rebuttal that silenced the haters, I think. I mention all this because I had a similar conversation, via e-mail/blog, with my good friend Geoff, who has recently started owning his Republicanism. Anyone who knows Geoff knows that he's kind of bandwagon, so he'll probably come back to the brighter side of things sooner than later. Anyway, his argument, which I can understand, when it comes to poverty and public assistance, was that when he opened his business, he was working a ton and was broke but he didn't go on welfare or EBT. He goes on to say that if people want better jobs, they have to educate themselves and work hard. In theory, this is true. In practice, however, this shit is false as hell. Not to diminish what Geoff has done, because I am incredibly proud of how he started his own business and I know he's worked his tail off. However, Geoff comes from a comfortable family. He is independent in the sense that he pays his own bills, but not in the sense that if something were to happen, it's not like he would starve, lose his house, or not be able to pay the bills. Clark and Annie would help out. As they should, as good parents. However, not everyone has that luxury. That is a middle-to-upper class luxury. So who helps out the working poor when they have an emergency?
We live in a world of middle class values and norms. If you were not raised in the middle or upper class, how would you know how to properly navigate a middle-class world? For example, in my middle-class upbringing, it was never an option for my brothers and I to not go to college. The question was just which one. My parents knew how to help me fill out a FAFSA. They knew what questions to ask on a college visit. They knew about college visits, for chrissakes. They took me to a college counselor. For some of my kids, who have no one in their family who has ever gone to college, that idea is not automatic. It takes calculated efforts from teachers and other influential adults to get them to assume that college is their future and to help them jump through the hoops that they have to in order to be successful. I think a lot of middle-to-upper class people have no idea of what poverty means. I have seen where some of my students live and it would shock you. Honestly, even I had no idea until I saw it myself.
There are several books published in the last five years that document the struggle of those in poverty. Two fascinating reads are Barbara Ehrenreich's Nickle and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America and David Shipler's The Working Poor: Invisible in America. All three are excellent reads and I own them if you want to borrow them.
The idea of the American Dream is dead. Nothing teaches you more about the cyclical nature of poverty and ignorance more than working in a school. I can't tell you how many kids I have that are messed up and rightfully so if you meet their parents. If outside agencies such as education and social services don't step in to help people break that cycle, impoverished people will continue to be impoverished and society will bear the burden of that poverty. We are becoming less of a nation of opportunity and more of a nation of classist castes that doom children to repeat their parents mistakes.
My kids are sponsoring their second annual Tent City on January 13th at my school. Kids will camp out for 12 hours in support of poverty-relief efforts in their community. We are taking donations of new or gently-used clothing to benefit the Salvation Army in Maplewood, canned food to benefit America's Second Harvest, and money to support Joe's Place, a new home for homeless teenaged boys in our school district. There will be displays with information on poverty and every donation is tax-deductible. Please come support my kids and their efforts to help make a difference in their community.
11.23.2006
Day of Thanks
Here are things I am thankful for at this moment, 11:51 AM on Thanksgiving Day, when I am carmelizing onions in my kitchen:
a clean kitchen
no hangover
strong coffee (fair-trade! organic! at your local Schnucks!)
Elliott Smith
a baby daddy that is literate, doesn't beat me, has a steady job and isn't with me because we have a baby, among eight thousand other things
vintage maroon Vans
my cat and dog
a Survivor Thanksgiving
Karen V and Sha-Na-Na-Na being in town
my totally amazing kids, including the Star-Wars obsessed autistic one who wrote a story with a character named "Padme Best-Oliver"
my parents, who didn't freak when I told them I wasn't coming home
my brothers, who are on the verge of becoming real-live adults
Meghan and Paul's upcoming nuptuals, and the celebration with friends that will follow
The Decemberists amazing new album
Netflix
knitting and pretty yarn and making functional stuff with your own two hands
good friends
the Champagne Of Trivia's hopefully upcoming run at the World Series of Pop Culture
the bigger-than-a-breadbox bag of TasteeOs that I got at the grocery store
my two-day workweek
cooking with wine
That's all for now. Go eat turkey. Or tofurky.
a clean kitchen
no hangover
strong coffee (fair-trade! organic! at your local Schnucks!)
Elliott Smith
a baby daddy that is literate, doesn't beat me, has a steady job and isn't with me because we have a baby, among eight thousand other things
vintage maroon Vans
my cat and dog
a Survivor Thanksgiving
Karen V and Sha-Na-Na-Na being in town
my totally amazing kids, including the Star-Wars obsessed autistic one who wrote a story with a character named "Padme Best-Oliver"
my parents, who didn't freak when I told them I wasn't coming home
my brothers, who are on the verge of becoming real-live adults
Meghan and Paul's upcoming nuptuals, and the celebration with friends that will follow
The Decemberists amazing new album
Netflix
knitting and pretty yarn and making functional stuff with your own two hands
good friends
the Champagne Of Trivia's hopefully upcoming run at the World Series of Pop Culture
the bigger-than-a-breadbox bag of TasteeOs that I got at the grocery store
my two-day workweek
cooking with wine
That's all for now. Go eat turkey. Or tofurky.
11.20.2006
Lack of Tech
My phone is broken and has been broken since before I went to Nashville. So if you are one of the eleven new messages I have on my phone, I'm not hatin'. I didn't even have my phone in Nashville. But now I am home, and I will slowly get to replying to those of you who called me. Right now, I gotta figure out what I'm doing today and tomorrow and figure out what happened while I was gone.
11.16.2006
Southern Hospitality
Awwww yeah! Comin' to you live from the National Council of Teachers of English annual conference in Nashville. Talk about a merging of cultures: 5,000 English teachers from around the country meets...Opryland. This hotel, the Gaylord Opryland (how's that for a name?) is not so much a hotel, but what would happen if the Mall of America and Tan-Tar-A spawned a super-commerce complex surrounded by the world's biggest parking lot and overcharged for everything. Seriously. Place is huge. It's like six hotels, but there's these big atrium areas with a "river" which is really just a large, windy fountain, and a zillion overpriced restaurants, bars, and shops selling completely useless shit such a platters that say "Everything tastes better with cat hair" and t-shirts that read "Merry Christmas, y'all" as if Britney designed her own line of novelty clothing. And country music. Errwhere. At any given time in my hotel room, there are at least four different channels playing country music and an episode of "Home Improvement" on. Not only are the English dorks meeting here, but so are the commercial lubricant sales convention, featuring 1,500 men with names like Rod and BIll, wearing light blue button downs with the sleeves rolled up. And, like any touristy place, the old folks. Lots of them.
