Obama’s Indoctrination of Innocent, Helpless Children, the Beginning

Politics • Views: 2,497

President Barack Obama is about to begin brainwashing America’s children, and here’s a thread to discuss the horrific implications.

Need I point out that I’m being sarcastic?

UPDATE at 9/8/09 9:45:34 am:

OK, I’m typing this on a laptop, hidden among boxes in my attic while the empty-eyed demon commie children ransack my home looking for evidence of capitalism. I managed to get into the attic right at the last minute before they broke down my door, chanting, “Smash the facades of capitalist oppression!”

I don’t know how long it will be before they rip out the connections to my Airport Extreme, so if this message ends unexpectedly, tell the people of America that I’ve found the only way to save us! The key to our salvation lies in the secret underground bu

UPDATE at 9/8/09 9:56:05 am:

I managed to escape the attic by using a spoon to cut a hole in the wall, and I made my way to a nearby library, where I’m typing this update on one of their computers. For some reason, they’re still working, and no one seems to be interested in the libr

ATTENTION. ILLEGAL ACTIVITY DETECTED. SHUTTING DOWN NOW.

Jump to bottom

871 comments
1 DaddyG  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:04:16am

School days, school days,
Zero tolerance rule days.
'Readin' and 'ritin' and ‘politics,
Downloaded onto a memory stick.
You were a queen in emo black,
I was pothead with jaws slack,
And you texted on your phone,
let’s hook up
When we were a couple of kids.

2 Leonidas Hoplite  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:05:08am

Woohoo! Let the brainwashing begin! Be careful with the bleach!

3 Gus  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:05:30am

[Link: www.whitehouse.gov...]

4 laZardo  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:05:38am

Need I point out that I’m being sarcastic?

We understand if you've run out of your weekly sarc slash ration. q;

///i'd pass more but there's a character spam filter. >_>

5 Cannadian Club Akbar  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:05:50am

DRINK!!!
/It's for the children. Think of the children

6 Desert Dog  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:05:57am

Here we go! weee

7 Sharmuta  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:06:12am

I like how the Senior class president got to introduce him- what a great memory for him.

8 Douchecanoe and Ryan Too  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:06:23am

And be sure to drink the Kool-aid provided at the end of the presentation, children. Any questions?

9 Ringo the Gringo  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:06:27am

The kids love him.

10 gymmom  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:06:45am

Mr. Spicer did an awesome job!

11 Occasional Reader  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:06:50am

Breaking news: These posters have been distributed to every school in America, to be displayed just prior to the speech.

///

12 [deleted]  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:06:56am
13 Kosh's Shadow  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:07:04am

So will the ACLU complain about prayer in the schools because Obama ended his speech with "G-d bless you and G-d bless America"?

Would they have gone ballistic if Bush had said the same thing in a speech to schoolchildren?

(I don't have much of a problem with it, except for the way it might make Moslems, Hindus, and others feel left out. But given our society, and that this isn't a major part of his speech, no one should make a big stink about it.)

14 96RoadKing  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:07:23am

Whole lotta uproar over nuthin'. SSDD The Left raises hell when a Republican President does it, the Right mimics them when a Democrat President does it, and those with a sense of history just sit back, get the popcorn out, and watch the show.

15 laZardo  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:07:46am

Wait, I thought the speech was yesterday.

/srsly. >__>; The kooks were all at it for days.

16 Kosh's Shadow  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:08:10am

How many kids are really paying attention and how many are shooting spitballs at the unpopular kids in the room?

17 Douchecanoe and Ryan Too  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:09:09am

re: #7 Sharmuta

I like how the Senior class president got to introduce him- what a great memory for him.

No kidding.

And re: my #7, I left the sarc tag off. My bad.

18 laZardo  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:09:09am

re: #1 DaddyG

School days, school days,
Zero tolerance rule days.
'Readin' and 'ritin' and ‘politics,
Downloaded onto a memory stick.
You were a queen in emo black,
I was pothead with jaws slack,
And you texted on your phone,
let’s hook up
When we were a couple of kids.

I don't know if emos evolved, devolved, progressed or regressed into hipsters, but I actually kinda miss them what with all the latter concentrated in the college I go to.

19 lawhawk  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:09:11am

It's going to be a snoozer, for those students who are actually in school to get to hear it (many school districts, including Boston, NYC, and LA aren't even in session). And that's when it's not focused on Obama himself, who doesn't quite understand that the speech has to be geared to the audience, and not to the interest groups that want to hear their buzzwords.

Stay in school, focus on science and math. Look at what education can do. Shouldn't take long to do a speech on those subjects, and yet it's a lengthy speech. KISS concept still holds true in public speaking. Why deviate from it, particularly when you've got short attention spans of kids who are as young as Kindergartners.

No, the real story is tomorrow's joint session before Congress.

20 badger1970  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:09:14am

6th graders getting ready for lunch. The bell's about to ring. Very much ado about nothin'.

21 Killgore Trout  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:09:14am

I'm freaking out maaan!

22 Occasional Reader  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:09:25am

"Get your homework done, don't spend every waking hour in front of the t.v."

A touch of irony there, of course.

23 Douchecanoe and Ryan Too  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:09:26am

re: #17 thedopefishlives

Err, that'd be my #8. Oi.

24 Sharmuta  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:09:26am

re: #16 Kosh's Shadow

How many kids are really paying attention and how many are shooting spitballs at the unpopular kids in the room?

I don't know. I was raised to have manners and pay attention and have respect- I would hope other kids are too. This is a great speech that I hope at least most kids are listening to.

25 MrSilverDragon  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:09:54am

I dunno, with all the dirty thoughts in my head, a good brain washing sounds like a capital idea.

I'll start with three fingers of bourbon.

26 theuglydougling  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:09:55am

WOLVERINES!!

/

27 [deleted]  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:09:58am
28 Occasional Reader  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:10:03am

re: #19 lawhawk

KISS concept still holds true in public speaking.

Rock n' roll all night, and party every day?

29 [deleted]  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:10:06am
30 Charles Johnson  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:10:09am

Oh my God. Did I just hear him say that the true future of America lies in the radicalization of the proletariat?

31 laZardo  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:10:14am

re: #19 lawhawk

It's going to be a snoozer, for those students who are actually in school to get to hear it (many school districts, including Boston, NYC, and LA aren't even in session). And that's when it's not focused on Obama himself, who doesn't quite understand that the speech has to be geared to the audience, and not to the interest groups that want to hear their buzzwords.

Stay in school, focus on science and math. Look at what education can do. Shouldn't take long to do a speech on those subjects, and yet it's a lengthy speech. KISS concept still holds true in public speaking. Why deviate from it, particularly when you've got short attention spans of kids who are as young as Kindergartners.

No, the real story is tomorrow's joint session before Congress.

Quoting a great man on education,

"DON'T BE A FOOL. STAY IN SCHOOL."

32 Creeping Eruption  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:10:18am

re: #24 Sharmuta

I don't know. I was raised to have manners and pay attention and have respect- I would hope other kids are too. This is a great speech that I hope at least most kids are listening to.

The ones that are seeing it that is.

33 laZardo  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:10:51am

Oh, hey, it's 09/09/09 where I live. :D

34 theuglydougling  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:10:51am

re: #30 Charles

I'm not seeing/hearing the speech. Please tell me you're being sarcastic again.

35 Douchecanoe and Ryan Too  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:10:52am

re: #30 Charles

Oh my God. Did I just hear him say that the true future of America lies in the radicalization of the proletariat?

Charles, you need to turn the auto-translation off on your tinfoil hat.

36 The Curmudgeon  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:11:00am

Children of America, I urge you to join Youth for Obama!

37 Killgore Trout  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:11:07am

"Opiate of the masses"

38 Baier  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:11:15am

Loud Noises!
I thought the original lesson plan asking how students can help the president, rather than America was too much. Since they changed it, I have no problem with this, other than the fact that it is a huge waste of time in my opinion. School is more about empty self worth exercises and less about real accomplishment these days.

39 mikalm  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:11:18am

re: #18 laZardo

I don't know if emos evolved, devolved, progressed or regressed into hipsters, but I actually kinda miss them what with all the latter concentrated in the college I go to.

Laz, this should amuse you:

Youtube Video
40 Leonidas Hoplite  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:11:29am

re: #30 Charles

Oh my God. Did I just hear him say that the true future of America lies in the radicalization of the proletariat?

What, that isn't true?

41 Creeping Eruption  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:11:34am

re: #30 Charles

Oh my God. Did I just hear him say that the true future of America lies in the radicalization of the proletariat?

If you play the speech backwards at half speed, it comes through pretty clearly.

42 [deleted]  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:11:35am
43 lawhawk  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:11:36am

re: #28 Occasional Reader

Rock n' roll all night, and party every day?

Well, it did work for a couple of recent presidents if you believe the hype (Clinton, Bush and Obama).

44 Vicious Babushka  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:11:38am

My grandkids all got excused early from school today so they can attend their uncle's wedding which is this afternoon.

Except for my grandkids in Israel, and they are not going to hear Obama's speech.

45 Occasional Reader  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:11:40am

re: #30 Charles

Oh my God. Did I just hear him say that the true future of America lies in the radicalization of the proletariat?

I thought his call to "teach the filthy kuhlaks a lesson they won't forget" was perhaps a bit inappropriate, myself.

46 Killgore Trout  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:11:41am

Eat the rich!

47 Charles Johnson  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:12:00am

What! I thought I just heard him say that the control of the means of producing economic goods in a society should reside in the hands of those who invest their labor for production!

I can't believe this!

48 mikalm  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:12:12am

"From each according to his ability, to each according to his need."

49 brandon13  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:12:13am

re: #34 theuglydougling

I'm not seeing/hearing the speech. Please tell me you're being sarcastic again.

Uh, yeah.

50 yma o hyd  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:12:18am

This is far too gentle, Charles;

Need I point out that I’m being sarcastic?

You need at least BOLD, CAPITAL LETTERS, so the idiots can't claim to to have been unable to see this!

51 Vicious Babushka  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:12:19am

re: #30 Charles

Oh my God. Did I just hear him say that the true future of America lies in the radicalization of the proletariat?

Did he really say that? No way, you're pulling our legs.

52 badger1970  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:12:22am

Bell rang. Kids are being loud and obnoxious in the halls. Ho, hum.

53 MandyManners  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:12:26am

Which one's pink?

Youtube Video
54 DaddyG  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:12:36am

I wish our President would address students on a regular basis. Non-partisan stuff of course but our kids see government as an abstraction and not an active establishment that they will have an important franchise in someday.

55 laZardo  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:12:53am

re: #47 Charles

Somebody call Glenn Beck!

/is this playing along thing working?

56 Spenser (with an S)  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:12:56am

re: #24 Sharmuta

I don't know. I was raised to have manners and pay attention and have respect- I would hope other kids are too.

Mine were told "No matter what you've heard Mommy and Daddy say about our President's bad ideas, we do not boo the President in public because that is disrespectful to him and especially because of the Office he holds."

57 [deleted]  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:13:04am
58 Charles Johnson  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:13:05am

Good lord! "Private property must be abolished."

This is so much worse than even Glenn Beck imagined.

59 MrSilverDragon  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:13:10am

re: #30 Charles

Oh my God. Did I just hear him say that the true future of America lies in the radicalization of the proletariat?

Well, if he's not going to quote Trotsky, who is?

60 Kragar  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:13:18am

Has he reminded the kids that we have always been at war with Eurasia?

///

61 badger1970  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:13:22am

re: #53 MandyManners

Sorry, no cigar. I just "Run Like Hell"

62 Killgore Trout  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:13:22am

re: #54 DaddyG

It would be nice to make it an annual thing.

63 Vicious Babushka  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:13:37am

Charles is channeling my son (not the bridegroom, who takes everything completely seriously, but the joker from Moscow, who likes to stir the pot and watch everybody freak out)

64 pat  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:13:45am

When Bush spoke to students, Democrats investigated, held hearings
[Link: www.washingtonexaminer.com...]
partisans

65 Occasional Reader  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:14:12am

re: #57 buzzsawmonkey

I think the concept is fundamentally Floyd.

Sure, but it's all Waters under the bridge now, just let it go.

66 Douchecanoe and Ryan Too  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:14:12am

Charles is trolling his own blog. NOW I've seen everything.

/Kidding, Charles, don't hit me too hard

67 Sharmuta  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:14:18am

re: #56 Spenser (with an S)

Mine were told "No matter what you've heard Mommy and Daddy say about our President's bad ideas, we do not boo the President in public because that is disrespectful to him and especially because of the Office he holds."

That's exactly right. It's too bad that so many of our fellow travelers on the right felt they couldn't extend this simple courtesy to the office.

68 MandyManners  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:14:43am

re: #53 MandyManners

Which one's pink?

Youtube Video

From the movie.

Youtube Video
69 Occasional Reader  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:14:59am

"Here in America, you write your own destiny, you make your own future."

What, he's a Republican now?

70 yma o hyd  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:14:59am

Has he said anything about washing-of-hands yet?

71 MrSilverDragon  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:14:59am

re: #65 Occasional Reader

Sure, but it's all Waters under the bridge now, just let it go.

And you know who made that bridge? Masons!

72 Sharmuta  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:15:02am

NO ONE'S WRITEN YOUR DESTINY FOR YOU.

My favorite line.

73 badger1970  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:15:13am

re: #67 Sharmuta

And there was a time when the family actually had sit down meals with no bloody TV.

74 Creeping Eruption  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:15:29am

re: #64 pat

When Bush spoke to students, Democrats investigated, held hearings
[Link: www.washingtonexaminer.com...]
partisans

So lets take this time to appropriately review a kindergarten lesson: Two wrongs don't make a right.

75 Charles Johnson  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:15:38am

"There is no excuse for not trying ... to overthrow the oppressive capitalist running dogs."

I hope someone's recording this. Barack Obama's coming right out into the open.

/need I?

76 [deleted]  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:15:42am
77 Kosh's Shadow  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:15:47am

re: #70 yma o hyd

Has he said anything about washing-of-hands yet?

No, he'll wash his hands later when he crucifies Israel.
(Sorry for the mixing of religions here.)

78 Sharmuta  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:15:49am

re: #73 badger1970

And there was a time when the family actually had sit down meals with no bloody TV.

No one is stopping folks from turning off the TV during meals.

79 [deleted]  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:15:51am
80 DaddyG  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:16:03am

re: #72 Sharmuta

NO ONE'S WRITEN YOUR DESTINY FOR YOU.

My favorite line.

George Soros told him to include that one. /unlike Charles I still need to use sarc tags. :-p

81 MandyManners  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:16:04am

re: #57 buzzsawmonkey

I think the concept is fundamentally Floyd.

Are you some kind of Moby?

82 badger1970  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:16:21am

GHWB speech was taped and played at night. The democrats still had a bowel movement.

83 StillAMarine  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:16:31am

As I clumsily tried to say yesterday, I believe President Obama is doing a world of good by speaking to the children on the importance of applying oneself, and that there are no longer the barriers that once existed to young people, especially young black people, keeping them from achieving their goals.
However, as we have seen, there is a lot of paranoia being displayed, with some believing that Obama is somehow going to turn their little darlings into fire breathing leftists simply by talking to them. Paranoia yes, but the most important fact to note is that President Obama has lost faith with with a large segment of the population. I do not believe that this lack of faith is too far off the mark.

84 Occasional Reader  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:16:32am

Highlights so far:

-Cities to be emptied out, mandatory agricultural work for entire "bourgoisie"

-All people wearing eyeglasses to be summarily executed

Pretty much what I expected.

85 Charles Johnson  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:16:34am

re: #79 obscured by clouds

Idiot.

86 yma o hyd  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:16:50am

re: #75 Charles

"There is no excuse for not trying ... to overthrow the oppressive capitalist running dogs."

I hope someone's recording this. Barack Obama's coming right out into the open.

/need I?

You do - for all the eejits out there!

87 Sharmuta  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:16:50am

"They took responsibility for their lives..."

What a commie bastard. ///

88 Locker  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:16:51am

re: #31 laZardo

Quoting a great man on education,

"DON'T BE A FOOL. STAY IN SCHOOL."

If I could give a double upding for a Mr T quote, I would. Nice one.

89 Creeping Eruption  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:17:05am

re: #78 Sharmuta

No one is stopping folks from turning off the TV during meals.

It has an off button. The things you learn here.

90 Killgore Trout  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:17:09am

Is that a Chinese flag lapel pin?

91 Wendya  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:17:10am

re: #14 96RoadKing

Whole lotta uproar over nuthin'. SSDD The Left raises hell when a Republican President does it, the Right mimics them when a Democrat President does it, and those with a sense of history just sit back, get the popcorn out, and watch the show.

I just hope the Republicans are smart enough not to follow in the democrats footsteps and call for congressional hearings.

92 Charles Johnson  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:17:11am

He just urged the kids to "read a book!"

Right! Chairman Mao's little red book! Commie!

93 theuglydougling  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:17:23am

re: #42 buzzsawmonkey

I should have included my /reddawn tag. lol

94 BlackFedora  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:17:37am

President Obama clears his throat and says,

Uh... Learn to think critically or you'll end up voting for an empty suit like myself or batshit crazy bark at the moon insane like Glenn Beck.

OT but...

a website I shan't link to has a transcript of Charlie Sheen supposedly interrogating President Obama for 20 minutes on 9/11 "truth." If you're not OD'ed on crazy from Obama speech gate and would like a good laugh.. might be worth a read.

95 Douchecanoe and Ryan Too  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:17:40am

re: #92 Charles

He just urged the kids to "read a book!"

Right! Chairman Mao's little red book! Commie!

Nononono, you've got it all wrong. Mein Kampf is all the rage these days. /

96 weimdog02  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:17:44am

re: #62 Killgore Trout

Maybe the president(s) can make a yearly speech to make sure the children know how much in debt their parents and grandparents put them.

At the current level of US debt, $11 TRILLION, that means each of these young people are $200K in debt before they even start working.

"Stay in school you little wage slaves!"

97 Sharmuta  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:17:46am

re: #92 Charles

He just urged the kids to "read a book!"

Right! Chairman Mao's little red book! Commie!

Harry Potter! He's turning them all to satanism!

98 Green Helmet Guy  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:17:55am

He's gonna hand out Obamapoo.
Instructions: massage into wet young brain and work into rich creamy lather. Rinse clean with warm water. Repeat if necessary.

Save yourselves! Run for the hills!

///

99 MandyManners  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:17:57am

re: #90 Killgore Trout

Is that a Chinese flag lapel pin?

Can't you tell by looking at the flag over the Red House?

100 yma o hyd  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:17:57am

re: #77 Kosh's Shadow

No, he'll wash his hands later when he crucifies Israel.
(Sorry for the mixing of religions here.)

Thass ok - some mixing is always good!

:-)))

101 Occasional Reader  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:18:01am

What?! I've not going to be a reality t.v. star?!

Well, that cuts it. I'm moving to Venezuela.

102 Spenser (with an S)  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:18:03am

re: #69 Occasional Reader

"Here in America, you write your own destiny, you make your own future."

What, he's a Republican now?

You know, all freak-outs aside, it does confuse me when he talks like that because we usually hear from him and his party the exact opposite. I guess he means now, since the last election, you write your own destiny.

103 Killgore Trout  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:18:24am

re: #95 thedopefishlives

Rulez 4 Radikals!

104 Rexatosis  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:18:26am

Reactions to Obama's speech:

Student: Yeah no AP class!:)

AP Instructor: Damn, now they are even further behind!:(

105 Gus  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:18:35am

Harry Potter!

The outrage!

//

106 Kragar  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:18:42am

My kids school called parents last night. They're recording the speach and will show it to kids later when they can fit it into the schedule. They also said any parents who had a problem with it could send a note and children would be exempt from watching it.

107 Charles Johnson  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:18:42am

Harry Potter! Oh nooo! The hand of Satan is among us!

108 Sharmuta  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:18:54am

re: #89 Creeping Eruption

It has an off button. The things you learn here.

Stunning, isn't it?

Even more shocking- it can be left off for hours, days, weeks and all together.

109 Ben Hur  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:19:16am

I don't know which way this debate went this weekend, but I thought it was about the "helping our president" worksheet, etc, that was the problem, and not the content of the speech.

But hey, whatever makes the crazies more crazy.

110 yma o hyd  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:19:23am

re: #78 Sharmuta

No one is stopping folks from turning off the TV during meals.

Dunno - some teenagers in the family will usually be quite quite capable of stopping said TV from being turned off!

111 Occasional Reader  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:19:38am

Actually, if you get bad grades, it MIGHT mean you're stupid.

(Just sayin'.)

112 DaddyG  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:19:44am

I was going to try to stream this but the Lizardcommentary is so entertaining I think I'll just monitor Lizard here.

113 Walter L. Newton  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:19:59am

re: #102 Spenser (with an S)

You know, all freak-outs aside, it does confuse me when he talks like that because we usually hear from him and his party the exact opposite. I guess he means now, since the last election, you write your own destiny.

Why can't you just accept what he is saying right now? There is no need to bring up his progressive past, his good socialist friends and his total lack of understanding personal freedoms.
///

114 96RoadKing  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:20:01am

re: #58 Charles

Good lord! "Private property must be abolished."

This is so much worse than even Glenn Beck imagined.


Good grief...next he's going to say "Rise up! Rise up! Up the Revolution!"

115 Creeping Eruption  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:20:19am

re: #108 Sharmuta

Stunning, isn't it?

Even more shocking- it can be left off for hours, days, weeks and all together.

Bullshit! No, really? C'mon. My kids told me that once it was plugged in, it would always be on, and we would need an electrician to replace it. Doh!

//

116 Sharmuta  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:20:20am

re: #110 yma o hyd

Dunno - some teenagers in the family will usually be quite quite capable of stopping said TV from being turned off!

Then that's a sign of weak parenting, frankly.

117 J.S.  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:20:23am

re: #109 Ben Hur

Yes, it was about the suggested lesson plans which were to follow the speech...

118 MandyManners  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:20:27am

re: #109 Ben Hur

I don't know which way this debate went this weekend, but I thought it was about the "helping our president" worksheet, etc, that was the problem, and not the content of the speech.

But hey, whatever makes the crazies more crazy.

[Link: www.ed.gov...]

119 Baier  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:20:27am

re: #111 Occasional Reader

Actually, if you get bad grades, it MIGHT mean you're stupid.

(Just sayin'.)

These are the kids that get told they are smart more often as well.

120 Occasional Reader  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:20:33am

Obama admits he asks for help when he needs it... from Van Jones, Mark Lloyd...

bwaahahaha

121 Wendya  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:20:43am

re: #114 96RoadKing

Good grief...next he's going to say "Rise up! Rise up! Up the Revolution!"

Wasn't that the campaign slogan?

122 DaddyG  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:21:00am

Did he get to the part about turning in parents names to whitehouse.gov if they criticize his administrations plans yet? /

123 Killgore Trout  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:21:06am

"revolution!"

124 Dianna  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:21:24am

I do wonder why on earth the President felt the need to do this. It seems rather an odd use of his time - and it feels skewed to "reach" this far into things the President isn't usually involved in.

Your mileage and belief about this may differ.

125 Charles Johnson  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:21:28am

re: #109 Ben Hur

I don't know which way this debate went this weekend, but I thought it was about the "helping our president" worksheet, etc, that was the problem, and not the content of the speech.

But hey, whatever makes the crazies more crazy.

The worksheet contained absolutely nothing offensive. It's a completely fake outrage.

100% fake. Nothing valid.

126 laZardo  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:21:29am

re: #121 Wendya

It was until yesterday's Times was released. Then apparently it was never the real slogan at all.

/ q;

127 Danny  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:21:43am

Dang, I missed the beginning. Did he start by swinging a watch back and forth?

128 Walter L. Newton  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:21:45am

re: #122 DaddyG

Did he get to the part about turning in parents names to whitehouse.gov if they criticize his administrations plans yet? /

It's on the teachers activity plan.
///

129 weimdog02  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:22:13am

Former Green Jobs Czar on education:

"I...decided to go to Yale because Yale didn't have any grades and was smaller than Harvard. I figured, once I enroll I'm guaranteed to graduate, so I can just go and be a radical hell raiser student, and they can't do anything about it. Which is pretty much what happened."

[Link: www.collagefoundation.org...]

130 Ringo the Gringo  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:22:30am

Barack Obama really does seem to be able to connect with the kids.

This was the best speech I've heard him make - no vague slogans, he was specific: work hard, set goals, don't give up.

Anyone who was freaking out over this speech should be ashamed of themselves.

131 Gus  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:22:36am

Bravo Mr. President!

132 Wendya  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:22:41am

re: #124 Dianna

I do wonder why on earth the President felt the need to do this. It seems rather an odd use of his time - and it feels skewed to "reach" this far into things the President isn't usually involved in.

Your mileage and belief about this may differ.

He needs some good PR. Seriously, he has had a very, very bad summer.

133 Occasional Reader  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:22:54am

He's blinking in Morse code "k-i-l-l y-o-u-r p-a-r-e-n-t-s"!

134 [deleted]  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:22:54am
135 Charles Johnson  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:23:04am

15 minutes. And now America is certainly doomed. The repercussions are spreading across the country like a tsunami of commie.

136 Vicious Babushka  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:23:17am

re: #97 Sharmuta

Harry Potter! He's turning them all to satanism!

Lady Chatterly's Lover!

137 Sharmuta  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:23:17am

"Don't let yourself down. Make us all proud."

I'm just sick! What kind of message is that for young people?! They will all surely be marxists after that. We're doomed!

138 yma o hyd  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:23:20am

re: #116 Sharmuta

Then that's a sign of weak parenting, frankly.

Yep.
Or, more usually, a sign of overtired parents who, after work, just want some peace and can do without yet another row ...

Teenagers are definitely from another planet!

139 Dianna  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:23:29am

re: #125 Charles

The worksheet contained absolutely nothing offensive. It's a completely fake outrage.

100% fake. Nothing valid.

But what on earth is he using his time like this for? It's quite a reach for an executive.

140 Douchecanoe and Ryan Too  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:23:30am

re: #135 Charles

15 minutes. And now America is certainly doomed. The repercussions are spreading across the country like a tsunami of commie.

The Google World Domination Map just colored the United States in as red.

141 Gus  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:23:40am

re: #135 Charles

15 minutes. And now America is certainly doomed. The repercussions are spreading across the country like a tsunami of commie.

Excellent speech. I consider this his number one speech thus far.

142 Vicious Babushka  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:23:42am

re: #135 Charles

15 minutes. And now America is certainly doomed. The repercussions are spreading across the country like a tsunami of commie.

"Tsunami of commie" has a certain ring to it.

