Remembering Mr. Wizard (On the Importance of Science)

live blog of Lieberman meeting, or non-meeting...

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2007/6/14/16231/8457

Posted by DiAnne Grieser at June 13, 2007 10:22 PM

Good thread header!!! :-)

My secret pleasure: PBS shows (usually Nova) about physics. When the concepts are explained with words, not mathematical formulas, I totally "get" the concepts and appreciate the science(s) involved. Einstein, Newton, string theory, whatever. I just love 'em!

This, yes, from someone who had a dickens of a time with fractions in fourth grade math and after the first quarter of algebra in high school became bored senseless with the endless repetition that led nowhere because the point of the math was just to do it, not actually do anything practical with it. I don't think in numbers, but in words, so even though I can do something like follow the formula to arrive at an accurate calculation for an astrology chart (which I was later told was advanced geometry, but I don't have a clue because I never took optional math courses), and I always knew what the results were going to be when the formula was followed, the numbers themselves bore me silly. I have done all kinds of math, statistics, averages, and whatnot by following formulas, and my checkbook is always balanced down to the penny, but the numbers themselves are still boring to me. That's why the Goddess invented calculators....

Many years into adulthood I felt better about my self-perceived 'lack' of math skills when I found out Einstein actually flunked fourth grade math.

:-)

Mr. Wizard was so before my time.

Kinda sorry I missed it.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/marty-kaplan/watch-mr-wizard_b_51964.html
Watch Mr. Wizard
{{{Another story about Mr. Wizard. Many of the comments are great, too.}}}

http://www.crooksandliars.com/2007/06/13/daily-show-president-bush-albaniacs-and-the-popenator/
Daily Show: President Bush, Albaniacs and The Popenator

White House Subpoenas, and a Constitutional Showdown
http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/061407J.shtml
Matt Renner reports: "Subpoenas issued Wednesday by Congress for testimony from former White House officials could lead to a constitutional crisis over the right of executive privilege. Experts in constitutional law believe that the Bush administration will not comply with the Congressional subpoenas and will force a showdown. If individuals do not comply with the subpoenas, a vote can be taken to hold them in contempt of Congress. The issue would then be sent to the Washington, DC Circuit Court, where the US attorney for the District of Colombia could prosecute the case before a grand jury."
Excerpt:
Congress has one other option to enforce their subpoena: They can order the Capitol security to arrest the individual who refuses to comply with the subpoena and lock him or her in the basement of the Capitol building. Short of this, the only solution is a political one, according to Ohio State law professor Peter Shane.

{{{?!? I didn't know Congress could do that!!! Oh... the fantasies that come to mind.... ;-)}}}

DOJ to Investigate UK Arms Company Payments to Saudi Prince
http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/061407M.shtml
The US Department of Justice is preparing to open a corruption investigation into the arms company BAE over alleged one-billion-pound arms-deal payments to Prince Bandar of Saudi Arabia. US officials say they are particularly concerned by the allegations that UK Ministry of Defense officials actively colluded in the payments.

Judge orders Libby jailed during appeal
http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/06/14/libby.hearing/index.html

Posted by: madame defarge at June 14, 2007 02:28 PM

@@@@@@

OH HAPPY DAY..... MAYBE THERE IS STILL HOPE FOR AMERICA!!!!!

The judge was pissed at Libby and all his high and mighty "supporters". Apparently the judge got death threats....

I WANT TO SEE THAT PHOTO OPP OF LIBBY BEING LED AWAY TO JAIL....

http://www.crooksandliars.com/2007/06/14/the-daily-show-arming-the-sunnis-or-the-enemy-of-my-enemy-is-my-friend/
The Daily Show: Arming the Sunnis or “The enemy of my enemy is my friend.”
{Splutter Factor! Put down your beverage and/or food before watching!}

A WHITE HOUSE PLAN TO ERODE OUR LIBERTIES
By Aziz Huq, The Nation
The Military Commissions Act threatens more than terror suspects at Gitmo. It is the spearhead of a long-term incursion on all our civil liberties and it must be rolled back.
http://www.alternet.org/rights/53964/