The English teachers are a different story. There are, of course, the dancing apples. There are the disgruntled folks. But there are also all of the very cool, very awesome at their job people. And there's free booze at things, amazing author talks, and, best of all, FREE BOOKS. Tonight we had the welcome gatherings for all the grade levels, and the secondary session had Ann Patchett, the very distinguished author of Bel Canto and The Patron Saint of Liars (among other books), and she gave away, to all however many hundreds of high school teachers, copies of two of her books and one of Eudora Welty's books. To everyone. Plus free food and beer and wine. And that's just the beginning. Starting tomorrow, there's an expo floor where every book publisher ever gives away free or dirt cheap copies of books and other teachery things like pens, pencils, bags, lesson plans, etc. I know this last paragraph was nerdy. Deal. My colleagues and I are actually presenting a session on our conference English program. Yeah national presenter. Last two years. No big.
Don't worry, I'll update LIVE! FROM NASHVILLE! again soon.
Shout out to my dear friend Meghan. I'm missing her bachelorette party on Saturday, which I'm sad about, but I'm sure it will be like any other bachelorette party: dive bar, party bus, golden showers. Same old, same old.
The English teachers are a different story. There are, of course, the dancing apples. There are the disgruntled folks. But there are also all of the very cool, very awesome at their job people. And there's free booze at things, amazing author talks, and, best of all, FREE BOOKS. Tonight we had the welcome gatherings for all the grade levels, and the secondary session had Ann Patchett, the very distinguished author of Bel Canto and The Patron Saint of Liars (among other books), and she gave away, to all however many hundreds of high school teachers, copies of two of her books and one of Eudora Welty's books. To everyone. Plus free food and beer and wine. And that's just the beginning. Starting tomorrow, there's an expo floor where every book publisher ever gives away free or dirt cheap copies of books and other teachery things like pens, pencils, bags, lesson plans, etc. I know this last paragraph was nerdy. Deal. My colleagues and I are actually presenting a session on our conference English program. Yeah
Don't worry, I'll update LIVE! FROM NASHVILLE! again soon.
Shout out to my dear friend Meghan. I'm missing her bachelorette party on Saturday, which I'm sad about, but I'm sure it will be like any other bachelorette party: dive bar, party bus, golden showers. Same old, same old.
11.08.2006
A Tiny Glimmer of Hope
I went to bed disappointed. The early numbers, at least for Missouri, were grim. I was tired, and Chris was glued to the TV, so I went to sleep, knowing he would wake me up. And he did. When his alarm went off at 2:30 so he could pull out the laptop and check the numbers, after which he freaked out and woke me up to tell me that Talent had conceded, Amendment 2 had passed, and nationwide, things were looking good. I was as excited as I could be when someone wakes you up at 2:30, but I got up early to check the stories.
I'm still in shock. I'm in shock that Dems took the House so convincingly. I'm shocked that we still have a chance (and a good one, at that) to take the Senate. I'm shocked that Amendment 2 passed. I'm shocked that Prop B passed so handily. My entire adult life, Republicans have ruled everything. I wonder how (or even if) things will change. I think the biggest sign of hope is not that leadership will change, it's that America is ready for a change. This looks to be an exciting time in our country's history, and I hope this election inspires people to become active in their communities to continue to make changes. I also look forward to Bush's reaction to everything. Dude is going stutter and sweat like a 7th grade persuasive speech.
Not to neglect the OTHER important news of the day.
Finally Britney is in on the inside joke the rest of the nation has been laughing at. I think so much more highly of her now. Hopefully she'll give him a bus ticket back to Fresno. That, or he'll find another woman to pop out two shorties with.
11.07.2006
VOTE
Just a quick post to remind you to go out and vote if you are registered. Please, please, please take ten minutes to read up on the major candidates and amendments. There is so much propaganda out there, particularly regarding the US Senate seat in Missouri and Amendment 2, the stem cell research bill. All this talk of cloning and poor language and exploitation of women is riling me up. THINK FOR YOURSELF. Exploitation of women? As if we can't make our own decisions to undergo invasive surgery? Some schiester doctor is going to con us into it? And we need to be protected? Get the fuck out of here. I don't see people trying to save frat rats from the sperm bank. All that talk, all the focus on the extra nonsense, is to take your mind off the real issue: when do you believe life begins? If you believe that the cells in blastocyst constitute life, and that life is just as valuable as a grown human being, they you are probably against this bill. If you believe that life begins much later, or you believe that the cells are more valuable as a means of saving a grown human being, then you are probably for the bill. Let's not bring archaic views of women, or the concept of meeting your twin on the street someday into this. Call a spade a spade. It's pro-life or pro-choice ver. 2.0. Whatever way you vote, make sure it's really about that, not what some dude on a corner had on a placard.
More later at school.
More later at school.
10.23.2006
Trick or Treat
Happy Halloween. We celebrated last weekend, after we celebrated the Cardinals improbable World Series victory. Per capita, St Louis had to have consumed more beer than any other city in the world this weekend. Baseball champs, beer champs, crime champs. REPRESENT!
Chris and I dressed up as Richie and Margot Tenenbaum This is a costume idea I've been sitting on for a while now. Although I make an unconvincing Gwenyth, I think I could pass for an Olsen Twin or Fiona Apple in the right lighting. Chris's look is spot on.
Something I'm so over is the slutty costume phenomenon. I have never subscribed to the notion that Halloween gives people the right to sluttify a costume and dress like a South County whore using the cheap guise of holiday cheer, particularly after college. I went to two parties this weekend, both of which had slutty costumes: slutty bunny, slutty doctor, slutty pirate, slutty Strawberry Shortcake. Next year, in an irony-fueled protest, I think I am going to organize my friends to dress in completely ridiculous slutty costumes, such as slutty baby, slutty quadriplegic, slutty Hitler, slutty Holocaust survivor, slutty cancer patient, etc. Maybe this will stop the madness.