143 Walter L. Newton  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:23:58am

re: #139 Dianna

But what on earth is he using his time like this for? It's quite a reach for an executive.

World Domination

144 [deleted]  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:24:00am
145 Ringo the Gringo  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:24:05am

Too bad it became a media circus.

146 laZardo  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:24:06am

re: #138 yma o hyd

Yep.
Or, more usually, a sign of overtired parents who, after work, just want some peace and can do without yet another row ...

Teenagers are definitely from another planet!

We should create a special district for them. Maybe give it a nice number, too. 8 sounds lovely.

147 Sharmuta  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:24:14am

re: #130 Ringo the Gringo

Barack Obama really does seem to be able to connect with the kids.

This was the best speech I've heard him make - no vague slogans, he was specific: work hard, set goals, don't give up.

Anyone who was freaking out over this speech should be ashamed of themselves.

I agree- this is the best speech he's given yet. His delivery could have been a tad better, but over all- great speech. I truly hope this becomes a Presidential tradition.

148 SixDegrees  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:24:27am

re: #110 yma o hyd

Dunno - some teenagers in the family will usually be quite quite capable of stopping said TV from being turned off!

Simple solution: wire cutters in hand, dramatically yank the plug out of the wall - and snip it off.

Cost to repair damage - about 50 cents.

Impact on impressionable young minds - priceless.

149 Mad Prophet Ludwig  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:24:34am

re: #92 Charles

He just urged the kids to "read a book!"

Right! Chairman Mao's little red book! Commie!

The thing that the far right wingnuts don't seem to get is how very clearly, by bashing this, they are saying "we don't read!" They are saying "we don't want you to read either!"

Of course, when you listen to them go on about historical revision, ID, and AGW, it becomes clear how little they read.

How could anyone, but the most ignorant and disturbed possible think that Hitler was misunderstood, that the fascists were really leftist, that ID is science etc...

When you give them hard evidence after hard evidence to the contrary of whatever false talking point they make, do they look at it? Do they process it?

OF course not.

But they do know that an educated populace, the sort that actually does read and look for facts will not buy their crap.

It seems strangely obvious that this is why they are so against a beneficial speech on education. However, I don't think that the true believers on the far right (or left, try convincing a moonbat of anything also) would see it in such obvious terms. To them, their paranoid fantasy world, that they have created on faith and reinforced by whispering to like minded hysterics, is the only truth. All that other evidence must be fake, and putting those facts in schools must all be part of a conspiracy.

It is a fabulous self reinforcing cycle of delusion.

It is also a cancer, that unwittingly attacks its cure.

The cure of course, being a real education.

150 96RoadKing  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:24:37am

re: #121 Wendya

Wasn't that the campaign slogan?


I don't think it was an actual slogan...I think all his 'Revolution', 'Raise up the Proletariat', and 'Get Whitey' remarks were relegated to his 'press talking points'. Which explains why it wasn't reported...

151 Sharmuta  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:24:40am

re: #138 yma o hyd

Yep.
Or, more usually, a sign of overtired parents who, after work, just want some peace and can do without yet another row ...

Teenagers are definitely from another planet!

True- you have to pick your battles.

152 Occasional Reader  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:24:44am

re: #135 Charles

15 minutes. And now America is certainly doomed. The repercussions are spreading across the country like a tsunami of commie.

I've already helped myself to my colleague's stapler. I need it more than she does.

153 Charles Johnson  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:24:56am

They're interviewing a kid named Tommy -- he just said he learned that he has to commit his life to helping the Dear Leader change the essentially oppressive structures of capitalist domination.

154 avanti  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:25:02am

re: #118 MandyManners

[Link: www.ed.gov...]

I see no problem with using the speech to extend the civics lesson.

155 mikalm  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:25:02am

re: #139 Dianna

But what on earth is he using his time like this for? It's quite a reach for an executive.

I think WendyA nailed it above: he needed good P.R., after the various debacles of the last seven months.

156 [deleted]  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:25:06am
157 Ben Hur  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:25:10am

re: #125 Charles

The worksheet contained absolutely nothing offensive. It's a completely fake outrage.

100% fake. Nothing valid.

Except for the "president" in place of country, I had no problem with it.

I don't where (meaning from LGF comments) it turned to thinking the SPEECH itself was going to be some sort of hypnosis.

I just read this morning that following Bush Srs school speech the Dem led house held multiple specials sessions on the outrage.

158 HAL2010  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:25:24am

Am I the only one who would have found it utterly hilarious if he actually had said all those things Charles has written?

Can you imagine the GENUINE shock the Beck Brigade would have felt?
He probably would have given the entire staff of FOX a heart attack.

159 philip  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:25:26am

Amazing and inspiring speech, as usual (yes, I'm a fanboy, sue me)!

I would love to see the inside of the RNC HQ right now. HAHAHHAHA

160 Douchecanoe and Ryan Too  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:25:38am

re: #153 Charles

They're interviewing a kid named Tommy -- he just said he learned that he has to commit his life to helping the Dear Leader change the essentially oppressive structures of capitalist domination.

Any kid using words that big has got to be on to something.

/Or coached, but they'd NEVER do that, would they?

//

161 Creeping Eruption  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:25:43am

re: #144 buzzsawmonkey

Actually, Lady Chatterly™ Liver is on the menu today at the school cafeteria.

Mmmm . . .Pate

162 Mad Prophet Ludwig  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:25:47am

re: #42 buzzsawmonkey

Not to carry things up thread, and I do not wish to derail this one, but if you go downstairs, I replied to your remarks about science and religion very completely.

163 reloadingisnotahobby  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:25:50am

It'd be easier to keep up if I wasn't laughing so much...
In my present condition ...it hurts!
LOL

164 Dianna  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:25:53am

re: #132 Wendya

He needs some good PR. Seriously, he has had a very, very bad summer.

That's as good an explanation as any I've heard.

But telling kids, "work hard, do your homework, obey your parents, and don't give up" seems an odd use of Presidential time and authority. However commendable the sentiments expressed.

165 [deleted]  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:26:15am
166 Locker  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:26:17am

re: #142 Alouette

"Tsunami of commie" has a certain ring to it.

Not as much as Commie Tsunami... although that does sort of resemble a Chinese Porn Star name.

167 Danny  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:26:20am

I missed nearly all of it.

168 laZardo  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:26:33am

And I'm headin' to bed. Nighty!

169 The Curmudgeon  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:26:53am

He gave me a thrill up my leg!

170 J.D.  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:27:00am

For the record...
When Bush spoke to students, Democrats investigated, held hearings
~Byron York

171 [deleted]  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:27:02am
172 [deleted]  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:27:05am
173 badger1970  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:27:14am

re: #164 Dianna

Just doing the job that some Americans refuse to do /

174 DaddyG  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:27:22am

re: #148 SixDegrees

Simple solution: wire cutters in hand, dramatically yank the plug out of the wall - and snip it off.

Cost to repair damage - about 50 cents.

Impact on impressionable young minds - priceless.

My friend did that and his kid hotwired the TV with a coat hanger. We couldn't decide if he was really brilliant for finding a solution or horribly stupid for trying to electrocute himself. Teenager in a nutshell.

175 yma o hyd  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:27:25am

re: #148 SixDegrees

Simple solution: wire cutters in hand, dramatically yank the plug out of the wall - and snip it off.

Cost to repair damage - about 50 cents.

Impact on impressionable young minds - priceless.

Even better - don't have the thing in the house in the first place ...

Which then leads to teenagers either visiting their disreputable friends, where they watch - or to teenagers retreating into the small hell which is their bedroom and watching TV streamed on the PCs.
Can't deprive teenies of their PCs nowadays - they need it for 'schoolwork' ...

I vote for chucking them onto farms and making them work their butts of, from dawn to night ...!

176 vxbush  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:27:27am

re: #164 Dianna

That's as good an explanation as any I've heard.

But telling kids, "work hard, do your homework, obey your parents, and don't give up" seems an odd use of Presidential time and authority. However commendable the sentiments expressed.

Reagan did it.
Bush 43 did it.
Should Obama not continue the tradition?

Reagan even put politics in his speech...

177 Kenneth  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:27:44am

That was a fine speech. My kids are heading back to school this week and that is the kind of message I would want them to hear and take to heart.

178 BARACK THE VOTE  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:27:52am

re: #13 Kosh's Shadow

So will the ACLU complain about prayer in the schools because Obama ended his speech with "G-d bless you and G-d bless America"?

Of course not, because "God bless America" is a generic expression not explicitly invoking one religion over any other-- despite the fondest fantasies of our theocratic class, and their convoluted and false claims that 'America was founded as a Christian nation!" -- and it has a long history in the US of being invoked in such settings.

179 Kosh's Shadow  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:27:53am

re: #153 Charles

They're interviewing a kid named Tommy -- he just said he learned that he has to commit his life to helping the Dear Leader change the essentially oppressive structures of capitalist domination.

I think you're watching the feed from Communist Martyr's High School.
/Firesign Theatre reference for the humor impaired

180 Occasional Reader  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:28:01am

re: #159 philip

Amazing and inspiring speech, as usual (yes, I'm a fanboy

I do so wish we were chatting in person right now, so I could do the same thing I always do when doe-eyed Obama fans droll over his "eloquence":

"Please tell me your three favorite lines from his speeches".

No googling in person, of course.

The results are usually pretty comical.

181 Douchecanoe and Ryan Too  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:28:07am

re: #175 yma o hyd


Can't deprive teenies of their PCs nowadays - they need it for 'schoolwork' ...

I vote for chucking them onto farms and making them work their butts of, from dawn to night ...!

For the more tech-savvy among us, we can restrict incoming and outgoing network traffic. Stream THIS.

182 debutaunt  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:28:08am

re: #47 Charles

What! I thought I just heard him say that the control of the means of producing economic goods in a society should reside in the hands of those who invest their labor for production!

I can't believe this!

Oh jeez. The teleprompter is running his Labor Day/May Day speech.

183 [deleted]  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:28:28am
184 Desert Dog  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:28:31am

re: #149 LudwigVanQuixote

The thing that the far right wingnuts don't seem to get is how very clearly, by bashing this, they are saying "we don't read!" They are saying "we don't want you to read either!"

Of course, when you listen to them go on about historical revision, ID, and AGW, it becomes clear how little they read.

How could anyone, but the most ignorant and disturbed possible think that Hitler was misunderstood, that the fascists were really leftist, that ID is science etc...

When you give them hard evidence after hard evidence to the contrary of whatever false talking point they make, do they look at it? Do they process it?

OF course not.

But they do know that an educated populace, the sort that actually does read and look for facts will not buy their crap.

It seems strangely obvious that this is why they are so against a beneficial speech on education. However, I don't think that the true believers on the far right (or left, try convincing a moonbat of anything also) would see it in such obvious terms. To them, their paranoid fantasy world, that they have created on faith and reinforced by whispering to like minded hysterics, is the only truth. All that other evidence must be fake, and putting those facts in schools must all be part of a conspiracy.

It is a fabulous self reinforcing cycle of delusion.

It is also a cancer, that unwittingly attacks its cure.

The cure of course, being a real education.

Yes, we are all stoopid on the right, Lud. I am actually drooling right now and don't have a thought in my head. We don't read, we don't take kindly to that fancy book learnin'.

But, you on the left, with your angelic aura of knowledge, can shine the light bright enough to enlighten even dullards like myself...Thank you, Lud, thank you so much...You do it because you care, don't you?

185 VioletTiger  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:28:31am

re: #124 Dianna

I do wonder why on earth the President felt the need to do this. It seems rather an odd use of his time - and it feels skewed to "reach" this far into things the President isn't usually involved in.

Your mileage and belief about this may differ.

He is a young president with young children, so it fits imo.
Also, he has been a president who has resonated with youth. Maybe they will take him seriously when he says 'stay in school'.

186 Dianna  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:28:40am

re: #145 Ringo the Gringo

Too bad it became a media circus.

It couldn't become anything else. No other president has felt the necessity to give the kids a pep-talk at the beginning of the school year.

Heck, why not just send a letter urging the kids to sit up straight, pay attention, do their homework, listen to their parents and not give up? Why assemblies?

It's just off-kilter.

187 jaunte  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:28:47am

re: #170 J.D.

For the record...
When Bush spoke to students, Democrats investigated, held hearings
~Byron York

Good, now we can have more investigations, going the other way!

/

188 mikalm  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:29:03am

re: #164 Dianna

That's as good an explanation as any I've heard.

But telling kids, "work hard, do your homework, obey your parents, and don't give up" seems an odd use of Presidential time and authority. However commendable the sentiments expressed.

I wonder if the racial factor is at work here too. He's a Person of Color who became the most powerful human on Earth, so perhaps he feels obliged to set himself up as an example for young African-Americans and other disadvantaged groups: "See? I made it to the absolute top -- you can too, if you study and work hard."

189 Charles Johnson  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:29:16am

Oh noes! A squadron of children with horrible empty eyes just marched past my house, chanting "Smash the facade of capitalism! Down with lackeys of Wall Street!"

They're coming up to my door! They have a battering ram!

If you don't hear from me again, just ... pray for me.

190 SlartyBartfast  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:29:25am

re: #153 Charles

They're interviewing a kid named Tommy -- he just said he learned that he has to commit his life to helping the Dear Leader change the essentially oppressive structures of capitalist domination.

"Hi, I'm Tommy of the Commie Tsumami...

So put in your ear plugs,
put on your eye shades
and you know where to put the cork!"

191 Killgore Trout  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:29:29am

re: #183 HAL2010

They smile out of fear!

192 Kosh's Shadow  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:29:50am

re: #175 yma o hyd

Even better - don't have the thing in the house in the first place ...

Which then leads to teenagers either visiting their disreputable friends, where they watch - or to teenagers retreating into the small hell which is their bedroom and watching TV streamed on the PCs.
Can't deprive teenies of their PCs nowadays - they need it for 'schoolwork' ...

I vote for chucking them onto farms and making them work their butts of, from dawn to night ...!

Lack of respect, wrong attitude, failure to obey authority. The Farm, immediately.

193 DaddyG  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:29:56am

re: #149 LudwigVanQuixote
You are mindreading a bit too much conservative conspiracy. There is enough out there without dreaming more up.

I had concerns that the President would stick in a partisan plug and ask kids to lobby Mom and Dad but those were gone by the time I saw the lesson plan. He did a good job today.

194 Ben Hur  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:29:56am

Anything about meat and pudding?

195 Danny  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:30:26am

re: #189 Charles

Do you live near corn fields? Could be those wacky corn children.

196 SlartyBartfast  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:30:31am

oops...tsumami? public skool education, here.

197 Cannadian Club Akbar  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:30:34am

Shhh...

I think Charles has been drinking.

198 yma o hyd  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:30:35am

re: #164 Dianna

That's as good an explanation as any I've heard.

But telling kids, "work hard, do your homework, obey your parents, and don't give up" seems an odd use of Presidential time and authority. However commendable the sentiments expressed.

Well - he's just giving all those parents a good helping hand with their kids.
After all, what do parents know, right?
But if the President tells them ... mega-wow!
No?

199 Douchecanoe and Ryan Too  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:30:40am

re: #189 Charles

Oh noes! A squadron of children with horrible empty eyes just marched past my house, chanting "Smash the facade of capitalism! Down with lackeys of Wall Street!"

They're coming up to my door! They have a battering ram!

If you don't hear from me again, just ... pray for me.

Retreat to the lizard lair. Hopefully it hasn't been compromised yet.

200 Charles Johnson  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:30:44am

Here comes Bill Kristol to try his best to make it just fine that the right freaked out over this.

201 Occasional Reader  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:31:10am

re: #179 Kosh's Shadow

I think you're watching the feed from Communist Martyr's High School.
/Firesign Theatre reference for the humor impaired

Porgy Tyrebiter
he's a spy and a girl-delighter
Porgy Firefighter
he's a student like you

Now if you're lookin' for a captain of the Ringball Team
you can bet
he won't there
You can find him poppin' off at Pop's Sodium Shop
trailin' a Red
with red hair

Porgy Tyrebiter
he's a student like you
(like me?)
he's a student like youuu...


[yes, I did that from memory]

202 HAL2010  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:31:14am

re: #188 mikalm

I wonder if the racial factor is at work here too. He's a Person of Color who became the most powerful human on Earth, so perhaps he feels obliged to set himself up as an example for young African-Americans and other disadvantaged groups: "See? I made it to the absolute top -- you can too, if you study and work hard."

He has said on numerous times that the phrase "a black kid who picks up a book is acting white" needs to be eliminated if I remember correctly.

I didn't see the speech, being in jolly old England, did he make any specific references?

203 saberry0530  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:31:15am

re: #189 Charles

Oh noes! A squadron of children with horrible empty eyes just marched past my house, chanting "Smash the facade of capitalism! Down with lackeys of Wall Street!"

They're coming up to my door! They have a battering ram!

If you don't hear from me again, just ... pray for me.

Well, they will leave if you just buy some of the cookies and /or popcorn!

204 Wendya  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:31:20am

re: #164 Dianna

That's as good an explanation as any I've heard.

But telling kids, "work hard, do your homework, obey your parents, and don't give up" seems an odd use of Presidential time and authority. However commendable the sentiments expressed.

If he spent the next 3 years doing nothing but giving speeches to kids telling them to work hard and stay in school, I would be perfectly happy.

205 96RoadKing  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:31:22am

re: #189 Charles

Oh noes! A squadron of children with horrible empty eyes just marched past my house, chanting "Smash the facade of capitalism! Down with lackeys of Wall Street!"

They're coming up to my door! They have a battering ram!

If you don't hear from me again, just ... pray for me.


If you come back on line with a vacant stare, drooling and espousing Leftist gibberish do you want us to take you to an intervention, or just donate to whatever cause you're espousing?

206 Charles Johnson  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:31:42am

This is the right wing talking point:

Sure, we totally freaked out over this, for nothing. But it's still Obama's fault.

207 Mad Prophet Ludwig  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:31:46am

re: #184 Desert Dog

Yes, we are all stoopid on the right, Lud. I am actually drooling right now and don't have a thought in my head. We don't read, we don't take kindly to that fancy book learnin'.

But, you on the left, with your angelic aura of knowledge, can shine the light bright enough to enlighten even dullards like myself...Thank you, Lud, thank you so much...You do it because you care, don't you?

NO I was saying that the wingnuts don't read. This is true on both sides.

as an example, in the post that offended you:

However, I don't think that the true believers on the far right (or left, try convincing a moonbat of anything also)

Do try reading.

208 HAL2010  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:32:08am

re: #191 Killgore Trout

The scouts are in on it to!

209 Locker  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:32:18am

re: #184 Desert Dog

Yes, we are all stoopid on the right, Lud. I am actually drooling right now and don't have a thought in my head. We don't read, we don't take kindly to that fancy book learnin'.

But, you on the left, with your angelic aura of knowledge, can shine the light bright enough to enlighten even dullards like myself...Thank you, Lud, thank you so much...You do it because you care, don't you?

Well he did say "far right wing nuts" not all of the right. It's not like this doesn't have the ring of truth to it as far as anti-intellectualism is concerned. On the flip side the human trait of ignoring fact that challenge a false reality is by no means restricted to any political group, it's rampant everywhere.

210 KenJen  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:32:23am

Obama loves the little children..all the children of the world.

211 jaunte  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:32:26am

re: #206 Charles

This is the Right wing talking point:

Sure, we totally freaked out over this, for nothing. But it's still Obama's fault.

He tricked us into it!

212 J.D.  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:32:32am

re: #187 jaunte

Good, now we can have more investigations, going the other way!

/

I wonder when that will commence?
/

213 SanFranciscoZionist  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:32:39am

re: #13 Kosh's Shadow

So will the ACLU complain about prayer in the schools because Obama ended his speech with "G-d bless you and G-d bless America"?

Would they have gone ballistic if Bush had said the same thing in a speech to schoolchildren?

(I don't have much of a problem with it, except for the way it might make Moslems, Hindus, and others feel left out. But given our society, and that this isn't a major part of his speech, no one should make a big stink about it.)

Muslims should have no problem with 'God', and Hindus seem to accept the singular as an expression of an overarching divinity. Some others might have issues though, but it's a very standard expression in politics.

214 Gus  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:32:49am

re: #206 Charles

This is the Right wing talking point:

Sure, we totally freaked out over this, for nothing. But it's still Obama's fault.

That wasn't the original speech!

/

215 96RoadKing  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:32:59am

re: #206 Charles

This is the right wing talking point:

Sure, we totally freaked out over this, for nothing. But it's still Obama's fault.


Sorta what the Left said whenever Bush's actions turned out correct?

216 Occasional Reader  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:33:12am

re: #194 Ben Hur

Anything about meat and pudding?

Give the guy a break. It's well known that when he gets home at night, his fat and psychopathic wife will thrash him, within inches of his life.

/

217 jaunte  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:33:19am

re: #212 J.D.

It was a waste of time and money the last time. Why continue that?

218 Desert Dog  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:33:30am

re: #180 Occasional Reader

I do so wish we were chatting in person right now, so I could do the same thing I always do when doe-eyed Obama fans droll over his "eloquence":

"Please tell me your three favorite lines from his speeches".

No googling in person, of course.

The results are usually pretty comical.

He looked GREAT though...and that's what really counts.

This was a positive message to the kiddies. Bravo, Mr. President.

But, it was not very specific and was not "one for the ages". It was a straight forward speech that is very similar to the sentiments I express to my kids when talking about school. It was blown out of proportion and now that it is over, it was a non-event. Bid deal, President Obama spoke to the kids about staying in school. If some kids are inspired by it, that is great. But, it was just some non-descript encouraging words aimed at school aged kids.

219 Dianna  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:33:38am

re: #176 vxbush

Reagan did it.
Bush 43 did it.
Should Obama not continue the tradition?

Reagan even put politics in his speech...

What on earth are you talking about? I can remember seeing Presidents dragged to various schools to make some point or other. I do not recall a single other President making a nation-wide speech to school children.

The sentiments expressed are fine. I just don't get the point.

220 BLBfootballs  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:33:39am

It was a pretty good talk IMO with a very good message to American children.

But I think a big (maybe the main) reason it turned out that way is because of the right-wing's criticism of the speech's original ludicrous text.

221 DaddyG  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:33:59am

re: #170 J.D.

For the record...
When Bush spoke to students, Democrats investigated, held hearings
~Byron York

That was wrong. Let's not repeat that lunacy.

Hoefully the Dems and Republicans can build some trust and be able to act without worrying about piddling partisan gnat bites.

222 Mad Prophet Ludwig  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:34:18am

re: #189 Charles

Oh noes! A squadron of children with horrible empty eyes just marched past my house, chanting "Smash the facade of capitalism! Down with lackeys of Wall Street!"

They're coming up to my door! They have a battering ram!

If you don't hear from me again, just ... pray for me.

I posted earlier that this was part of my work with MK Ultra at LANL! I warned you! I showed you what the speech did to Army Rangers and to US Navy SEALS!

You should have believed me. I tried to warn you.

There is only one thing you can do.

Quickly, nail a red book to the lintel of your door. They will see it as a sign and pass over you.

223 jaunte  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:34:22am

re: #220 BLBfootballs

It was a pretty good talk IMO with a very good message to American children.

But I think a big (maybe the main) reason it turned out that way is because of the right-wing's criticism of the speech's original ludicrous text.

What was in the original text?

224 SlartyBartfast  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:34:23am

Uh, oh...those "Watch for Children" signs may take on a new meaning...

And, that warning on those kitchen matches, "Keep Away from Children!!"

We should have seen this coming...

225 Occasional Reader  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:34:37am

re: #180 Occasional Reader

droll = drool

PIMF

226 J.D.  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:34:41am

re: #217 jaunte

It was a waste of time and money the last time. Why continue that?

Did I forget the sarc tag?
Scrolling up
^
^
^

No.

227 HAL2010  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:34:46am

re: #220 BLBfootballs

It was a pretty good talk IMO with a very good message to American children.

But I think a big (maybe the main) reason it turned out that way is because of the right-wing's criticism of the speech's original ludicrous text.

Yeah, the original message of confining the capitalist chains of oppression on the backlog of history was a bit over the top.

228 Creeping Eruption  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:34:47am

re: #221 DaddyG

That was wrong. Let's not repeat that lunacy.

Hoefully the Dems and Republicans can build some trust and be able to act without worrying about piddling partisan gnat bites.

While I agree . . . I'll take a little of whatever you are smoking.

229 Ringo the Gringo  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:35:10am

Of course, if George W Bush had made a similar speech, Medea Benjamin and Jodie Evans from Code Pink would have run up on stage screaming "murderer!" with fake blood dripping from their hands.

230 Dianna  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:35:15am

re: #185 VioletTiger

He is a young president with young children, so it fits imo.
Also, he has been a president who has resonated with youth. Maybe they will take him seriously when he says 'stay in school'.

To the last, I hope so.

231 Sharmuta  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:35:21am

re: #206 Charles

This is the right wing talking point:

Sure, we totally freaked out over this, for nothing. But it's still Obama's fault.

Of course it's someone else's fault!

What would you expect from the party of personal responsibility? ///

232 Walter L. Newton  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:35:26am

re: #207 LudwigVanQuixote

Do try reading.

Let's see. I am a conservative. I did read the speech and both versions of the activity plan as released by the White House and the DOE. And I am not against Obama giving this speech to students.

I must be lying.

233 Lanzman  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:35:33am

OMG!!! "Stay in school, do your work, don't give up, you need an education."

What a horrific, devious, manipulative propaganda message to hurl at our poor innocent children!

All the nonsense from the last several weeks: sound and fury, signifying nothing. A generic "do your work" speech with no nasty subtext. Of course, it would be interesting to see where various schools take off from here, but as a Vast Left-Wing Conspiracy (TM) story, this was a non-event.

234 Desert Dog  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:35:38am

re: #172 Killgore Trout

I know somebody else who wanted to inspire children.

And, you point of that post is? Obama is a Nazi? Or, is it aimed elsewhere?

235 Creeping Eruption  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:35:44am

re: #225 Occasional Reader

droll = drool

PIMF

But your post was so droll

236 Shug  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:35:59am

re: #220 BLBfootballs

It was a pretty good talk IMO with a very good message to American children.

But I think a big (maybe the main) reason it turned out that way is because of the right-wing's criticism of the speech's original ludicrous text.

I never saw the original text. I'm not sure the text exists does it?

No doubt hopeychange, but who knows.

237 Dianna  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:36:09am

re: #204 Wendya

If he spent the next 3 years doing nothing but giving speeches to kids telling them to work hard and stay in school, I would be perfectly happy.

I agree. That would be a good thing.

Who knows? Maybe a few more would listen!

