March 05, 2007
The Texas Youth Commission referred more than 6,600 cases of abuse and neglect to local law enforcement authorities during the past six years, but only 18 cases have been prosecuted.Last year, TYC investigators confirmed 13 cases in which juveniles were sexually abused by staff members and none was prosecuted by local authorities.
Two of the three youth-on-youth sexual abuse cases confirmed by TYC in 2006 were passed over by local law enforcement.
The outcome of the cases that were prosecuted could not be determined Monday night.
These figures, gathered from TYC and included in a report from House Corrections Chairman Rep. Jerry Madden, R-Plano, highlight what advocates for juvenile offenders have been saying since the TYC sex scandal erupted more than a week ago: The failure to protect juveniles from abuse extends far beyond the jailers.
"This speaks to the need for independent oversight," said Isela Gutierrez, coordinator for the Texas Coalition Advocating Justice for Juveniles.
TYC spokesman Tim Savoy said cases of abuse and neglect can range from a love note from a corrections officer to a student to injury of a child who has to be restrained to an actual sex act between an adult staff member and a TYC student.
The agency's sex scandal showed no signs of fading Monday.
Prosecutions need to happen much more often, if these reports are true -- an I truly believe there is a need to consider impeachment for the governor if it can be shown he knew about this situation and did nothing while allowing perps to be promoted.
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Teens accused of making ostrich impotent
No, there were no nude pictures of Helen Thomas or Ann Coulter involved.
Three teenagers may be on the hook for a hefty fine if a court decides that their festive firecrackers outside an eastern German farm scared the libido right out of an ostrich named Gustav.Rico Gabel, a farmer in Lohsa, northeast of Dresden, is claiming $6,450 in damages for the alleged antics of the three youths, ages 17-18, between Dec. 27 and 29, 2005.
According to his lawsuit, the farmer claims that fireworks set off by the boys made the previously lustful Gustav both apathetic and depressed, and thus unable to perform for a half-a-year with his two female breeding partners.
Before Gustav regained his sex drive in the second half of the year, the farmer estimates he lost out on 14 ostrich offspring — worth $460 apiece.
The suit is due to be heard next Monday in a regional court in nearby Bautzen, the court said Monday. The teenagers' names were not released.
We live in a strange world.
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Vice President Dick Cheney was treated Monday for a blood clot in his left leg that independent experts said was probably not related to his history of heart disease but rather the result of his recent around-the-world trip, which included 65 hours of plane travel over 9 days.Mr. Cheney’s office said the vice president experienced “mild calf discomfort” sometime after delivering a late-morning speech to the Veterans of Foreign Wars and visited his doctor’s office at George Washington University.
An ultrasound revealed a deep venous thrombosis, a blood clot, in the lower part of his left leg. He was treated with anticoagulant medication, which he will take for several months, and he returned to work. Although blood clots in the leg can be dangerous if left untreated, experts say most are successfully treated with the anticoagulant drugs that the White House says Mr. Cheney is now receiving.
A crucial determinant in treating blood clots in the leg is the size of the clot, which a statement Monday from Mr. CheneyÂ’s office did not describe. Nor did the statement state the clotÂ’s specific anatomical location.
My darling spouse was treated for this condition several years ago, and so I know how very serious these little things can be. I wish the VP all the best, and pray that he will recover fully.
Oh, and one little note for those with a sense of curiosity about such things -- though it will probably provide ammo for the haters -- regarding the medication Cheney is probably taking. The usual treatment for such clots involves taking the drug Coumadin. Its active ingredient is Warfarin -- which is also the active ingredient in rat poison. Interesting, isn't it, that what can be used to kill in on instance can be used to heal in another.
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There are many reasons for the long decline in the membership rolls for private sector unions, including powerful changes in the economy and the unionsÂ’ past corruption scandals. And there is little doubt that federal rules and regulations for union organizing have also become increasingly hostile to labor, helping to drive unionsÂ’ share of the work force down from a peak of 35 percent in the 1950s to a mere 7.4 percent today.The House of Representatives passed a bill last week that would strengthen the rights of employees to form unions, and it drew an immediate veto threat from President Bush. But if Mr. Bush were, as he claims, truly concerned about rising income inequality and truly committed to improving the lives of AmericaÂ’s middle class, he would support the legislation and urge the Senate to approve it.
The problem here is that the New York Times, while going on about the right of employees to organize, ignores the fact that workers also have the right not to organize. But then again, since when has the New York Times really supported the right of individuals to associate or not associate freely -- or to exercise any other right -- when it gets in the way of its liberal ideology?
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George Strait led the nominees announced Monday for the Academy of Country Music Awards with eight nominations, including entertainer of the year and top male vocalist.Vocal duo Brooks & Dunn got seven nominations and Rascal Flatts had six. The announcement was made at the Country Music Hall of Fame and aired live on CBS' "The Early Show."