10.05.2006
Bringing Blogging Back
Long time no post. I have been busy with the following things:
* Working. A lot. Homecoming was a few weeks ago, which completely consumed my school life, but went very, very well and provided me with some gratification as to working with kids. I have one more week of soccer, then I will be free at 3:05 every day instead of 6:00+, which will allow me to produce a dearth of blog postings unlike anything you've ever seen.
* Desperately trying to maintain a less than 1,000 SF house that is currently occupied by three adults, three cats, a 95 lb dog, and a lot of nasty. Warning: if you eat at my house, there will be pet hair in your food. Guaranteed. Get over it.
* Dealing with the aftermath of Chris's car getting stolen. From our house. In broad daylight. Crackhead stole it, hit another car in a hit and run, and abandoned it. Could you just, you know, drive it into the river or something? Because now we owe the $1000 deductible if we want to get it fixed. I'm telling you, the streets of Epiphany Parish just ain't what they used to be.
* Going to two wedding and Kirksville in the last two weeks. Curtis Fucking Prusha got married, which is monumental if you know that dude. He took time out of his rehearsal dinner/party to give me shit for not updating my blog. Thanks, man. I also went to another wedding for one of Chris's friends where the brother of the bride is a white rapper named Temperature (I don't know the rap spelling of his moniker) and the best man (coincidentally the best man at our wedding) gave a drunken, drunken, drunken speech punctuated by some female relative holding up the bride and groom's baby over her head to draw attention to her magnificence, not unlike Simba's birth on The Lion King. Kirksville just made me feel old. I was actually appalled by some drunk soccer boy's heckling strategy. Yelling loudly that the linesman has a small penis is not going to help you with your offsides cause, man. You have to be smart in your shit-talking.
* Cardinals games. My lovely friend Susan graciously invited me to a Divisional Championship game and a League Championship game. Good times. Unfortunately, it is really putting a damper on my TV watching, since St Louis mandate only allows televisions to broadcast games during the playoffs. If you want to watch something else, too bad.
* Kickball and soccer. I played in my first indoor game last night with a bunch of Bulldog Old Ladies and some random dudes along for the coed ride. I am ridiculously out of shape, although I already knew about that since I got winded running the bases at kickball.
* Working. A lot. Homecoming was a few weeks ago, which completely consumed my school life, but went very, very well and provided me with some gratification as to working with kids. I have one more week of soccer, then I will be free at 3:05 every day instead of 6:00+, which will allow me to produce a dearth of blog postings unlike anything you've ever seen.
* Desperately trying to maintain a less than 1,000 SF house that is currently occupied by three adults, three cats, a 95 lb dog, and a lot of nasty. Warning: if you eat at my house, there will be pet hair in your food. Guaranteed. Get over it.
* Dealing with the aftermath of Chris's car getting stolen. From our house. In broad daylight. Crackhead stole it, hit another car in a hit and run, and abandoned it. Could you just, you know, drive it into the river or something? Because now we owe the $1000 deductible if we want to get it fixed. I'm telling you, the streets of Epiphany Parish just ain't what they used to be.
* Going to two wedding and Kirksville in the last two weeks. Curtis Fucking Prusha got married, which is monumental if you know that dude. He took time out of his rehearsal dinner/party to give me shit for not updating my blog. Thanks, man. I also went to another wedding for one of Chris's friends where the brother of the bride is a white rapper named Temperature (I don't know the rap spelling of his moniker) and the best man (coincidentally the best man at our wedding) gave a drunken, drunken, drunken speech punctuated by some female relative holding up the bride and groom's baby over her head to draw attention to her magnificence, not unlike Simba's birth on The Lion King. Kirksville just made me feel old. I was actually appalled by some drunk soccer boy's heckling strategy. Yelling loudly that the linesman has a small penis is not going to help you with your offsides cause, man. You have to be smart in your shit-talking.
* Cardinals games. My lovely friend Susan graciously invited me to a Divisional Championship game and a League Championship game. Good times. Unfortunately, it is really putting a damper on my TV watching, since St Louis mandate only allows televisions to broadcast games during the playoffs. If you want to watch something else, too bad.
* Kickball and soccer. I played in my first indoor game last night with a bunch of Bulldog Old Ladies and some random dudes along for the coed ride. I am ridiculously out of shape, although I already knew about that since I got winded running the bases at kickball.
9.26.2006
Clean Elections and St Louis
While reading Steve Patterson today, I read about the new campaign finance laws (or lack of) for St Louis. Right now, if you are running for alderman, you can only accept individual donations of up to $325 per person or business, or if you are running for a city-wide position, $1275. Those donation limits will be curbed as of January 1, 2007, making unlimited contributions a possibility.
I am against this for several reasons. One, it disenfranchises the everyman from becoming the alderman. You are essentially putting more money into the election process, allowing a person to write his/her own check for their campaign. One great thing about the aldermanic races is that, in many wards, it's a low-turnout election, so grassroots campaigns have a great chance at succeeding. Allowing candidates unlimited donations essentially neutralizes the power of the people and puts the power in the pockets.
Two, having campaign donation limits assures that one person just can't write a check to put a candidate in his/her pocket. As the new rules will stand, theoretically, any one person could write a check that completely funds a candidates campaign and could use that person to his/her advantage or to benefit his/her own personal agenda. Washington is corrupted by political donations. It's the reason our government is so screwed up and so enabling of large corporations: reciprocity is expected or reelection is threatened. One could argue that you can raise the same amount of money using either method, but having donation limits forces a candidate to get funding from several sources, which is more representative of a democracy than getting money from just one source.
Obviously, those in power are not going to give up their power without a struggle. Elected officials will continue to accept campaign funding wherever they can get it, and, as a consequence, will continue to vote in big donors' best interests, not the common people's. People will continue to get fucked, both by big businesses and by the government. I believe there are three solutions:
One, everyone needs to realize that we, as people, do have power. Small groups of committed people are the only thing that have ever changed the world, and to resign ourselves to helplessness is going to ensure than no change occurs. If you feel helpless, do something. Join one of the thousands of local groups that are fighting to change things right now.