238 Ben Hur  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:36:15am

And the quarterback hands off to the teachers union...

sorta /

239 J.S.  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:36:25am
"On Sunday, Education Secretary Arne Duncan acknowledged that a section about writing to the president on how students can help him meet education goals was poorly worded. It was changed.

'We just clarified that to say write a letter about your own goals and what you're going to do to achieve those goals,' Duncan said on CBS' 'Face the Nation'."

240 J.D.  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:36:26am

re: #221 DaddyG

I couldn't agree more.

241 BLBfootballs  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:36:31am

re: #223 jaunte

Scratch that -- it may have been in the accompanying "lesson plan" rather than the text. But the business about having students meditate and write about "how we can help the president".

242 Kosh's Shadow  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:36:43am

re: #222 LudwigVanQuixote

I posted earlier that this was part of my work with MK Ultra at LANL! I warned you! I showed you what the speech did to Army Rangers and to US Navy SEALS!

You should have believed me. I tried to warn you.

There is only one thing you can do.

Quickly, nail a red book to the lintel of your door. They will see it as a sign and pass over you.

Or Obama's blue book

243 Killgore Trout  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:36:48am

re: #234 Desert Dog

Sarcasm.

244 DaddyG  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:37:24am

re: #228 Creeping Eruption

While I agree . . . I'll take a little of whatever you are smoking.

My naive dreams of adults in congress are probably a result of low blood sugar. I need to heat up lunch.

245 HAL2010  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:37:32am

re: #243 Killgore Trout

Sarcasm.

ROFLMAO

246 Honorary Yooper  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:37:36am

re: #30 Charles

Oh my God. Did I just hear him say that the true future of America lies in the radicalization of the proletariat?

Heh. Sounds like the trailer for Michael Moore's new movie. :-)

247 Sean  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:37:38am

It's much ado about nothing.

Benign remarks sent out to school districts whose bandwidth crashed under the load.

The President could've streamed a feed from the aliens in Area 51 at our classrooms and no one would've or could've seen it!

I am a teacher and our internet bandwidth sucks so bad we can't reliably use the Interwebz to do CBI (Computer-Based Instruction) let alone brainwashing!

248 Occasional Reader  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:37:43am

re: #242 Kosh's Shadow

Or Obama's blue book

"Blue book"?! Slowly I turned...

(it's a law school thing)

249 Sharmuta  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:37:44am

re: #220 BLBfootballs

It was a pretty good talk IMO with a very good message to American children.

But I think a big (maybe the main) reason it turned out that way is because of the right-wing's criticism of the speech's original ludicrous text.

What original speech text? The speech of your imagination?

250 Gus  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:37:47am

Fox News is playing up the negative.

251 Dianna  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:37:53am

Back to numbers. Take care.

252 HAL2010  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:38:10am

re: #250 Gus 802

Fox News is playing up the negative.

What are they saying?

253 Ben Hur  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:38:17am

re: #242 Kosh's Shadow

Or Obama's blue book

Did you see the "tags" people associated with that book?

254 Charles Johnson  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:38:35am

re: #220 BLBfootballs

It was a pretty good talk IMO with a very good message to American children.

But I think a big (maybe the main) reason it turned out that way is because of the right-wing's criticism of the speech's original ludicrous text.

This is complete crap. What "original ludicrous text?" Where are you you getting this nonsense from?

255 Douchecanoe and Ryan Too  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:38:38am

re: #249 Sharmuta

What original speech text? The speech of your imagination?

Did we even have any text of the speech beforehand? I thought that was the reason there was a big to-do among the fruitcakes, because nobody knew what he was going to say.

256 Mad Prophet Ludwig  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:38:40am

re: #184 Desert Dog

And also, I am a centrist. I always have been.

The center only looks like the left to folks who are so far to the right that they can no longer see the difference.

This applies to the left as well. Moonbats think I am a fascist.

Both sides tend to go and call anyone who does not share their groupthink by some labile, so as to avoid any rational argument.

It is another way that the cancer of self reinforced delusions prevents any new knowledge or ideas from dislodging itself. Would you care perhaps to address the points of my post, now that you have called me a leftist? Would you care to point out one false statement in it?

Of course, that would require you to think about what was said.

257 Wendya  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:38:46am

re: #176 vxbush

Reagan did it.
Bush 43 did it.
Should Obama not continue the tradition?

Reagan even put politics in his speech...

Reagan did a Q&A preceded by prepared remarks with a group of Junior High students during his second term. It was a discussion about our form of government. I can't see that happening today from either side of the aisle.

258 Diego  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:39:06am

re: #250 Gus 802

Fox News is playing up the negative.

Faux News IS the negative..

259 Ojoe  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:39:09am

It is too bad that the President has to step up and tell the kids what they should have heard at home many times already.

260 Kragar  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:39:29am

Children of the world, UNITE! You have nothing to loose but your CHANGE!

261 Walter L. Newton  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:39:43am

re: #258 Diego

Faux News IS the negative..

Clever.

262 Ben Hur  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:39:47am

re: #257 Wendya

Reagan did a Q&A preceded by prepared remarks with a group of Junior High students during his second term. It was a discussion about our form of government. I can't see that happening today from either side of the aisle.

BEcause the students today would have waaay too many questions.

263 Sharmuta  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:39:55am

re: #255 thedopefishlives

Did we even have any text of the speech beforehand? I thought that was the reason there was a big to-do among the fruitcakes, because nobody knew what he was going to say.

No one knew what the speech was- everyone freaked out about the after speech material. These folks talking about any original speech text are making up stuff.

264 Gus  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:40:24am

re: #252 HAL2010

What are they saying?

On their web page:

An hour before the president's stay-in-school address to students nationwide, some districts are still struggling over whether to allow it to be shown.

Has an image of young black man wearing an Obama t-shirt. Text reads: Problem Teacher? Schools Consider Whether to Play Hooky From Obama Speech.

Only a text link to the speech.

265 DaddyG  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:40:46am

re: #256 LudwigVanQuixote

And also, I am a centrist. I always have been.


Pick a side weenie! /

I am finding myself more centrist than I ever thought possible.

266 Walter L. Newton  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:40:50am

re: #263 Sharmuta

No one knew what the speech was- everyone freaked out about the after speech material. These folks talking about any original speech text are making up stuff.

Correct. There was only one copy of the speech ever released to the public and that was this past Friday. Anyone who claims the speech has changed has not proof of that.

267 BARACK THE VOTE  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:40:52am

re: #159 philip

Amazing and inspiring speech, as usual (yes, I'm a fanboy, sue me)!

I would love to see the inside of the RNC HQ right now. HAHAHHAHA

I have my issues with Obama, but only the permanently befuddled or the ODS sufferers can claim that the guy lacks charisma or eloquence, or doesn't give excellent speech.

I can't quite get the reluctance of some on the right to concede he has this strength. It's perfectly consistent to acknowledge he has it, and yet feel he says nothing of substance.

Similarly, I used to get angry at BDS sufferers on the left who couldn't acknowledge that Bush was a charimatic and likable guy, by all accounts. Did I like him as a POTUS? Hell no.

Didn't keep me from acknowledging he was very likable, charming, and charismatic as a human being, and that these were major political assets for him.

268 HAL2010  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:40:54am

re: #259 Ojoe

It is too bad that the President has to step up and tell the kids what they should have heard at home many times already.

Who would you listen to, your mum or the President?

269 avanti  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:41:01am

re: #241 BLBfootballs

Scratch that -- it may have been in the accompanying "lesson plan" rather than the text. But the business about having students meditate and write about "how we can help the president".

It would help to note that the "help the President" line was addressed during a education speech, not one on the wars or health care for example. Getting input the students that are closest to the issue, just made good sense. They should have added the words "further education goals" after the help the President line.

270 SanFranciscoZionist  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:41:02am

re: #56 Spenser (with an S)

Mine were told "No matter what you've heard Mommy and Daddy say about our President's bad ideas, we do not boo the President in public because that is disrespectful to him and especially because of the Office he holds."

Got into a conversation with one of my students about that a few years ago. We were discussing why he should be respectful to an administrator he didn't like. He wanted to know what I would do if President Bush visited our school.

(I would note that I refused and refuse to tell the kids anything about my voting habits, they just assumed I had to be a Democrat, given the demographics of the area, and the moonbattishness of the school.)

I said "I would greet President Bush with the respect his office demands, and welcome him to our school. Why wouldn't I?"

He didn't believe me.

271 Sean  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:41:09am

Doesn't anyone get the point:

It didn't get into the classrooms even when we tried!

I saw that myself.

272 Fat Bastard Vegetarian  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:41:14am

re: #26 theuglydougling

WOLVERINES!!

/

Red Dawn ding...

273 Ben Hur  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:41:28am

re: #267 iceweasel

He reads well.

274 reloadingisnotahobby  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:42:03am

I have a question!!
Who took the Black Bean and Corn Salsa out of the lunch room Fridge!???
I will find you and it will not be pretty!!
///

275 Shug  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:42:13am

Take personal responsibility---Obama's instructions to America's children

Government will take responsibility for everything.--- Obama's instructions to Congress

He trusts American children more than American adults.

276 HAL2010  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:42:20am

re: #264 Gus 802

Huh. Wonder what Beck will say.

277 Ojoe  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:42:36am

re: #265 DaddyG

re: #256 LudwigVanQuixote

Well, check out this antique/new centrist party:

Modern Whig Party.

278 Charles Johnson  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:42:37am

OK, I'm typing this on a laptop, hidden among boxes in my attic while the demon commie children ransack my home looking for evidence of capitalism. I managed to get into the attic right at the last minute before they smashed down my door.

I don't know how long it will be before they rip out the connections to my Airport Extreme, so if this message ends unexpectedly, tell the people of America that I've found the only way to save us! The key to our salvation lies in the secret underground bu

279 Diego  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:43:00am

re: #276 HAL2010

If Beck were my dog I'd have to have him put down..

280 Gus  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:43:15am

re: #276 HAL2010

Huh. Wonder what Beck will say.

The usual. Maybe he'll throw in some crying while at the chalkboard.

281 Ojoe  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:43:15am

re: #268 HAL2010

My mom, if she were still around.

But I did listen to my parents.

282 Walter L. Newton  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:43:16am

re: #273 Ben Hur

He reads well.

One of the best I ever heard. He will certainly have all the skills needed to get a job at Fox Cable News after 2012. A lying good reader.

283 Sharmuta  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:43:19am

re: #268 HAL2010

Who would you listen to, your mum or the President?

Depends. Maybe some kids don't have a mom. Or maybe it's that they have no dad. Maybe they have no adult who really cares about them. I see no reason why kids shouldn't listen to the president on this.

284 Shug  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:43:37am

re: #279 Diego

Classy

/ not

285 Desert Dog  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:43:42am

re: #256 LudwigVanQuixote

And also, I am a centrist. I always have been.

The center only looks like the left to folks who are so far to the right that they can no longer see the difference.

This applies to the left as well. Moonbats think I am a fascist.

Both sides tend to go and call anyone who does not share their groupthink by some labile, so as to avoid any rational argument.

It is another way that the cancer of self reinforced delusions prevents any new knowledge or ideas from dislodging itself. Would you care perhaps to address the points of my post, now that you have called me a leftist? Would you care to point out one false statement in it?

Of course, that would require you to think about what was said.

Lud, lecture me all day about scientific matters, that is not my area. But, you're off base with some of your comments. Calling an entire group of people naive and stupid is, well, naive and stupid, yes? I am right winger and I read quite a bit, from both sides. Just because I disagree with you somehow you assume I am dumb? Are we in a playground?

286 Fat Bastard Vegetarian  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:43:55am

Is it just me? Or has Charles been extra funny lately?

287 Walter L. Newton  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:44:00am

re: #278 Charles

OK, I'm typing this on a laptop, hidden among boxes in my attic while the demon commie children ransack my home looking for evidence of capitalism. I managed to get into the attic right at the last minute before they smashed down my door.

I don't know how long it will be before they rip out the connections to my Airport Extreme, so if this message ends unexpectedly, tell the people of America that I've found the only way to save us! The key to our salvation lies in the secret underground bu

That's why you should have a PC, you wouldn't have to worry about your Airport Extreme.
//

288 Mad Prophet Ludwig  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:44:06am

re: #193 DaddyG

You are mindreading a bit too much conservative conspiracy. There is enough out there without dreaming more up.

I had concerns that the President would stick in a partisan plug and ask kids to lobby Mom and Dad but those were gone by the time I saw the lesson plan. He did a good job today.

You are not Beck, or the legions of Fox viewers, or the Fox executives trying to paint this as evil. You saw the speech and thought for yourself. You are not the sort of person I was talking about.

I hope that when I use the term right wing nut, I am specifically talking about the nuts, not normal thinking people who have right of center views on some issues.

289 experiencedtraveller  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:44:13am

Has Obama's Army of zombie-children begun collectivizing school property yet?

/

290 Big Steve  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:44:14am

Well I see OUR DEAR GOVERNOR (Rick Perry of Texas) is at it again embarrassing Republicans. After all his huffing and puffing about not accepting Stimulus money and threatening to succeed...well he has accepted stimulus money for a fund to give grants to police departments. This fund is one where he as Governor personally gets to decide which police departments get money and for what. The Houston Chronicle is reporting that Perry accepted $90M in Federal stimulus money to pad the fund that he gets to give out. Perry Making Use of Stimulus Boost

291 Ojoe  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:44:29am

re: #278 Charles

That's going straight to the top of the comments.

292 DaddyG  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:44:31am

re: #269 avanti

It would help to note that the "help the President" line was addressed during a education speech, not one on the wars or health care for example. Getting input the students that are closest to the issue, just made good sense. They should have added the words "further education goals" after the help the President line.


Good point. While the people preparing his curricula guide should have been more sensitive to the fact that "help the President" language could have been awkward during a partisan debate over health care and the economy. That is a very small issue IMO.

Obama and the Dems in general do need to work on engendering trust with the American people and not just characterizing their political opponents as all being hard right crazies.

293 Big Steve  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:44:39am

re: #286 Fat Bastard Vegetarian

Is it just me? Or has Charles been extra funny lately?

Its you
/

294 lawhawk  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:44:41am

re: #278 Charles

OK, I'm typing this on a laptop, hidden among boxes in my attic while the demon commie children ransack my home looking for evidence of capitalism. I managed to get into the attic right at the last minute before they smashed down my door.

I don't know how long it will be before they rip out the connections to my Airport Extreme, so if this message ends unexpectedly, tell the people of America that I've found the only way to save us! The key to our salvation lies in the secret underground bu

As Charles has lost contact, I am now in control ... lawhawk m. haig. ///

295 Cannadian Club Akbar  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:44:44am

re: #286 Fat Bastard Vegetarian

Is it just me? Or has Charles been extra funny lately?

The acid, it is strong.
/

296 Gus  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:44:49am

re: #278 Charles

OK, I'm typing this on a laptop, hidden among boxes in my attic while the demon commie children ransack my home looking for evidence of capitalism. I managed to get into the attic right at the last minute before they smashed down my door.

I don't know how long it will be before they rip out the connections to my Airport Extreme, so if this message ends unexpectedly, tell the people of America that I've found the only way to save us! The key to our salvation lies in the secret underground bu

Children of the Corn Obama!

/

297 debutaunt  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:44:52am

re: #180 Occasional Reader

I do so wish we were chatting in person right now, so I could do the same thing I always do when doe-eyed Obama fans droll over his "eloquence":

"Please tell me your three favorite lines from his speeches".

No googling in person, of course.

The results are usually pretty comical.

The President had multiple clever usages of the words 'wing-gnat'.

298 J.S.  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:45:03am

re: #269 avanti

Wrong. That's not what I've been reading: "The only sound criticism of the speech was of a related lesson plan that originally included asking students to write about how they could “help the president,” a question that could be construed as trying to turn the speech into a personal plug for Obama rather than a pep talk from him. But that item was quickly removed from the lesson plan." from Kyle Wingfield...Atlantic Journal Constitution.

299 BLBfootballs  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:45:07am

re: #254 Charles

Like I said above, scratch that -- there was no original text. I meant to say, and should have said, the accompanying "assignment" for students to write about "how can we help the President".

OTOH if the "assignment" had been accompanied by the text of the actually delivered speech I think there would (and should) have been much less criticism. At least there would have been context. The whole question of whether the President was being unduly venerated is still worthy of debate... but an assignment about helping students do the best for themselves and take responsibility for their future is far more benign...maybe even constructive.

300 HAL2010  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:45:10am

re: #278 Charles

OK, I'm typing this on a laptop, hidden among boxes in my attic while the demon commie children ransack my home looking for evidence of capitalism. I managed to get into the attic right at the last minute before they smashed down my door.

I don't know how long it will be before they rip out the connections to my Airport Extreme, so if this message ends unexpectedly, tell the people of America that I've found the only way to save us! The key to our salvation lies in the secret underground bu

You know, socialism isn't that bad. We've had it in England for years, and our government hasn't made a single mistake since.
My neighbour had to be carted off for thought-crimes said in his sleep, but thankfully his kids overheard him.

Ok the kids aren't looking at me any more, quick, send help before they figure out I am posting th

301 Occasional Reader  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:45:13am

re: #267 iceweasel

but only the permanently befuddled or the ODS sufferers can claim that the guy lacks charisma or eloquence

Gosh, I guess I'm befuddled.

Charisma? Yes. Eloquence? Not really. His speeches tend to be cliche-ridden pap that could be written with clever "political speech" software. He has a nice speaking voice, and a sort of standard-issue but effective speaking style. That's about it.

Like I mentioned above - and yes, this is anecdotal - I find it common that those who praise him as the greatest orator since Pericles usually can't, on the spot, name three memorable lines from his speeches.

302 MrSilverDragon  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:45:23am

re: #295 Cannadian Club Akbar

The acid, it is strong.
/

Must not be the brown ones.

303 reloadingisnotahobby  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:45:27am

re: #278 Charles

In the Attic???
So it was you!!!
Gemme back my SALSA!!
Hope ya brought water!It's going to get warm
up there very quick!
LOL

304 Ben Hur  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:45:40am

One speech a capitalist not make.

305 Sharmuta  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:45:41am

re: #275 Shug

Take personal responsibility---Obama's instructions to America's children

Government will take responsibility for everything.--- Obama's instructions to Congress

He trusts American children more than American adults.

Again- what's funny is the GOP being the party of personal responsibility and then not taking responsibility for hyperventilating over nothing by blaming obama instead of manning up that they freaked out over nothing.

306 J.D.  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:45:42am

re: #294 lawhawk

As Charles has lost contact, I am now in control ... lawhawk m. haig. ///

Opportunist!

307 avanti  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:45:54am

re: #278 Charles

OK, I'm typing this on a laptop, hidden among boxes in my attic while the demon commie children ransack my home looking for evidence of capitalism. I managed to get into the attic right at the last minute before they smashed down my door.

I don't know how long it will be before they rip out the connections to my Airport Extreme, so if this message ends unexpectedly, tell the people of America that I've found the only way to save us! The key to our salvation lies in the secret underground bu

I assume you have stocked up on ammo before it's banned ?/

308 Locker  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:46:21am

re: #279 Diego

If Beck were my dog I'd have to have him put down..

If Beck were my dog I'd send him to Cesar Millan for a few months with a normal dog pack. He'd come back happy, calm and ready for butt sniffing.

309 Walter L. Newton  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:46:23am

re: #301 Occasional Reader

Gosh, I guess I'm befuddled.

Charisma? Yes. Eloquence? Not really. His speeches tend to be cliche-ridden pap that could be written with clever "political speech" software. He has a nice speaking voice, and a sort of standard-issue but effective speaking style. That's about it.

Like I mentioned above - and yes, this is anecdotal - I find it common that those who praise him as the greatest orator since Pericles usually can't, on the spot, name three memorable lines from his speeches.

Hope
Change
and...
I can't think of a third line?

310 Sean  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:46:35am

Is anyone else here a teacher?
If so:
Did you actually, successfully get the streaming feed?

311 Ben Hur  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:46:47am

Obamtourage - Pilot

Youtube Video
312 lawhawk  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:46:56am

re: #300 HAL2010

Daisy... dai...sey... and yes... you will dream...

313 Diego  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:46:59am

re: #308 Locker

I'm pretty sure he's already ready for the butt sniffing...

314 MrSilverDragon  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:47:02am

re: #309 Walter L. Newton

Hope
Change
and...
I can't think of a third line?

Audacity?

315 DaddyG  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:47:03am

re: #288 LudwigVanQuixote

You are not Beck, or the legions of Fox viewers, or the Fox executives trying to paint this as evil. You saw the speech and thought for yourself. You are not the sort of person I was talking about.

I hope that when I use the term right wing nut, I am specifically talking about the nuts, not normal thinking people who have right of center views on some issues.


Thanks for clarifying. I bristle when people use the term Groupthink (usually incorrectly) to describe conservatives.

316 Honorary Yooper  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:47:05am

re: #285 Desert Dog

Are we in a playground?

I sometimes wonder that myself, if we ever actually left elementary school.

317 Shug  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:47:05am

re: #305 Sharmuta

Again- what's funny is the GOP being the party of personal responsibility and then not taking responsibility for hyperventilating over nothing by blaming obama instead of manning up that they freaked out over nothing.


Or freaking out over the freaking out

318 Kragar  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:47:21am

re: #294 lawhawk

As Charles has lost contact, I am now in control ... lawhawk m. haig. ///

You'll have to deal with the Popular People's Front of LGF!

319 Cannadian Club Akbar  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:47:27am

re: #309 Walter L. Newton

Hope
Change
and...
I can't think of a third line?

TAX!!

320 HAL2010  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:47:36am

re: #307 avanti

I assume you have stocked up on ammo before it's banned ?/


Here's an interesting thought:

Does the 2nd amendment cover bullets?
If not, surely it would be within the constitution to ban them?

321 Walter L. Newton  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:47:37am

re: #314 MrSilverDragon

Audacity?

That was audacious on your part.

322 Fat Bastard Vegetarian  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:47:43am

re: #301 Occasional Reader

Hey Iceweasel...

Love ya Baby!

But, what he said.

323 Mad Prophet Ludwig  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:47:44am

re: #278 Charles

OK, I'm typing this on a laptop, hidden among boxes in my attic while the demon commie children ransack my home looking for evidence of capitalism. I managed to get into the attic right at the last minute before they smashed down my door.

I don't know how long it will be before they rip out the connections to my Airport Extreme, so if this message ends unexpectedly, tell the people of America that I've found the only way to save us! The key to our salvation lies in the secret underground bu

NO Charles no...

Nail the little red book to your lintel, it is the only way. If you are cornered sing this - hell play this from your lap top... The children have been programed to not attack if they hear it...

Youtube Video

You must live to carry on the fight!

324 Big Steve  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:48:00am

As I said yesterday, that damn President Lincoln using "four score and seven" trying to convert our children to base 20.

325 Walter L. Newton  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:48:04am

re: #313 Diego

I'm pretty sure he's already ready for the butt sniffing...

Clever.

326 Kosh's Shadow  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:48:07am

re: #318 Kragar (proud to be kafir)

You'll have to deal with the Popular People's Front of LGF!

SPLITTERS!

327 SanFranciscoZionist  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:48:10am

re: #99 MandyManners

Can't you tell by looking at the flag over the Red House?

Random old joke:

Nixon and Brezhnev are talking. "I had a dream last night," Brezhnev said. "I was walking through Washington DC, and red flags were flying from every building, and there were signs urging the workers on to revolution."

"Funny," says Nixon, "I had a dream too. I was in Moscow, and there were red flags flying from every building. And signs, too."

"What's so strange about that?" Brezhnev snorts. "What did the signs say?"

"Dunno," Nixon replies. "I can't read Chinese."

328 Honorary Yooper  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:48:46am

re: #324 Big Steve

As I said yesterday, that damn President Lincoln using "four score and seven" trying to convert our children to base 20.

Damn, Lincoln was an ancient Mayan in disguise?
/

329 Dianna  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:48:59am

re: #289 experiencedtraveller

Has Obama's Army of zombie-children begun collectivizing school property yet?

/

Come on! They haven't even struck up Mine eyes have seen the glory of the burning of the School!

330 [deleted]  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:49:15am
331 reloadingisnotahobby  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:49:22am

re: #320 HAL2010

I can't believe you just typed that!!
//
They will try...

332 MrSilverDragon  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:49:29am

re: #321 Walter L. Newton

That was audacious on your part.

Reckless, that's me!

333 Ben Hur  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:49:34am

re: #278 Charles

OK, I'm typing this on a laptop, hidden among boxes in my attic while the demon commie children ransack my home looking for evidence of capitalism. I managed to get into the attic right at the last minute before they smashed down my door.

I don't know how long it will be before they rip out the connections to my Airport Extreme, so if this message ends unexpectedly, tell the people of America that I've found the only way to save us! The key to our salvation lies in the secret underground bu

Carry on, Charles!

We let the little ones know the gold watch is safe!

334 HAL2010  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:49:36am

re: #328 Honorary Yooper

Damn, Lincoln was an ancient Mayan in disguise?
/

Don't look now, but its all part of the prophecy.

335 avanti  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:49:43am

re: #292 DaddyG

Good point. While the people preparing his curricula guide should have been more sensitive to the fact that "help the President" language could have been awkward during a partisan debate over health care and the economy. That is a very small issue IMO.

Obama and the Dems in general do need to work on engendering trust with the American people and not just characterizing their political opponents as all being hard right crazies.

They should hire bloggers from a far right and left web sites to parse every statement and pay them say a $100 for every line they can spin negatively.

336 Desert Dog  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:49:46am

re: #305 Sharmuta

Again- what's funny is the GOP being the party of personal responsibility and then not taking responsibility for hyperventilating over nothing by blaming obama instead of manning up that they freaked out over nothing.

It is funny and the GOP should be ashamed for acting the way we did. We will not react the way the Dems did after GHWB spoke to the kiddies though and call for hearings. So, let's give them a big laugh as well...they were even worse!

337 Pianobuff  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:50:10am

Hey everybody. Anybody get Wee-wee'd up over the speech today.

338 gymmom  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:50:18am

re: #318 Kragar (proud to be kafir)

You'll have to deal with the Popular People's Front of LGF!

After you deal with the People's Popular Front at LGF.

339 yma o hyd  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:50:26am

Gawd - I do hope Charles has made it to the sekrit underground bunker!

340 Charpete67  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:50:27am

re: #309 Walter L. Newton

Hope
Change
and...
I can't think of a third line?

The problem is people remember the wrong lines...typical white person, spread the wealth around, cambridge police acted stupidly...none are from speeches and none were with a teleprompter...

341 Kosh's Shadow  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:50:30am

re: #329 Dianna

Come on! They haven't even struck up Mine eyes have seen the glory of the burning of the School!