* * * The 42nd Annual Academy of Country Music Awards will be presented May 15 in Las Vegas.
Here’s a full list of the nominees – and not a Dixie Chick to be found. Take THAT, Grammy voters – we know country and they ain’t it!
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Of the Federal Marriage Amendment she said, "This amendment was wedge politics at it's worst. It was mean-spirited, it was against the entire forward movement of American history. It was the first time anyone was proposing we amend the Constitution to deny citizens rights rather than widen the circle of rights and opportunities.""In the end, we stopped the Federal Marriage Amendment and we sent a strong message that we will not stand idly by when anyone tries to write discrimination into our Constitution."
In only a single instance where the people have spoken has the pro-gay marriage prevailed—and then because the proposal banning gay marriage was poorly drafted. In every other case, gay marriage has been rejected by the voters by a 2-1 margin. I would therefore argue that Senator Clinton has put herself far outside the mainstream on this one – and has done so by insulting the overwhelming majority of Americans.
But it appears that Hillary is sucking-up – forgive the term – to gay rights groups in a big way. So much for the moderate image she has been trying to project.
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Conservatism treats humans as they are, as moral creatures possessing rational minds and capable of discerning right from wrong. There comes a time when we must speak out in the defense of the conservative movement, and make a stand for political civility. This is one of those times.
Ann Coulter used to serve the movement well. She was telegenic, intelligent, and witty. She was also fearless: saying provocative things to inspire deeper thought and cutting through the haze of competing information has its uses. But Coulter's fearlessness has become an addiction to shock value. She draws attention to herself, rather than placing the spotlight on conservative ideas.
At the Conservative Political Action Conference in 2006, Coulter referred to Iranians as "ragheads." She is one of the most prominent women in the conservative movement; for her to employ such reckless language reinforces the stereotype that conservatives are racists.At CPAC 2007 Coulter decided to turn up the volume by referring to John Edwards, a former U.S. Senator and current Presidential candidate, as a "faggot." Such offensive language--and the cavalier attitude that lies behind it--is intolerable to us. It may be tolerated on liberal websites but not at the nation's premier conservative gathering.
The legendary conservative thinker Richard Weaver wrote a book entitled Ideas Have Consequences. Rush Limbaugh has said again and again that "words mean things." Both phrases apply to Coulter's awful remarks.
Coulter's vicious word choice tells the world she care little about the feelings of a large group that often feels marginalized and despised. Her word choice forces conservatives to waste time defending themselves against charges of homophobia rather than advancing conservative ideas.
Within a day of Coulter's remark John Edwards sent out a fundraising email that used Coulter's words to raise money for his faltering campaign. She is helping those she claims to oppose. How does that advance any of the causes we hold dear?
Denouncing Coulter is not enough. After her "raghead" remark in 2006 she took some heat. Yet she did not grow and learn. We should have been more forceful. This year she used a gay slur. What is next? If Senator Barack Obama is the de facto Democratic Presidential nominee next year, will Coulter feel free to use a racial slur? How does that help conservatism?
One of the points of CPAC is the opportunity it gives college students to meet other young conservatives and learn from our leaders. Unlike on their campuses—where they often feel alone—at CPAC they know they are part of a vibrant political movement. What example is set when one highlight of the conference is finding out what shocking phrase will emerge from Ann Coulter's mouth? How can we teach young conservatives to fight for their principles with civility and respect when Ann Coulter is allowed to address the conference? Coulter's invective is a sign of weak thinking and unprincipled politicking.
CPAC sponsors, the Age of Ann has passed. We, the undersigned, request that CPAC speaking invitations no longer be extended to Ann Coulter. Her words and attitude simply do too much damage.
Credentialed CPAC 2007 Bloggers
Sean Hackbarth, The American Mind
James Joyner, Outside the Beltway
Scott Schmidt, Boi From Troy
Joy McCann, Little Miss Attila
Kevin McCullough, Musclehead Revolution
Fausta Werz, Fausta's blog
Patrick Hynes, Ankle Biting Pundits
Ed Morrissey, Captain's QuartersOther Conservative Bloggers
Owen Robinson, Boots and Sabres
N.Z. Bear, The Truth Laid Bear
Michael Demmons, Gay Orbit
Frankly, there really is no defending Ann Coulter’s blunder – because even if one accepts the comment as a satirical comment on the recent uproar over comments by one of the stars of Grey’s Anatomy, connecting it to the ever-so-metrosexual John Edwards is truly inappropriate. This sort of foolish offensiveness is why she deservedly needs to be cut loose by the mainstream of conservatism.
Now if only folks on the Left will take on Bill Maher for comments like this. After all, playground-level insults are certainly less serious than death-wishes for elected officials.