Two, mobilize non-voters. So many people who get fucked by government don't vote. If we could mobilize those missing voters to all elections at all levels, by getting them to realize that their vote can make a difference in their lives, major changes can happen. It's easy to feel like you are helpless and that your vote won't really matter, but, especially at the local level, your vote can and does make a difference. You should have to register to vote when you sign up for any type of social services, get your driver's license, or register for the draft. Two elections that impact people in a tangible way on the local level are school board elections and, here in St Louis, alderman elections. Although in smaller municipalities, they may be largely ceremonial positions, they do make real decisions about the workings of cities and schools.
Three, work to change the election system as it exists now. Until money is out of elections and representative government, and elected officials aren't just rich people, with rich friends, primarily representing the interests of the rich, things will continue to be corrupt and we won't have a government that really represents the interests of the people. In the state of Maine, candidates can choose to run as a "clean" candidate after voters passed the "Clean Election Act," which states (from their website) The law was passed by Maine voters in a referendum in 1996 and came into effect in 2000. Candidates who demonstrate citizen support by collecting a set number of $5 qualifying contributions from voters within their districts (50 contributions for a State House race, 150 for the state Senate, and 2,500 for a gubernatorial race) are eligible for fixed and equal campaign funding from the Clean Election Fund. To receive their money, candidates must agree to forgo all private contributions (including self-financing), and limit their spending to the amount from the fund. Participating Clean Money candidates are also given an additional one-for-one match if they are outspent by non-complying opponents or are the target of independent expenditures (such as ads produced by a group not associated with the opposing candidate). Candidates who reject the option of Clean Money or who fail to qualify are still free to collect private money under the existing system.
In the 2004 elections, 71% of candidates chose to run "clean," and over half of "clean" candidates won their elections. Because of clean candidates, Maine passed the Dirigo Health Reform Act, which aims to improve health care quality, expand access to health care, and contain health care costs. Citizens are integral in the process of health care reform, and have been included in planning using a "21st Century Town Meeting" model. This was possible due to candidates being elected by Clean Money. Elected officials are accountable to people, not lobbyists or big donors. They are free to make decisions that have their constituents' best interests in mind, not their biggest donors.
This, I think, is the biggest, most effective change we can enact. Think of how the demographics of candidates would change! People who would never even consider running for office could now run and actually have a chance to win. This is what democracy is supposed to look like.
I am against this for several reasons. One, it disenfranchises the everyman from becoming the alderman. You are essentially putting more money into the election process, allowing a person to write his/her own check for their campaign. One great thing about the aldermanic races is that, in many wards, it's a low-turnout election, so grassroots campaigns have a great chance at succeeding. Allowing candidates unlimited donations essentially neutralizes the power of the people and puts the power in the pockets.
Two, having campaign donation limits assures that one person just can't write a check to put a candidate in his/her pocket. As the new rules will stand, theoretically, any one person could write a check that completely funds a candidates campaign and could use that person to his/her advantage or to benefit his/her own personal agenda. Washington is corrupted by political donations. It's the reason our government is so screwed up and so enabling of large corporations: reciprocity is expected or reelection is threatened. One could argue that you can raise the same amount of money using either method, but having donation limits forces a candidate to get funding from several sources, which is more representative of a democracy than getting money from just one source.
Obviously, those in power are not going to give up their power without a struggle. Elected officials will continue to accept campaign funding wherever they can get it, and, as a consequence, will continue to vote in big donors' best interests, not the common people's. People will continue to get fucked, both by big businesses and by the government. I believe there are three solutions:
One, everyone needs to realize that we, as people, do have power. Small groups of committed people are the only thing that have ever changed the world, and to resign ourselves to helplessness is going to ensure than no change occurs. If you feel helpless, do something. Join one of the thousands of local groups that are fighting to change things right now.
Two, mobilize non-voters. So many people who get fucked by government don't vote. If we could mobilize those missing voters to all elections at all levels, by getting them to realize that their vote can make a difference in their lives, major changes can happen. It's easy to feel like you are helpless and that your vote won't really matter, but, especially at the local level, your vote can and does make a difference. You should have to register to vote when you sign up for any type of social services, get your driver's license, or register for the draft. Two elections that impact people in a tangible way on the local level are school board elections and, here in St Louis, alderman elections. Although in smaller municipalities, they may be largely ceremonial positions, they do make real decisions about the workings of cities and schools.
Three, work to change the election system as it exists now. Until money is out of elections and representative government, and elected officials aren't just rich people, with rich friends, primarily representing the interests of the rich, things will continue to be corrupt and we won't have a government that really represents the interests of the people. In the state of Maine, candidates can choose to run as a "clean" candidate after voters passed the "Clean Election Act," which states (from their website) The law was passed by Maine voters in a referendum in 1996 and came into effect in 2000. Candidates who demonstrate citizen support by collecting a set number of $5 qualifying contributions from voters within their districts (50 contributions for a State House race, 150 for the state Senate, and 2,500 for a gubernatorial race) are eligible for fixed and equal campaign funding from the Clean Election Fund. To receive their money, candidates must agree to forgo all private contributions (including self-financing), and limit their spending to the amount from the fund. Participating Clean Money candidates are also given an additional one-for-one match if they are outspent by non-complying opponents or are the target of independent expenditures (such as ads produced by a group not associated with the opposing candidate). Candidates who reject the option of Clean Money or who fail to qualify are still free to collect private money under the existing system.
In the 2004 elections, 71% of candidates chose to run "clean," and over half of "clean" candidates won their elections. Because of clean candidates, Maine passed the Dirigo Health Reform Act, which aims to improve health care quality, expand access to health care, and contain health care costs. Citizens are integral in the process of health care reform, and have been included in planning using a "21st Century Town Meeting" model. This was possible due to candidates being elected by Clean Money. Elected officials are accountable to people, not lobbyists or big donors. They are free to make decisions that have their constituents' best interests in mind, not their biggest donors.