Excerpts:
The MCA doesn't say how a person gets designated as an "unlawful enemy combatant."
~~~~~
Problems arose this week not because of the flaws in the CSRT procedures but because the definition of "enemy combatant" that the CSRT uses isn't the same as the definition of "unlawful enemy combatant" in the MCA. Judges Brownback and Allred focused on this divergence and basically told the military that it couldn't fit a square peg in a round hole: A person designated by a CSRT as an "enemy combatant" isn't an MCA-compliant "unlawful enemy combatant."

Nevertheless, Hamdan and Khadr likely qualify as "unlawful enemy combatants" under the MCA's absurdly sweeping definition. So the likely next step will be a do-over. (And a do-over appears easy: The MCA allows a CSRT or "another competent tribunal" to do the designation.) This stumble for the commissions, in short, is unlikely to turn into a fall.

Posted by: Ralpheh at June 14, 2007 05:46 PM

Scooty-Boy hasn't yet spent a minute in jail and has ten days to appeal.

IF he does make it to jail, I don't think he'll spend the whole two and a half years there. I think DimWit will pardon him at some point.

But, yes, ol' Scooter's entrance to a prison I'd love to see, and IF shown on Lamestream Media evening snooze, I'd deliberately tune in to watch.

OK, back home now after the non-meeting.

First of all, great thread header, DiAnne! Even if we did have to explain to our kids why we were so sad about Mr. Wizard's death...

On the Lieberman meeting: I was shocked, SHOCKED I tell you! to find out that there was lying going on in that establishment.

The staff lied to the press earlier today; claiming that there never was a meeting scheduled.
When we all showed up (see the photo at Kos: http://www.dailykos.com/story/2007/6/14/16231/8457), a fairly unresponsive pod-like woman told us that the meeting had been cancelled that morning and she was not at liberty to tell us why.

Then, when three of us were meeting with Lieberman's Chief of Staff and Legislative Aide, folks called in to ask Joe himself to meet with us. They were told he WAS meeting with us.

The police were called and at one point we were threatened with arrest--we moved into a hallway and held photos of Iranian women and children up.

I do not believe that any of what we say to the inside-the-bubble types means much--the bubble only LOOKS transparent. But to share the truth with all of you and to have the truth told does mean a great deal, at least to me.

Read the Kos thread, especially Dick's long comment at the end. The more we know, the better.

Lieberman needs to have his bubble burst in a big way... or his jaw.

Senate supporters of a comprehensive immigration reform bill reach a tentative agreement to revive the measure, senators involved in the talks told CNN.

IF he does make it to jail, I don't think he'll spend the whole two and a half years there. I think DimWit will pardon him at some point.

But, yes, ol' Scooter's entrance to a prison I'd love to see, and IF shown on Lamestream Media evening snooze, I'd deliberately tune in to watch.

Posted by: NonnyO at June 14, 2007 06:35 PM

@@@@@@

Here was the analysis on NPR by Nina Totenberg: if Libby is in jail, it makes it harder (more obvious? more newsworthy? more embarrassing?) for Bush to pardon Libby. The judge sounds deadly serious about punishing Libby: I think the canned, form love letters from all his big shot lawyers friends did him no good and probably did him harm (Wolfowitz??? Bolton???) with the judge. And I think the idiotic death threats (Totenberg again) hurt Libby more.

The Repukes were arguing no jail time!!!!

Here's interesting and rather funny You Tube video on the slanted/unreal coverage of the Libby case by Fox News:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HVgWoeC0Eh4

Posted by: karen at June 14, 2007 07:03 PM

My rage level is beyond description.

Thanks for the hard work though, Karen and CodePink.

I need a hobby.

http://www.americanprogress.org/cartoons/2007/06/061407_iraq.html

I loved Mr. Wizard, and we actually learned that stuff in school.

Thanks, Karen, for all your momifying ways.

I need a hobby.

Posted by: Christy at June 14, 2007 09:08 PM

Try creative writing - you're good at it anyway! And it's always nice to have progressive writers together.

Since I live in a reactionary city, a reactionary ethnic community, and a reactionary family, creative writing has been one of the few ways I could meet progressives. And it's been very valuable experience for me.

http://www.crooksandliars.com/2007/06/14/gonzales-under-investigation-yes-again/
Gonzales under investigation (yes, again)

{Heh.}

Military officers now targets on Hill
Dems challenge of Gen. Pace shows Pentagon uniforms no longer exempt

June 14, 2007

WASHINGTON - A Democratic challenge to Gen. Peter Pace indicates that uniformed officers no longer are exempt from the partisan fire on Capitol Hill once reserved for civilian policymakers.

Last Friday, Defense Secretary Robert Gates made the stunning announcement that he would not recommend Pace to serve a second two-year term as the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. The Marine Corps four-star general had not been a target previously of Democrats' ire on the war, but Gates said lawmakers made it clear the confirmation process would be ugly.

"It would be a backward looking and very contentious process," Gates said at a Pentagon news conference.

The announcement was a surprise, particularly because the Senate in recent months confirmed other military officers with close ties to the Iraq war with little fuss.

Showing some muscle
In January, Senate Democrats helped confirm Gen. David Petraeus to take over the Iraq war despite their opposition to Petraeus' recommendation that the U.S. send thousands more combat troops into Iraq. The following month, Democrats endorsed Gen. George Casey as Army chief of staff after he led the Iraq war for 2 1/2 years.

Their approval kept with a long-held tradition on Capitol Hill that lawmakers level any stinging critiques at civilians and praise uniformed officers for their service to the nation.

"General Casey knows Iraq and the challenges the Army faces there," Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich., chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said in February. "The principal failures that led to the chaos in Iraq were due to the civilian leaders."

But when it came to Pace, Levin signaled a new era in which uniformed officers close to the president would be held accountable.

In an interview with reporters this week, Levin said Pace's nomination would have been more contentious than other uniformed officers because he was the closest military adviser to the president on a failing war.

Levin also noted the White House had hammered Democrats for approving Petraeus' nomination while opposing the general's recommendation to send more troops to Iraq.

"So by the president's and the White House's own logic, a vote for or against Pace then becomes a metaphor for where do you stand on the way the war is handled," Levin said.

Other senators expressed a similar view, indicating Democrats would no longer back the once popular Marine Corps general.

"General Pace has served the nation and the Marine Corps with great fidelity for over 30 years," said Sen. Jack Reed, D-R.I. "But, at this time, I believe that Secretary Gates has made the right decision."

Pace's downfall
Although House members lack the power to confirm military officers, they too appear willing to break from the tradition of not criticizing the military leadership. Rep. Ellen O. Tauscher said Wednesday she thought Pace was guilty of a dereliction of duty because of his support for President Bush's Iraq policy.

Tauscher, D-Calif., a member of the House Armed Services Committee, said Pace lost standing among members in March when he said homosexual acts were immoral and that the military should not condone the behavior by allowing gays to serve openly. He later apologized, including in a personal letter to Tauscher, for expressing what he said were his personnel views.

Tauscher said his comments on gays "showed his ignorance" and "had to be deeply discounted because they came from a man who had presided over a war that we got into on a lie and what I consider to be a serious dereliction of duty in having our troops and our readiness so destroyed by the policies of this administration."

Pace's demise comes amid increasing frustration by Democrats on their ability to force Bush's hand on the Iraq war. Following a meeting with the president and his top advisers on Wednesday, Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., called the presence of U.S. troops in Iraq "the great divide in the room."