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Rudy Giuliani's biggest challenge in his White House run to date could be how he responds publicly to comments his son made about their strained relationship.Andrew Giuliani, 21, stunningly told The New York Times that he and his father have been estranged - not even talking "for a decent amount of time" - because of the son's problems with the ex-mayor's current wife, Judith Nathan Giuliani.
"There's obviously a little problem that exists between me and his wife," the Duke University student told the paper. "And we're trying to figure that out. But as of right now, it's not working as well as we would like."
In an interview airing today on ABC's "Good Morning America Weekend Edition," he tempered his comments.
"I do not want to hurt him," he said. "No matter what he's done, I love my father . . . It's not as good as it once was - but it's better than when it was its lowest, and it's getting better all the time."
Wife number three. Public extramarital antics that disgraced his office. Children effectively abandoned by their father. Is he really the best that we can do in the GOP? And even if he is, does he really merit support from those of us who argue for pro-family policies?
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Rudy Giuliani's biggest challenge in his White House run to date could be how he responds publicly to comments his son made about their strained relationship.Andrew Giuliani, 21, stunningly told The New York Times that he and his father have been estranged - not even talking "for a decent amount of time" - because of the son's problems with the ex-mayor's current wife, Judith Nathan Giuliani.
"There's obviously a little problem that exists between me and his wife," the Duke University student told the paper. "And we're trying to figure that out. But as of right now, it's not working as well as we would like."
In an interview airing today on ABC's "Good Morning America Weekend Edition," he tempered his comments.
"I do not want to hurt him," he said. "No matter what he's done, I love my father . . . It's not as good as it once was - but it's better than when it was its lowest, and it's getting better all the time."
Wife number three. Public extramarital antics that disgraced his office. Children effectively abandoned by their father. Is he really the best that we can do in the GOP? And even if he is, does he really merit support from those of us who argue for pro-family policies?
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Hundreds of U.S. soldiers entered the Shiite stronghold of Sadr City on Sunday in the first major push into the area since an American-led security sweep began last month around Baghdad.Meanwhile, the U.S. military announced three deaths on Sunday.
Soldiers conducted house-to-house searches through the densely populated grid of squat two- and three-story buildings, but met no resistance in a district firmly in the hands of the Mahdi Army militia led by the radical cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, said Lt. Col. David Oclander.
The only problem I see with this move is that political correctness kept it from happening a couple of years ago. Here's hoping they take out the "big cheese" while they are at it.
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A handful of reporters gathered in Los Angeles at screening for the WARNER BROTHERS movie "300," about the battle of Thermopylae some 2,500 years ago, cornered the director Zack Snyder with an unanticipated question. "Is George Bush Leonidas or Xerxes?" one of them asked.Snyder, who said he intended neither analogy, suddenly knew he had the contemporary version of a water-cooler movie on his hands, the NY TIMES plans to report on Monday.
"But the danger is that an accidental political overtone will alienate part of the potential audience for a film that needs broad appeal to succeed," reports the paper's Mike Cieply.
Is the film a thinly veiled polemic against the Bush administration, or is it slyly supporting it?
I don't think it is either, but I think that the analogy to the current situation is an apt one.
I cannot help but remember that Persia was the greatest threat to Western Civilization for centuries -- and nukes in the hands of that country's current regime, headed by the Madman of Teheran, once again raises the specter of expansionist moves by the successors of Xerxes. I therefore place myself in the "Bush as Leonidas" camp -- and cannot help but put the Neo-Copperheads and the White Flag Republicans in the same category as those Spartan leaders who lacked the will to stand against the enemies of Western Civilization.
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Can a nonbinding congressional resolution really matter? Most are ignored by everyone except the special interests they are usually directed at. Even the House's recent resolution on Iraq was dismissed by both President Bush and Democratic antiwar leader John Murtha. Yet a vote expected next month on a nonbinding House resolution describing a "genocide" in the Ottoman Empire beginning in 1915 has the potential to explode U.S. relations with Turkey, sway the outcome of upcoming Turkish elections and spill over into several other strategic American interests, including Iraq and Iran.So, yes: The Armenian Genocide Resolution sponsored by Rep. Adam Schiff does matter, logically or not. Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul spent several days in Washington last month lobbying against it, though the Turkish-American agenda is chockablock with seemingly more important issues. Friends of Turkey in Washington, from American Jewish organizations to foreign policy satraps, are working the Hill; so is the Bush team. On the other side is the well-organized and affluent Armenian American community, 1.4 million strong, and some powerful friends -- including the new House speaker, Nancy Pelosi.
Here is a debate that could occur only in Washington -- a bizarre mix of frivolity and moral seriousness, of constituent pandering, far-flung history and front-line foreign policy. And that's just on the American side; in Turkey there is the painful struggle of a deeply nationalist society to come to terms with its past, and in the process become more of the Western democracy it wants to be.