You made me:

Mine eyes have seen the glory of the burning of the school
We have tortured every teacher; we have broken every rule
We are marching down the corridor to kill the principal.
And our truth goes marching on.

Glory, glory, hallelujah
Teacher hit me with a ruler
Ruler turned red and the teacher dropped dead
Now there's no more teacher any more.

342 Douchecanoe and Ryan Too  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:50:39am

re: #336 Desert Dog

It is funny and the GOP should be ashamed for acting the way we did. We will not react the way the Dems did after GHWB spoke to the kiddies though and call for hearings. So, let's give them a big laugh as well...they were even worse!

Don't speak too quickly. Some nutjob may actually get a GOP'er started down that road. Crazier things have happened.

343 badger1970  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:50:39am

re: #247 Sean

Too bad funding was cut from the e-trust grants for technology in lieu for a raise in administrators salaries and stipends.

344 Sharmuta  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:50:44am

Obama said:

We write our own destinies in America.

Dropping out of school is not only the student failing themselves but the country.

Everyone is good at something and it's the children's responsibility to discover what they are good at doing.

Those are three things that stuck with me. Do I win a prize for recalling 3?

345 experiencedtraveller  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:50:46am

re: #329 Dianna

Come on! They haven't even struck up Mine eyes have seen the glory of the burning of the School!

Where is Pink Floyd when we need them most!

346 Ben Hur  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:50:52am

re: #327 SanFranciscoZionist

Random old joke:

Nixon and Brezhnev are talking. "I had a dream last night," Brezhnev said. "I was walking through Washington DC, and red flags were flying from every building, and there were signs urging the workers on to revolution."

"Funny," says Nixon, "I had a dream too. I was in Moscow, and there were red flags flying from every building. And signs, too."

"What's so strange about that?" Brezhnev snorts. "What did the signs say?"

"Dunno," Nixon replies. "I can't read Chinese."

Funny. An updated version of that joke was told in Israel leading up to Gulf War II.

Sadaam. Bush. Signs.

Bush can't read Hebrew.

(Bush can't read english, either! LOL!)

347 HAL2010  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:50:57am

re: #331 reloadingisnotahobby

I wonder if its legal?

We need some legal expertise on this.

348 DaddyG  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:51:01am

re: #316 Honorary Yooper

I sometimes wonder that myself, if we ever actually left elementary school.

Lessons I learned in Kindergarten:

Hit the kid next to you then cry loudly. The teacher will blame them.
Giggling and fidgeting during nap time will make other kids laught and intice the strangest facial tics out of the teacher.
You can get classmates to share cookies through guilt or pretending to be their friend.

349 Kosh's Shadow  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:51:11am

re: #338 gymmom

After you deal with the People's Popular Front at LGF.

SPLITTER!

350 Big Steve  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:51:17am

re: #294 lawhawk

As Charles has lost contact, I am now in control ... lawhawk m. haig. ///

Better you than Space Jesus...

351 Desert Dog  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:51:37am

re: #342 thedopefishlives

Don't speak too quickly. Some nutjob may actually get a GOP'er started down that road. Crazier things have happened.

God, I hope you are wrong. That would be pathetic.

352 lawhawk  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:51:38am

re: #339 yma o hyd

Gawd - I do hope Charles has made it to the sekrit underground bunker!

I hope the weather's better underground. I hear it can be real volatile... explosive even in SoCal.

353 jorline  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:51:43am

Children Of The Corn

Youtube Video

This is an non-issue at both of my kids schools...they're year-round schools and their first six weeks break is this week...they both slept right through the speech...lol

354 mikalm  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:52:02am

re: #329 Dianna

Come on! They haven't even struck up Mine eyes have seen the glory of the burning of the School!

"Got a 44/and then I shot her to the floor/Now she don't teach no more!"
:-)

355 yma o hyd  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:52:13am

re: #344 Sharmuta

Obama said:

We write our own destinies in America.

Dropping out of school is not only the student failing themselves but the country.

Everyone is good at something and it's the children's responsibility to discover what they are good at doing.

Those are three things that stuck with me. Do I win a prize for recalling 3?

Of course you do - everybody wins a prize!

356 Kosh's Shadow  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:52:18am

re: #345 experiencedtraveller

Where is Pink Floyd when we need them most!

No, that was "We don't need no education"
See my
re: #341 Kosh's Shadow

357 Dianna  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:52:19am

re: #341 Kosh's Shadow

You made me:

Mine eyes have seen the glory of the burning of the school
We have tortured every teacher; we have broken every rule
We are marching down the corridor to kill the principal.
And our truth goes marching on.

Glory, glory, hallelujah
Teacher hit me with a ruler
Ruler turned red and the teacher dropped dead
Now there's no more teacher any more.

I take full responsibility! Tee-hee!

My numbers are frustrating me, but I need to go back to them.

358 Diego  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:52:23am

re: #353 jorline

Children Of The Corn

Cornholers more like..

359 Honorary Yooper  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:52:27am

re: #338 gymmom

After you deal with the People's Popular Front at LGF.

Splitter!

360 avanti  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:52:28am

re: #320 HAL2010

Here's an interesting thought:

Does the 2nd amendment cover bullets?
If not, surely it would be within the constitution to ban them?

It would infringe on you right to keep and bear arms since your gun would just become a expensive club. Interesting concept though, there were no bullets back than.

361 Kragar  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:52:32am

re: #338 gymmom

After you deal with the People's Popular Front at LGF.

We spit on the People's Popular Front! They're almost as bad as those splitters at the LGF Front of Popular People.

SPLITTERS!

362 Sean  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:52:34am

A video stream to Public-school classrooms is a crappy way to distribute any message.

We can't handle the bandwidth load and it went glacial.

I bet that was a universal experience.

363 Mad Prophet Ludwig  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:52:38am

re: #285 Desert Dog

Lud, lecture me all day about scientific matters, that is not my area. But, you're off base with some of your comments. Calling an entire group of people naive and stupid is, well, naive and stupid, yes? I am right winger and I read quite a bit, from both sides. Just because I disagree with you somehow you assume I am dumb? Are we in a playground?

Again, the entire group of people I am referring to are the nut cases.

That is why I used the term nut.

That does not mean normal people with different views that can be reasoned with and learned from. That means the nuts.

People who believe in historical revision, things like saying that the fascists are really leftists, that Hitler was misunderstood, that ID is science, that AGW is a leftist conspiracy, that this speech is brainwashing children to be leftists etc... ARE NUTS.

They are crazy.

They have demonstrated that they are crazy by saying and believing crazy things. They have demonstrated that they are crazy by feverishly and passionately arguing such things.

It is no different than calling the guy who wears a tin helmet crazy.

364 Who Watches the Watchmen?  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:52:43am

School...is out...COMPLETELY!
RRRIIINNNG!

365 Occasional Reader  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:52:51am

re: #341 Kosh's Shadow

Glory, glory, hallelujah
Teacher hit me with a ruler
Ruler turned red and the teacher dropped deadNow there's no more teacher any more.

Hm, I guess I went to a tougher school. Our version of that line was: "I hid behind the door with a loaded .44".

(If a kid sang that version today, he'd probably wind up on national news, and not in a good way.)

366 SlartyBartfast  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:52:55am
Every single one of you has something you’re good at. Every single one of you has something to offer. And you have a responsibility to yourself to discover what that is.

That sounds oddly familiar...

Youtube Video
367 Ben Hur  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:53:05am

Did he tell them not to do drugs?

368 Locker  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:53:24am

re: #367 Ben Hur

Did he tell them not to do drugs?

Drugs are bad mmmkay?

369 Fat Bastard Vegetarian  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:53:34am

re: #323 LudwigVanQuixote

Kind of funny... I was thinking you'd post that children's sing-songy song from "The Birds".

Don't know why... Just what I thought.

370 Sharmuta  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:53:45am

re: #367 Ben Hur

Did he tell them not to do drugs?

No. Obviously he can't do that, or the kids would be excused from drinking the kool-aid. ///

371 lawhawk  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:53:46am

re: #364 Who Watches the Watchmen?

Alice, is that you?

Youtube Video
372 HAL2010  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:53:53am

re: #353 jorline

Children Of The Corn


This is an non-issue at both of my kids schools...they're year-round schools and their first six weeks break is this week...they both slept right through the speech...lol

The sheriff is the Vietnam vet from Dusk til Dawn!

373 reloadingisnotahobby  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:53:54am

re: #367 Ben Hur

Did you listen when you were told?
Me neither...

374 Kragar  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:53:54am

re: #365 Occasional Reader

Hm, I guess I went to a tougher school. Our version of that line was: "I hid behind the door with a loaded .44".

(If a kid sang that version today, he'd probably wind up on national news, and not in a good way.)

Ours was "So I shot her in the attic with a semi-automatic"

375 MrSilverDragon  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:53:57am

re: #368 Locker

Drugs are bad mmmkay?

The ones that mother gave me didn't do anything at all. :/

376 badger1970  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:54:00am

re: #362 Sean

We nipped that in the bud during the inauguration. Old hat.

377 yma o hyd  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:54:06am

re: #352 lawhawk

I hope the weather's better underground. I hear it can be real volatile... explosive even in SoCal.

Ah - but his thick, scaly lizard skin will have protected him!

378 Kosh's Shadow  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:54:18am

re: #365 Occasional Reader

Hm, I guess I went to a tougher school. Our version of that line was: "I hid behind the door with a loaded .44".

(If a kid sang that version today, he'd probably wind up on national news, and not in a good way.)

I knew one kid who had a version similar to yours, but mostly we sang the version I gave.

379 Sean  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:54:22am

re: #343 badger1970

Yes and the people who managed the program were corrupt. Our Tech Capo-di-tutti-capi from Dallas ISD currently uses soap-on-a-rope!

380 JustMyView  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:54:34am

re: #124 Dianna

I do wonder why on earth the President felt the need to do this. It seems rather an odd use of his time - and it feels skewed to "reach" this far into things the President isn't usually involved in.

Your mileage and belief about this may differ.

In his initial speech to Congress, he said that this priorities were energy, healthcare, and education. Presumably, he has read the many studies that show that US students underperform compared to students from other countries and wants to see a change in those trends.

Hard as it may be to believe, Obama is a rock star in many communities. Kids think he is cool, and he is using his appeal to overcome norms that are incompatible w/ achievement.

Several months ago, WaPo had an article re parents using Obama's achievements to motivate their kids to do homework. Will see if I can find it.

381 gymmom  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:54:36am

I liked the speech - I always look on the bright side of life.

382 Douchecanoe and Ryan Too  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:54:44am

re: #351 Desert Dog

God, I hope you are wrong. That would be pathetic.

I hope I'm wrong too, but look at some of the bad crazy running among the GOP on Capitol Hill. I'm not going to say they won't until they don't.

383 mikalm  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:54:48am

re: #348 DaddyG

Lessons I learned in Kindergarten:

Hit the kid next to you then cry loudly. The teacher will blame them.
Giggling and fidgeting during nap time will make other kids laught and intice the strangest facial tics out of the teacher.
You can get classmates to share cookies through guilt or pretending to be their friend.

And don't forget: try to make them laugh while they're drinking milk -- if you succeed, they'll spray it through their nose.

384 Pianobuff  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:54:54am

re: #352 lawhawk

I hope the weather's better underground. I hear it can be real volatile... explosive even in SoCal.

Is this a coded message?

I hope the weather's better underground. I hear it can be real volatile... explosive even in SoCal.

385 Charpete67  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:54:54am

Bush quote I remember...

"I hear you, the whole world hears you...and the people who knocked those buildings down are gonna hear from all of us pretty soon"

Don't know if Obama has that kind of swagger in him.

386 Occasional Reader  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:54:55am

re: #367 Ben Hur

Did he tell them not to do drugs?

He said it was okay to do "some reefer, a little blow... but never smack".

//

387 itellu3times  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:54:55am

re: #1 DaddyG

skul daze ... brot tirs 2 my iz, thanx.

388 Shug  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:54:58am

My ultra moonbat brother in law is an elementary school teacher and he refused to show Obama's address claiming some violation of the 10th amendment

389 Locker  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:55:00am

re: #375 MrSilverDragon

The ones that mother gave me didn't do anything at all. :/

You were obviously looking in mom's medicine cabinet instead of in the cigar box under the bed. No... the OTHER cigar box!

390 Walter L. Newton  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:55:26am

re: #363 LudwigVanQuixote

Again, the entire group of people I am referring to are the nut cases.

That is why I used the term nut.

That does not mean normal people with different views that can be reasoned with and learned from. That means the nuts.

People who believe in historical revision, things like saying that the fascists are really leftists, that Hitler was misunderstood, that ID is science, that AGW is a leftist conspiracy, that this speech is brainwashing children to be leftists etc... ARE NUTS.

They are crazy.

They have demonstrated that they are crazy by saying and believing crazy things. They have demonstrated that they are crazy by feverishly and passionately arguing such things.

It is no different than calling the guy who wears a tin helmet crazy.

Are you live blogging from a school yard?

391 experiencedtraveller  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:55:30am

re: #356 Kosh's Shadow

Whatever Kosh. When the Ozombies arrive here I'm telling them about your stash of Richie Rich comic books. Then we'll see who laughs last. ;)

392 badger1970  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:55:35am

re: #379 Sean

...so effing true.

393 Diego  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:55:56am

re: #386 Occasional Reader

...but never smack

Spare the rod...

394 Fat Bastard Vegetarian  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:55:57am

re: #381 gymmom

I liked the speech - I always look on the bright side of life.

Life's a piece of shit... when you look at it.

395 Kosh's Shadow  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:56:37am

re: #368 Locker

Drugs are bad mmmkay?

This is Red Pills, what's left of the fabulous Pills Brothers
The police forced me to come up here and tell you there's good drugs, and there's bad drugs, and there's bad drugs.
There's good drugs like aspirin and gasoline, and there's bad drugs like heroin, and mescaline, and Harvey's Bristol Cream,
And there's time for using them, and time for refusing them.
Refusing drugs. Shit.
/a much more obscure Firesign Theatre quote.

396 Kragar  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:56:43am

re: #378 Kosh's Shadow

We also had the one sung to the tune of "Deck the Halls"

Soak the halls with gasoline,
Falalalala lalalala
Strike the match and watch it gleam,
Falalalala lalalala
Drop the match and run away,
more falala-ing,
Watch the school burn down all day,
Falalalala lalalala

397 Mad Prophet Ludwig  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:56:53am

re: #265 DaddyG

Pick a side weenie! /

I am finding myself more centrist than I ever thought possible.

I honestly see being a centrist as defined by saying:

I am interested in what actually works. I am interested in stability and growth for the nation. If you choose to label yourself from a certain side, then please tell me what you think is a good idea. I'll listen and think about it.

Since both sides occasionally have good ideas, that forces me to not always be on one side.

398 Charles Johnson  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:57:02am

I managed to escape the attic by using a spoon to cut a hole in the wall, and I made my way to a nearby library, where I’m typing this update on one of their computers. For some reason, they’re still working, and no one seems to be interested in the librar...

ATTENTION. ILLEGAL ACTIVITY DETECTED. SHUTTING DOWN NOW.

399 Sean  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:57:03am

re: #392 badger1970

It makes my head hurt...

400 Dreader1962  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:57:20am

re: #278 Charles

OK, I'm typing this on a laptop, hidden among boxes in my attic while the demon commie children ransack my home looking for evidence of capitalism. I managed to get into the attic right at the last minute before they smashed down my door.

I don't know how long it will be before they rip out the connections to my Airport Extreme, so if this message ends unexpectedly, tell the people of America that I've found the only way to save us! The key to our salvation lies in the secret underground bu

Why am I reminded of the Sopranos finale?

401 Locker  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:57:31am

re: #395 Kosh's Shadow

This is Red Pills, what's left of the fabulous Pills Brothers
The police forced me to come up here and tell you there's good drugs, and there's bad drugs, and there's bad drugs.
There's good drugs like aspirin and gasoline, and there's bad drugs like heroin, and mescaline, and Harvey's Bristol Cream,
And there's time for using them, and time for refusing them.
Refusing drugs. Shit.
/a much more obscure Firesign Theatre quote.

The only thing I ever heard from them was Learning to Speak Hip, which was hilarious.

402 Seax  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:57:46am

re 278
"...lies in the secret underground bu..."
No ...wait I know this one -
Secret underground BUTTER !
er..secret underground bunnies ? - kids like bunnies
um..secret underground bubbles...no?
ah...bundles..buubies or is that boobies...
..butts...heh heh.
Its butterflies ! See they go with the rainbows and unicorns!
My brain hurts - I'll have a little lie down...

403 itellu3times  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:57:58am

re: #391 experiencedtraveller

Whatever Kosh. When the Ozombies arrive here I'm telling them about your stash of Richie Rich comic books. Then we'll see who laughs last. ;)

The marching morons in J. Crew outfits, here they come ...

404 karmic_inquisitor  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:58:10am

Well my sons have unexpectedly returned home early from school today.

They are standing next to me holding rope that I had bought some time ago with my ill-gotten wages from exploiting the working class.

So I am now here to confess my bourgeois excesses for all of my compatriots to hear - so that they may learn from my shame. I have lived a life of militarism and exploitation. I served in the imperial forces under the oppressor Ronald Reagan and his colonial minion George H W Bush. I then went on to inflict untold suffering on the working class in private industry where I callously exploited the sweat and toil of software engineers.

Drunk on the power of exploitation I have gone on to exploit further in a working retirement.

[Is that good enough, boys?]

405 yma o hyd  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:58:17am

re: #398 Charles

I managed to escape the attic by using a spoon to cut a hole in the wall, and I made my way to a nearby library, where I’m typing this update on one of their computers. For some reason, they’re still working, and no one seems to be interested in the librar...

ATTENTION. ILLEGAL ACTIVITY DETECTED. SHUTTING DOWN NOW.

Should've dressed up as a librarian!

406 sattv4u2  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:58:45am

re: #398 Charles

I managed to escape the attic by using a spoon to cut a hole in the wall, and I made my way to a nearby library, where I’m typing this update on one of their computers. For some reason, they’re still working, and no one seems to be interested in the librar...

ATTENTION. ILLEGAL ACTIVITY DETECTED. SHUTTING DOWN NOW.

Ummm,, while you're there, would you mind paying the fine on the book I took out back in 1972!

407 Occasional Reader  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:58:53am

re: #397 LudwigVanQuixote

I am interested in what actually works.

Of course, this raises (not "begs", campers!) the question: Works at doing what?

408 Kragar  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:59:05am

re: #405 yma o hyd

Should've dressed up as a librarian!

A sexy librarian?

409 Kosh's Shadow  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:59:10am

re: #403 itellu3times

The marching morons in J. Crew outfits, here they come ...

When do we get to send the marching morons to Venus?

410 Charpete67  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:59:13am

re: #394 Fat Bastard Vegetarian

Life's a piece of shit... when you look at it.

makes me think about the Reagan joke with the two kids...optimistic kid and pessimistic kid. One kid got a horse and was disappointed while the other kid got a pile of shit..when they checked in on the kid with the pile of shit, he was digging around in it because with all that horse shit...there mush be a horse in there somewhere.

411 Diego  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:59:27am

** URGENT! - GOP RESPONSE TO OBAMA'S ADDRESS TO THE SCHOOL CHILDREN OF AMERICA!!! **

Youtube Video
412 DaddyG  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 9:59:48am

re: #408 Kragar (proud to be kafir)

A sexy librarian?


Not another Palin thread! /

413 mikalm  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:00:07am

bbl

414 Walter L. Newton  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:00:25am

re: #411 Diego

** URGENT! - GOP RESPONSE TO OBAMA'S ADDRESS TO THE SCHOOL CHILDREN OF AMERICA!!! **


[Video]

Clever.

415 lawhawk  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:00:30am

re: #400 Dreader1962

Why am I reminded of the Sopranos finale?

Don't stop believing...

416 Mad Prophet Ludwig  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:00:34am

re: #390 Walter L. Newton

Are you live blogging from a school yard?

I dunno, you still think that the fascists are really leftists?

417 HAL2010  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:00:40am

re: #411 Diego

** URGENT! - GOP RESPONSE TO OBAMA'S ADDRESS TO THE SCHOOL CHILDREN OF AMERICA!!! **


Can't be the real one. It's not hysterical enough.

418 yma o hyd  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:01:37am

re: #408 Kragar (proud to be kafir)

A sexy librarian?

Depends on what you think a sexy librarian should look like ...
;-)

No, course not - prim, with bun and steel-framed glasses, twinset and faux pearls, tweed skirt with slip showing ...
Best way to avoid detection in a library!

419 [deleted]  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:01:42am
420 Mad Prophet Ludwig  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:01:46am

re: #390 Walter L. Newton

People who believe in historical revision, things like saying that the fascists are really leftists, that Hitler was misunderstood, that ID is science, that AGW is a leftist conspiracy, that this speech is brainwashing children to be leftists etc... ARE NUTS.

Would you care to explain how these folks are not nuts?

421 Land Shark  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:01:48am

re: #301 Occasional Reader

That's one of the pillars of the Myth of Obama. He's just sooo articulate and eloquent. Like he's the first. Yet put him in a situation with no teleprompter where he has to ad lib and improvise and he reminds me of Porky Pig trying to get through a sentence. JFK, FDR and Reagan were eloquent and actually gave memorable speeches.

I guess when you fall for somebody's act he/she is "eloquent", when you don't he/she isn't. It's all in the mind of the beholder, I guess.

422 Honorary Yooper  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:02:02am

re: #408 Kragar (proud to be kafir)

A sexy librarian?

Marian.

Youtube Video
423 itellu3times  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:02:19am

re: #409 Kosh's Shadow

When do we get to send the marching morons to Venus?

They need to bring hope and change to the Venusians!

/would you buy it for a quarter?!

424 Who Watches the Watchmen?  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:02:33am

School Days

425 Diego  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:02:38am

re: #422 Honorary Yooper

Loved hte Music Man :¬)

426 Charles Johnson  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:02:43am

That's two melties already.

427 Desert Dog  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:02:59am

re: #404 karmic_inquisitor

Well my sons have unexpectedly returned home early from school today.

They are standing next to me holding rope that I had bought some time ago with my ill-gotten wages from exploiting the working class.

So I am now here to confess my bourgeois excesses for all of my compatriots to hear - so that they may learn from my shame. I have lived a life of militarism and exploitation. I served in the imperial forces under the oppressor Ronald Reagan and his colonial minion George H W Bush. I then went on to inflict untold suffering on the working class in private industry where I callously exploited the sweat and toil of software engineers.

Drunk on the power of exploitation I have gone on to exploit further in a working retirement.

[Is that good enough, boys?]

I think you have earned a malted fermented beverage, made from ingredients raped and pillaged from Mother Earth and crafted by exploited workers for the benefit of the bourgeoisie...have a few, actually.

428 Locker  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:03:03am

I wonder what it was like when public school/education became a mandate for all US children. Not that there was an LGF but in the papers, bar rooms, etc I wonder if it was the same sort of thing we are seeing. Indoctrination! Evil Government! Socialism!, etc.

Just asking out loud but I just started reading the following as a primer:

servintfree.net...

I can't imagine mandated public education was implemented without some kind of major drama but I aim to find out.

429 HAL2010  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:03:23am

Alternative Librarian:

Youtube Video
430 JamesTKirk  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:03:38am

re: #405 yma o hyd

Should've dressed up as a librarian!

////or a bookshelf...

431 Occasional Reader  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:03:38am

re: #406 sattv4u2

Ummm,, while you're there, would you mind paying the fine on the book I took out back in 1972!

That was you? Well, let me tell you something, funny boy. You know that little stamp, the one that says "New York Public Library"? Well that may not mean anything to you, but that means a lot to me. One whole hell of a lot. Sure, go ahead, laugh if you want to. I've seen your type before: Flashy, making the scene, flouting convention. Yeah, I know what you're thinking. What's this guy making such a big stink about old library books? Well, let me give you a hint, junior. Maybe we can live without libraries, people like you and me. Maybe. Sure, we're too old to change the world, but what about that kid, sitting down, opening a book, right now, in a branch at the local library and finding drawings of... pee-pees and wee-wees on The Cat in the Hat and The Five Chinese Brothers? Doesn't HE deserve better?

Look. If you think this is about overdue fines and missing books, you'd better think again. This is about that kid's right to read a book without getting his mind warped! Or maybe that turns you on, satt; maybe that's how you get your kicks. You andyour good-time buddies. Well I got a flash for ya, joy-boy: Party time is over!

432 Walter L. Newton  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:03:53am

re: #420 LudwigVanQuixote

Would you care to explain how these folks are not nuts?

Nope. I was asking you a question, not disagreeing with your statement. I don't even care about your statement. Didn't you catch that?

I asked if you were live blogging from a school yard? When did I agree or disagree with one of your up thread statements?

433 Sharmuta  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:04:46am

re: #380 JustMyView

In his initial speech to Congress, he said that this priorities were energy, healthcare, and education. Presumably, he has read the many studies that show that US students underperform compared to students from other countries and wants to see a change in those trends.

Hard as it may be to believe, Obama is a rock star in many communities. Kids think he is cool, and he is using his appeal to overcome norms that are incompatible w/ achievement.

Several months ago, WaPo had an article re parents using Obama's achievements to motivate their kids to do homework. Will see if I can find it.

Exactly, JMV. There is absolutely nothing wrong with the President trying to motivate kids to do well in school. There was nothing political in this speech at all- it was as though every school brought in a motivational speaker for the day- but this is one with more potential for positive impact because he is the President. Honestly- I would hope it's something every president would want to do- inspire kids to be all they can be.

434 BARACK THE VOTE  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:04:50am

re: #299 BLBfootballs

Like I said above, scratch that -- there was no original text. I meant to say, and should have said, the accompanying "assignment" for students to write about "how can we help the President".

You have no basis for claiming 'there was no text' before the assignment. That speech was total boilerplate, harmless, nice rhetoric for kids about working hard. Some sections of it are exactly like Obama's campaign speeches, almost word for word (all the personal history stuff).

The assignment "What can you do to help the POTUS?" is and has always been utterly uncontroversial, given that it was completely predictible that Obama's speech would talk about his priority of making sure that America remains foremost in the development of science, education, medical and technological advancement, etc. And 'helping the POTUS would be about "how can you, personally, make sure you are part of America's future, and fulfill the American promise of excelling and achieving to the fullest extent of your abilities and desires, no matter where you came from and no matter what your life circumstances are?"

It was obvious to anyone who has spent any time involved in education at any level that this was a reading/listening comprehension exercise and one about personal goals.

Or you can count the c's in Obama's speech, and the i's, and tell me that it was really all about being a commie and suppression of individual rights. Glnn Bk will say something like that shortly no doubt.