"We all want stability in the Middle East, we all want peace, we all want a place that people can prosper," Schumer said. "But it is our view it really can't happen unless the policy in Iraq changes. It's their view that the policy in Iraq furthers stability in the Middle East, and it's hard to see that happening as things continue to decline, whether it's in Iran, in Syria, in the Israel-Palestinian conflict."

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19221444/

Here's my favorite take on science. My dad was born in 1920. He joined the Army Air Corps as soon as he could after Pearl Harbor. He ended up a mechanic and made officer during the war. He demobilized under an agreement that he was subject to first recall but when recalled he would retain his brevet officer rank. So when Korea etc. happened he got recalled into SAC USAF as a flight mechanic (on board engineer for the nuclear fleet -- B-39,B-47, B-52 -- rent "Dr. Strangelove," my dad's favorite movie). So he learned all that science stuff in the service in the days of the slide-rule.

Anyway, now to the point. One day, in the 70's, me and dad were watching a football game. One side punted, and the announcer said "look at that hang-time!" My dad got all upset and said "What is this BS about 'hang-time -- they should say 'look how high that went.'" I said "Dad, what do you mean?" He went to the kitchen blackboard where we wrote grocery lists and proceeded to explain that the accelleration of gravity was a constant and that the vertical and horizontal vectors are independent.

One time I mentioned that to my boss, who is a former SEAL and has a Master's in naval architecture from MIT. He said -- "That's right, assuming a vaccuum, which is probably a good assumption from a significant digit point of view" (or something like that).

Anyway, that's my personal take on how there was a time in America when science was considered fun, sexy and interesting. Guess I'm just another old-fogey now.

Chuck in Houston

Max Weber:

"Under these internal presuppositions, what is the meaning of science as a vocation, now after all these former illusions, the 'way to true being,' the 'way to true art,' the 'way to true nature,' the 'way to true God,' the 'way to true happiness,' have been dispelled? Tolstoi has given the simplest answer, with the words: 'Science is meaningless because it gives no answer, the only question important for us: "what shall we do and how shall we live?"' That science does not give an answer to this is indisputable. The only question that remains is the sense in which science gives 'no' answer, and whether or not science might yet be of some use to the one who puts the question correctly."

http://www.ne.jp/asahi/moriyuki/abukuma/weber/lecture/science_vocation.html

Chuck in Houston

Thank God for Science ;-)

Many years into adulthood I felt better about my self-perceived 'lack' of math skills when I found out Einstein actually flunked fourth grade math.

:-)

Posted by: NonnyO at June 14, 2007 04:49 PM

Well, that's good news!!! I have had math phobia ever since my seventh grade Algebra teacher made fun of anyone who asked a question in class. I passed Algebra by my aunt (who is my age) doing my homework (came natural to her), and I took the tests and flunked them so the teacher gave me a D-.
Made honor roll and national honor society after that because I was good in English, social studies, government studies and business classes.
I never took another Math class EVER. If it's good enough for Einstein it's good enough for me.
I think I am bright, but when it comes to Math my pistons stop firing on all cylinders, and my hands get clammy. :-D

Science may not be able to provide answers
on how to live but it can provide information.
Scientific experiments found out about DDT and
other environmental poisons and their effects
and science was used to make nuclear bombs.
It makes a big difference who is using the
info gleaned from scientific research

Yeah I'm math phobic too. I was nearsighted from grade 2-6 and it didn't get diagnosed. Unless I sat at the front of the class I couldn't see. Also messed me up in sports. When I finally got glasses my eyes were glued to the windows as we drove home, as I could see the leaves on the trees & peoples' freckles. Like NonnyO, I didn't think they should be mixing letters and numbers (algebra). I usually did better if a $ was placed in front of the equations and I love a bargain. In college I took Statistics to avoid "real" math, taking the easier courses for teachers in summer. I somehow got through science courses such as Psychoacoustics but it was because someone explained the concepts well with words and diagrams, not just formulas.

God, this all makes me feel old.

More on the sleazy British buying planes, arms etc. for Bandar
http://www.guardian.co.uk/baefiles/story/0,,2103730,00.html

Posted by: Truth Shall Prevail at June 15, 2007 12:37 AM
Posted by: not my president at June 15, 2007 01:04 AM

Interestingly enough, it wasn't math by itself that tripped me up... It was math as applied to physical chemistry and other chemistry classes.

I did three semesters of calculus in high school, and did two more in college - and did just fine. But chemistry pretty much killed me.

Don't get mad at me - I had an "Asian math nerd" stereotype to live up to. My writing and other skills suffered instead, to further comply with that stereotype - though now, I feel that it's the other way around, I prefer writing to math.

Hamas takeover shows failure of Bush's vision
With turmoil in Gaza, hopes for a two-state solution dwindling quickly

WASHINGTON - Five years ago this month, President Bush stood in the Rose Garden and laid out a vision for the Middle East that included Israel and a state called Palestine living together in peace. "I call on the Palestinian people to elect new leaders, leaders not compromised by terror," the president declared.

The takeover this week of the Gaza Strip by the Hamas militant group dedicated to the elimination of Israel demonstrates how much that vision has failed to materialize, in part because of actions taken by the administration. The United States championed Israel's departure from the Gaza Strip as a first step toward peace and then pressed both Israelis and Palestinians to schedule legislative elections, which Hamas unexpectedly won. Now Hamas is the unchallenged power in Gaza.

After his reelection in 2004, Bush said he would use his "political capital" to help create a Palestinian state by the end of his second term. In his final 18 months as president, he faces the prospect of a shattered Palestinian Authority, a radical Islamic state on Israel's border and increasingly dwindling options to turn the tide against Hamas and create a functioning Palestinian state.

"The two-state vision is dead. It really is," said Edward G. Abington Jr., a former State Department official who was once an adviser to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

‘It is gone’
Abbas, whose bouts of vacillation have irritated U.S. officials, yesterday dissolved the Palestinian government in response to Hamas's takeover of Gaza. U.S. officials signaled that they will move quickly to persuade an international peace monitoring group -- known as the Quartet -- to lift aid restrictions on the Palestinian government, allowing direct aid to flow to the West Bank-based emergency government that Abbas will lead.

"There is no more Hamas-led government. It is gone," said a senior administration official, speaking on the condition of anonymity because the administration must still consult with other members of the Quartet. He said that humanitarian aid will continue to Gaza, but that the dissolution of the Palestinian government is a singular moment that will allow the United States and its allies to create a "new model of engagement."

The evolving U.S. strategy would let the Hamas-run Gaza Strip fend for itself while attempting to bolster Abbas as a moderate leader who can actually govern and deliver peace with Israel. The senior administration official noted that Gaza has no territorial issues with Israel, since there are no Israelis in Gaza, so the Hamas entity there would have no stake in potential peace talks concerning the border on the West Bank.

Referring to Abbas, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice told reporters yesterday that "we fully support him in his decision to try and end this crisis for the Palestinian people and to give them an opportunity to return to peace and a better future."

But analysts said yesterday that this strategy of dividing the moderates from the extremists -- which was the core of Bush's 2002 speech -- proved ineffective and may have led to the dilemma facing the administration.

Slide show

Infighting in Gaza
Hamas militants celebrate their Gaza takeovers, while Fatah supporters retaliate in the West Bank.