I'm sorry, but this is a resolution that should not be. Not because the Armenian genocide did not happen, for it undeniably did. Not because it was not serious or because we might offend an ally, because the first is false and the second is irrelevant. Rather, it is not the place of political bodies to be setting historical judgments in stone. That is what has happened in Turkey, where one can be punished for conceding that the horrors done to the Armenians by Turks ever happened -- and in France, where denying they happened is punishable by law. The problem is that by taking the matter out of the hands of historians establishes an orthodoxy that is hard to overcome as new evidence come to light -- and, indeed can make advocating against the orthodoxy a crime, silencing professionals in the field.
That the Turkish genocide committed against the Armenians happened is clearly established historical fact. That it remains a blot on the history of the Turkish people and the world cannot be denied by any honest observer. But the proper place for judging this long-ago crime is not Congress, for the events have long since passed from current events that can be remedied into the mists of history.
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I recently was directed to the website of the Seattle personal injury lawyers at Paglialunga & Harris, PS. Their site is well-organized and includes a great deal of information about serious accident and injury cases and wrongful death cases. These are areas of law that you hope you never have to deal with, but when confronted with such situations it is important to know where to turn.
The website is particularly good about telling folks what to do in cases of serious accidents where there may be a claim for damages against another party. As I've been told by the legal professionals I work with as part of my evening teaching job, one of the biggest problems they encounter is the fact that clients don't get names of witnesses or sign statements at the request of the other party's insurance company that have the effect of undermining their right to be compensated. The website of these Seattle personal injury lawyers offers tips on how to avoid making such mistakes, and therefore seems to be useful to those without legal training who are facing issues following a personal injury accident.
Paid Endorsement.
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Here are the full tallies of all votes cast:
| Votes | Council link |
|---|---|
| 3 | Germany and Iraq, Part 4 Done With Mirrors |
| 1 2/3 | Means v. Ends Bookworm Room |
| 1 1/3 | A Man of His Times. A Man for All Time. Right Wing Nut House |
| 1 1/3 | Differing Visions Soccer Dad |
| 2/3 | Acceptances and Severances Part 2: Affiliations, Associations, and Allegiances Eternity Road |
| 2/3 | Death Penalty Debate Highlights Liberal Hypocrisy On Religious Values Rhymes With Right |
| 2/3 | Liar, Liar, Pants on Fire... A Response To an ‘anti-Zionist’ Joshuapundit |
| 2/3 | Is It Time To Start Thinking About Pakistan Yet? The Glittering Eye |
| 1/3 | Gore Fights Back. Feebly. The Sundries Shack |
| Votes | Non-council link |
|---|---|
| 2 1/3 | The Blame Game From My Position... On the Way! |
| 2 | Honor Killings, Silence, and the Meaning of Speaking Out Augean Stables |
| 1 1/3 | AP Reports Romney Family's Polygamy, But Not Obama's Sweetness & Light |
| 1 1/3 | Part Hate It's Almost Supernatural |
| 1 1/3 | Laughing at the Jesus Tomb The Anchoress |
| 1 | The Feminislamists: Women of Woe Gates of Vienna |
| 1 | 9 other PERFECTLY GOOD REASONS that the assassination attempt on Dick Cheney was justified (a Huffington Post tribute post) Protein Wisdom |
| 2/3 | The Creepy Lunatic Fringe The Hatemonger's Quarterly |
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Bulgaria itself is a beautiful country located on the Black Sea, and has become a popular vacation destination for Europeans. The areas around the capital of Sofia are known for skiing, and there are are great deals to be had on Pamporovo, Borovets and Bansko properties.
Paid Endorsement.
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Presidential candidate and former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney yesterday won a straw poll of conservative political activists gathered in Washington, a very early indication of how an important Republican constituency might vote.Romney was the first choice for the GOP nomination, with 21 percent of the 1,705 activists who voted at the 34th annual Conservative Political Action Conference. Former New York mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani came in second with 17 percent, and Sen. Sam Brownback (Kan.) was third with 15 percent.
Mitt Romney didn't even register on the radar screen last year. He has now jumped out front. This is how a grassroots campaign works, and bodes well for the future.
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March 03, 2007
Remember -- fresh flowers are just a click away!
Paid Endorsement.
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1) How can my PayPerPost.Com really be seen as debasing this site, given that I've had AdSense up for a very long time, as well as Amazon. Heck, I used to have the LinkShare ads on the site, and didn't get a single penny in six months! I don't see the advertising posts, which are clearly labeled as such, to be any different.