435 yma o hyd  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:05:01am

re: #430 JamesTKirk

///or a bookshelf...

Now thats what I call clever!

436 Mad Prophet Ludwig  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:05:19am

re: #206 Charles

This is the Right wing talking point:

Sure, we totally freaked out over this, for nothing. But it's still Obama's fault.

Again, very Palestinian of them no?

437 lurking faith  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:05:24am

re: #418 yma o hyd

Depends on what you think a sexy librarian should look like ...
;-)

No, course not - prim, with bun and steel-framed glasses, twinset and faux pearls, tweed skirt with slip showing ...
Best way to avoid detection in a library!

I really don't think pearls and a tweed skirt would be the best look for Charles...

438 Land Shark  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:05:37am

re: #395 Kosh's Shadow

"So, take a tip from Red and kick the habit. I'm gonna go and get a little kick out of the habit myself."

I just love the Firesign Theatre.

439 experiencedtraveller  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:05:59am

#419 was an outstanding example of the infamous First Post Flounce Syndrome. Of which, sadly, there is no known cure.

440 Fat Bastard Vegetarian  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:06:15am

re: #408 Kragar (proud to be kafir)

A sexy librarian?

Literally...

441 doppelganglander  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:06:34am

I was away from the Internet all weekend, so I just read the email that my daughter's high school sent out last Thursday. The school system decided not to require the speech to be shown in school, but it is permitted as long as it relates to the curriculum. This isn't a new thing; there has been a policy in place about this sort of thing for quite some time. They are also encouraging parents and students to watch it together on the White House website. I assume my daughter will see it because she is taking both American Government and Current Affairs. I am okay with that, especially if a critical discussion ensues about the role of the federal government in education or anything else that's actually relevant.

442 Spider Mensch  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:07:17am

re: #431 Occasional Reader

"Bookman...you are one tough monkey!"

443 yma o hyd  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:07:34am

re: #437 lurking faith

I really don't think pearls and a tweed skirt would be the best look for Charles...

Why?
Have you seen him wearing such apparel already?

;-)a

444 Charles Johnson  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:07:38am

All kidding aside. I have to say that the freak-out over this speech was one of the single craziest episodes I've ever witnessed in American politics, and that's saying a LOT.

It was an absolute disgrace. And not a single Republican will now take responsibility for the insane fear mongering they indulged in.

445 JamesTKirk  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:07:46am

re: #440 Fat Bastard Vegetarian

Literally...

Those bookshelves are stacked.

446 Kosh's Shadow  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:07:49am

re: #427 Desert Dog

I think you have earned a malted fermented beverage, made from ingredients raped and pillaged from Mother Earth and crafted by exploited workers for the benefit of the bourgeoisie...have a few, actually.

They killed John Barleycorn! You bastards!

447 Sharmuta  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:08:05am

re: #441 doppelganglander

or anything else that's actually relevant.

Like your kid staying in school?

448 HAL2010  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:08:42am

re: #444 Charles

All kidding aside. I have to say that the freak-out over this speech was one of the single craziest episodes I've ever witnessed in American politics, and that's saying a LOT.

It was an absolute disgrace. And not a single Republican will now take responsibility for the insane fear mongering they indulged in.

Take credit for "the new version" more like it.

449 karmic_inquisitor  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:08:51am

Comrades! Great news!

The children, inspired to bold acts of social justice, have broken into all of the district's chemistry labs and are in the process of fluoridating our water supply!

Glory to the Revolution!

450 Occasional Reader  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:09:04am

re: #434 iceweasel


The assignment "What can you do to help the POTUS?" is and has always been utterly uncontroversial,

Oh, okay. I guess that's why they wound up taking it out? Because it was, and always had been, utterly uncontroversial.

451 Mad Prophet Ludwig  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:09:05am

re: #432 Walter L. Newton

Nope. I was asking you a question, not disagreeing with your statement. I don't even care about your statement. Didn't you catch that?

I asked if you were live blogging from a school yard? When did I agree or disagree with one of your up thread statements?

Ahhh, the Walter two step... you realize this leads to an infinite expansion...

I don't care what you are saying either...

Oh really well I don't care about that...

Well I don't care that you don't care...

Walter, your games impress perhaps yourself, but few others. If you don't think it is PC to call delusional people crazy, than quibble with someone else. But wait, you don't disagree with that. So I suppose you are just trying to piss me off.

But wait you don't care...

Ahhh...

Walter, why are you being such a twit?

452 lurking faith  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:09:12am

re: #446 Kosh's Shadow

Automatic upding for Traffic.

453 midwestgak  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:09:30am

A free family ticket to the Museum of Science and Industry for showing up for school today. Chicago, gotta love it./

454 itellu3times  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:09:33am

re: #425 Diego

Loved hte Music Man :¬)

I always think there's a band, kid.

455 Kosh's Shadow  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:10:00am

re: #449 karmic_inquisitor

Comrades! Great news!

The children, inspired to bold acts of social justice, have broken into all of the district's chemistry labs and are in the process of fluoridating our water supply!

Glory to the Revolution!

They're polluting our precious bodily fluids!
Good thing I drink only rainwater and grain alcohol.
/Gen. Jack D. Ripper

456 Pianobuff  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:10:33am

Between this speech and the UN putting us on a one-world currency my day is pretty shot.

/

457 itellu3times  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:10:34am

Is our kids learning now?

458 lurking faith  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:11:04am

re: #443 yma o hyd

I would *never* make such a claim.
:p

459 HAL2010  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:11:44am

re: #457 itellu3times

Is our kids learning now?

In the future they will have the ability to put food on the family

460 karmic_inquisitor  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:11:47am

The counter-revolutionaries are on to the fluoridation strategy!

461 Desert Dog  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:12:01am

re: #444 Charles

All kidding aside. I have to say that the freak-out over this speech was one of the single craziest episodes I've ever witnessed in American politics, and that's saying a LOT.

It was an absolute disgrace. And not a single Republican will now take responsibility for the insane fear mongering they indulged in.

I will. When I first heard this I was upset. I thought for certain President Obama was going to take this opportunity to bypass parents and fill these young people's head full of propaganda. When I read the lesson plan, I felt that even more. Obviously, this was not what transpired. So, I feel a little embarrassed about that.

But, this was no different than the Democrats reaction to George HW Bush's similar speech to the kids back in 91. And lest we forget, they reacted even worse, much worse.

462 Charpete67  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:12:13am

re: #457 itellu3times

Is our kids learning now?

they gots to be.

463 Diego  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:12:21am

re: #459 HAL2010

In the future they will have the ability to put food on the family

And express their OBGYN love of women..

464 Land Shark  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:12:21am

re: #455 Kosh's Shadow

Purity of Essence.

Little known fact about the Dr. Stangelove movie. If you look closely at the shadow on the ground on some of the scenes of the B-52 is flying low towards it's target in Russia, the shadow is a B-17. Look it up!

465 yma o hyd  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:12:56am

re: #444 Charles

All kidding aside. I have to say that the freak-out over this speech was one of the single craziest episodes I've ever witnessed in American politics, and that's saying a LOT.

It was an absolute disgrace. And not a single Republican will now take responsibility for the insane fear mongering they indulged in.

I've been following your charting of the progress of this craziness for a while now, Charles.

I am amazed and stupefied, because after the similar landslide victory of Tony Blair twelve years ago something like that simply has not happened in the UK. What did happen was a vicious, internecine bloodletting within the Tory Party and the comservatives, but such craziness?

Why is it occurring now, in the USA of all places?
It can't be simply due to a few foaming-at-the-mouth TV people and bloggers - why are normal people so eager to link into this?
I really do not understand this.

466 Occasional Reader  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:13:00am

I'm off to have lunch, at the Peoples' Glorious Collective Cafeteria. I will toast you all with a Victory Gin!

467 reine.de.tout  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:13:09am

re: #434 iceweasel

You have no basis for claiming 'there was no text' before the assignment. That speech was total boilerplate, harmless, nice rhetoric for kids about working hard. Some sections of it are exactly like Obama's campaign speeches, almost word for word (all the personal history stuff).

The assignment "What can you do to help the POTUS?" is and has always been utterly uncontroversial, given that it was completely predictible that Obama's speech would talk about his priority of making sure that America remains foremost in the development of science, education, medical and technological advancement, etc. And 'helping the POTUS would be about "how can you, personally, make sure you are part of America's future, and fulfill the American promise of excelling and achieving to the fullest extent of your abilities and desires, no matter where you came from and no matter what your life circumstances are?"

It was obvious to anyone who has spent any time involved in education at any level that this was a reading/listening comprehension exercise and one about personal goals.

Or you can count the c's in Obama's speech, and the i's, and tell me that it was really all about being a commie and suppression of individual rights. Glnn Bk will say something like that shortly no doubt.

I agree with you that's probably what was intended by that exercise.

I still don't think it was a good activity; I thought it was vague and confusing, and the activity they replaced it with is much better, imo, as it more strongly creates a focus on the kids' own personal educational goals.

468 HAL2010  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:13:11am

re: #463 Diego

And express their OBGYN love of women..

I think we all agree, the past is over.
This is still a dangerous world.
It's a world of madmen
And uncertainty
And potential mental losses.

Rarely is the question asked
Is our children learning?
Will the highways of the internet
Become more few?
How many hands have I shaked?

They misunderestimate me.
I am a pitbull on the pantleg of opportunity.
I know that the human being and the fish
Can coexist.

Families is where our nation finds hope
Where our wings take dream.
Put food on your family!
Knock down the tollbooth!
Vulcanize society!
Make the pie higher!
Make the pie higher!

469 midwestgak  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:13:11am

re: #457 itellu3times

Is our kids learning now?

Who you aksing?

470 SanFranciscoZionist  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:13:37am

re: #308 Locker

If Beck were my dog I'd send him to Cesar Millan for a few months with a normal dog pack. He'd come back happy, calm and ready for butt sniffing.

Speaking of role models and father figures, can I comment that a LOT of my male high school students really admire Cesar?

471 Charpete67  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:14:09am

re: #469 midwestgak

Who you aksingaxing?

FIFY

472 Spider Mensch  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:14:30am

I still think obama and michelle should go on Yo Gabba Gabba..aim lower mr president..meaning age wise..lol...besides if jack black can be on it...so can you, because your like a rock/movie star kinda guy!

[Link: www.gabbafriends.com...]

473 Kosh's Shadow  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:14:39am

re: #464 Land Shark

Purity of Essence.

Little known fact about the Dr. Stangelove movie. If you look closely at the shadow on the ground on some of the scenes of the B-52 is flying low towards it's target in Russia, the shadow is a B-17. Look it up!

I'll check it in my DVD. No surprise, I believe a cinematographer that took a lot of the aerial footage for Hollywood had a B-17 configured with movie cameras.

474 SanFranciscoZionist  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:14:46am

re: #310 Sean

Is anyone else here a teacher?
If so:
Did you actually, successfully get the streaming feed?

Yes, but we're not showing it, so I have no idea. We were busy this morning greeting the exchange students from Italy.

475 Ben Hur  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:15:47am

re: #474 SanFranciscoZionist

Yes, but we're not showing it, so I have no idea. We were busy this morning greeting the exchange students from Italy.

More shady alliances?!?!?

476 reine.de.tout  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:15:49am

re: #465 yma o hyd

I've been following your charting of the progress of this craziness for a while now, Charles.

I am amazed and stupefied, because after the similar landslide victory of Tony Blair twelve years ago something like that simply has not happened in the UK. What did happen was a vicious, internecine bloodletting within the Tory Party and the comservatives, but such craziness?

Why is it occurring now, in the USA of all places?
It can't be simply due to a few foaming-at-the-mouth TV people and bloggers - why are normal people so eager to link into this?
I really do not understand this.

Yma - question was not for me, but I'll try an answer anyhow.

This is happening because the Republicans do not have a good, serious, strong leader to focus on the issues and pull everyone together. What's happening is all sorts of little factions are popping up, sometimes they interesect, sometimes they don't, and people are listening to whoever appeals to them the most. In other words, the Republican party is in utter and total chaos.

477 Honorary Yooper  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:16:16am

re: #444 Charles

It was an absolute disgrace. And not a single Republican will now take responsibility for the insane fear mongering they indulged in.

Partisans rarely do. They are often hypocritical regarding fear mongering and induced outrage. In other words, "it's good for me, but not for thee."

It was disgusting to watch for the past eight years, and it's disgusting to watch now (as it was for eight during Clinton and twelve during Reagan and Bush).

478 Mad Prophet Ludwig  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:16:49am

re: #465 yma o hyd

I've been following your charting of the progress of this craziness for a while now, Charles.

I am amazed and stupefied, because after the similar landslide victory of Tony Blair twelve years ago something like that simply has not happened in the UK. What did happen was a vicious, internecine bloodletting within the Tory Party and the comservatives, but such craziness?

Why is it occurring now, in the USA of all places?
It can't be simply due to a few foaming-at-the-mouth TV people and bloggers - why are normal people so eager to link into this?
I really do not understand this.

They are deep down afraid that America will become something not White, not Christian (as they define it) and hostile to them.

479 subsailor68  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:17:02am

OMG! I just found the original text for the close of the President's speech! Yep, it was changed, just as we suspected. Here's the original:

Well kids, thanks for Lenin an ear - and remember, it's very important to Stalin school, and to work hard and get good Marx. Especially you kids for whom Engels is a second language.

I knew it! I just knew it!

(Uh, Mr. Beck, if you read this - it's a joke dammit!)

;-)

480 Ben Hur  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:17:44am

re: #478 LudwigVanQuixote

They are deep down afraid that America will become something not White, not Christian (as they define it) and hostile to them.

That would be accurate if all Reps were white and Christian.

481 Kragar  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:17:56am

re: #464 Land Shark

Purity of Essence.

Little known fact about the Dr. Stangelove movie. If you look closely at the shadow on the ground on some of the scenes of the B-52 is flying low towards it's target in Russia, the shadow is a B-17. Look it up!

Once they read the script, The Pentagon withheld any co-operation with the film so the set designers were forced to reconstruct the cockpit of the B52 bomber from one single photograph in their possession that had been carelessly printed in a British flying magazine and comparing it to the cockpit of the B29 Superfortress, and relating it to the geometry of the B52's fuselage. (In the early 60s, the B52 represented cutting edge technology and access to it was a matter of national security.) When some American Air Force personnel were invited to view the film's reconstruction of the B52 cockpit (which had cost $100,000 to construct), they were astounded to see that it was almost note perfect, so much so that Stanley Kubrick feared that Ken Adam's production design team had resorted to illegal moves and could be under investigation from the FBI.

482 Sharmuta  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:18:09am

re: #476 reine.de.tout

Yma - question was not for me, but I'll try an answer anyhow.

This is happening because the Republicans do not have a good, serious, strong leader to focus on the issues and pull everyone together. What's happening is all sorts of little factions are popping up, sometimes they interesect, sometimes they don't, and people are listening to whoever appeals to them the most. In other words, the Republican party is in utter and total chaos.

Indeed- a rudderless ship.

483 Charles Johnson  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:18:50am

re: #480 Ben Hur

That would be accurate if all Reps were white and Christian.

At this rate it won't be long before they are.

484 Honorary Yooper  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:19:12am

re: #465 yma o hyd

Why is it occurring now, in the USA of all places?
It can't be simply due to a few foaming-at-the-mouth TV people and bloggers - why are normal people so eager to link into this?
I really do not understand this.

It really is nothing new and or different in the USA. We've practiced this kind of crappola for centuries. Adams was vilely attacked, and then Jefferson after that. Some of the meanest fear mongering and attacks took place against John Q. Adams and then Andrew Jackson. We've had fear mongering about Polk and later Lincoln. Even Chester A. Arthur caused heads to explode in their own 'nirther issue.

I hate to say it, but it really is nothing new.

485 Ben Hur  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:19:18am

re: #483 Charles

At this rate it won't be long before they are.

Good point.

486 Diego  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:19:34am

re: #483 Charles

At this rate it won't be long before they are.

It's not far off now

487 Dreader1962  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:19:38am

re: #465 yma o hyd

I've been following your charting of the progress of this craziness for a while now, Charles.

I am amazed and stupefied, because after the similar landslide victory of Tony Blair twelve years ago something like that simply has not happened in the UK. What did happen was a vicious, internecine bloodletting within the Tory Party and the comservatives, but such craziness?

Why is it occurring now, in the USA of all places?
It can't be simply due to a few foaming-at-the-mouth TV people and bloggers - why are normal people so eager to link into this?
I really do not understand this.

Quite a bit of it has to do with the vilification of the 'other side'. This causes a similar reaction and then counter-reaction and so forth. Some samples of this approach are (no sides specified here):

"The other side is stupid!"

"The other side stole the election"

"The other side hates America!"

"The other side is evil!"

And so on. I think the best thing Obama could have done is ignore the reaction entirely. As we can see, the mere fact that they changed the lesson plan is being attacked as if it is proof of guilt (guilt of what, who knows - oh yeah, the INITIAL speech!) The lesson plan was not controversial in a vacuum - it only would be disturbing if there was a partisan speech to go along with it. I guess the only thing to object to really was the fact that the Department of Education sent it out, and there are some that don't think the feds should be involved with education at all. That's a completely separate issue for another time - the fact is that it DOES exist and it is part of the Executive Branch of the government, so no one should be freaking out about the President speaking to school kids.

488 JamesTKirk  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:19:41am

ATTN: Charles

Plan 9 From Outer Space: The Original Bad Movie We Love Turns 50

489 kcladderman  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:19:55am

re: #482 Sharmuta

Indeed- a rudderless ship.

Exactly

490 Charpete67  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:20:06am

re: #476 reine.de.tout

Yma - question was not for me, but I'll try an answer anyhow.

This is happening because the Republicans do not have a good, serious, strong leader to focus on the issues and pull everyone together. What's happening is all sorts of little factions are popping up, sometimes they interesect, sometimes they don't, and people are listening to whoever appeals to them the most. In other words, the Republican party is in utter and total chaos.

well said...Ob-ma rallied the troops...or, the troops rallied around him. There really isn't a leader that conservatives, or the country, can rally behind on the right. It's said because there is an opening right now for someone to really take the helm.

491 Sharmuta  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:20:18am

re: #483 Charles

At this rate it won't be long before they are.

I think that's what some of them want, actually.

492 Honorary Yooper  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:20:20am

re: #478 LudwigVanQuixote

They are deep down afraid that America will become something not White, not Christian (as they define it) and hostile to them.

That's not accurate, LVQ. It's a long-standing tradition in US politics dating back to at least Hamilton vs. Jefferson.

493 filetandrelease  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:20:25am

If the "O" can make a positive difference is in influencing minority children to believe they actually do have a chance. If he can talk to them and be a positive role model perhaps sway a few into education and away from their disdain for it, that seems prevalent in some areas of society, then go for it and Gods speed.

494 Charpete67  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:20:35am

re: #490 Charpete67

well said...Ob-ma rallied the troops...or, the troops rallied around him. There really isn't a leader that conservatives, or the country, can rally behind on the right. It's said sad because there is an opening right now for someone to really take the helm.

495 Kosh's Shadow  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:21:03am

re: #481 Kragar (proud to be kafir)

Once they read the script, The Pentagon withheld any co-operation with the film so the set designers were forced to reconstruct the cockpit of the B52 bomber from one single photograph in their possession that had been carelessly printed in a British flying magazine and comparing it to the cockpit of the B29 Superfortress, and relating it to the geometry of the B52's fuselage. (In the early 60s, the B52 represented cutting edge technology and access to it was a matter of national security.) When some American Air Force personnel were invited to view the film's reconstruction of the B52 cockpit (which had cost $100,000 to construct), they were astounded to see that it was almost note perfect, so much so that Stanley Kubrick feared that Ken Adam's production design team had resorted to illegal moves and could be under investigation from the FBI.

Funny, the pilot and copilot stations were reasonably accurate, but there wasn't that much room in the rest of the cabin. And I don't think there was access to the bomb bay but I might be wrong on that.

496 Kragar  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:21:03am

re: #488 JamesTKirk

ATTN: Charles

Plan 9 From Outer Space: The Original Bad Movie We Love Turns 50

I'll bet my badge that we haven't seen the last of those weirdies.

497 teleskiguy  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:21:03am

I'm rolling around on the floor, grabbing my gut, I can't breathe! Charles, this thread, and your comments, have made me laugh so fuggin hard! Thanks for the guffaws!

And on a more serious note, with the right wing and Republicans acting like this, the Democrats will be in power for the next 30 years. Now I must cry.

Gee, I must be bipolar. Laughing hysterically one moment, then crying the next. Yep, that's a texbook definition.

498 Diego  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:21:04am

re: #482 Sharmuta

Indeed- a rudderless ship.

More like a blind mountain goat - striking out at any sound

 

499 [deleted]  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:21:05am
500 Honorary Yooper  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:21:12am

re: #491 Sharmuta

I think that's what some of them want, actually.

Some of them are definately neo-Know Nothings.

501 Sharmuta  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:21:35am

re: #493 filetandrelease

If the "O" can make a positive difference is in influencing minority children to believe they actually do have a chance. If he can talk to them and be a positive role model perhaps sway a few into education and away from their disdain for it, that seems prevalent in some areas of society, then go for it and Gods speed.

Is there a problem with him influencing non-minority children?

502 HAL2010  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:21:40am
WASHINGTON (CNN) – White House spokesman Bill Burton says President Obama's speech to school children was not altered as a result of the controversy over the remarks — that it is the same speech that was originally to be delivered to students before critics began accusing the President of trying to indoctrinate the nation's children.

Press Secretary Robert Gibbs says the speech was "largely written (over) the past week or two." White House officials say the claims by Jim Greer, the chair of the Republican party of Florida, are not credible.

CNN

503 SanFranciscoZionist  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:22:03am

re: #461 Desert Dog

I will. When I first heard this I was upset. I thought for certain President Obama was going to take this opportunity to bypass parents and fill these young people's head full of propaganda. When I read the lesson plan, I felt that even more. Obviously, this was not what transpired. So, I feel a little embarrassed about that.

But, this was no different than the Democrats reaction to George HW Bush's similar speech to the kids back in 91. And lest we forget, they reacted even worse, much worse.

Really? I remember nothing about the incident. Were people crying on television?

504 Kragar  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:22:04am

499 borked the thread with a bad html

505 Land Shark  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:22:07am

re: #481 Kragar (proud to be kafir)

I seem to recall reading something about that. What I loved was the "War Room", which looks nothing like the real thing. But is was way cool looking.

I watched my DVD of Dr. Strangelove and that movie still holds up well. Peter Sellers was an incredible talent.

"Mein Fuehrer, I can walk!"

506 yma o hyd  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:22:26am

re: #476 reine.de.tout

Yma - question was not for me, but I'll try an answer anyhow.

This is happening because the Republicans do not have a good, serious, strong leader to focus on the issues and pull everyone together. What's happening is all sorts of little factions are popping up, sometimes they interesect, sometimes they don't, and people are listening to whoever appeals to them the most. In other words, the Republican party is in utter and total chaos.

Thanks {reine} - but that was exactly the case here, in 1997 with the Tories: they did not have a serious, strong leader, did not have one for years!
The MSM were , same as today in the USA, all for Tony Blair and his shiny 'New Labour'.

The only difference I can see is the blogosphere, which did not exist then - but again, I cannot believe that all those who now buy into the rants of Beck & Co use blogs all the time.

It is as if a sickness has befallen normal people - why? Why now? Elections have been lost before, weak leaders and ineffectual parties have existed before.
Do people perhaps not trust their own opinions any longer?

507 Ben Hur  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:22:40am

CNN=TRUE.

Rinse. Repeat.

508 Walter L. Newton  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:22:44am

re: #498 Diego

More like a blind mountain goat - striking out at any sound

 

Clever.

509 Spider Mensch  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:22:57am

re: #474 SanFranciscoZionist

Yes, but we're not showing it, so I have no idea. We were busy this morning greeting the exchange students from Italy.


italian exchange student?? ah what the heck I'll go for the cheap up dings..is she on the list?...
Image: federica-ridolfi.jpg

510 Killgore Trout  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:23:02am

Soldier of the day!
Female tank gunner kills 25 taliban

The weekend edition of Norway's largest newspaper contained a very interesting interview with a female IFV-gunner this week.

...

I'm not going to translate the entire article, but I'll give you the main points:

The CV-9030 gunner, witch has the somewhat fitting name of Tone Gunnes, was just 20 years old when she went to Afghanistan in the fall of 2007.

She took part in the active fighting in operation Herekate Yolo II, where she (wo)manned the 30mm gun of the CV9030 IFV. She was credited with 20-25 confirmed kills during the battle of November 5. Info on the op: (wiki) [Link: en.wikipedia.org...]

In the interview she tells her story about the battle and how she experienced it.

This is her:

With pic.

511 Sharmuta  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:23:42am

re: #500 Honorary Yooper

Some of them are definately neo-Know Nothings.

They're trying to make the GOP match the Constitution party. If they want that, they should just move over to the Constitution party and leave the rest of the sane right alone.

512 kcladderman  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:23:57am

re: #503 SanFranciscoZionist

Really? I remember nothing about the incident. Were people crying on television?

Well if you don't remember I guess it didn't happen.

513 Walter L. Newton  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:23:59am

re: #451 LudwigVanQuixote

Don't answer. That's ok.

514 Ben Hur  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:24:01am

re: #461 Desert Dog

I will. When I first heard this I was upset. I thought for certain President Obama was going to take this opportunity to bypass parents and fill these young people's head full of propaganda. When I read the lesson plan, I felt that even more. Obviously, this was not what transpired. So, I feel a little embarrassed about that.

But, this was no different than the Democrats reaction to George HW Bush's similar speech to the kids back in 91. And lest we forget, they reacted even worse, much worse.

Wow. You went THERE?

515 yma o hyd  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:24:21am

re: #484 Honorary Yooper

It really is nothing new and or different in the USA. We've practiced this kind of crappola for centuries. Adams was vilely attacked, and then Jefferson after that. Some of the meanest fear mongering and attacks took place against John Q. Adams and then Andrew Jackson. We've had fear mongering about Polk and later Lincoln. Even Chester A. Arthur caused heads to explode in their own 'nirther issue.

I hate to say it, but it really is nothing new.

Thanks.

So its just being exacerbated and hugely enlarged through modern technology, like Tv and blogs?

That at least would make some sense.

516 Mad Prophet Ludwig  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:24:31am

re: #480 Ben Hur

That would be accurate if all Reps were white and Christian.

I'm not talking about all Reps, I am talking about the crazies of the right.

Why else all the racist overtones and undertones? Why else all the talk of tyranny?

They did not speak of tyranny or Constitutional crisis when white and Christian W. did far more invasive things (like warrantless wiretaps and flying people to Syria to be tortured).