"The less we try to intervene and shape Palestinian politics, the better off we will be," said Robert Malley, an expert on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict with the International Crisis Group. "Almost every decision the United States has made to interfere with Palestinian politics has boomeranged."

After his reelection in 2004, Bush said he would use his "political capital" to help create a Palestinian state by the end of his second term. In his final 18 months as president, he faces the prospect of a shattered Palestinian Authority, a radical Islamic state on Israel's border and increasingly dwindling options to turn the tide against Hamas and create a functioning Palestinian state.

Story continues below ↓
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advertisement

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"The two-state vision is dead. It really is," said Edward G. Abington Jr., a former State Department official who was once an adviser to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

‘It is gone’
Abbas, whose bouts of vacillation have irritated U.S. officials, yesterday dissolved the Palestinian government in response to Hamas's takeover of Gaza. U.S. officials signaled that they will move quickly to persuade an international peace monitoring group -- known as the Quartet -- to lift aid restrictions on the Palestinian government, allowing direct aid to flow to the West Bank-based emergency government that Abbas will lead.

"There is no more Hamas-led government. It is gone," said a senior administration official, speaking on the condition of anonymity because the administration must still consult with other members of the Quartet. He said that humanitarian aid will continue to Gaza, but that the dissolution of the Palestinian government is a singular moment that will allow the United States and its allies to create a "new model of engagement."

The evolving U.S. strategy would let the Hamas-run Gaza Strip fend for itself while attempting to bolster Abbas as a moderate leader who can actually govern and deliver peace with Israel. The senior administration official noted that Gaza has no territorial issues with Israel, since there are no Israelis in Gaza, so the Hamas entity there would have no stake in potential peace talks concerning the border on the West Bank.

Referring to Abbas, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice told reporters yesterday that "we fully support him in his decision to try and end this crisis for the Palestinian people and to give them an opportunity to return to peace and a better future."

But analysts said yesterday that this strategy of dividing the moderates from the extremists -- which was the core of Bush's 2002 speech -- proved ineffective and may have led to the dilemma facing the administration.

"The less we try to intervene and shape Palestinian politics, the better off we will be," said Robert Malley, an expert on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict with the International Crisis Group. "Almost every decision the United States has made to interfere with Palestinian politics has boomeranged."

more...
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19215537/

Hi gang,

Since we're talking about math and writing, I wanted to share a little triumph I had this week, thanks to the DCP!

The editor of our local once-a-week newpaper has asked if I'd like to be a contributing commentator on the opinion page! From my letters to the editor to my comments on local list-serves, they have seen and been impressed with my writing style. It's mostly commentary on local issues (plenty of fodder), but I was so pleased to be asked, and feel that if not for the DCP, I would never have developed my writing and commenting skills in a way that would have caught the newspaper's eye.

It'll only be a once every few months kind of thing, and unpaid, but it's still nice to be recognized, and I wanted to attribute the recognition to all of you, who have helped me find my voice!

Thanks, DCPers!

I miss math...my mom had me trained with all those red dots as a baby ("teach your baby math") and as a result I drove my teachers crazy for years by conceptualizing the math a lot differently from the way they taught it. Math was palpable to me in a way that their dry proofs could never comprehend.
I hit a bit of a speedbump with calculus in high school until I realized that physics and economics and just about everything else was simply applied calculus...and then once again math was a living organism and made perfect sense to me. I'll still frequently get distracted on a regular basis by wondering how to model a particular aspect of life with mathematical equations and "zone out" while people are talking at me until I figure out the general framework of the problem.
Somehow I went to college for an English degree and never touched math again, in an academic sense.
Yeah, I definitely miss math.
Science, not so sure about that. I had a really weird S&M biology teacher in high school who kept cages of castrated rats, petri dishes of mold, jars of pickled dead animals, and flats of marijuana plants in the back of the classroom. Middle school chemistry was much more fun, my lab partner & I were several months ahead of the other groups in the self-paced class and we spent most of our time "experimenting"...predicting what would happen when we combined various chemicals and then assessing the result. Or something like that. At one point we lit someone's name in fire in the carpet. That's one way to get people excited about science.

Posted by: monkey at June 15, 2007 06:11 AM

Regarding Irsrael/Palestinian relations, I recall during the years Clinton had the 'shuttle policy' that the conservatives were yeawing to leave them alone and that Clinton was 'just doing it for his legacy so that his legacy wouldn't be all about Monica."

Well, then Bush came into office, and he made a point of staying clear of all Clinton's policies which included the Israel/Palestinian conflict. Then within a year...his hands off policy came back to bite him in the butt.

His policy since then has been sporadic and basically just hawkish. It has no diplomacy in my opinion. It seems to me to be a bunch of punishment dolled out.

Maybe there is someone far wiser than me to tell me what is going on.

I certainly don't believe the 1000's of years of hate and religious hate can be solved in just a few short years; however, I do feel that America has to try to be an honest broker and support both sides. (Not that I know if that is really do-able.)

Sparrow
The way you have analyzed is exactly the way my Iranian-American friend did. She became very nervous when Bush completely ignored the Israeli/Palestinian conflict when he came into office - predicted big trouble in the middle east, because that was seen as symbolic of our arrogance, caring only about the region in terms of oil.

V
I loved and love science. I always took all the biology I could get my hands on and then got two clinical degrees, chickened out of med school because of organic chemistry (too much math!), then did get a speech and hearing sciences degree, but then ended up going back into clinical work. I miss research, especially design (the running of experiments itself becomes tedious as does analyzing data and writing up results). I don't fit in well in the clinical milieu in some ways (not quite extroverted enough) but I do enjoy the children. What I learned about human perception is very relevant and one frustration is when clinicians do something simply because it works and don't question how or why it works. That is the big difference my scientific training made. I'm also frustrated that the clinical and research paths are so separate as are the medical and educational paths (in my field). I think that is a big mistake. It would be much better for patients and progress to apply science more and to have a more medical/scientific integration with education. Well TGIF anyway and back to the grindstone.

Carol
Reading backwards .. I want to offer you a big congratulations!

I also think there is something wrong with the way mathematics is taught - people learn in different ways. Some are more auditory, some more visual, some more hand-on. When I was learning, if one stepping stone was missed, the child fell behind. Suppose someone didn't grasp long division well or wasn't firm on their multiplications tables, or they didn't "get" the first couple lessons of algebra. Too bad for them. I also don't think there was much encouragement in my day for girls. In one school, boys took shop and girls took home economics. We were never asked our interests. God forbid a boy should want to sew something or a girl make an end table. In another school, only boys took physics! One girl excelled in math, was good at calculus. The guidance counsellor suggested she be an accountant, no other options. Girls are supposed to have some edge in language and boys with spatial rotation. This is just a statistical trend, not a given. Education should be designed so any person can feel some confidence and attain a degree of skill in both. Even at University, there were special English classes for the Engineering Departments (mostly male) and special math and statistics for the Liberal Arts people (more females). It's fine to specialize, but everyone should have a good foundation.