2) My involvement in writing the ads doesn't raise an integrity question, any more than the practice of radio hosts doing ads on their own shows constitutes an integrity problem. Heck, I do more to make my advertising posts clearly an advertisement than some on-air personalities do, so does this really raise an integrity issue at all? I don't think so.
3) Will my paid writing impact my other posts? I do not believe so. I write what I believe, and only take offers I believe are appropriate. I've got one opportunity I've been looking at for some time, but I'm just not sure that I can endorse the product in question in the way they are asking. And if I won't prostitute myself for cash, why would I do so on posts I'm not being paid for?
Lastly, some of you want to know why I'm doing this at all. Blogging is a hobby, after all, right? Yeah, it is -- but the reality is that there are medical bills to pay, plus a mortgage and car payment, among other stuff. My wife can't work due to her health. If I can make a bit of money doing something I love in an ethical manner, why not?
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Pirates!
Pirates!
Sorry about that, folks, but we are talking about Blackbeard's own pirate vessel, Queen Anne's Revenge! This is cool -- a three-hundred year old pirate ship.
A shipwreck off the North Carolina coast believed to be that of notorious pirate Blackbeard could be fully excavated in three years, officials working on the project said."That's really our target," Steve Claggett, the state archaeologist, said Friday while discussing 10 years of research that has been conducted since the shipwreck was found just off Atlantic Beach.
The ship ran aground in 1718, and some researchers believe it was a French slave ship Blackbeard captured in 1717 and renamed Queen Anne's Revenge.
Several officials said historical data and coral-covered artifacts recovered from the site — including 25 cannons, which experts said was an uncommonly large number to find on a ship in the region in the early 18th century — remove any doubt the wreckage belonged to Blackbeard.
Three university professors, including two from East Carolina University, have challenged the findings. But officials working on the excavation said Friday that the more they find, the stronger their case becomes.
"Historians have really looked at it thoroughly and don't feel that there's any possibility anything else is in there that was not recorded," said Mark Wilde-Ramsing, director of the Queen Anne's Revenge Project. "And the artifacts continue to support it."
I cannot wait to see if the artifacts recovered continue to provide support for this being the famous pirate vessel sailed by the best-known pirate of the eighteenth century.
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The Texans had a whirlwind start to the free-agency signing period Friday when they pursued free-agent quarterback Jeff Garcia, agreed to a three-year contract with offensive tackle Ephraim Salaam and lined up interviews with running back Ahman Green and receiver Ashley Lelie.Garcia, the hottest quarterback on the market, visited with the Raiders on Friday.
He owns a home in the Bay Area, where he began his NFL career with San Francisco.
Several teams, including Tampa Bay, have shown interest in Garcia.
Coach Gary Kubiak has been a Garcia fan for years. When he was the offensive coordinator at Denver, the Broncos tried and failed to acquire Garcia.
"I've always been impressed with the guy," Kubiak said. "He's one tough son of a gun. He makes smart decisions. He's been productive just about everywhere he's been."
The Texans' interest in Garcia, 37, has no bearing on David Carr, who's expected to be traded regardless of what happens with their pursuit of another veteran.
The Texans also have Sage Rosenfels, who finished last season on injured reserve after breaking a bone in his hand. They're expected to draft a quarterback in the second or third round.
The Texans wouldn't give up a draft choice for Denver quarterback Jake Plummer. They won't trade picks. They're interested in acquiring additional picks.
Well, I suppose Garcia makes more sense than the Jake Plummer thing.
Personally, I'm for letting Sage Rosenfels have a shot at the starting job for a season, while the team grooms the University of Houston's Kevin Kolb as the quarterback of the future. And that would certainly be a popular move among my fellow fans.
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Scratch that -- it makes MORE SENSE than the claims of the Truthers, which ave been thoroughly debunked based upon the scientific evidence.
7) Why has their been no investigation into evidence that the droids who provided the rebels with the Death Star plans were once owned by none other than Lord Vader himself, and were found, conveniently, by the pilot who destroyed the Death Star, and who is also believed to be Lord VaderÂ’s son? Evidence also shows that the droids were brought to one Ben Kenobi, who, records indicate, was Darth VaderÂ’s teacher many years earlier! Are all these personal connections between the conspirators and a key figure in the Imperial government supposed to be coincidences?
How could a single missile destroy a battle station the size of a moon? No records, anywhere, show that any battle station or capital ship has ever been destroyed by a single missile. Furthermore, analysis of the tape of the last moments of the Death Star show numerous small explosions along its surface, prior to it exploding completely! Why does all evidence indicate that strategically placed explosives, not a single missile, is what destroyed the Death Star?
So tell us, who was really responsible for the destruction of the Death Star, folks -- and who benefited from it?
And what was the role of the Jedi on the Grassy Knoll?