But Obama (who is Black, and many on the far right, believe is not a Christian, who they believe wasn't even born here) wants to give you health insurance or talk about education and that is tyranny?
There will be Death camps for granny in the health bill?

NOw I am not bringing that to talk about healthcare per se. The bill, if it materializes will be either a good or bad bill economically and there is plenty of room for debate.

But death camp creating tyranny?

Only a true idiot would think that. Or, someone who is really really scared that their idea of White Christian America is evaporating.

NO that is the root of it, and the GOP knows it, but is not moral enough to avoid playing up to it.

517 reine.de.tout  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:24:32am

re: #503 SanFranciscoZionist

Really? I remember nothing about the incident. Were people crying on television?

flashback

518 Desert Dog  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:24:36am

re: #503 SanFranciscoZionist

Really? I remember nothing about the incident. Were people crying on television?

No, it was the LEADERS of the Democratic Party that got insane. Calling it a free commerical, demanding hearings, berating the President for having the nerve to do this vile deed. That wasn't ok then and it's not ok now.

519 Kosh's Shadow  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:24:38am

re: #505 Land Shark

I seem to recall reading something about that. What I loved was the "War Room", which looks nothing like the real thing. But is was way cool looking.

I watched my DVD of Dr. Strangelove and that movie still holds up well. Peter Sellers was an incredible talent.

"Mein Fuehrer, I can walk!"

Gentlemen! You can't fight in here! This is the War Room!

520 SanFranciscoZionist  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:25:27am

re: #475 Ben Hur

More shady alliances?!?!?

Oy, you should only know.

Last year when they left, we were all asked by Father to 'extend our right arms in blessing'.

So you've got to picture--gym full of kids in uniform, standing on bleachers, extending their right arms...the image was, well, a little problematic...

521 sattv4u2  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:25:42am

re: #510 Killgore Trout

Soldier of the day!
Female tank gunner kills 25 taliban


With pic.

And people think Danica Patrick is a kick ass driver !!!

522 Kragar  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:25:51am

re: #519 Kosh's Shadow

Gentlemen! You can't fight in here! This is the War Room!

have you ever seen a Commie drink a glass of water?

523 Mad Prophet Ludwig  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:25:59am

re: #492 Honorary Yooper

That's not accurate, LVQ. It's a long-standing tradition in US politics dating back to at least Hamilton vs. Jefferson.

What is? and please see my 516 for further explanation of my view.

524 yma o hyd  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:26:54am

re: #487 Dreader1962

Ah - the vilification of 'the other side' is 'normal' tribal behaviour between political parties and poltical activists.
That happens here as well - one look at, say, the comments page of the LLL Grauniad will make that clear.

Only - normal people on the street take it for what it is, political rants which have nothing to do with political reality.

525 Desert Dog  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:26:55am

re: #514 Ben Hur

Wow. You went THERE?


Yep, I would not put it past our beloved Leader. But, turns out I was mistaken. No propaganda detected. Not much of anything detected with the entire speech, actually.

526 sattv4u2  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:27:06am

re: #503 SanFranciscoZionist

Really? I remember nothing about the incident. Were people crying on television?

[Link: www.washingtonexaminer.com...]

527 Charles Johnson  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:27:10am

Breaking news at Hot Air!

Is Obama Forming a “Shadow Government?”

Thank the stars that we have vigilant patriots keeping an eye on Obama's evil plots.

528 Land Shark  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:27:42am

re: #519 Kosh's Shadow

Gentlemen! You can't fight in here! This is the War Room!

Another great line from that movie. So many good ones.

"Mr. President, we can't afford a mineshaft gap!"

529 Diego  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:27:51am

re: #527 Charles

Breaking news at Hot Air!

They bring new meaning to the term asshat..

530 _RememberTonyC  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:28:15am

Ever since Barack Obama became President, I have felt it is important to keep an open mind about him. That is why I praised some of his early decisions such as keeping Gates as Secy. of Defense. I never believed he'd be heavy handed in his speech to the schoolkids. I mean, come on ... it would have been very easy to see through it and the uproar would have been considerable. But by totally overreacting to this speech before the fact, Obama has allowed his most shrill opponents to "out" themselves in a way. By acting like scared fools, they compromised their credibility and in some cases, their integrity in a way that Obama can now use against them. And when it comes to skewering his political opponents, he has shown his willingness to use their words against them in the past. And now his opponents have handed him a weapon that he will club them to death with. And the media will help him get that done. So if people really want to act as responsible and effective members of the loyal opposition, they better grow up and stop following their most extreme elements.

531 Charles Johnson  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:28:41am

re: #525 Desert Dog

Yep, I would not put it past our beloved Leader. But, turns out I was mistaken. No propaganda detected. Not much of anything detected with the entire speech, actually.

Any chance that might influence you to stop and take a deep breath the next time this happens, and not automatically assume that the President of the United States is evil and intends to harm children?

532 Sharmuta  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:28:51am

re: #527 Charles

Breaking news at Hot Air!

Is Obama Forming a “Shadow Government?”

Thank the stars that we have vigilant patriots keeping an eye on Obama's evil plots.

Oh, brother.

533 BARACK THE VOTE  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:29:19am

re: #450 Occasional Reader

Oh, okay. I guess that's why they wound up taking it out? Because it was, and always had been, utterly uncontroversial.

Yeah, they took it out just like they did 1233 in HR3200 -- to make wingnuts STFU.

This is a BIG WIN! for the GOP! YAY!

534 Killgore Trout  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:29:33am

re: #527 Charles

Ha!

I wish somebody would tell me how many elements of fascism must come bubbling to the surface of the new administration (not even a year old… seems like a hundred) before we’re allowed to suggest that Barack Obama, the head of the fish, must himself be a liberal fascist.

Must we wait until he re-enacts Wilson’s sedition act and starts throwing in prison anyone who criticizes the government, the president, or any of the president’s policies?


Idiots.

535 midwestgak  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:30:10am

Well, the line here on Michigan Ave is moving slowly. Being a part of Oprah history is worth the wait though. Only 4/12 hours 'til tape time. I've never been a part of something so worthwhile. NOT!

536 SanFranciscoZionist  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:30:11am

re: #517 reine.de.tout

flashback

Partisan bitching, yes, but I don't see any fear in there about what he would actually say.

537 Walter L. Newton  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:30:15am

re: #516 LudwigVanQuixote

[snip]
There will be Death camps for granny in the health bill?
[snip]

Link me to any quote that uses the term "death camp" in regards to the end of life counseling that was in the proposed bill. I had not heard anyone call it that before.

Just interested, enlighten me.

538 Kosh's Shadow  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:30:18am

re: #527 Charles

Breaking news at Hot Air!

Is Obama Forming a “Shadow Government?”

Thank the stars that we have vigilant patriots keeping an eye on Obama's evil plots.

It has started; the Shadows have returned to Z'ha'dum, and galactic war will soon follow.
Don't worry. The Vorlons will help in the war against the Shadows.
///

539 Ben Hur  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:30:48am

re: #516 LudwigVanQuixote

I'm not talking about all Reps, I am talking about the crazies of the right.

Why else all the racist overtones and undertones? Why else all the talk of tyranny?

They did not speak of tyranny or Constitutional crisis when white and Christian W. did far more invasive things (like warrantless wiretaps and flying people to Syria to be tortured).

But Obama (who is Black, and many on the far right, believe is not a Christian, who they believe wasn't even born here) wants to give you health insurance or talk about education and that is tyranny?
There will be Death camps for granny in the health bill?

NOw I am not bringing that to talk about healthcare per se. The bill, if it materializes will be either a good or bad bill economically and there is plenty of room for debate.

But death camp creating tyranny?

Only a true idiot would think that. Or, someone who is really really scared that their idea of White Christian America is evaporating.

NO that is the root of it, and the GOP knows it, but is not moral enough to avoid playing up to it.

There have been militia type anti Gov anti UN etc whackadoos when either side is in office.

They get more attention when the Dems are in.

Like the homeless, just much more dangerous.

And speaking of the homeless, where are they in this sh*tty economy, anyway?

540 yma o hyd  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:30:55am

re: #527 Charles

Breaking news at Hot Air!

Is Obama Forming a “Shadow Government?”

Thank the stars that we have vigilant patriots keeping an eye on Obama's evil plots.

Cripes - its the Opposition which is supposed to form a 'Shadow Government'!

Are they saying Obama is now his own opposition?

Awww ...

541 OldLineTexan  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:31:20am

re: #516 LudwigVanQuixote

I'm not talking about all Reps, I am talking about the crazies of the right.

Why else all the racist overtones and undertones? Why else all the talk of tyranny?

They did not speak of tyranny or Constitutional crisis when white and Christian W. did far more invasive things (like warrantless wiretaps and flying people to Syria to be tortured).

Did you miss the eight years of the crazies on the left and the belief that GW Bush was going to declare himself Chimperor, and was wiping his butt with the Constitution? It was a constant drumbeat.

This hyper-partisan shit is BAD, has been BAD for years (I blame Nixon, but that's a theory), and is only APPEARING worse because the right's hyper-partisans were largely silent after Bush was elected. Now they're back in full swing.

And frankly the Left has not been very far behind the Right in my opinion with racist overtones. And bigotry. Unless you don't recall the hidden definition of "neocon".

542 BARACK THE VOTE  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:31:28am

re: #529 Diego

They bring new meaning to the term asshat..

It's a floor wax! No, it's a dessert topping!

It's an ass! No, it's a hat!

Quit fighting you two, it's an ass AND a hat. And a political platform!

543 JHW  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:32:02am

Ha! I've figured it out. It's a Welsh conspiracy!(Just joking Yma)

Is Obama Forming a “Shadow Government?”
posted at 4:29 pm on September 7, 2009 by Dafydd ab Hugh
544 Kragar  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:32:05am

re: #538 Kosh's Shadow

It has started; the Shadows have returned to Z'ha'dum, and galactic war will soon follow.
Don't worry. The Vorlons will help in the war against the Shadows.
///

Pfff, one Deathwatch Killteam, some virus bombs and cyclonic torpedoes and we'll have the war done by lunch time.

545 Spare O'Lake  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:32:32am

Name one thing Obama has done right.

546 Ben Hur  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:32:35am

re: #527 Charles

Breaking news at Hot Air!

Is Obama Forming a “Shadow Government?”

Thank the stars that we have vigilant patriots keeping an eye on Obama's evil plots.

You don't have a problem with the amount of Czars that have been appointed?

547 filetandrelease  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:33:02am

re: #501 Sharmuta

Sorry it came off that way, of course not, but minority children drop out of school at a disproportionately higher rate. And in many areas treat education as a bad thing. IMO, he has the potential to reach some of these kids where as an example, President Bush could not.

548 Sharmuta  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:33:04am

re: #530 _RememberTonyC

Great comment. This will end up being the little boy who cried wolf for the right. They will howl at the moon over the tiniest thing, so what will happen when it actually is something worth howling about? As you said- they've compromised integrity and credibility. This will only bite them in the ass in the future.

549 Kosh's Shadow  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:33:05am

re: #544 Kragar (proud to be kafir)

Pfff, one Deathwatch Killteam, some virus bombs and cyclonic torpedoes and we'll have the war done by lunch time.

Against a fleet of these?

550 Ben Hur  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:33:05am

re: #546 Ben Hur

You don't have a problem with the amount of Czars that have been appointed?

And yes, the "Shadow" part is ridiculous.

551 wrenchwench  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:33:14am

re: #545 Spare O'Lake

Name one thing Obama has done right.

Gave the OK to shoot three pirates.

552 Ben Hur  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:33:30am

re: #545 Spare O'Lake

Name one thing Obama has done right.

Whack o mole in A'stan and P'stan.

553 Charles Johnson  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:33:51am

re: #546 Ben Hur

You don't have a problem with the amount of Czars that have been appointed?

Nope. I won't be jumping on any more of these idiotic fake outrage bandwagons, sorry.

554 brookly red  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:33:55am

re: #545 Spare O'Lake

Name one thing Obama has done right.

plenty right, just none good.

555 BARACK THE VOTE  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:33:57am

re: #541 OldLineTexan

Unless you don't recall the hidden definition of "neocon".

i do, and the hidden definition of 'neocon' is, "people who will call you an antisemite unless you support their agenda of all war all the time--even if you're Jewish, or Israeli, or a righteous gentile ."

Not working.

556 reine.de.tout  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:33:59am

re: #527 Charles

Breaking news at Hot Air!

Is Obama Forming a “Shadow Government?”

Thank the stars that we have vigilant patriots keeping an eye on Obama's evil plots.

From that article:

In each case, the One has replaced functions normally carried out by cabinets or other agencies, headed by secretaries and directors who are subject to Senate confirmation (thus accountable to the United States Congress), with unelected, unconfirmed, unaccountable apparatchiks who ultimately answer to only one person: Barack Obama.

This assessment is not at all accurate. In every governmental jurisdiction, the "leader" (mayor, governor, whatever) has a need to hire people who share his/her vision, in addition to having the regular normal career employees.

It's standard. I don't like Obama, I don't like his appointees, but he is the elected President, and he is entitled to hire people who share his vision. The confirmation process has gotten so bogged down in pettiness over the past several years, key positions can be left unfilled for longer than is necessary or good.

557 HAL2010  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:34:04am

Know what the Republicans should have done for a quick sprinkle of kudos?

Stood up and said "we truly appreciate the President taking time of his busy schedule and talk about the importance of hard work, diligence and staying in school. We look forward to having a constructive debate on health-care this autumn".

They just couldn't though could they?

558 mt3_1234  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:34:07am

re: #545 Spare O'Lake

Name one thing Obama has done right.

name one thing obama has done

559 SanFranciscoZionist  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:34:11am

re: #545 Spare O'Lake

Name one thing Obama has done right.

1. He told the kds to stay in school and wash their hands.
2. He finally got the girls a dog.
3. To the best of my knowledge, neither he not the dog has bitten anyone yet.

560 Honorary Yooper  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:34:38am

re: #515 yma o hyd

Thanks.

So its just being exacerbated and hugely enlarged through modern technology, like Tv and blogs?

That at least would make some sense.

Yes. Read some of the triades against Jackson during the election of 1828. According to some, the published smears were so vile they led to the death of his wife just before innauguration.

561 Gus  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:34:42am

Transcript of speech.

Original:

We need every single one of you to develop your talents, skills and intellect so you can help solve our most difficult problems. If you don't do that — if you quit on school — you're not just quitting on yourself, you're quitting on your country.

Transcript:

We need every single one of you to develop your talents and your skills and your intellect so you can help us old folks solve our most difficult problems. If you don't do that -- if you quit on school -- you're not just quitting on yourself, you're quitting on your country.

Thought it would be interesting to compare to see the minor improvisations. I liked it when he said "so you can help us old folks."

Also redid that word count lunacy which was done at Hot Air. The final count for the letter "I" was 48 which is 8 short of the original and as hysterically reported at Hot Air. Don't expect a follow up from them.

562 reine.de.tout  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:34:43am

re: #536 SanFranciscoZionist

Partisan bitching, yes, but I don't see any fear in there about what he would actually say.

No fear. I didn't say there was. You said you didn't recall anything; I provided a link. That's all.

563 Athos  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:34:53am

re: #540 yma o hyd

No, I think the intent is to drive a point around the 30 Czars that the President appointed to lead major executive branch initiatives - bypassing Senate appointment hearings - but far be it from me to really undertand some of the leaps of 'logic' being taken these days.

(Just before leaving for work I saw that FNC had a photo collection of the 30 or so Czars on the screen with the Soviet national anthem playing...probably hitting a similar point.)

Hyperbole and idiocy seems to have few bounds these days.

564 _RememberTonyC  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:35:11am

re: #545 Spare O'Lake

Name one thing Obama has done right.

I'm pretty sure he had North Carolina winning it all in his NCAA Tournament bracket.

565 Honorary Yooper  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:35:20am

re: #523 LudwigVanQuixote

What is? and please see my 516 for further explanation of my view.

Read some history and see my #484.

566 MandyManners  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:35:25am

re: #546 Ben Hur

You don't have a problem with the amount of Czars that have been appointed?

Pres. Bush appointed 35 in his eight years.

567 yma o hyd  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:35:28am

re: #543 JHW

Ha! I've figured it out. It's a Welsh conspiracy!(Just joking Yma)

Heh!

Its a fake Welsh conspiracy!

Any proper Welsh person would know that 'Dafydd ab Hugh' is spelled wrong!

It must, of course, be spelled ' Dafydd ap Huw'

Gah.

568 Charles Johnson  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:35:38am

re: #545 Spare O'Lake

Name one thing Obama has done right.

He's committed more troops to Afghanistan and he isn't wavering on Iraq.

And the speech he gave today to schoolchildren was GREAT. I wish all presidents would do things like that.

569 Pianobuff  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:35:41am

re: #484 Honorary Yooper

It really is nothing new and or different in the USA. We've practiced this kind of crappola for centuries. Adams was vilely attacked, and then Jefferson after that. Some of the meanest fear mongering and attacks took place against John Q. Adams and then Andrew Jackson. We've had fear mongering about Polk and later Lincoln. Even Chester A. Arthur caused heads to explode in their own 'nirther issue.

I hate to say it, but it really is nothing new.

You raise an interesting point. I often wonder whether the big difference is that Teh Internets deliver this stuff to us faster, cheaper, better and in higher volume.

From what artifacts of yesteryear speeches, cartoons, campaign posters, newspaper articles, the biggest difference between then and today is more a quantitative issue rather than a qualitative issue.

There was some really vile stuff back then.

I suppose each generation has feelings of "it's never been worse than it is now" (or better depending on one's point of view).

I'm not sure how one would test your point, but it is nonetheless worthy of some reflection.

570 Diego  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:35:46am

re: #545 Spare O'Lake

Name one thing Obama has done right.

Equal pay for women

571 OldLineTexan  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:36:05am

re: #555 iceweasel

i do, and the hidden definition of 'neocon' is, "people who will call you an antisemite unless you support their agenda of all war all the time--even if you're Jewish, or Israeli, or a righteous gentile ."

Not working.

Did I say it was fair, or just?

If you think I did, would you be so kind as to point it out? I don't recall endorsing it, just pointing it out to another poster.

Did I excuse bad behavior with other bad behavior in that post?

If you think I did, would you be so kind as to point it out? I think it was clear that I do not approve.

572 Gus  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:36:08am

re: #527 Charles

Breaking news at Hot Air!

Is Obama Forming a “Shadow Government?”

Thank the stars that we have vigilant patriots keeping an eye on Obama's evil plots.

That article is a blatant display of not only paranoia but a severe mistrust of the balance of powers and the republic itself.

573 mt3_1234  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:36:15am

re: #541 OldLineTexan

And frankly the Left has not been very far behind the Right in my opinion with racist overtones. And bigotry. Unless you don't recall the hidden definition of "neocon".

what racist overtones are you referring to?
what is the hidden definition of neocon?

574 MandyManners  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:36:59am

re: #570 Diego

Equal pay for women

Huh?

575 lawhawk  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:37:03am

re: #527 Charles

Breaking news at Hot Air!

Is Obama Forming a “Shadow Government?”

Thank the stars that we have vigilant patriots keeping an eye on Obama's evil plots.

Shadow government? I don't think it means what they think it means.

Shadow government has a specific meaning - namely that it is the opposition government and usually occurs in parliamentary (funkadelics need not apply) systems. It could also apply to a skeleton government to operate if the organs of governance are wiped out (terrorists, nuclear/wmd attacks, incapacitated, etc.) It's kept up to date, but can take over so that the government can function even if key portions are destroyed - a separate situation, but one that is seriously underappreciated).

What Obama and Democrats are doing with czars isn't a shadow government. It's unfettered governance without oversight from Congress, and Congress abdicated its responsibilities, meaning that it lost power to the Executive Branch. It's a vastly expanded use of czars and advisers that started decades earlier, but took on new significance with President Bush, particularly following 9/11 and then the credit market collapse.

In Obama's case, he's filling those slots to the apparent exclusion of policy positions within already established government entities like the Department of Treasury, where key positions remain unfilled. That's a questionable tactic for this Administration, but no one seems interested, least of all the media, when this should be a major story. Heck, Congress should be asking those questions, even if it's a Democrat in charge, because when a GOPer finally takes the WH at some point in the future, they're going to cite Obama's precedence, and move ahead with still more unelected and unvetted positions.

No one should have a problem with the president seeking advice and consent from trusted advisers, but those advisers should be thoroughly vetted by the Senate. Obama's vetting process is fubar and confirmations are only likely to further expose those deficiencies. That too is something that the Congress must address.

576 Kosh's Shadow  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:37:24am

re: #573 mt3_1234

what racist overtones are you referring to?
what is the hidden definition of neocon?

Jooo. (Or a non-Jew under the control of the "Jewish Lobby").

577 Ben Hur  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:37:29am

re: #553 Charles

Nope. I won't be jumping on any more of these idiotic fake outrage bandwagons, sorry.

I'm not jumping on a bandwagon.

I think for myself.

With that said, I think it's a president using a tool, once used sporadically, to get around congressional approval for appointments.

Is that so contriversial to believe?

Is that ODS?

578 Guanxi88  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:37:43am

Did anyone else detect an unhealthy profusion of first person pronouns in the speech?

Funny, usually he's so modest.

579 Charles Johnson  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:37:49am

re: #575 lawhawk

Shadow government? I don't think it means what they think it means.

Shadow government has a specific meaning - namely that it is the opposition government and usually occurs in parliamentary (funkadelics need not apply) systems. It could also apply to a skeleton government to operate if the organs of governance are wiped out (terrorists, nuclear/wmd attacks, incapacitated, etc.) It's kept up to date, but can take over so that the government can function even if key portions are destroyed - a separate situation, but one that is seriously underappreciated).

The ignorance really is stunning.

580 SanFranciscoZionist  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:37:50am

re: #573 mt3_1234

what racist overtones are you referring to?
what is the hidden definition of neocon?

'Neocon' often means 'Jew who is more hawkish than I approve of'. Or sometimes simply 'Jew'.

581 BARACK THE VOTE  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:38:00am

re: #571 OldLineTexan

Did I say it was fair, or just?

If you think I did, would you be so kind as to point it out? I don't recall endorsing it, just pointing it out to another poster.

Did I excuse bad behavior with other bad behavior in that post?

If you think I did, would you be so kind as to point it out? I think it was clear that I do not approve.

Not attacking you, OLT. I like you. Just responding in a rather bitter manner, I admit, to the subject.

582 OldLineTexan  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:38:40am

re: #573 mt3_1234

what racist overtones are you referring to?
what is the hidden definition of neocon?

Rev. Wright for one, "bitter clingers" for another.

Jew. Of the non-Leftist persuasion.

583 Sharmuta  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:39:01am

re: #547 filetandrelease

Sorry it came off that way, of course not, but minority children drop out of school at a disproportionately higher rate. And in many areas treat education as a bad thing. IMO, he has the potential to reach some of these kids where as an example, President Bush could not.

Very true. I just want to say though- there are kids of all races and economic backgrounds that might need just as much inspiration as a kids in the inner cities. I truly hope it helps all the kids it was intended to help- but these issues- single parent homes, low income, etc., etc.- while they may be more concentrated in the cites, these issues can affect kids any where, from any background. I think sometimes adults forget how hard it is to be a kid, no matter the situation.

584 Desert Dog  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:39:07am

re: #531 Charles

Any chance that might influence you to stop and take a deep breath the next time this happens, and not automatically assume that the President of the United States is evil and intends to harm children?

I did not think he was evil and intended to harm children. Where have I ever posted that? I said I thought he was going to take this opportunity to propagandize the school children of the USA. That is not a wildeyed notion. That is what politicians do. It as the same fear the Democrats had in 91 when George HW Bush gave a very similar speech.

In this instance, I was wrong, the President gave a nice little speech about doing your best, being in control of your own destiny. It was nothing but a positive thing. I admit when Obama does well. But, I also point out when he does not so well too.

585 Charles Johnson  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:39:09am

re: #578 Guanxi88

Did anyone else detect an unhealthy profusion of first person pronouns in the speech?

Funny, usually he's so modest.

The word "I" -- 46 occurrences.

The word "you" -- more than 100 occurrences.

Scary! Narcissism! How dare he think he's anything special!

586 SanFranciscoZionist  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:39:20am

re: #574 MandyManners

Huh?

Ledbetter Fair Pay Act.

587 Dreader1962  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:39:21am

re: #524 yma o hyd

Ah - the vilification of 'the other side' is 'normal' tribal behaviour between political parties and poltical activists.
That happens here as well - one look at, say, the comments page of the LLL Grauniad will make that clear.

Only - normal people on the street take it for what it is, political rants which have nothing to do with political reality.

The difference is that now the 'normal' people are getting in on the act. I think that it has its origins in the Clinton impeachment proceedings. The best you could say about that whole thing is that it was horribly mishandled - a huge amount of investigation, an impeachment and after all this even the special prosecutor didn't want to pursue criminal charges. Why did they even bother? The left was incensed by this and pushed the average rhetoric to another level. When the 2000 elections occurred (with the trouble that occurred then) it was thought that the election was 'stolen' and the level increased. 9/11 tamped it down, but even before the Iraq invasion there was a resurgence (as well as the far-out, but influential, troofer movement).

During the Presidential campaign, I was picking up on threads in the commentary done by many on the right that were tinted with racism - of course, only the 'polite' racism that doesn't overtly state objections. Things like, "Obama wasn't born in the US" (i.e. He isn't like us!); "Obama was a 'community organizer'" (i.e. He is a troublemaker from the 'hood'.); "Obama won't defend America" (i.e. He doesn't love America!) None of this overt, but there nonetheless. Once McCain was the nominee, I predicted that Obama would win, even though the people around me said it was 'impossible'.

Now that the Republicans lost the election, they are essentially leaderless and rudderless and the 'voice' that is being heard is the fringe. What was sown during the campaign is still there, with all of the attendant implications. This episode can be summed up by the people who freaked out as, "Keep that black man away from my children!" I don't care what anyone says - that's what it seems to me, especially seeing some of the emotional reactions of the parents who have been interviewed.

588 Kragar  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:39:34am

re: #549 Kosh's Shadow

Against a fleet of these?

We got Space Marine Librarians who can communicate across the galaxy telepathically. They can keep a crab busy long enough for a lance battery to burn it to a cinder.

589 Ben Hur  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:39:46am

re: #566 MandyManners

Pres. Bush appointed 35 in his eight years.

I didn't know that. Were they all at once?

Obama has 33 in a few months.

590 Kosh's Shadow  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:39:51am

re: #580 SanFranciscoZionist

'Neocon' often means 'Jew who is more hawkish than I approve of'. Or sometimes simply 'Jew'.