Another example is handwriting. First of all, few write much any more. I don't see kids writing and drawing as neatly as they used to, and boys are really let off the hook because they may develop their fine coordination more slowly. Yet if you take a look at the handwriting of the Founding Fathers, the signatures are absolutely beautiful. I also have a male friend who learned his handwriting in Germany and it's much much nicer than that of most females I've seen. I'm not advocating for the Nuns who hit the kids' knuckles with the ruler if their letters aren't formed perfectly, but it's just another example of where "basics" aren't taught thoroughly. I will say that both genders can type and use game controllers!

Do you remember the Yes Men? Look at the hoax they sprung on all the oil execs at Calgary!! I am LMAO!!

http://www.canada.com/calgaryherald/news/story.html?id=20ee8637-9bd1-4ed3-b0d8-4e14ea4d035b&k=41943

Oh, how I hate to get up in the morning...

Posted by: Carol at June 15, 2007 07:53 AM

Congratulations! Glad that DCP was of so much help to you.

speaking of gender differences and science/technology:

A Spanish teacherwas explaining to her class
that in Spanish, unlike English,nouns are designated as eithermasculine or feminine.

"House"for instance,is feminine:"la casa."

"Pencil,"however, is masculine: "el lapiz."

A student asked, "What gender is 'computer'?"

Instead of giving the answer, the teacher split the class into two groups, male and female,
and asked them to decide for themselves whether
"computer" should be a masculine or a feminine noun.

Each group was asked to give four reasons for its recommendation.

The men's group decided that "computer" should definitely be of the feminine gender
("la computadora"), because:
1. No one but their creator understands their internal logic;

2. The native language they use to communicate
with other computers is incomprehensible to everyone else;

3. Even the smallest mistakes are stored in long term memory for possible later retrieval; and

4. As soon as you make a commitment to one,
you find yourself spending half your paycheck
on accessories for it.

The women's group, however, concluded
that computers should be Masculine ("el computador"), because:
1. In order to do anything with them, you have to turn them on;

2. They have a lot of data but still can't think for themselves;

3 They are supposed to help you solve problems,
but half the time they ARE the problem; and

4. As soon as you commit to one, you realize that if you had waited a little longer, you could have gotten a better model.

The women won

Shantytowns springing up in Iraq

June 15, 2007

(CNN) -- Iraqis fleeing their homes because of sectarian warfare are starting to set up their own makeshift camps inside the country, a development reflecting the dire scope of the country's population displacement problem.

Andrew Harper, head of U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees' Iraq support unit in Geneva, said that internally displaced people are setting up shantytowns because they haven't been able to find safe harbor with their relatives or friends and have been kicked out of public squares and government buildings in cities and towns.

"We're finally starting to see the creation of camps inside Iraq," said Harper, who spoke and provided detail to CNN via e-mail.

Iraq's displacement crisis is the most significant in the Middle East since the changes in population that occurred during the creation of the state of Israel in 1948.

There are believed to be 2.2 million Iraqi refugees in neighboring countries and 2 million displaced internally, according to the UNHCR.

Internally displaced persons -- or IDPs, as officials refer to people who leave their homes but don't leave the country -- have been criss-crossing Iraq seeking refuge, a process that was accelerated after Al-Askariya Mosque, a Shiite shrine, was bombed in Samarra last year. That sparked a vicious wave of sectarian violence.

The presence of the newcomers here and there eventually began to strain resources in many locations and many of the 18 provinces aren't welcoming internally displaced people.

Harper cited strains on services such as health care, food and water access.

He said there now are tens of makeshift sites, including Najaf in the south, where there is much desert terrain, Baghdad, and Nineva province in the north. In Nineva, in fact, it is estimated that 7 percent of the total number of IDPs are in makeshift camps.

He said Kurdish region authorities "are planning to establish camps but we are resistant to that idea."

Harper said it is believed that just over 1 percent of the IDPs in Iraq are in "ad hoc camps," but "it is inevitable that we will see more and more being established and we have to find ways of providing effective humanitarian situation in an extremely insecure environment."

Most of the camps are not huge -- they range from a few to a couple hundred families.

"What we do know is that Iraqis detest living in camps and the fact that we are now seeing these types of camps being established is a very bad sign that other options are no longer available."

more...
http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/meast/06/15/iraq.shantytowns/index.html

monkey,

Given that article and Tony Snowe's response to Helen Thomas's question that "Bush is on the front lines..."

Well, if he's so on the front lines then it's time that he take his family and live in those shanties.

They are refuge camps and those camps (to go along with club Gitmo and club Abu Gharaib) are only going to make the violence worse and the retailation against Americans worse.

Posted by: sparrow at June 15, 2007 07:11 PM

Fact is, he's F'ed up pretty much everything, and that's hard to refute anymore.

I'm sure Barbara Bush thinks those camps are working out quite nicely for the Iraqi's.

Could expect B Bush to trouble her "beautiful mind" about such trifles or L Bush to think about tragedies such as "Hurricane Corrina" or refugee camps.

Somewhere, somehow somebody
Must have kicked you around some
Who knows, maybe you were kidnapped
Tied up, taken away and held for ransom
It don't really matter to me
Everybody's had to fight to be free
You see you don't have to live like a refugee
I said you don't have to live like a refugee

the dcp wine and tunage garden opens at 8pm est

pour old me

Congrats Carol, that is wonderful.

Ally,

Do you know I have written only one poem since we bought the new house? I don't think it is writers block really, but it is the first time in years I have not have a productive writing period.

Yall know that Alines case drives me crazy too, and the few times I did sit down to write, instead I just got taken in again by its complexities. Since the confession broke last year, all of us have been having serious nightmares again, but even on those nights where the dreams ain't so bad, you just jerk awake at 3:16 am anyway and think, 'Where in the hell did they put her...?'

BTW, speaking of writing and Aline, there is a book being written, and it is getting very close now to going to press. The premise is not actually Aline, but Robert Charles Browne, and she (the author) has been heavily collaborating with my family. Her too, I do not think she quite believed it at first, it was the Colorado cops that sent her to us.

We do not know what it will say, but I am most certain the revelations will just keep coming. Unless anything changes it should come out in October.

I will be scarce here soon for a while, someone who saw the other memorials is commissioning one for her parents crypt. As soon as my wood is cut to a satisfactory shape and size I'll be laying paint.

The only thing better than painting, is getting paid to paint.

I mean, other than all that, I need a hobby.

Great stuff right now on The History Channel... "Hippies"

Top Ten President Bush Global Warming Solutions:

10. Instead of "Partly sunny," have weatherman say "Partly cloudy"

9. Stop using Air Force One for Texas barbecue runs

8. Replace dangerous CO2 in the atmosphere with more eco-friendly CO1

7. Encourage people to walk more by distributing free Dr. Scholl massaging gel inserts. Are you gellin'?

6. Watch Al Gore movie one of these nights instead of "Dukes of Hazzard"

5. Bob Barker's free. Get him workin' on it

4. Send more troops to Iraq

3. I dunno, tax cuts for the rich?