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Imagine a representative democracy in which legislators could pass or defeat bills without letting their constituents know which way each legislator voted. Voters, in turn, would have no way of holding their representative accountable at election time.Such a scenario, in which legislators could say they voted yea or nay regardless of the truth, seems unthinkable. Yet it exists in Austin in the Texas Legislature. While the Texas House passed an internal rule requiring a recorded vote on final passage of all bills, it does not have the force of law and could be suspended at any time.
* * * Texas needs a constitutional amendment requiring a recorded vote on every amendment and on second and third readings of every bill. A vote against recorded votes is a vote against open government, accountability and the principles of democracy itself.
Interestingly enough, though, it has only taken the Chronicle 140 years to get around to supporting such a measure -- which they never felt a need to do during the 135 consecutive years when Democrats held control of the legislature. Open government, accountability, and the principles of democracy are only important, one would have to presume, when Republicans are in control.
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The documentary, which carries the seal of approval from its executive producer James Cameron (“Titanic”), has already caused some ado, however, with bold assertions that clash with conventional Christian doctrine. Jesus was married to Mary Magdalene and had a son, Judah, according to the filmmakers. And all three were laid to rest in a family tomb that is now buried deep beneath a Jerusalem apartment complex.And, of course, the filmmakers’ claim that they identified the burial remains of Jesus of Nazareth — including traces of DNA — suggests that he was not bodily resurrected, after all.
Maybe, or maybe not. The archaeological arguments are plausible but not persuasive: this is a breakthrough that relies more on “what if” than “here’s how.” And even an amateur can see that the ifs are stacked to support one hypothesis. But it is a fashionable one. Early Christian Gospels suggesting that Mary Magdalene was the wife of Jesus and a respected apostle in her own right, not a fallen woman, are the foundation of Gnostic studies by scholars like Elaine Pagels — as well as of the plot of the Dan Brown best seller “The Da Vinci Code.”
The filmmakers get around reasonable doubt with the twin pillars of cable documentaries: hokey costume drama re-enactments and state-of-the-art robotic cameras that see around corners and down dark holes. And to add a fillip of legitimacy, the Discovery Channel will follow the film with a panel discussion led by Ted Koppel.
The review here goes on to point out weakness after weakness, flaw after flaw, in the show's premise. That isn't to say that the paper endorses the resurrection or the divinity of Jesus, but rather that it recognizes the shoddy piece of work that is being foisted upon viewers.
My students have been hearing about this story in recent weeks, and quickly picked up the flaw in its argument when I offered this analogy. If I were to find a cluster of graves in Mexico City marked with the names Juan, Jose, Pedro, Miguel, and Maria, would that alone be sufficient evidence to indicate that the graves are those of a particular family? Their response was "Of course not -- those are real common names and so it could be a whole bunch of different families. You need more evidence."
And so it is with this documentary -- we likely have a family with a number of very common names, buried in a particular era. And yes, one of the men was named Jesus. The evidence does not, in and of itself, prove that he was THAT Jesus -- and the rest of the case then falls under the weight of a single unsupported assumption that constitutes th foundation of the argument.
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March 02, 2007
Jurors asked for the definition of "reasonable doubt" Friday after completing a shortened, eighth day of deliberations Friday in the perjury trial of ex-White House aide I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby."We would like clarification of the term 'reasonable doubt,'" jurors wrote. "Specifically, is it necessary for the government to present evidence that it is not humanly possible for someone not to recall an event in order to find guilt beyond a reasonable doubt."
The note offered the first real glimpse into the deliberations and suggested jurors were discussing Libby's memory. Prosecutors say he lied about conversations he had with reporters regarding outed CIA operative Valerie Plame.
Libby said he told investigators his best recollection of those conversations and never intentionally lied.
Seems to me that this means that the jury is open to the possibility that Libby didn't intentionally mislead anyone, but rather had a memory lapse. That, on its face, indicates that the jury has reasonable doubt, and should acquit immediately.
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Today the National Litigation Foundation and the Alliance Defense Fund (representing a Christian student group called "Commissioned II Love") filed a lawsuit against Savannah State University in Georgia after the university expelled the group from campus. In one of the more bizarre cases of viewpoint discrimination that I've seen, the university first punished the group for "hazing" after the university discovered that group members voluntarily engaged in the ancient Christian practice of "foot washing." The practice sounds strange to some, but it is taken directly from one of Jesus' most famous acts and involves, well, literally washing (with soap and water) the feet of another member of the group as a symbolic act of humility, love, and service. The university construed this action as endangering the "physical health" of their students.
After suspending the group for "hazing" and "harassment" (yes, in the eyes of the university, students sharing their faith constitutes "harassment"), the university imposed the ultimate punishment — expulsion — when the group members had the audacity to go to an off-campus, weekend event together (a Christian music concert). In other words, the very act of collectively hanging out off campus was enough to impose the ultimate penalty on the group.