This, I think, is the biggest, most effective change we can enact. Think of how the demographics of candidates would change! People who would never even consider running for office could now run and actually have a chance to win. This is what democracy is supposed to look like.
9.21.2006
Witnessing History
Only moments ago, one of the greatest moments in reality television history occured, and I didn't even see it coming.
Some background: one of the tribes on Survivor, threw the immunity challenge to get rid of the overweight, lazy, metalhead. After the challenge, dude is looking for some sympathy and says randomly to another tribe "I'm the next to go." One of the girls in the other tribes says, "Aw, we love you." Dude hesistates and says, "I love you, too."
Flash forward to Tribal Council. Dude is clearly getting voted off, but randomly in the pre-vote questioning, he busts out with, "It doesn't matter if I get voted off. I found true love on the island. With Candace" Candace being the girl who said "Aw, we love you," which were probably the first words she ever spoke to the guy.
In the sweetest TC moment ever, Jeff Probst visibly shits his pants. Because Dude? Is serious. Dead serious. This guy thinks that an offhand remark during an obviously awkward situation is a clear indicator of reciprocated love. So awesome, because you can actually pinpoint the moment his tribe goes from "Voting Dude Out Because He Doesn't Do Shit" and "Dude Is Batshit Crazy. Restraining Order Necessary."
It's unfortunate, because I think a lot of people wrote this Survivor off because of the ratings ploy of the racially divided tribes, and they missed this totally unpromoted, but awesome scene. It's like a little gift from the editors for showing up.
I promise, it is way more awesome if you watch it. I'm sure it will be on the Soup, but you could probably catch it via YouTube.
Some background: one of the tribes on Survivor, threw the immunity challenge to get rid of the overweight, lazy, metalhead. After the challenge, dude is looking for some sympathy and says randomly to another tribe "I'm the next to go." One of the girls in the other tribes says, "Aw, we love you." Dude hesistates and says, "I love you, too."
Flash forward to Tribal Council. Dude is clearly getting voted off, but randomly in the pre-vote questioning, he busts out with, "It doesn't matter if I get voted off. I found true love on the island. With Candace" Candace being the girl who said "Aw, we love you," which were probably the first words she ever spoke to the guy.
In the sweetest TC moment ever, Jeff Probst visibly shits his pants. Because Dude? Is serious. Dead serious. This guy thinks that an offhand remark during an obviously awkward situation is a clear indicator of reciprocated love. So awesome, because you can actually pinpoint the moment his tribe goes from "Voting Dude Out Because He Doesn't Do Shit" and "Dude Is Batshit Crazy. Restraining Order Necessary."
It's unfortunate, because I think a lot of people wrote this Survivor off because of the ratings ploy of the racially divided tribes, and they missed this totally unpromoted, but awesome scene. It's like a little gift from the editors for showing up.
I promise, it is way more awesome if you watch it. I'm sure it will be on the Soup, but you could probably catch it via YouTube.
9.19.2006
Lazy Activism
If you are like me, and are civic-minded and interested in making your voice heard, but don't always have time to make protest placards and attend every protest for every cause you believe in, and also enjoy spending inordinate amounts of time on the internet, you might be interested in online action campaigns. There are several for progressive causes. Basically, they create letters/e-mails/faxes to your elected officials to let your voice be heard. They work, too. Code Pink for Peace caused chaos in Washington when they phone/fax bombed senators and congressmen/women on a specified day in 2004. Anyway, here are some I frequent:
MoveOn's campaigns are progressive and political and call for change in our current government.
National Resources Defense Council covers all things environmental.
The Human Rights Campaign works for equal rights for the GLBT community.
Amnesty International works to prevent human rights' violations around the world.
MoveOn's campaigns are progressive and political and call for change in our current government.
National Resources Defense Council covers all things environmental.
The Human Rights Campaign works for equal rights for the GLBT community.
Amnesty International works to prevent human rights' violations around the world.
9.18.2006
Media Mentions
Several media sources/comments of note:
Mother Jones' current newstand issue is their 30th anniversary issue, and it rocks. There are awesome articles about voting fraud and disenfranchisement, immigration, Iraq, and Guantanamo. There's also a funny-but-scary retrospect on predictions made over the years about where our country is/was heading.
Yes! Magazine is a progressive, ad-free magazine that focuses on positive changes in our society, published quarterly. Teachers can get free one-year subscriptions. The latest issue is on health care, namely a call for universal, single-payer health care. There are a lot of critics of single-payer health care, but American's health care costs more than any other country in the world, yet we are nowhere near the top as far as health of citizens or quality of care. More Americans are currently uninsured or underinsured that ever before, yet pharmceutical companies are experiencing record profits. Fucked up. Online, if you want it.
The Amazing Race started last night. Awesome, as usual, except for the fact that the team of two Muslim men and the Hindu couple were eliminated first and second. I was looking forward to some diversity, but I can't help but think that conservatives who believe in "Islamofascism" cheered when the Muslims were first to sequesterville, and that made me sad. TAR is such a strong contrast to the backstabbing, conniving, disgusting display of humanity that is Big Brother, specifically Big Brother All-Stars. If any of you watched the finale of that show, I'm pretty sure that it was last week's sign that the apocalypse is upon us. TAR actually makes their people, you know, hustle and work hard using their own skills and talents to stay on the show, not sleep with people, "showmance", or showcase other, um, talents (Mike Boogie, I'm looking at you, you chauvanistic, superficial, shallow, washed-up, has-been, played-out, coattail-riding, no-talent ass clown. I'm pretty sure if I ever ran into you on the street, I would, honest to God, punch you in the taint and then spit on you. Uppercut, bitch.)
I also, via YouTube, caught up with Weeds' second season. Hands down, the best comedy on TV. Period. Awesome writing, awesome storylines, awesome satire, awesome acting. Justin Kirk AND Kevin Nealon? As stoners? So freaking sweet I can't believe it. If you don't believe me, get on YouTube, search "weeds" and "masturbation" and check out that video. I dare you. Unfortch, while I taught myself to knit (inspired by Sha-Na-Na-Na) and watched Weeds, I decided to follow by checking out Season Three of Laguna Beach. I'm not even going to say anything about that show other than I am glad my students aren't rich and I got dumber by watching it. I unlearned how to knit and had to reteach myself, all in one day, because my brain almost exploded from hearing the words "like," "dude," and "random" eight million times.