2. Reduce hot air emissions by canceling "The View"

1. Resign

---The Late Show with David Letterman

Mail undelivered at Walter Reed
4500 pieces that were supposed to go to soldiers
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/national/1110AP_Army_Botched_Mail.html?source=mypi

Hey Monkey...

I was told, not too long ago by my friend who is this old school black man. He says 'I know who you remind me of now!'.

I looked at him and very cautiously said...'Who?'

He said 'JANIS JOPLIN!'

I just looked at him in confusion. I am still confused.

But I cut my hair with that thought in mind. Whacked it all off into a bob.

Carol--Congratulations!!! I'm so excited for you. That is a tremendous accomplishment and I'm so proud of you.

Posted by: Christy at June 15, 2007 08:46 PM

Pretty funny, I'm going tomorrow to see a Janis Joplin cover band as part of a cool lookin little local fest

http://www.oldschool.org/KindnessFestFacts.pdf
http://www.oldschool.org

Seriously, that is a very interesting coincidence.

I am not sure why I reminded him of her, Janis Joplin was well before my time too.

Hippis in Louisiana.

Oh Lord.

Hey Sparrow...

Hello Darlin.

1. Resign

---The Late Show with David Letterman

Posted by: not my president at June 15, 2007 08:42 PM

This is why Letterman is far preferable to Leno!

Posted by: Christy at June 15, 2007 08:13 PM

Good to know that you're a writer thorough and through.

I've never considered myself a writer until about 3 years ago, when I just decided to create a character based on myself, and start a novel. Now, that character is only secondary (her girlfriend is now primary), but writing has kept my spirits up, and allowed me to network with a number of progressives, including a CodePink staffer.

My folks have been quite nosy about my writing though, so I've stopped it until I get my own place. Can't wait to write again - in peace and solitude.

You know, I do not think I have ever felt such power as I did the year I wrote my first novel.

Yes it got me blacklisted but I do not care.

I started seriously writing at 15 and after I finished a set of ten very long story poems, it suddenly occurred to me I had been teaching myself to write a book. So I got a story in my head and played with it for two years before writing down a single word.

I can only describe it as a God-like power. To create these people from NOTHING BUT AIR. Direct their every move and habit.

There was a period where my grandmother died, my mothers mother, and my grandfather. my fathers father, died within 12 days of each other, it was horrible, but I was at the hieght of my power in my mind. I was going sometimes two chapters a day.

Then my nieghborkid shows up at my door and leads me to his mothers body, and I knew in my heart someone was about to get away with murder.

And they did too.

I quit writing cold. That really threw me. It took months to go back to it.

But in a way it was also for the best I quit midstream, because when I did go back, I had all the details worked out, it ended exactly as I wanted it too. It, the story excited me, it still does. My style needs polishing, but I can tell one WHOPPER of a story anyway.

I still get a rush thinking of how I could flex something so powerful by sheer will.

I think I will probably write another book and have to give it away for free too, but hey, in 200 years I will be famous.

Hey Sparrow...

Hello Darlin.

Posted by: Christy at June 15, 2007 09:10 PM

Hey Christy... I just got back from the store. I will check back later.

I am not a writer. It doesn't come easily to me. Also, I feel as if any story I wrote would be like a bottle of already served wine... I don't think I'd be able to be original.

However, when history is told about these neocons and Bush, it will sound like a fictional account. Too bad we're living it.

The horrid years of georgie seem like fiction, even now. I get too pissed to write about him at all anymore.

You know, it is strange, cause writing that book did something strange to me. It ...uncurled?... that power in my mind, and now I can literally flex it whenever I feel like it. Writing is natural to me, maybe even more so than talking.

The trick is feeling condusive to spending so much focus on something else while the kids are screaming and the house needs painted and my moms hanging out on my new back porch.

Yeah. Great.

The funny thing is, there is one subject I can not write about, other than my own personal account, and that is Alines case.

All I could think to say is 'F*ck you sheriff'', for 300 pages. Which sheriff...? Pick one.

Hard to explain something you don't understand yourself. I doubt I will ever write more about it than I do here.

Someone who knows more than me will have to tell that one.

Posted by: Christy at June 15, 2007 10:16 PM

I understand Christy.

Schlozman sought to hire ‘good Americans.’ A December 2005 complaint against controversial senior Justice Dept. official Bradley Schlozman alleged that Schlozman was “systematically attempting to purge all Civil Rights appellate attorneys hired under Democratic administrations.”

[Schlozman] appeared to be “targeting minority women lawyers” in the Civil Rights Division and was replacing them with “white, invariably Christian men.” The lawyer also alleged that “Schlozman told one recently hired attorney that it was his intention to drive these attorneys out of the Appellate Section so that he could replace them with ‘good Americans.’”

http://thinkprogress.org/2007/06/15/schlozman-sought-to-hire-good-americans/#comments

Posted by: Christy at June 15, 2007 09:33 PM

Fact is, writing is a terrific coping mechanism and stress releaser...!

Years ago when I lacked much time I wrote poetry (had a couple of them published, then lacked time to write to publishers to try to get more published). I've not written much poetry for many years. I re-read my work from 30 years ago again a few years ago and was surprised that some of the things were actually pretty good, but wondered what had prompted other pieces that were not good.

I've had a horrible amount of personal stress in my life for a few months now, wrote something to someone regarding facts, used satire, and the point was missed in favor of readers responding only to the satire. I should have slept on it, then edited out the satire (even if it was accurate). But I know what I will title the journals regarding the sad saga.

I have figured out that my writing style changes, depending on my targeted (imaginary or real) audience. It changes the way I express myself. Blogging has given me lots of freedom of expression and reading the freewheeling styles of others has enabled me to give myself permission to emulate a freer style of expression, but I have to edit out blog language to be comprehended by someone who has no idea what I'm talking about otherwise.

I loved having to to an essay for a final in college classes. I aced them. I had to go through my whole freshman year not knowing why I aced the essays, and the following year I took a creative writing class; students critiqued each other (light bulb moment), then I figured out why profs loved my essays: correct spelling and grammar and logic go a long ways toward first impressions; after that it's a matter of making sure any arguments are presented in a cogent manner. (I was very surprised so many college students were so clueless about things they should have learned in grade school. By then many of the students were using the computers that had just been installed in various locations at the campus - people didn't have personal computers yet, although many had typewriters, but those who had access to the computers should have at least done a spell check.)

Hooray for writing and the ability to relieve stress and cope with difficult situtations through words...!!! :-)

For anyone interested in Dave Letterman, Michael Moore is apparently on tonight to talk about 'Sicko.' The show just started here (Central Time).

Bush said he had his watch the whole time
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/06/14/wbush114.xml
yeah right

Enjoying all the talk about writing. I am pretty much a nonfiction reader and writer, for the most part. I like biographies, textbooks, travelogues, essays, wikipedia entries, instruction manuals, newspapers.

I guess I have some favorite fiction writers over time - Louise Erdrich (native American), Margaret Atwood (Canadian). I love to read from the past - Oscar Wilde, George Orwell, Nietsche etc. I like the way they write. I love to read old speeches - political, persuasive, and propaganda.

My best writing teacher used a text called Telling Writing and I favor conversational writing. It cuts through. On the other hand, I loved getting through Marshall McLuhan or even Finnegan's wake, totally different. There was a guy I went to graduate school with who also advocated for being very direct and active. Nuance can be good though.