Excuse me -- college students going to a concert together is grounds for punishment? And I won't get into th foot-washing issue, which is absurd on its face. Will the campus Newman Center be the next group sanctioned, given that foot-washing is a part of the prescribed Catholic liturgy for Holy Thursday?
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Many people know that Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama's father was from Kenya and his mother from Kansas.But an intriguing sliver of his family history has received almost no attention until now: It appears that forebears of his white mother owned slaves, according to genealogical research and census records.
The records - which had never been addressed publicly by the Illinois senator or his relatives - were first noted in an ancestry report compiled by William Addams Reitwiesner, who works at the Library of Congress and practices genealogy in his spare time. The report, on Reitwiesner's Web site, carries a disclaimer that it is a "first draft" - one likely to be examined more closely if Obama is nominated.
According to the research, one of Obama's great-great-great-great grandfathers, George Washington Overall, owned two slaves who were recorded in the 1850 census in Nelson County, Ky. The same records show that one of Obama's great-great-great-great-great-grandmothers, Mary Duvall, also owned two slaves.
And yet somehow, were any sort of reparations program to be passed, I as a white man whose family tree includes no slave-owners, would be expected to pay reparations to Obama and his family, despite their slave-holding heritage.
But then again, even if his white mother's family hadn't owned slaves a century-and-a-half ago, Obama's ancestral hands likely still would not be clean on this score.
What the Sun may not realize is that almost certainly some of Obama's African forebears also owned slaves --- and that his current family members in Kenya may know quite a lot about modern-day slave trafficking. Human slavery is not just a historical anomaly in Kenya, the Sudan, or even Saudi Arabia. It is happening at this very moment. But apparently reminding its readers of that painful fact would not serve the Baltimore Sun's goal of hyping Obama as the new JFK, the White and Black Man's Hope.Slavery is a horrific thing. But it would be far better if our media didn't cover up today's victims of African and Middle Eastern slavery --- when the world can still do something to save them.
I'm curious, will the media pursue this story? Or will it again bury an unflattering story about Obama's roots, just as it did when it was disclosed that Obama's daddy was a polygamist, a much closer connection than Mitt Romney's great-grandfather.
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March 01, 2007
Former vice president Al Gore was involved in a security breach at the Nashville Airport when an American Airlines employee led him and his entourage around security, a clear violation of policy."There are no exceptions. Everyone must go through security," airport spokesperson Lynn Lowrance said.
Wednesday at the Nashville Airport, Gore arrived with two others and airport. Sgt. Gary Glover with airport police waited for his arrival and to go through security.
"He made his way to security, waiting for him to come through the check area, then he saw him pop up past security in a sterile area," Lowrance said.
Gore and his group bypassed the metal detectors, a blatant security breach. Lowrance said an American Airlines employee took Gore around security directly to the gate.
"Everyone who comes through this public airport terminal must be screened, so it's a breach of rules. It's serious," Lowrance said.
I despise Gore's politics, and I don't ever want this hypocrite to ever be in a position of power again. But he isn't going to hijack a plane or set off a bomb. Does he really need to be intensively screened? For that matter, do most Americans need to be intensively screened? The answer is obviously "No" -- but then again, we wouldn't want to risk offending those who fit the profile of those most likely to hijack the plane or set off a bomb, so everyone, including a former Vice president of the United State must be closely scrutinized.
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I believe that the whole name change is a bad idea, if only because Cingular is a well-recognized name in the wireless industry. Yes, I know that AT&T is. . . well. . . AT&T, but in many parts of the country they have taken a backseat to the Cingular brand name. A better strategy, from my point of view, would have been to re-brand as AT&T/Cingular, thereby preserving both recognizable identities in one -- sort of a Daimler/Chrysler arrangement, as it were. Some marketing genius, though, told them to kill off the Cingular name, and so AT&T has done it with a vengeance. There is just no turning back.
However, if AT&T wants to make it work, there need to be some concrete steps taken to make the re-branding go smoothly.
First, make the chance. Enough of Ryan Seacrest repeating the stock phrase "Cingular Wireless is the new AT&T†on American Idol. Just do it – start calling it AT&T wireless as soon as the new
new AT& T phones (likely the new Apple iPhone) roll out. Slap AT&T on all the new phones.
Secondly, start marketing the change of brand to those of us who have been Cingular customers for some time, because that has not been done in any effective way yet. Cut us a deal on the new Apple iPhone with its fresh new AT&T logo. Cut us a deal on Razr phones branded with the blue glove and not the orange “X man".
The company could earn some serious good-will with a generous phone update/upgrade plan of some sort, and turn us into word-of-mouth advertisers for how great the change is going to be for customers of the new AT&T.