You mean "uppity Jew who doesn't know his place, and who supports Israel, the cause of all the trouble in the Mid-east", don't you?

591 Mad Prophet Ludwig  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:39:59am

re: #539 Ben Hur

re: #541 OldLineTexan

You are both making true statements.

However, you might notice that the fringe left was always on the fringe of the left, whereas the far right crazy has spread like wildfire. One look at Fox and it's viewer numbers will clearly show this. The only explanation I can have of this is a more deep seated fear.

The nature of the fear is easily seen by the language used to stir it up.

Obama wants to take your guns (so when the jackbooted non-white thugs come for you, you will be defenseless)...

Obama wants control of the net (so you can not organize)... Nevermind that is precisely what Bush created total information awareness for with the reading of your mails. Bush is after all one of us.

Obama wants to take health care from you and give it to poor people (poor black and brown people while we are at it!)

Obama - Hussein Obama - He isn't a Christian at all now is he?

Obama wasn't born here - nope he is not a real American...

Obama as a witch doctor (no nothing racist there)

Obama hates white people... (That's right, the big mean black Muslim man in charge of America hate YOU!)

Obama is going to indoctrinate your kids (to be Godless, Christ hating Commies!)

Come on... Isn't it utterly obvious what is being played to here?

592 yma o hyd  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:40:07am

re: #563 Athos

No, I think the intent is to drive a point around the 30 Czars that the President appointed to lead major executive branch initiatives - bypassing Senate appointment hearings - but far be it from me to really undertand some of the leaps of 'logic' being taken these days.

(Just before leaving for work I saw that FNC had a photo collection of the 30 or so Czars on the screen with the Soviet national anthem playing...probably hitting a similar point.)

Hyperbole and idiocy seems to have few bounds these days.

Yeah - I gathered that - its just that i couldn't resist hinting what 'shadow Governmen' means over here!

Actually - that sort of 'Tsardom' has been taking place here as well, under the NuLab government.
Only they are not called tsars, they are called 'special advisors' - and there are tons of them!

593 Diego  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:40:17am

re: #574 MandyManners

Huh?

Lilly Ledbetter Act

The Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009 is an Act of Congress enacted by the 111th United States Congress and signed into law by President Barack Obama on January 29, 2009.

The bill amends the Civil Rights Act of 1964 stating that the 180-day statute of limitations for filing an equal-pay lawsuit regarding pay discrimination resets with each new discriminatory paycheck. The law was a direct answer to the Ledbetter v. Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co., 550 U.S. 618 (2007), a U.S. Supreme Court decision holding that the statute of limitations for presenting an equal-pay lawsuit begins at the date the pay was agreed upon, not at the date of the most recent paycheck, as a lower court had ruled.

594 BARACK THE VOTE  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:40:25am

re: #574 MandyManners

Huh?

The very first law Obama signed, Mandy. One I am certain you will support, given that I know you are a staunch defender of women's rights.

Barack Obama yesterday drew a clear line between his presidency and that of George Bush in his support for women's rights, when he signed an equal pay law as his first piece of legislation yesterday.

In a celebration at the White House for women and labour activists, Obama paid tribute to a former supervisor at an Alabama tyre factory who fought for the legislation which bears her name.

The Lilly Ledbetter law, which allows workers greater latitude to sue their employers for unequal pay, had been blocked by Bush and opposed by Republican members of Congress, including presidential candidate John McCain.

595 OldLineTexan  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:40:38am

re: #581 iceweasel

Not attacking you, OLT. I like you. Just responding in a rather bitter manner, I admit, to the subject.

Thank you. No offense taken, but I have played the word-twisting game here lately and become rather bitter myself.

I should go have tea with Guanxi and restore my chi.

596 SanFranciscoZionist  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:40:50am

re: #583 Sharmuta

I think sometimes adults forget how hard it is to be a kid, no matter the situation.

It's hard. Some of the things my students deal with...

597 MandyManners  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:41:02am

re: #570 Diego

Equal pay for women

A watchdog group called LegiStorm posts online the salaries for Capitol Hill staffers. "We have no political affiliations and no political purpose except to make the workings of Congress as transparent as possible," its Web site explains. Parsing LegiStorm's official data, gleaned from the secretary of the Senate, offers a fascinating glimpse at pay equity in the World's Greatest Deliberative Body.

The most recent statistics are for the half-year from Oct. 1, 2007 to March 31, 2008, excluding interns and focusing on full-time personnel. For someone who worked only until, say, last February 29, extrapolating up to six months' service simplifies this analysis. Doubling these half-year figures illustrates how a year's worth of Senate employees' paychecks should look.

Based on these calculations, Obama's 28 male staffers divided among themselves total payroll expenditures of $1,523,120. Thus, Obama's average male employee earned $54,397.

Obama's 30 female employees split $1,354,580 among themselves, or $45,152, on average.

Why this disparity? One reason may be the underrepresentation of women in Obama's highest-compensated ranks. Among Obama's five best-paid advisers, one was a woman. Among his top 20, seven were women.

Again, on average, Obama's female staffers earn just 83 cents for every dollar his male staffers make. This figure certainly exceeds the 77-cent threshold that Obama's campaign Web site condemns. However, 83 cents do not equal $1.00. In spite of this 17-cent gap between Obama's rhetoric and reality, he chose to chide GOP presidential contender John McCain on this issue.


SNIP

598 MisterCookie  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:41:03am

re: #538 Kosh's Shadow

Awesome, you don't see nearly enough Babylon 5 references these days.

"LGF was our last, best hope for sanity. But it failed. Now its something even greater: Our last, best hope for victory."

599 _RememberTonyC  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:41:06am

re: #548 Sharmuta

Great comment. This will end up being the little boy who cried wolf for the right. They will howl at the moon over the tiniest thing, so what will happen when it actually is something worth howling about? As you said- they've compromised integrity and credibility. This will only bite them in the ass in the future.


Thanks Sharm ... I wanted to be very precise with that comment. I have been critical of Obama on many occasions, but by being willing to give him the "nod" when he's right, I feel my negative comments about Obama have more credibility and deserve to be taken more seriously by his supporters both on this board and in everyday conversations with friends, relatives, and other voters.

600 Mad Prophet Ludwig  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:41:16am

re: #546 Ben Hur

You don't have a problem with the amount of Czars that have been appointed?

I don't seem to recall you being outraged by all of Bush's czars...

I could be wrong about that though. If I am, I apologize.

601 Land Shark  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:41:33am

re: #527 Charles

Must be all those Czars (perhaps Commissars might be a more appropriate word?) who aren't vetted by anyone and that only answer to him that has some of us thinking that. Thirty three of them by the latest count. Obama is setting up a Czarist tradition like no other President has.

I guess after the tax cheating debacle with Geitner wised Obama up to the fact that he needed to form a shadow government to get his comrades, er, I mean, buddies into the game. Like Van Jones.

602 BARACK THE VOTE  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:41:36am

re: #593 Diego

Hola, Diego! You bet me to it with the Ledbetter info. ;)

603 SanFranciscoZionist  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:41:43am

re: #590 Kosh's Shadow

You mean "uppity Jew who doesn't know his place, and who supports Israel, the cause of all the trouble in the Mid-east", don't you?

That too.

604 OldLineTexan  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:41:45am

re: #591 LudwigVanQuixote

re: #541 OldLineTexan

You are both making true statements.

However, you might notice that the fringe left was always on the fringe of the left,

Thanks for the response.

I disagree with this statement, and will have to leave it there.

605 Ben Hur  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:41:49am

re: #575 lawhawk

It's unfettered governance without oversight from Congress, and Congress abdicated its responsibilities, meaning that it lost power to the Executive Branch. It's a vastly expanded use of czars and advisers that started decades earlier, but took on new significance with President Bush, particularly following 9/11 and then the credit market collapse.

I don't think opposing that is faux outrage.

606 Diego  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:41:55am

re: #602 iceweasel

^5 m8ess :)

607 sattv4u2  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:42:00am

re: #545 Spare O'Lake

Name one thing Obama has done right.

re: #568 Charles

Was decisive when nit came to the pirates
Stated that he is against releasing the GITMO "torture" photos
When it became apparant the Van Jones was a mojor distraction, didn't stubbornly hol out

Don't get me wrong, I'm still not a "fan', But I will give the man his due

608 Nemo  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:42:16am

I will know when I return from work
if my two children survived
with their free will intact.
If they start washing their hands more often
or reading more books
I will know that they were brainwashed.

609 Walter L. Newton  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:42:20am

re: #597 MandyManners

SNIP

Whoops...

Mandy, what are you trying to do?

[Link: www.ocregister.com...]

610 OldLineTexan  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:42:38am

re: #591 LudwigVanQuixote

BTW, jackbooted thugs was the verbal invention of a Democrat.

One of my lasting pleasures in life.

/

611 OldLineTexan  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:43:00am

re: #602 iceweasel

Hola, Diego! You bet me to it with the Ledbetter info. ;)

You were beaten to the Ledbetter?

/

612 Spider Mensch  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:43:11am

I'd rather all the young chilluns listen to obama rather than some gangsta rap quasi-criminal gun toting, drug doing, calling women beyatchs and ho's, recording artist..or for that matter some gun toting NFL or NBA player...say what you want about obama, but he's leaps and bounds better for the kids that that kind of crap the media pushes on them.

613 Walter L. Newton  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:43:26am

re: #602 iceweasel

Hola, Diego! You bet me to it with the Ledbetter info. ;)

And Mandy beat me to it with the unbalance of woman and pay in the Obama administration. Funny how that works.

[Link: www.ocregister.com...]

614 BARACK THE VOTE  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:43:30am

re: #591 LudwigVanQuixote

Favourited, LVQ!

615 DaddyG  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:43:39am

re: #516 LudwigVanQuixote

I'm not talking about all Reps, I am talking about the crazies of the right.

That is the second time you have had to clarify that today. Perhaps you might try using a slightly narrower brush to paint with?

616 BARACK THE VOTE  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:44:11am

re: #611 OldLineTexan

You were beaten to the Ledbetter?

/

Often beaten, NEVAR defeated!
/

617 Kosh's Shadow  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:44:21am

re: #598 MisterCookie

Awesome, you don't see nearly enough Babylon 5 references these days.

"LGF was our last, best hope for sanity. But it failed. Now its something even greater: Our last, best hope for victory."

Multiple updings.

618 MandyManners  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:44:49am

re: #589 Ben Hur

I didn't know that. Were they all at once?

Obama has 33 in a few months.

Here's the Wiki.

[Link: en.wikipedia.org...]

619 BARACK THE VOTE  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:45:35am

re: #580 SanFranciscoZionist

'Neocon' often means 'Jew who is more hawkish than I approve of'. Or sometimes simply 'Jew'.

Very true.

620 Ben Hur  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:45:52am

re: #591 LudwigVanQuixote

re: #541 OldLineTexan

You are both making true statements.

However, you might notice that the fringe left was always on the fringe of the left, whereas the far right crazy has spread like wildfire. One look at Fox and it's viewer numbers will clearly show this. The only explanation I can have of this is a more deep seated fear.

The nature of the fear is easily seen by the language used to stir it up.

Obama wants to take your guns (so when the jackbooted non-white thugs come for you, you will be defenseless)...

Obama wants control of the net (so you can not organize)... Nevermind that is precisely what Bush created total information awareness for with the reading of your mails. Bush is after all one of us.

Obama wants to take health care from you and give it to poor people (poor black and brown people while we are at it!)

Obama - Hussein Obama - He isn't a Christian at all now is he?

Obama wasn't born here - nope he is not a real American...

Obama as a witch doctor (no nothing racist there)

Obama hates white people... (That's right, the big mean black Muslim man in charge of America hate YOU!)

Obama is going to indoctrinate your kids (to be Godless, Christ hating Commies!)

Come on... Isn't it utterly obvious what is being played to here?

I have family members out in whackadoo coast to coast land that say ALL of that shit no matter who is pres. THat thinks that because the new style of police helmet is the same shape as Nazi Germany's helmet, we're all effen doomed.

I understand having a black pres ups the ante, but nuts are nuts.

Remember when Bush was turning your children into little spartan warriors?

The media plays a big role too.

They'll soon have the Reps wandering the earth for not accepting Him.

621 lawhawk  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:46:08am

re: #579 Charles

I don't think it's ignorance. I think it's the lack of a term for what Obama is doing to avoid scrutiny of his advisers background by using the czar route instead of Congressional vetting via confirmation. "Shadow government" has "shadowy" and "evil" connotations, which is just how the GOPers want it, but the Democrats have to address this now too - they have to justify how and why Obama is going that route, instead of confirmations.

A potential justification - and not one I agree with - is that the kinds of problems facing the country are more interrelated than ever before. Take the car czar position for example. A Dept. of Treasury official on automakers may have the economics expertise, but not experience in the auto market, while the Transportation Dept official doesn't have the economics background. I'd disagree, given that there are experts who are cross disciplinary and should be advising within the existing structures, and even if there aren't, the advisers should be confirmed.

And the Democrats wont do it, even if it means the loss of power by Congress as an institution, because it would expose the mess within the Obama Administration and how they choose their advisers.

622 Gus  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:46:16am

re: #613 Walter L. Newton

And Mandy beat me to it with the unbalance of woman and pay in the Obama administration. Funny how that works.

[Link: www.ocregister.com...]

That article is from September of 2008. I remember hearing about this at the time. It's also not really a news report but a column.

623 Honorary Yooper  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:46:17am

re: #591 LudwigVanQuixote

Ludwig, I hate to say it, but you are rather ignorant of history. Such stuff whereby a meme spreads like wildfire through the right or the left is nothing new. In fact, I see what is going on right now as a repeat (reruns are very common in US history) of what the Republicans did in 1932-1938. Various ideas about FDR spread like wildfire through the party and helped to keep them out of the presidency until 1952.

Then again, we had the Democrat lunacy under Reagan which kept them out until 1992. These things go in cycles, and some of these memes go deeper into a party's psyche than others. Some of them can even tear a party apart (see the Federalists).

624 filetandrelease  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:46:35am

re: #583 Sharmuta
Agreed, I have a 17 year old and 20 year old, both boys.

625 Desert Dog  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:46:36am

re: #615 DaddyG

That is the second time you have had to clarify that today. Perhaps you might try using a slightly narrower brush to paint with?

Not many fine tipped brushes over at Lud's place when he's talking about how evil and stupid the right is.

626 mt3_1234  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:47:00am

re: #584 Desert Dog

I did not think he was evil and intended to harm children. Where have I ever posted that? I said I thought he was going to take this opportunity to propagandize the school children of the USA. That is not a wildeyed notion. That is what politicians do. It as the same fear the Democrats had in 91 when George HW Bush gave a very similar speech.

In this instance, I was wrong, the President gave a nice little speech about doing your best, being in control of your own destiny. It was nothing but a positive thing. I admit when Obama does well. But, I also point out when he does not so well too.

in 1989, Reagan gave a speech to schoolkids
enjoy it for the contrast to obama's

627 Mad Prophet Ludwig  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:47:18am

re: #615 DaddyG

That is the second time you have had to clarify that today. Perhaps you might try using a slightly narrower brush to paint with?

Or perhaps people need to stop seeing themselves in what I am writing. I never even said Reps in the original post.

However, it is clear that the powers that be in the party are eagerly whipping these things up.

It is also completely wrong and immoral for them to do.

In fact, it is evil and anti-American.

628 MandyManners  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:47:22am

Three of FCBBHO's advisors have resigned: Ratner, Hatthaway and Jones.

629 Sharmuta  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:48:01am

re: #599 _RememberTonyC

Thanks Sharm ... I wanted to be very precise with that comment. I have been critical of Obama on many occasions, but by being willing to give him the "nod" when he's right, I feel my negative comments about Obama have more credibility and deserve to be taken more seriously by his supporters both on this board and in everyday conversations with friends, relatives, and other voters.

That's because it does give you more credibility. Praise our opponents when they get it right, criticize them fairly when they're wrong. But hyperventilations over flights of the imagination are silly and wrong. What troubles me the most about it is the right's seeming willingness to live in a fantasy world. We can't win back the halls of power fighting myths in our heads.

630 lawhawk  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:48:03am

re: #605 Ben Hur

I don't think it is either, but calling it a shadow government is purposefully misleading, though there is no other way to define it. The GOP has for whatever reason latched on to the term...

631 experiencedtraveller  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:48:24am

Is a "czar" a compensated position?

632 MandyManners  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:48:40am

re: #628 MandyManners

Three of FCBBHO's advisors have resigned: Ratner, Hatthaway and Jones.

Oops. Hathaway.

633 Charles Johnson  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:48:44am

re: #630 lawhawk

I don't think it is either, but calling it a shadow government is purposefully misleading, though there is no other way to define it. The GOP has for whatever reason latched on to the term...

The reason is simple -- it sounds scary and inflames the lunatic base even further.

634 MandyManners  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:49:25am

re: #631 experiencedtraveller

Is a "czar" a compensated position?

Yes. I believe they are paid $150,000.00.

635 Ben Hur  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:49:27am

re: #600 LudwigVanQuixote

I don't seem to recall you being outraged by all of Bush's czars...

I could be wrong about that though. If I am, I apologize.

I didn't realize he had so many as well.

I don't like the widespread use.

I can understand 9/11 czar, etc, like emergency czars but Great Lakes Czar?

Guantanamo Closure Czar?

Screw the Sudan Czar and bomb the Janjaweed!

Why do we have cabinet positions?

636 BARACK THE VOTE  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:49:31am

re: #615 DaddyG

That is the second time you have had to clarify that today. Perhaps you might try using a slightly narrower brush to paint with?

Perhaps people should stop insisting on interpreting posters on' teh left' as referring to ALL the right as crazy, when we condemn the crazy right?

I'm pretty tired of having to repeatedly say "Of course I mean only 'nuts on the right' when I say 'right wing nut' and not everyone on the right is nuts, blah blah' 10 times a day -- especially when i see NO corresponding mass freakout here when people say shit like "all leftists are commies".

637 midwestgak  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:49:43am

Clijsters advances to the semifinals - US Open.

638 theuglydougling  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:50:42am

re: #538 Kosh's Shadow

It has started; the Shadows have returned to Z'ha'dum, and galactic war will soon follow.
Don't worry. The Vorlons will help in the war against the Shadows.
///

"Who are you?"

"What do you want?"

639 Spare O'Lake  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:50:56am

re: #568 Charles

He's committed more troops to Afghanistan and he isn't wavering on Iraq.

And the speech he gave today to schoolchildren was GREAT. I wish all presidents would do things like that.

I agree with you 100% about Afghanistan.
On Iraq, the whole world can be thankful that he seems to have thrown his unwavering cut-and-run campaign slogans under the bus where they belong.

And the speech to the kids, as amended by editing out the commie stuff and tossing it under the bus, was a very fine speech.

640 vxbush  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:51:13am

re: #635 Ben Hur

I didn't realize he had so many as well.

I don't like the widespread use.

I can understand 9/11 czar, etc, like emergency czars but Great Lakes Czar?

Guantanamo Closure Czar?

Screw the Sudan Czar and bomb the Janjaweed!

Why do we have cabinet positions?

As I recall, the czars were supposed to be people who could work on a particular issue that transcended specific cabinets and departments. They could focus on one thing (i.e. AIDS) across various departments, coordinating responses and plans.

Now some of the czars are still doing that kind of work, but some seem to be duplications of cabinet/department positions.

641 lawhawk  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:51:42am

re: #633 Charles

The reason is simple -- it sounds scary and inflames the lunatic base even further.

True.

Now, there is one good thing to come of it - that more scrutiny be placed on how the czars are vetted. Some get confirmation, while many others aren't.

If I were a GOPer, I'd be urging a law that requires all "czars" be confirmed - to prevent any end-run around confirmation process, and to make sure that existing positions are filled that are for the same subject area.

In other words, if there's a confirmation-eligible position in the Treasury, you can't go ahead and leave that position unfilled while you create a czar that does the same thing - with a position that is not confirmed via Senate.

642 Sharmuta  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:51:48am

re: #639 Spare O'Lake

And the speech to the kids, as amended by editing out the commie stuff and tossing it under the bus, was a very fine speech.

This was never in the speech.

643 Charles Johnson  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:51:58am

re: #639 Spare O'Lake

I agree with you 100% about Afghanistan.
On Iraq, the whole world can be thankful that he seems to have thrown his unwavering cut-and-run campaign slogans under the bus where they belong.

And the speech to the kids, as amended by editing out the commie stuff and tossing it under the bus, was a very fine speech.

What crap. Do you realize how crazy it sounds when you say things like that?

644 BARACK THE VOTE  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:52:24am

re: #630 lawhawk

I don't think it is either, but calling it a shadow government is purposefully misleading, though there is no other way to define it. The GOP has for whatever reason latched on to the term...

Yes, for 'whatever reason'.

I'm sure it can't have anything to do with appealing to the lunatic belief that Obama is somehow an illegitmate POTUS with a seekrit agenda. That would never happen.

//yes, dripping.

645 Sharmuta  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:52:29am

re: #641 lawhawk

Can I vote for you in 2010?

646 Mad Prophet Ludwig  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:52:29am

re: #580 SanFranciscoZionist

'Neocon' often means 'Jew who is more hawkish than I approve of'. Or sometimes simply 'Jew'.

Well hating us, is one of the things that the far right and the far left has always been able to agree with.

Ever notice how we controlled the Bush admin to the Lefties - as if Bush, Rumsfeld, Cheney, Rice or any of Bush's real inner circle or the actual powers that be in the GOP were Jews?

And what about the far right - of course we are to blame for everything from there too.

It's curious because most of actually Jewish political philosophy (from the only Jewish nation on the planet) is based on the notion of please leave us alone!

647 DaddyG  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:52:56am

re: #612 Spider Mensch

I'd rather all the young chilluns listen to obama rather than some gangsta rap quasi-criminal gun toting, drug doing, calling women beyatchs and ho's, recording artist...

Hey! That's my favorite group. /

648 Diego  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:53:03am

re: #639 Spare O'Lake

And the speech to the kids, as amended by editing out the commie stuff and tossing it under the bus, was a very fine speech.

Are you really this much of an airhead?

649 Honorary Yooper  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:53:10am

I keep hearing about how the left did not engage in the same sort of fear mongering from them top. I seem to reacall hearing all sorts of stuff about how Bush was going to establish a theocracy, Bush was a stupid dolt who was going to be the ruin of the US, Bush was going to let corporations run rampant and unregulated, etc, etc. People forget this because an event happened eight years ago Friday that changed all this stuff for the next several years.

As I said before, partisans tend to do this crap, and that includes Republican and Democratic partisans who are no different than their Democratic-Republican, Whig, and Federalist partisans before them.

650 Ben Hur  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:53:19am

re: #618 MandyManners

Here's the Wiki.

[Link: en.wikipedia.org...]

LOL!

Some of the more interesting Bush czars:

Abstinence Czar. Birth control czar.

WTF? That's like:

Pasta Czar. Anti-pasta Czar.

651 Kragar  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:53:41am

re: #638 theuglydougling

"Who are you?"

"What do you want?"

My name is Inigo Montoya.

I want my father back.

652 Guanxi88  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:53:48am

re: #585 Charles

56 uses of 1st person personal pronoun ("I," "me," "my," excluding MLK quote).

So, it's not all about him; just mostly.

C'mon! A guy can't have a little fun?

653 Athos  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:54:19am

re: #641 lawhawk

Unfortunately that is a sane and reasoned approach (albet one probably destined for failure on the House side) - which seems to be missing from the leadership of the GOP.

654 clgood  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:54:27am

The non-OBS reasons for objecting to this stunt is that the Narcissist In Chief shouldn't be wasting class time, and that the office of the president has (or should have) nothing to do with education.

Then there's the political, if not entirely germane, point that if Bush had tried this the Left's conniption fit would have made this little Beck business look like a damp squib.

655 MrSilverDragon  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:54:40am

re: #639 Spare O'Lake

Just as a future note, never sit in your car while it is running in a closed garage...

656 Mad Prophet Ludwig  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:54:48am

re: #635 Ben Hur

I didn't realize he had so many as well.

I don't like the widespread use.

I can understand 9/11 czar, etc, like emergency czars but Great Lakes Czar?

Guantanamo Closure Czar?

Screw the Sudan Czar and bomb the Janjaweed!

Why do we have cabinet positions?

Now here we agree. I do not like the increased power of the president that having the Czars represents. It is giving the president leave to create an empowered inner circle without oversight.

I rather despise the practice, but the precedent has been set, and not by Obama.

657 Sharmuta  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:54:56am

re: #653 Athos

Unfortunately that is a sane and reasoned approach (albet one probably destined for failure on the House side) - which seems to be missing from the leadership of the GOP.

That's why I'm voting for lawhawk.

658 lawhawk  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:55:20am

re: #645 Sharmuta

Can I vote for you in 2010?

Never contemplated a run, and I'm sure that if I did, all manner of dirty laundry would be aired that would make my life miserable. A decade plus of blogging tends to do that... and then some.

No, I'll stick to making anonymous postings on matters of policy, which I hope those who are intent upon running for government or pursuing policy, take to heart...

659 badger1970  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:55:21am

re: #528 Land Shark

The discussion preceding it was priceless.

660 Sharmuta  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:55:54am

re: #658 lawhawk

Never contemplated a run, and I'm sure that if I did, all manner of dirty laundry would be aired that would make my life miserable. A decade plus of blogging tends to do that... and then some.

No, I'll stick to making anonymous postings on matters of policy, which I hope those who are intent upon running for government or pursuing policy, take to heart...

Sigh... okay. I'm still writing you in though. ;)

661 Mad Prophet Ludwig  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:56:00am

re: #646 LudwigVanQuixote

Walter, what was false about that, that you needed to downding that?

You really should be less of a tool.

662 Spare O'Lake  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:56:06am

re: #570 Diego

Equal pay for women

For that he would need to claw back most of Michele's salary since she was called to the Bar.

663 BARACK THE VOTE  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:56:21am

re: #639 Spare O'Lake


And the speech to the kids, as amended by editing out the commie stuff and tossing it under the bus, was a very fine speech.

What 'commie stuff', pray tell?

You sound like Glenn Beck, who later today will engage in his own form of seekrit divination to tell us about the mythical speech Obama seekritly gave inside Beck's head-- a vision that looks remarkably like the one Beck has when scrying his toilet bowel for inspiration and tips.

664 Rancher  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:56:41am

Aside from the "how we can serve our president" homework assignments, this is much ado about nothing. I wish there was this kind of backlash against Gore's video which was far worse. I also here this video is being played in schools. The sad fact is our schools and universities don't need any help from Obama in indoctrinating our kids, they do a fine job by themselves.