Mother Jones' current newstand issue is their 30th anniversary issue, and it rocks. There are awesome articles about voting fraud and disenfranchisement, immigration, Iraq, and Guantanamo. There's also a funny-but-scary retrospect on predictions made over the years about where our country is/was heading.
Yes! Magazine is a progressive, ad-free magazine that focuses on positive changes in our society, published quarterly. Teachers can get free one-year subscriptions. The latest issue is on health care, namely a call for universal, single-payer health care. There are a lot of critics of single-payer health care, but American's health care costs more than any other country in the world, yet we are nowhere near the top as far as health of citizens or quality of care. More Americans are currently uninsured or underinsured that ever before, yet pharmceutical companies are experiencing record profits. Fucked up. Online, if you want it.
The Amazing Race started last night. Awesome, as usual, except for the fact that the team of two Muslim men and the Hindu couple were eliminated first and second. I was looking forward to some diversity, but I can't help but think that conservatives who believe in "Islamofascism" cheered when the Muslims were first to sequesterville, and that made me sad. TAR is such a strong contrast to the backstabbing, conniving, disgusting display of humanity that is Big Brother, specifically Big Brother All-Stars. If any of you watched the finale of that show, I'm pretty sure that it was last week's sign that the apocalypse is upon us. TAR actually makes their people, you know, hustle and work hard using their own skills and talents to stay on the show, not sleep with people, "showmance", or showcase other, um, talents (Mike Boogie, I'm looking at you, you chauvanistic, superficial, shallow, washed-up, has-been, played-out, coattail-riding, no-talent ass clown. I'm pretty sure if I ever ran into you on the street, I would, honest to God, punch you in the taint and then spit on you. Uppercut, bitch.)
I also, via YouTube, caught up with Weeds' second season. Hands down, the best comedy on TV. Period. Awesome writing, awesome storylines, awesome satire, awesome acting. Justin Kirk AND Kevin Nealon? As stoners? So freaking sweet I can't believe it. If you don't believe me, get on YouTube, search "weeds" and "masturbation" and check out that video. I dare you. Unfortch, while I taught myself to knit (inspired by Sha-Na-Na-Na) and watched Weeds, I decided to follow by checking out Season Three of Laguna Beach. I'm not even going to say anything about that show other than I am glad my students aren't rich and I got dumber by watching it. I unlearned how to knit and had to reteach myself, all in one day, because my brain almost exploded from hearing the words "like," "dude," and "random" eight million times.
9.11.2006
A Haiku for 9/11
One of my students turned this set of haikus in to my student teacher today.
Going to the club
dressed in drag shakin' my thang
daddy isn't proud
Standing in the street
pulling up my pantyhose
god this chafing sucks
Went into his room
selling my hidden secret
Guess what's in my pants
Have to make money
to get my operation
I need a new vag.
Well, I guess they are about nature, in a roundabout way.
Going to the club
dressed in drag shakin' my thang
daddy isn't proud
Standing in the street
pulling up my pantyhose
god this chafing sucks
Went into his room
selling my hidden secret
Guess what's in my pants
Have to make money
to get my operation
I need a new vag.
Well, I guess they are about nature, in a roundabout way.
9.06.2006
Bastard People
One of my greatest kids, a girl who undoubtedly will go far (and a baller soccer player), sat down and talked to me today about racism. Apparently, she joined a new club soccer team this year, and the girls, the vast majority of whom are upper-middle to upper class, all of whom are white, have repeatedly proved themselves to be racist and homophobic. This girl is part Filipino and totally an Ally. Some girls on her team refer to her as Mexican and tell her "I'm going to take away your green card". They use words like "nigger" "spick" and "faggot" in everyday conversations.
This took me aback for several reasons: one, it's 2006, assholes; two, I'm so used to the diversity of our school, where if you dropped a racial slur such as those listed above, somebody is bound to kick your ign'ant ass and everyone has friends of different colors; three, even if you are from lily-white St Charles or a cracker private school, isn't your racism supposed to be more...covert? and four, you are claiming to be an elite female athlete and you are homophobic? I'm not trying to perpetuate stereotypes, but you better be down with some lesbians if you are going to play a sport in college, because you are bound to play with a few.
I don't think it's from being sheltered. My parents never knew brown people their whole lives until I was in grade school, pretty much, and if I would have said "nigger," et al, my mom would have beat my ass. You don't have to live in diversity to value it, along with tolerance and understanding. I just don't understand how teens today, living in a culture where so much art and entertainment, including sports and the media, is a forum for diversity. I'm not naive--I know racism exists. Like Avenue Q says, everyone's a little bit racist. But I thought it was in smaller pockets, less overt, and certainly not as blatently ignorant as what my student is facing. What's frustrating is that she feels as though she is fighting a losing battle. She desperately wants to take a stand and put some learning on their asses, but she's new to the team and is already fighting alienation. She has the typical need to belong that most teenagers have, but she's smart enough to know that silence is compromising who she is. I want to call her mom--only because I know her mom will kick some ass, but my student really wants to handle it herself. She needs the team to reach her soccer goals, but she knows that this intolerance makes her character fundamentally different from these girls, and doubts as if her one voice will change these girls. My other kids, of course, want to just kick their asses and be done with it, but that obviously won't solve any problems. I kind of want her to be able to have an awesomely snarky retort for everything ignorant they could say, but even if she outwitted them at every turn, there would be no one around to appreciate her snark. Because it would be awesome if, after they referred to her as "Mexican", she referred to them as "Spoiled, oblivious, morally bankrupt, repressed future lesbians" (which I'm fairly certain at least a few of them are) but they wouldn't get it. We're brainstorming solutions, many of which involve my kids rolling up melting-pot style and being super-nice to all of the girls to to fuck with them, or t-shirts with awesome tolerance-supporting phrases. If you have any solutions, let me know.