My absolute favorite writer is Lawrence Osborne, who is British. He wrote a book on Asperger's syndrome, a book on wine and my all-time favorite book which I've read probably 20x - "Paris Dreambook - An Unconventional Guide to the Splendour and Squalour of the City. It's like poetry but it's prose.

I love to read Paul Theroux's accounts of his travel because all he does is go on long train rides (like the TransSiberian) and bitch the whole time! Pico Ayer is just the best travel writer. I would actually like to BE a travel writer, if I could ever get the time and money to travel.

I love Will Self - now that's fiction (and how!) & Tom Robbins, who is from around here, and Ken Kesey too. We have some good women Sci-Fi writers, like Ursula LeGuin. Also really love the magical realism (writing and films) from South of the Border. Gabriel Garcia Marquez - I agree with Bill Clinton on that.

I really love to randomly read wierd blogs. The internet has kind of leveled things as far as peer review. There are sites populated by people from the high-functioning autism and Asperger's communities (although that may be kind of a contradiction in terms, as many are loners by nature). It's interesting to me that they characterize others as "neurotypicals" and feel discriminated against. There has to be some truth to that. People on the autistic spectrum tend to be fairly guileless and free of mind games and manipulation and really don't start wars or screw people over.

I like it when elementary schools have children write and illustrate books, even if they do it fairly phonetically. My favorite is when they make up their own cookbooks.

Christy = Janis Joplin

Oh My .. sing it, girl!

Oh Lord, won’t you buy me a Mercedes Benz ?
My friends all drive Porsches, I must make amends.
Worked hard all my lifetime, no help from my friends,
So Lord, won’t you buy me a Mercedes Benz ?

Oh Lord, won’t you buy me a color TV ?
Dialing For Dollars is trying to find me.
I wait for delivery each day until three,
So oh Lord, won’t you buy me a color TV ?

Oh Lord, won’t you buy me a night on the town ?
I’m counting on you, Lord, please don’t let me down.
Prove that you love me and buy the next round,
Oh Lord, won’t you buy me a night on the town ?

Speaking of someone who can write, go to http://www.radrobin.com for an opus on leaving the Democratic party and what can possibly be done - comment appreciated, I'm sure. It looks like this was alot of work.

I Got A Crush on Obama, by Obama Girl
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wKsoXHYICqU

Posted by: not my president at June 16, 2007 01:24 AM

What's your point? Regardless of which candidate the video is about, it's offensive & should not be posted to perpetuate/validate its existence.

It is amazing how many writers we have here.

NMP, me too, I like reading all kinds of things, but, for some reason, I have always preffered textbooks.

I was never taught to write in any formal way or class, but I have a mother who is not only a poet but also a songwriter. She is actually quite good at it and encouraged us to pick it up.

At one point my mom was a history major in college, and at like 3 and 4 I was allowed to attend classes with her, I think I was the only kid in America who spent their days sorting out the bloodline of the British Monarchy.

My mom used to make history come alive in stories to us. I was the only kid in class that knew who William Wallace was and why he was remembered for it. Helen of Troy, The Bolshevik Revolution, Chinese Dynasties, she can take a story straight out of the text book and make them real. As a kid I was fascinated with Hitler, Napolean and pharohs. She is an excellent story teller and a walking encyclopedia on dates, times, eras.

Ever try explaining to your 4th grade classmates what the 'Diet Of Worms' is...? I don't recommend it.

Of all her 5 kids I am the only one that writes, my siblings all have real jobs and like money. But, my brother, him too, he is a story teller like our mother. He can be hypnotic.

They do not write, but we are all well read.

Posted by: madame defarge at June 16, 2007 08:23 AM

I don't think nmp meant any harm from it because nmp has stated she doesn't have a pony in the race yet.

However, I do believe madame defarge has a good point herself. And I think this is something the dcp regulars need to address--ie. should the videos or other artwork (etc) regarding candidates be posted at the dcp.

Regarding the video itself--not my style. I think it's crass. It wouldn't make me vote for Obama or not vote for Obama.

However, I am curious, because I don't have a pony in the race, if anyone knows of a site that is showing how their health care plans stack up. I wish I understood better how each of them will be taking our country back from the precipitace we're now at. And I want to know which ones are trustworthy.

BTW, I need some parenting advice.

My 15 year old son stepped out of his daddys house the other day, coming to my house for the summer. I immediately went into something resembling shock.

To my absolute amazement, my son is suddenly 6 foot two. At 15. Last year he was a little taller than me, now he is taller than every man in our family except my brother.

Looking up at him changed everything, and I am not sure why. It feels all different and I am not sure how.

WHY WHY does that suddenly seem so freaking wierd? I mean if an alien had popped out of that house, it could not have seemed more strange.

Will it always be wierd like that?

Oh Goodie. Keep your eye open for the internet addition of nightline when they interview the CEO of Shell who is on a propaganda tour to convince us that Shell and other oil companies aren't ripping us off and aren't as bad as they seem.

Stay tuned...

You do know who the main shareholder for Royal Dutch Shell Oil Company is don't you..?

Queen Elizabeth the Second.

A few years ago she cleared almost 4 billion in pure profit.

Posted by: Christy at June 16, 2007 09:39 AM

Christy,

I don't have boys, but I have nephews and I once slept at a Holiday Inn... (Take my advice on those flimsy credentials or not.)

You won't always feel weird. You'll feel short though. And when their voice changes, then it will feel weird again for a while, but then it will get better too.

Your parenting style may change as you see that he's growing into adulthood but you can't stop parenting either. You just begin to be there when they need you or push them along the way, but you stop telling them every little thing to do. Of course you still steer them away from using drugs, tobacco, or alcohol and you have consequences for when they break those rules or break a curfew--because they still need that type of involvement and guidance.

Of course, I have girls and their teenage years added lots of grey to my hair and caused me to shed many tears. I'm not sure if it's the same with guys. People have told me that guys are harder to parent when they're young but easier as teenagers with the opposite being true for girls.

Posted by: Christy at June 16, 2007 09:52 AM

AND she still gets to live at the Brittish peoples' taxpayer expense.

Sounds just like George.

Sparrow and Christy,
aving raised both boys and girls, I concur with sparrow that the boy got much much easier as he got older. Fifteen was a bad year, I recall. Eighteen is looking mighty good, so far!

I can talk with my son like an adult now. He's well-read, clever, and much more open now.

The eighteen-year-old girl is now much tougher, although she, too, is great. She is less open, however.

The just-turned-twenty-year old is a delight. Mature and responsible and communicative in good ways.

It's a shock, as you say, when they turn into seeming-adults overnight. But don't be fooled; they need consequences, now more than ever. They WILL do stupid things for a few more years.

I registered my son for college classes yesterday and the younger step-daughter is off to "Beach Week". The older one has a job for the summer at a nonprofit. Our reward for surviving all the sturm and angst is that now we have fun with them!

Moms in solidarity!

HAHAHA. The voice thing.

I have one son, and 4 daughters. I call to talk to a daughter and this man I don't know answers... I say let me speak to my kid.

In this deep voice that just rumbled he said 'I am your kid.'

I wen't 'EEEK!' and threw the phone to the ground and just looked at it dumbly for a few seconds. I didn't know wether to stomp it or pick it back up.

I could not decide if that was true or I was in some freaky horror movie. It totally caught me off guard.

But not even that prepared me for 6'2.

Whipping his ass just became an empty threat and I do not have a back up plan.

The funny thing is, there is one subject I can not write about, other than my own personal account, and that is Alines case.