But most importantly is going to be getting the latest phones out with the new brands on them. Verizon has done a superb job of marketing their phones and making them the hot phone to have. AT&T wireless needs to do the same. it is therefore critical that the Cingular name disappear quickly from stores and websites, to be replaced with the new name and logo. Make sure that Wirefly and other authorized dealers get the new merchandise and logo quickly as well.Start advertising phones and making them the big selling point (think Chocolate) -- the AT&T brand name will take care of itself and prosper among consumers.
After all, AT&T is AT&T.
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It's hard to decide what's worse about the scandal enveloping the Texas Youth Commission: the chilling accounts of how corrupt state administrators turned an isolated West Texas reform school into their private sex club with adolescent inmates at their beck and call; or the unconscionable cover-up of reports of the abuse and the failure of law enforcement officials to prosecute the perpetrators.The TYC maintains a system of state schools with the stated aim of educating and reforming hard-core juvenile offenders. The school where the abuses occurred — the West Texas State School at Pyote — houses 250 males between the ages of 10 and 21 in large dormitory facilities.
Despite a damning internal TYC report and an investigation in 2005 by the Texas Rangers, which concluded that two supervisors at the school forced young inmates to have sex with them numerous times, the pair were allowed to resign without criminal prosecution. One went on to head a charter school in San Antonio.
All true, as is the list of failures that follow -- but conspicuously excluded is the failure of the news media (including the Chronicle) to report on this story and keep it in the public eye. Where did I find out about it the day after bombshell testimony on the scandal? In the New York Times, not the Houston Chronicle or any other local media source. I therefore think we can safely add one more failure to the shameful list.
However, owning the printing press apparently means never having to say you're sorry.
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YourRXCard.com provides consumers with a way to get discount drugs at up to a 75% savings at over 56.000 pharmacies nationwide, even without health insurance. Some medications are still going to be high, but not nearly so high as they would be without the discount that YourRXCard.com provides.
And I'll be very honest about it -- while I saw a number of my wife's name-brand medications listed at a price that would keep us from buying them, I also saw several of the generics that match up well with what our insurance pays. And in the end, there are choices on which medications are most efficacious in treating a condition, and appropriate decisions to be made based upon a rational cost/benefit analysis. As such, I think that YourRXCard.com a valuable resource for many uninsured or under-insured patients.
Paid Endorsement.
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When a few classmates razzed Rebekah Rice about her Mormon upbringing with questions such as, "Do you have 10 moms?" she shot back: "That's so gay."Those three words landed the high school freshman in the principal's office and resulted in a lawsuit that raises this question: When do playground insults used every day all over America cross the line into hate speech that must be stamped out?
After Rice got a warning and a notation in her file, her parents sued, claiming officials at Santa Rosa's Maria Carillo High violated their daughter's First Amendment rights when they disciplined her for uttering a phrase "which enjoys widespread currency in youth culture," according to court documents.
Personally, I ban the phrase in my classroom as inappropriate, so I have no problem with the school attempting to drive a stake through its heart. But I think they missed the bigger issue.
Here we have a girl being harassed over her religion by classmates, who finally responds with a phrase that anyone who works with teens would know is relatively innocuous, yet it is the victim of the harassment who was punished. What action was taken against the religiously insensitive and intolerant classmates? Were they disciplined? It does not appear that way.
But then again, as we have seen in recent AP articles and among certain partisans out to trash a particular candidate for the GOP nomination, anti-Mormon prejudice and bigotry are still acceptable in some quarters.
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Plano Sen. Florence Shapiro and Woodlands Rep. Rob Eissler are listening to parents as they prepare to file a bill today to expel the TAKS test from Texas schools.
* * * Shapiro says, "A teacher can focus on the breadth of subject matter and expose students to a richer curriculum." She adds that, "This is a much better identifier of our students' progress, and it will also stop these high-stakes evaluations and one-time tests."
All this World History teacher can say on this subject is "GREAT IDEA!"
Want to know why?
My tenth grade students take the Social Studies TAKS in a few weeks. Other than those about maps and graphs that refer to places and data outside of the USA, there is not one question that actually has to do with world history on the test that these kids will take. The content questions (as opposed to the skills questions mentioned above) will all be about American history to the Civil War -- which thy learned in eighth grade! Yeah, you read that right -- the test to show if my kids are learning and whether I am effective covers content from two years ago in an entirely different course.
What's worse is that the kids know this. When I start the massive review of US history after Spring Break, the kids will pay attention, because they know they need it. But they also know that the only time that they will be held responsible for my material is in a few questions on the exit level test in eleventh grade, so they don't necessarily have a stake in my subject matter. End of course exams would change that, and hold them (and me) much more accountable.
Here's hoping this little bit of sanity and logic makes it through the legislature and is signed by the governor.
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