This took me aback for several reasons: one, it's 2006, assholes; two, I'm so used to the diversity of our school, where if you dropped a racial slur such as those listed above, somebody is bound to kick your ign'ant ass and everyone has friends of different colors; three, even if you are from lily-white St Charles or a cracker private school, isn't your racism supposed to be more...covert? and four, you are claiming to be an elite female athlete and you are homophobic? I'm not trying to perpetuate stereotypes, but you better be down with some lesbians if you are going to play a sport in college, because you are bound to play with a few.
I don't think it's from being sheltered. My parents never knew brown people their whole lives until I was in grade school, pretty much, and if I would have said "nigger," et al, my mom would have beat my ass. You don't have to live in diversity to value it, along with tolerance and understanding. I just don't understand how teens today, living in a culture where so much art and entertainment, including sports and the media, is a forum for diversity. I'm not naive--I know racism exists. Like Avenue Q says, everyone's a little bit racist. But I thought it was in smaller pockets, less overt, and certainly not as blatently ignorant as what my student is facing. What's frustrating is that she feels as though she is fighting a losing battle. She desperately wants to take a stand and put some learning on their asses, but she's new to the team and is already fighting alienation. She has the typical need to belong that most teenagers have, but she's smart enough to know that silence is compromising who she is. I want to call her mom--only because I know her mom will kick some ass, but my student really wants to handle it herself. She needs the team to reach her soccer goals, but she knows that this intolerance makes her character fundamentally different from these girls, and doubts as if her one voice will change these girls. My other kids, of course, want to just kick their asses and be done with it, but that obviously won't solve any problems. I kind of want her to be able to have an awesomely snarky retort for everything ignorant they could say, but even if she outwitted them at every turn, there would be no one around to appreciate her snark. Because it would be awesome if, after they referred to her as "Mexican", she referred to them as "Spoiled, oblivious, morally bankrupt, repressed future lesbians" (which I'm fairly certain at least a few of them are) but they wouldn't get it. We're brainstorming solutions, many of which involve my kids rolling up melting-pot style and being super-nice to all of the girls to to fuck with them, or t-shirts with awesome tolerance-supporting phrases. If you have any solutions, let me know.
8.30.2006
Other comments
1) Our autistic student at school, whose locker is right next to my room, said to me today, "I am a ninth grader, sent here on a mission by the Republic of the Freshman Class. Social studies is peace." Awesome kid, awesome comment.
2)Iran's president challenges Bush to a live, televised debate. I think I speak for many Americans when I say BWAH HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA
Bush refuses, calling the proposal a "diversion" from serious concerns about Iran's nuclear capabilities. Well, Bush knows about diversions, I suppose.
2)Iran's president challenges Bush to a live, televised debate. I think I speak for many Americans when I say BWAH HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA
Bush refuses, calling the proposal a "diversion" from serious concerns about Iran's nuclear capabilities. Well, Bush knows about diversions, I suppose.
Daily Dose of Irony
From the New York Times vs. PD
"Secreatry of Defense Donald Rumsfeld said Tuesday that critics of the war in Iraq and the campaign against terrorist groups 'seem not to have learned history's lessons' and compared them to those in the 1930's who advocated appeasing Nazi Germany...Comparing terrorist groups toa "new type of facism," Rumsfeld said, 'With the growing lethality and the increasing availability of weapons, can we truly afford to believe that somehow, some way, vicious extremists can be appeased?'...Sen. Jack Reed of Rhode Island, a former Army officer and Democratic member of the Armed Services Committee, responded that 'no one has misread history more than' Rumsfeld. 'It's a political rant to cover up his incompetence...(there are) scores of patriotic Americans of both parties who are highly cirtical of his handling of the D.O.D.'"
Harry Reid goes on to comment "Secretary Rumsfeld's reckless comments show why America is not as safe as it can or should be five years after 9/11."
I myself have no comment, because I don't think I need to say anything. The quotes alone speak volumes. If you want peace, work for justice.
"Secreatry of Defense Donald Rumsfeld said Tuesday that critics of the war in Iraq and the campaign against terrorist groups 'seem not to have learned history's lessons' and compared them to those in the 1930's who advocated appeasing Nazi Germany...Comparing terrorist groups toa "new type of facism," Rumsfeld said, 'With the growing lethality and the increasing availability of weapons, can we truly afford to believe that somehow, some way, vicious extremists can be appeased?'...Sen. Jack Reed of Rhode Island, a former Army officer and Democratic member of the Armed Services Committee, responded that 'no one has misread history more than' Rumsfeld. 'It's a political rant to cover up his incompetence...(there are) scores of patriotic Americans of both parties who are highly cirtical of his handling of the D.O.D.'"
Harry Reid goes on to comment "Secretary Rumsfeld's reckless comments show why America is not as safe as it can or should be five years after 9/11."
I myself have no comment, because I don't think I need to say anything. The quotes alone speak volumes. If you want peace, work for justice.
8.28.2006
You are dumb. You just don't know it. We all are.
One essential question I have been asking my students while we are reading Ishmael is "Who might benefit by keeping you ignorant?" which I stole from my colleague Nancy, who is awesome. This is perfect for my sustainability course, because so much of what is wrong with the environment, particularly global warming, has to do with ignorance on the part of the public on the magnitude of those salient problems. One telling statistic about global warming, from An Inconvenient Truth, states that in a random sampling of 928 global warming related articles from peer-reviewed scientific journals, zero dispute that global warming is real, that it is happening, and that we can do something about it. Zero. Yet 57% of news articles about the same topic mention the "controversy" or "uncertainty" of global warming. Huh? When you think about statistics like these, about information that is truly of the utmost importance to EVERYONE ON EARTH, and consider the fact that the media plays into PR campaigns by Big Oil and Detroit, it's really rather insulting. Do you really think EVERYONE is that stupid. Sure, some people are that stupid. I teach their kids on the daily. They block the aisle with their cart at the grocery store. They take eighteen years to order at restaurants because they have to ask questions about everything. They bother my friends Christine and Joe at Borders (no, despite logical thinking, people who shop at bookstores are not more intelligent than your average shopper. There are actual some huge fucking dumbasses who practically live there.) But not everyone is stupid enough to think global warming is something to take sides on, like abortion, are they? Yes, they are.