All I could think to say is 'F*ck you sheriff'', for 300 pages. Which sheriff...? Pick one.

Hard to explain something you don't understand yourself. I doubt I will ever write more about it than I do here.

Someone who knows more than me will have to tell that one.

Posted by: Christy at June 15, 2007 10:16 PM

You will, Christy. Not yet because you are still living it. You don't know the ending. But that isn't important except for you and your family to have some resolution to the whole sorry affair. As you pointed out - you're the writer, casting person, director. Truth is hard to write because you become tied up with what's really accurate. There are always different versions of one historical event. It depends on who is telling the tale. You tie yourself up too tightly when you want every word and detail to be as it was.

You can invent an ending. You can invent the entire story to ensure that some of the guilty are run to ground. It was so good to read about that KKK guy getting convicted finally.

And Christy, I think that is the story that you have to write. For all those women. And especially for you. Janis Joplin? Now I can picture you.

Whipping his ass just became an empty threat and I do not have a back up plan.

Posted by: Christy at June 16, 2007 10:05 AM

Backup plan: car keys...

Posted by: woz at June 16, 2007 10:25 AM

Woz is right.

Christy and Karen,

Having seen my nephews change so drastically from a hyper toddler and kids compared to the witty and smart kids they are now, it does seem like the more difficult time was when they were younger.

My neices seem to replicate my daugthers' experience to a certain extent. I wonder how much girl bullying has to do with this drastic change. (You know...the queen bee syndrome?) They do say that girl bullys do a lot more damage in the long run because it's long term and insipid and stays hidden under a veneer of 'sweetness'.

madame defarge
The video on Obama went viral. That is my only commentary in posting it. I believe in freedom of speech and it's also satirical. I thought it was creative. What was offensive? That it was in an MTV style and that it wasn't politically serious? Young voters have a sense of humor. It might even get Obama votes. I see nothing wrong with making or posting it. We're all going to have to have a thick skin to get through this election cycle. I'm surprised anyone would blink twice about it. I thought it was cute and see nothing wrong with it. The person who sent it to me and another friend didn't either. So no apologies from me on this. I'd do it again.

I just watched it through again. I think it's cute and a great satire of the kind of thing young people watch on MTV. I'd like to see more of this type of thing. By the way, I'm a three decade feminist but with a libertarian stripe so don't buy into the PC police. I'd be glad to see more of this type of thing and what would even be better is if people watched it in the spirit in which it was made - fun. I also enjoyed the JibJab stuff, the Onion, any Jon Stewart and Colbert. We need more fun in this life.

Don't open this link if you think you won't like it and I'm off to cover my annual naked biker event and believe me it is very political and antiwar and pro-impeachment.

http://www.barelypolitical.com/

Posted by: not my president at June 16, 2007 10:46 AM

If it were about John Kerry, would you feel the same way?

Madame defarge
Yes, absolutely. As long as it was recognizable as satire.

The people who sent me the video are Obama supporters.

Woz is right.

Posted by: sparrow at June 16, 2007 10:33 AM

Thanks sparrow - occasionally I get there. I've had the week out (hospital) so I'm just jumping in at the deep end here.

DiAnne - great quotes about science through the years - I've sent those off to different ones. We had Professor Julius Sumner Miller as our science TV nut - and advertiser of Cadbury's chocolate. His antics were fun and made you think.

Now - the talk about writing as a therapy - it's something I've always encouraged. And the parenting - I have two sons. One is aged 31, the other 32. The 31 year old has 3 children to 3 mothers. His first arrived when he was 19 and I'd nowhere near finished the child-raising task. My friend and I agreed when our boys hit 15 that we should have the option of leaving home to take time out for 10 years minimum.

The youngest has his first baby (8 months) and he has his life much more together than his brother. He's the one I can talk to on the mobile without it chopping in and out. When Jeremy's first relationship ended and he couldn't see his daughter I tried to encourage him to keep a set of journals to give her when she's older. Just write a few thoughts when he thinks of her. He never did it. Jeremy is the one who makes every lesson in life the hardest it can possibly be. Trent is far more like me. Neither of them are academics like me though.

I don't have advice because, every single child is so incredibly different. There've always been consequences for actions for both of them - but Jeremy never once stops to think of consequences. Act. Sigh. Consequence. Oh, I didn't think of that.

This is what having children who are now parents does to the brain. It's the 32 year old who has the 3 kids. Jeremy. 31 year old Trent has an 8 month old daughter - Logan.

See - my advice would be confused.

Nice to hear people talking about sons. I have one son, a young man who just turned 26, and it's been one of the best experiences of my life. He is an Obama supporter, by the way, but as was said, I don't have a pony in the race yet. I do listen to what he says because he used to fall asleep at 4 reading almanacs and already knew all the presidents and vice presidents at 7! He doesn't go to blogs but just reads newspapers and watched both the Democratic and Republic Party debates, has a degree in Political Science and after this summer will have one in Communications. Yet he can't find a good job or affordable housing, but what a sweetie!

It's kind of cool that I work with children now that mine has grown up (& I don't have any grandchildren). I kind of miss those years and it's also nice working with parents. We deal with alot of problems, so it's a job I can believe in, even though it can be draining.

Janis Joplin...? I must admit, I am still confused.

All I know about Janis Joplin was my daddy hated her for being a 'Godless hippi' who died badly.

You are right about me wanting to direct the characters and be able to flex poetic license, and this case totally is wierd enough without any embellishment.

I think part of it is not really the ending not being worked out, but where do you even start as well? What happened is still happening, and it was started long before anyone detected it.

As for actually trying to write about it, I truly do feel it is not my place. I am to bear witness.

After her mother disappeared, in those long summers right after, Karrie and Petey would come to our house. For 3 years of summers we made up 'detectives clubs' and stalked the swamps trying to find the little airplanes Grandpa swore were there.

We made many oaths to solve it, to bring Aline home, and sealed it with drops of blood from our hands. We made promises to ghosts.

Sometimes it is very hard to tell her there is hope those promises will be fufilled. I know the odds are so totally stacked against her and her siblings, but I will keep my promise to her.

I knew one day she would come back to us, I knew one day we would find each other again. It has been a very long and painful journey.

I may never write about it in a studied way, but I tell yall because in the end it is the only thing that will protect my family.

I do not like being so exposed like that, but we are in the middle of a bunch of cops who all seem out to get each other.

The more victims we find, the higher the stakes go. The more killers it suggests.

I wish I could tell Karrie I had solved it, I would give anything to be able to keep that promise. But now that I am grown I know we never had that power. It is bigger than all of us.

Someone with that power will have to solve it, then it will be over.

Trooper Allen has that power and has 3 cold case murders in his lap with accusastions of police corruption flying in all three of them.

I think it is safe to say he has no choice but to solve them. I have met him several times and I can not help but feel hope. I am so afraid it is for nothing.

I have wanted this story to end for so long, I just want it to be over.

When we bring her home and bury her, then it will be over for us and I really don't care what anyone writes about it after that.

Woz said
every single child is so incredibly different
& I agree

On the issue of what "should" be on the blog, it's not up to me, but I think that song lyric