So that got me thinking about how fucked up education is in America. And how "No Child Left Behind" is the biggest crock of ironic-smelling shit that ever passed over Bush's desk (and that's saying something). Ask any teacher, they'll tell you the same. And how some adults were left behind many, many times over and they are too busy working a shitload of hours at minimum wage just so they can be broke, and they don't have time to read real news and hear about real shit, not like JonBenet or Brangelina or crazy, crazy TomKat, but real, actual, I-can-completely-explain-what's-up-in-Lebanon real shit. Then I realized that people like Bush, people who have power, and whose friends have power and money, and who like their power and money, and do dumb shit that fuck the rest of us over on the daily, those people don't want the masses to be educated. Because then, the masses would realize how much they get fucked, and how there is no great and powerful Oz behind the curtain, and how if they realized, and weren't so numbed by entertainment, drugs both legal and illegal, sports, sex, and food, they might just raise up and start a revolution and dethrone their motherfucking asses like Britney's sad, sorry fall from grace. These are not my crazy rantings. Chomsky talks about it in Democracy and Education, where he rips PR a new asshole. These are the things I'd like to articulate to my students, but it's difficult to stress to my students without cursing, because it really riles me up. As a teacher, you feel like you are fighting a losing battle when you look at it that way. The truth hurts. You can see for yourself in how news is presented. Major news sources devote much more time to shit that doesn't matter. I could go on but you can just read Chomsky yourself. He's very conversational in tone, despite his brilliance.
Listen to Of Montreal. They are great. Also, the new Pete Yorn rocks and is streaming online at AOL.com. But turn the sound off before you go to AOL.com. The first album streaming is the new Jessica Simpson. And you don't want an earful of her latest single as you are waiting for PY to load. Trust me.
So that got me thinking about how fucked up education is in America. And how "No Child Left Behind" is the biggest crock of ironic-smelling shit that ever passed over Bush's desk (and that's saying something). Ask any teacher, they'll tell you the same. And how some adults were left behind many, many times over and they are too busy working a shitload of hours at minimum wage just so they can be broke, and they don't have time to read real news and hear about real shit, not like JonBenet or Brangelina or crazy, crazy TomKat, but real, actual, I-can-completely-explain-what's-up-in-Lebanon real shit. Then I realized that people like Bush, people who have power, and whose friends have power and money, and who like their power and money, and do dumb shit that fuck the rest of us over on the daily, those people don't want the masses to be educated. Because then, the masses would realize how much they get fucked, and how there is no great and powerful Oz behind the curtain, and how if they realized, and weren't so numbed by entertainment, drugs both legal and illegal, sports, sex, and food, they might just raise up and start a revolution and dethrone their motherfucking asses like Britney's sad, sorry fall from grace. These are not my crazy rantings. Chomsky talks about it in Democracy and Education, where he rips PR a new asshole. These are the things I'd like to articulate to my students, but it's difficult to stress to my students without cursing, because it really riles me up. As a teacher, you feel like you are fighting a losing battle when you look at it that way. The truth hurts. You can see for yourself in how news is presented. Major news sources devote much more time to shit that doesn't matter. I could go on but you can just read Chomsky yourself. He's very conversational in tone, despite his brilliance.
Listen to Of Montreal. They are great. Also, the new Pete Yorn rocks and is streaming online at AOL.com. But turn the sound off before you go to AOL.com. The first album streaming is the new Jessica Simpson. And you don't want an earful of her latest single as you are waiting for PY to load. Trust me.
8.22.2006
Long Time, No Post
Last week, a federal judge ruled that the NSA’s eavesdropping program was unconstitutional. Basically, after 9/11, the NSA started wiretapping people’s phones without court orders in the name of national security. White House Press Secretary Tony Snow said of the eavesdropping, "The program is carefully administered and targets only international phone calls coming into or out of the United States where one of the parties on the call is a suspected al Qaeda or affiliated terrorist. So, why can’t you get a court order. Anyhoo, US District Judge Anna Diggs Taylor ruled that the program violates the separation of powers doctrine, the Administrative Procedures Act, the First and Fourth Amendments, the FISA, and Title III. Bush is pissed and the government is appealing. What’s more fucked up: that so many people clearly want people’s (i.e. Muslims who aren’t white) civil rights violated in the name of “fighting terrorism” (sidebar: I HATE that phrase. Hate it. It’s like a free pass for whomever is saying it to be terrorists themselves. Deconstruct the word. Does it even mean what it really means anymore? All it does is freak people out. Yes, there are real “terrorists”, but it’s bullshit to claim we are fighting “terrorism” when we are subjective about who and what fits in that category.) OR that JonBenet Ramsey got WAY, WAY, WAY more media attention than this important ruling? As my friend Graham said (and I don’t quote, but paraphrase), “If JonBenet Ramsey’s name was Shaquitta Johnson, nobody would have ever given a fuck, especially ten years later.”
The St Louis School District, for about $20,000 has hired security for School Board President Veronica O’Brien. Ma’am? I’ve seen your house. Your pool is bigger than my entire property. Hire your own damn security if your words and deeds are getting your ass in trouble. If you want to read disturbing stuff, read the message boards at SLPS Watch (http://slswatch.pubdef.net/) (ironically run by Peter Downs) and see what parents and teachers have to say about SLPS. Those of us who are fortunate to teach in other places have no idea.
Finally, school has started and our newly-renovated building is awesome. I love the beginning of school because everyone is in such an enthusiastic mood.
The St Louis School District, for about $20,000 has hired security for School Board President Veronica O’Brien. Ma’am? I’ve seen your house. Your pool is bigger than my entire property. Hire your own damn security if your words and deeds are getting your ass in trouble. If you want to read disturbing stuff, read the message boards at SLPS Watch (http://slswatch.pubdef.net/) (ironically run by Peter Downs) and see what parents and teachers have to say about SLPS. Those of us who are fortunate to teach in other places have no idea.
Finally, school has started and our newly-renovated building is awesome. I love the beginning of school because everyone is in such an enthusiastic mood.
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