665 Dreader1962  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:56:44am

re: #591 LudwigVanQuixote

re: #541 OldLineTexan

Obama wants control of the net (so you can not organize)... Nevermind that is precisely what Bush created total information awareness for with the reading of your mails. Bush is after all one of us.

Total Information Awareness program was never implemented - not to say that it wouldn't have been implemented, but it's a touchy subject for me, especially since it stole my company's slogan.

Here's a news story - I was the guy on the plane that Lewis talks about:

Center for Public Integrity - A Chance Encounter Raises Questions

666 Mad Prophet Ludwig  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:57:10am

re: #656 LudwigVanQuixote

Walter, you don't like Czars either. It is not that I am butthurt that you are on a spree, but jeeze, that post is in line with your views.

And you complain about school yards?

667 SixDegrees  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:57:45am

re: #444 Charles

All kidding aside. I have to say that the freak-out over this speech was one of the single craziest episodes I've ever witnessed in American politics, and that's saying a LOT.

It was an absolute disgrace. And not a single Republican will now take responsibility for the insane fear mongering they indulged in.

They're waiting until 5:00, when Glen Beck will tell them what to think for another day.

668 debutaunt  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:57:52am

re: #273 Ben Hur

He reads well.

Sometimes he speaks with an embarrassing stammer.

669 Charles Johnson  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:57:57am

That little bit Ed Morrissey did about counting up the words (suggested to him by a raving nutbag creationist who was banned from LGF after being one of the most annoying people who ever posted here, and now is on a crusade to smear LGF) was probably the craziest thing he has ever written.

I'm actually surprised, because I thought Morrissey had better sense than to indulge in what amounts to numerology. Batshit insane.

670 Diego  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:58:09am

re: #664 Rancher

Aside from the "how we can serve our president" homework assignments, this is much ado about nothing.

Bush Sr had just that in his speech and no parents kept their kids home, no schools refused to shiow it, no one much cared.

671 Honorary Yooper  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:58:29am

re: #658 lawhawk

Never contemplated a run, and I'm sure that if I did, all manner of dirty laundry would be aired that would make my life miserable. A decade plus of blogging tends to do that... and then some.

Which is exactly why decent people stay out of public office. It's a shame, really, because we miss out on people who otherwise would be great leaders.

672 DaddyG  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:59:08am

re: #636 iceweasel

Perhaps people should stop insisting on interpreting posters on' teh left' as referring to ALL the right as crazy, when we condemn the crazy right?

I'm pretty tired of having to repeatedly say "Of course I mean only 'nuts on the right' when I say 'right wing nut' and not everyone on the right is nuts, blah blah' 10 times a day -- especially when i see NO corresponding mass freakout here when people say shit like "all leftists are commies".

My experience is that the Lizards call both sides on the "they do it too" arguments. If you want people to understand you it is your responsibility to communicate clearly and take ownership when you fail to do so.

673 Walter L. Newton  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:59:28am

re: #661 LudwigVanQuixote

I am still waiting for a answer to my question. Up thread you mentioned that people were using the term "death camp" in regards to "granny."

I was wondering if you had a link to who used the term "death camp" in relation to the end of life counseling that was in the proposed bill?

674 Amy  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 10:59:30am

Let's not forget about this:

When Bush spoke to students, Democrats investigated, held hearings

675 Gus  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 11:00:16am

re: #650 Ben Hur

LOL!

Some of the more interesting Bush czars:

Abstinence Czar. Birth control czar.

WTF? That's like:

Pasta Czar. Anti-pasta Czar.

Bush's Abstinence Czar Randall L. Tobias:

On April 26, 2007, Tobias was questioned by Federal investigators, regarding any services he received from the escort service owned by Deborah Jeane Palfrey, who has been charged with prostitution-related racketeering. When reached by ABC News on April 26, Tobias said he had several times called the "Pamela Martin and Associates" escort service "to have gals come over to the condo to give me a massage." Tobias, who is married, said there had been "no sex," and that recently he had been using another service "with Central Americans" to provide his "massages." The next day, April 27, 2007, Tobias resigned from his U. S. State Department position as Director of US Foreign Assistance and as Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). A State Department press release said only he was leaving for "personal reasons."

Uh huh. Abstinence.

676 Dreader1962  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 11:00:17am

re: #649 Honorary Yooper

I keep hearing about how the left did not engage in the same sort of fear mongering from them top. I seem to reacall hearing all sorts of stuff about how Bush was going to establish a theocracy, Bush was a stupid dolt who was going to be the ruin of the US, Bush was going to let corporations run rampant and unregulated, etc, etc. People forget this because an event happened eight years ago Friday that changed all this stuff for the next several years.

As I said before, partisans tend to do this crap, and that includes Republican and Democratic partisans who are no different than their Democratic-Republican, Whig, and Federalist partisans before them.

Not to mention the constant drumbeat from the entertainment field - has anyone here watched 'The Simpsons' or 'Family Guy' during the Bush presidency? I could name any number of repugnant themes shown in these cartoons when they include political commentary. Does anyone seriously maintain that these shows don't represent a significant section of the left?

677 Walter L. Newton  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 11:00:24am

re: #674 Amy

Let's not forget about this:

When Bush spoke to students, Democrats investigated, held hearings

You right wing nut!
///

678 Mad Prophet Ludwig  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 11:01:00am

re: #623 Honorary Yooper

Ludwig, I hate to say it, but you are rather ignorant of history. Such stuff whereby a meme spreads like wildfire through the right or the left is nothing new. In fact, I see what is going on right now as a repeat (reruns are very common in US history) of what the Republicans did in 1932-1938. Various ideas about FDR spread like wildfire through the party and helped to keep them out of the presidency until 1952.

Then again, we had the Democrat lunacy under Reagan which kept them out until 1992. These things go in cycles, and some of these memes go deeper into a party's psyche than others. Some of them can even tear a party apart (see the Federalists).

Yoope, I have no beef with you at all, but I fail to see how any of your true statements contradicts anything that I have said.

There is a reason that this meme, the one currently in question, is spreading through the right as much as it has. I do not debate a longstanding trend towards lunacy in American politics, however, how does that contradict anything I have said about this particular lunacy?

679 Dreader1962  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 11:01:01am

re: #666 LudwigVanQuixote

Walter, you don't like Czars either. It is not that I am butthurt that you are on a spree, but jeeze, that post is in line with your views.

And you complain about school yards?

Perhaps it is the juvenile use of the word, 'butthurt'?

680 Sharmuta  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 11:01:50am

re: #674 Amy

Let's not forget about this:

When Bush spoke to students, Democrats investigated, held hearings

So- we should behave as poorly as the democrats?

681 BARACK THE VOTE  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 11:02:07am

re: #627 LudwigVanQuixote

Or perhaps people need to stop seeing themselves in what I am writing. I never even said Reps in the original post.

However, it is clear that the powers that be in the party are eagerly whipping these things up.

It is also completely wrong and immoral for them to do.

In fact, it is evil and anti-American.

Quoted and updinged because more people need to see this and agree with it. Why can't people see that this is a nonpartisan issue, and rather is an issue that all people who care about the country ought to get behind?

682 Walter L. Newton  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 11:02:09am

re: #679 Dreader1962

Perhaps it is the juvenile use of the word, 'butthurt'?

If it was only that!

683 debutaunt  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 11:02:22am

re: #288 LudwigVanQuixote

You are not Beck, or the legions of Fox viewers, or the Fox executives trying to paint this as evil. You saw the speech and thought for yourself. You are not the sort of person I was talking about.

I hope that when I use the term right wing nut, I am specifically talking about the nuts, not normal thinking people who have right of center views on some issues.

Cool! How do you address the left wing nuts?

684 Ben Hur  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 11:02:31am

re: #670 Diego

Bush Sr had just that in his speech and no parents kept their kids home, no schools refused to shiow it, no one much cared.

The Dems held multiple hearings about it.

685 Mad Prophet Ludwig  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 11:02:46am

re: #673 Walter L. Newton

I am still waiting for a answer to my question. Up thread you mentioned that people were using the term "death camp" in regards to "granny."

I was wondering if you had a link to who used the term "death camp" in relation to the end of life counseling that was in the proposed bill?

Well geeze walter, why not look through LGF to find plenty of links to right wingers who said that...

Do your own research.

You have proven time and again that if I linked anything to you, you would not read it anyway.

But wait, you don't care...

686 Spare O'Lake  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 11:03:07am

re: #663 iceweasel

What 'commie stuff', pray tell?

You sound like Glenn Beck, who later today will engage in his own form of seekrit divination to tell us about the mythical speech Obama seekritly gave inside Beck's head-- a vision that looks remarkably like the one Beck has when scrying his toilet bowel for inspiration and tips.

What commie stuff?
Why whatever it was that he deleted due to right wing whacko pressure MUST have been commie stuff.
Lighten up, folks, I am as usual on auto-sarc.

687 Desert Dog  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 11:03:08am

re: #670 Diego

Bush Sr had just that in his speech and no parents kept their kids home, no schools refused to shiow it, no one much cared.

Yes, and the Democrats that held hearings on that speech and complained like stuck pigs were imaginary then? Was I high on crack that month? I think I seem to recall a righteous indignation spewing forth from the Congress about Bush Sr. speech to the kiddies. But, that was then and this is now, and besides Republican are stupid racist idiots living in a fantasyland that don't even read (so it's ok)!

688 Mad Prophet Ludwig  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 11:03:17am

re: #683 debutaunt

Cool! How do you address the left wing nuts?

Well in the very first OP I made mention to moonbats...

689 Sharmuta  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 11:03:52am

re: #684 Ben Hur

The Dems held multiple hearings about it.

And that was bullshit. Should we follow that example?

690 SixDegrees  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 11:04:44am

re: #669 Charles

That little bit Ed Morrissey did about counting up the words (suggested to him by a raving nutbag creationist who was banned from LGF after being one of the most annoying people who ever posted here, and now is on a crusade to smear LGF) was probably the craziest thing he has ever written.

I'm actually surprised, because I thought Morrissey had better sense than to indulge in what amounts to numerology. Batshit insane.

Ed's current position is best described as write-on-command. He's told what to produce, what spin to put on it, how to slant it, and that's what keeps his employers signing his paychecks.

It's far, far beneath Ed's considerable talents, and a true disappointment to watch.

I miss Captain's Quarters, where Ed was in charge and wrote what he wanted to write. But it wasn't paying the bills.

I wish he'd find something more worthy of his considerable talents to make his expenses.

691 Ben Hur  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 11:04:49am

re: #689 Sharmuta

And that was bullshit. Should we follow that example?

No.

Was just responding to a "Bush Sr did it and nobody cared" comment.

692 Desert Dog  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 11:05:12am

re: #674 Amy

Let's not forget about this:

When Bush spoke to students, Democrats investigated, held hearings

Doesn't matter...ancient history...who cares...move along...it's much more important to beat this dead horse a little more...

693 Guanxi88  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 11:05:50am

re: #595 OldLineTexan

Nice cuppa oolong, very soothing.

Lung-ching cha today.

694 brookly red  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 11:06:11am

re: #655 MrSilverDragon

Just as a future note, never sit in your car while it is running in a closed garage...

unless of course you are my landlord...

695 Mad Prophet Ludwig  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 11:06:15am

re: #614 iceweasel

Love you Ice!

696 Randall Gross  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 11:06:18am

There's only one potential czar in the world. His name is Putin.

Charles: have you been watching George Romero movies again?

697 Sharmuta  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 11:06:26am

Has it really gotten to the point where a disclaimer needs to be on every comment so as to not offend anyone who wants to see themselves as getting tarred by the label "right wing nut"? This is getting slightly out of hand.

When I see "nut" I know that lizard isn't talking about me. This is like the DHS memo all over again.

698 Honorary Yooper  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 11:06:41am

re: #680 Sharmuta

So- we should behave as poorly as the democrats?

No, we should not be doing so. Just because they did it does not make it OK to do it. It's like saying it is OK for my to rob a bank because Johnny did it. Two wrongs do not make a right (even if three lefts do). I'm probably as sick of the hyperpartisan bullshit as anyone here. I found the stories about Bush hard to read, and and I am finding the stories about Obama just as hard to read.

699 mt3_1234  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 11:06:59am

re: #650 Ben Hur

LOL!

Some of the more interesting Bush czars:

Abstinence Czar. Birth control czar.

WTF? That's like:

Pasta Czar. Anti-pasta Czar.

there is also a "czar czar"
i'm not kidding

700 yma o hyd  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 11:07:29am

re: #637 midwestgak

Clijsters advances to the semifinals - US Open.

Good for her!

701 Locker  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 11:07:37am

re: #470 SanFranciscoZionist

Speaking of role models and father figures, can I comment that a LOT of my male high school students really admire Cesar?

Well he was the only "nanny" who could handle Eric Cartman.

702 Spare O'Lake  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 11:08:15am

re: #643 Charles

What crap. Do you realize how crazy it sounds when you say things like that?

On the speech, I was on autosarc - sorry. Still, I can't believe that Obama would have been so unprincipled and gutless as to have changed even one word of the speech as a result of the insane right wing whacko pressure.

703 theuglydougling  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 11:08:20am

re: #669 Charles

I thought numerology was like astrology or fortune telling...

704 Walter L. Newton  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 11:08:46am

re: #685 LudwigVanQuixote

Well geeze walter, why not look through LGF to find plenty of links to right wingers who said that...

Do your own research.

You have proven time and again that if I linked anything to you, you would not read it anyway.

But wait, you don't care...

You made the comment, it's not my job to prove antything. You can't find me a link to "death camps."

So, this is my rebuttal to set the record straight, unless I am proven wrong (which is certainly possible).

Ludwig cannot prove anyone hung the term "death camp" in regards to end of life counseling in the proposed health care bill.

Case closed.

705 gregb  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 11:10:29am

re: #270 SanFranciscoZionist

I said "I would greet President Bush with the respect his office demands, and welcome him to our school. Why wouldn't I?"

He didn't believe me.

I was a visitor of my son's school as he was student of the week. They were encouraged to ask all sorts of questions about what his favorite things were (as well as mine). When they asked me who my favorite president was, I told them Ronald Reagan. One of the students yelled out Obama and several other students told him that he was the worst president ever. I laughed and told them, no that was Harding. The teacher said they don't have to memorize the presidents anymore.

Thank God for Dr. Demento (and school house rock).

706 BARACK THE VOTE  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 11:12:00am

re: #679 Dreader1962

Perhaps it is the juvenile use of the word, 'butthurt'?

Bullshit. The pathetic last resort of those who got no game. Seize on the fact that your objector used a 'nasty' word, and ignore all the points he made.

I'm all for condemning a person who makes a post consisting of nothing but insults and abuse, but it's more than a bit rich to see people fixating on a single word, clutching their pearls and calling for the smelling salts whenever someone uses the very innocent and silly word butthurt-- especially on a blog where the POTUS is regularly referred to as "Fucking Commie Bastard Barack Hussein Obama" and the First Lady as "Whiny-Ass Bitch".

Butthurt. And Butthurt Cinservative.
read it, learn it, live it, love it.

/Fast times at ridgewood high reference.

707 sattv4u2  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 11:12:03am

re: #666 LudwigVanQuixote

I was thinking about something we were discussing yesterday re: education

You stated (and I 100% beleive you) that the students you now have in college are woefully lacking in grade level math, science and language art skills. I have seen the same in elementary and secondary schools for years

So the question is what criteria does your college use for entrance acceptance? Is there an entrance exam? Is there a minimum SAT score thats used?

My son will be taking the PSAT's soon, and it's been decades since I or my wife has applied to or been in college. Fortunatly (thanks to my wife, mostkly) my son is an honors student taking advanced AP classes, but I'm just curious

708 Randall Gross  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 11:12:14am

re: #704 Walter L. Newton

You made the comment, it's not my job to prove antything. You can't find me a link to "death camps."

So, this is my rebuttal to set the record straight, unless I am proven wrong (which is certainly possible).

Ludwig cannot prove anyone hung the term "death camp" in regards to end of life counseling in the proposed health care bill.

Case closed.

Well you don't find "death camp" in this, but it's getting darned close from the Bloody Randall Terry crowd:

[Link: www.bio-medicine.org...]

709 CommonCents  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 11:14:05am

re: #707 sattv4u2

I was thinking about something we were discussing yesterday re: education

You stated (and I 100% beleive you) that the students you now have in college are woefully lacking in grade level math, science and language art skills. I have seen the same in elementary and secondary schools for years

So the question is what criteria does your college use for entrance acceptance? Is there an entrance exam? Is there a minimum SAT score thats used?

My son will be taking the PSAT's soon, and it's been decades since I or my wife has applied to or been in college. Fortunatly (thanks to my wife, mostkly) my son is an honors student taking advanced AP classes, but I'm just curious

I believe the current SAT score is directly proportional to your parents credit rating and the ability to pay tuition.

710 Walter L. Newton  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 11:14:29am

re: #708 Thanos

Well you don't find "death camp" in this, but it's getting darned close from the Bloody Randall Terry crowd:

[Link: www.bio-medicine.org...]

Close counts in horse shoes, doesn't answer my question. My question wasn't a challenge to LVQ, although he takes everthing that way. I really wanted to know if anyone use "death camp" as a moniker for end of life counseling.

Becuase if they did, it's really wrong in so many ways. And if someone can show me where it was used, I would like that.

Otherwise,

Case Closed.

711 Gus  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 11:14:54am

re: #674 Amy

Let's not forget about this:

When Bush spoke to students, Democrats investigated, held hearings

As far as I know there was only one hearing. That article states the plural "hearings" so the title is misleading. Reading the article shows that there was only one hearing which lasted a morning.

712 theuglydougling  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 11:15:06am

re: #690 SixDegrees

I declare shenanigans. If that were true how do you explain Allahpundit getting the same paycheck? Right...

713 Spare O'Lake  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 11:15:36am

re: #648 Diego

Are you really this much of an airhead?

What do you think?
BTW is your first name Don?

714 mt3_1234  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 11:16:00am

re: #674 Amy

Let's not forget about this:

When Bush spoke to students, Democrats investigated, held hearings

the hearings weren't about the content of the speech or an "indoctrination", but apparently about the fiscal responsibility

quote: "The hearing this morning is to really examine the expenditure of $26,750 of the Department of Education funds to produce and televise an appearance by President Bush at Alice Deal Junior High School in Washington, DC," Ford began. "As the chairman of the committee charged with the authorization and implementation of education programs, I am very much interested in the justification, rationale for giving the White House scarce education funds to produce a media event."

715 sattv4u2  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 11:16:31am

re: #709 CommonCents

I believe the current SAT score is directly proportional to your parents credit rating and the ability to pay tuition.

LOL ,, well ,,, my sons in the 10th grade, he is a straight "A" student and my credit rating is in the top 5% so I guess Harvard will be accessing my bank account soon!

716 Lee Coller  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 11:16:43am

re: #527 Charles

Breaking news at Hot Air!

Is Obama Forming a “Shadow Government?”

Thank the stars that we have vigilant patriots keeping an eye on Obama's evil plots.

Is this the same shadow government that Bush formed after 9-11?

717 Diego  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 11:16:57am

re: #713 Spare O'Lake

What do you think?
BTW is your first name Don?

I dunno. Is your first name Howdy?

718 Charles Johnson  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 11:17:16am

I'm so incredibly weary of this "They did it too!" excuse. It's become pathetic beyond words.

719 Walter L. Newton  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 11:17:18am

re: #717 Diego

I dunno. Is your first name Howdy?

Clever.

720 mt3_1234  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 11:17:33am

re: #684 Ben Hur

The Dems held multiple hearings about it.

the hearings were about appropriate use of education funds
the findings were that their use was not inappropriate

721 Randall Gross  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 11:18:12am

re: #710 Walter L. Newton

I have no doubt that Terry would transition from "Obama's death care" to "Obama's death camp" in an eye blink if there were a building to focus on like he did with Tiller's clinic.

722 right_wing2  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 11:18:20am

My biggest problem with Obama's speech to kids is NOT the content. Kids desparately need, as often as possible, people from all walks of live pointing out the need for education, the need to stay in school, work hard, learn, find something they're passionate about and follow their dreams. They need to hear people calling for personal responsibility.

My concern, at first, was the classroom material that went along with it- primarily the letters on what the students could do to help Obama. With the teachers union being such ardent supporters of Obama, I can easily see books on Obama being assigned, or at least recommended, over books on Reagan, Wilson, Adams, Lincoln or Washington.

723 [deleted]  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 11:18:35am
724 Walter L. Newton  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 11:20:09am

re: #721 Thanos

I have no doubt that Terry would transition from "Obama's death care" to "Obama's death camp" in an eye blink if there were a building to focus on like he did with Tiller's clinic.

Case still closed.

725 Lee Coller  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 11:20:12am

re: #716 Lee Coller

Is this the same shadow government that Bush formed after 9-11?

I probably should have put scare quotes around "shadow government" just to be clear.

726 Coracle  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 11:20:54am

re: #722 right_wing2

So you're saying that the biggest problem about his speech isn't actually about the speech. Damn, that Obama's sneaky.

727 theuglydougling  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 11:20:56am

re: #706 iceweasel

...especially on a blog where the POTUS is regularly referred to as "Fucking Commie Bastard Barack Hussein Obama" and the First Lady as "Whiny-Ass Bitch".

I highly doubt that. Are you referring to LGF??? There's no way Charles would let stuff like that stay on his blog if/when it happens, so it seems ridiculous to say it happens "regularly."

728 Lincolntf  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 11:23:14am

re: #707 sattv4u2

Oh brother.
I know I'm butting in and a bit OT, but wifey just began another school year teaching at a State Univ. so the stories are fresh in my mind. The wonderful institution in question has a 13% 4-year graduation rate. Run that through your mind for a bit.
The more kids graduate, the fewer kids in the school, the fewer kids in schoiol means less money from the State (probably about 85% heavy financial aid recipients). The admins know this, the Profs know it and the students usually catch on by their 5th or 6th year.
It's a shame, a joke and a tragedy, depending on which point of view you choose.

729 Randall Gross  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 11:23:39am

re: #724 Walter L. Newton

Case still closed.

Not really, the stuff is out there if you surf on "health care death camp". I'll not provide the links because the blogs I find with it are all GoV nexus.

730 Spartacus50  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 11:24:44am

I find it not only surreal, but disturbing that a President, so inflated in his own arrogance, that he must address the masses of kids for any reason at all. Where I am at in Broward County, it is mandatory. This is the kind of shit that happens in Chavez-land

731 Ben Hur  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 11:25:12am

re: #718 Charles

I'm so incredibly weary of this "They did it too!" excuse. It's become pathetic beyond words.

Well, aside from the bowing episode.

732 mt3_1234  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 11:25:18am

re: #704 Walter L. Newton

You made the comment, it's not my job to prove antything. You can't find me a link to "death camps."

So, this is my rebuttal to set the record straight, unless I am proven wrong (which is certainly possible).

Ludwig cannot prove anyone hung the term "death camp" in regards to end of life counseling in the proposed health care bill.

Case closed.

case opened (hopefully any site will suffice as evidence)
some people use the term, some don't

quote:
"This would actually make America into a national concentration camp, and we can be sure that ultimately it will be a national death camp."

733 right_wing2  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 11:26:49am

re: #726 Coracle

Kids need the message he gave. The message he COULD very easliy have given, as well as the spin the education establishment COULD give, is one they don't need. We don't need the cult of personality surrounding Obama to continue to grow, and we don't need more calls for the government to do more & more of the things we can do ourselves.

It'd be interesting to see what kinds of ramblings would have come from Obama had his best friend the teleprompter failed mid-speech this morning.

734 OldLineTexan  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 11:27:35am

re: #699 mt3_1234

there is also a "czar czar"
i'm not kidding

Czar Czar Gabor.

Slapped a cop or something, last I heard of her. Hungarian, IIRC.

735 Mostly sane, most of the time.  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 11:27:57am

This is a little like prayer in school; it comes up smack against the nature of the kids.

Kids will pray in school as long as there are tests and they are so inclined. I know I did--quietly, at my seat, nobody else noticing.

The President will speak--and the majority of the kids will be passing notes (actually, I think they do it electronically these days) and checking out the other students. Or, in other words, if a socialist President speaks in the high school, will anyone hear him?

736 sattv4u2  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 11:28:41am

re: #728 Lincolntf
I understand. Shameful, really that kids are passed up in grade level without the skills
It's like the meme now is that every kid HAS to go to college (no matter how) Whatever happened to technical high schools as an option for those that knew they didn't want to or couldn'tget into college academicalluy or financially

737 Charles Johnson  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 11:29:19am

re: #731 Ben Hur

Well, aside from the bowing episode.

Way to completely miss the point.

738 Dreader1962  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 11:30:18am

re: #706 iceweasel

Bullshit. The pathetic last resort of those who got no game. Seize on the fact that your objector used a 'nasty' word, and ignore all the points he made.

I'm all for condemning a person who makes a post consisting of nothing but insults and abuse, but it's more than a bit rich to see people fixating on a single word, clutching their pearls and calling for the smelling salts whenever someone uses the very innocent and silly word butthurt-- especially on a blog where the POTUS is regularly referred to as "Fucking Commie Bastard Barack Hussein Obama" and the First Lady as "Whiny-Ass Bitch".

Butthurt. And Butthurt Cinservative.
read it, learn it, live it, love it.

/Fast times at ridgewood high reference.

'No game?' I was commenting on the level of discourse, not the argument itself. I really don't think these terms help, although I see that you think they do. I think that it's fair to point out that this reduces the blog to a more juvenile tone.

And I really don't care if you can find a link to the definition of 'butthurt'. If you knew my background, you would also know that I don't mind profanity, but it should be sparingly used to have real impact in normal discourse. Within the Army, the level gets quite high - believe me, I can hold my own.

739 Gus  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 11:30:29am

re: #714 mt3_1234

the hearings weren't about the content of the speech or an "indoctrination", but apparently about the fiscal responsibility

quote: "The hearing this morning is to really examine the expenditure of $26,750 of the Department of Education funds to produce and televise an appearance by President Bush at Alice Deal Junior High School in Washington, DC," Ford began. "As the chairman of the committee charged with the authorization and implementation of education programs, I am very much interested in the justification, rationale for giving the White House scarce education funds to produce a media event."

There was mention of "politicizing" by William D. Ford.

Here's the abstract:

A brief narrative description of the journal article, document, or resource. The oversight hearing documented in this report was convened to examine the expenditure of $26,750 to produce and televise an appearance by the President of the United States, George Bush, at Alice Deal Junior High School in Washington, District of Columbia, on October 1, 1991. In his opening address, Chairman of the House Committee on Education and Labor William D. Ford argued that the use of Department of Education funds resulted in the potential politicizing of the Department of Education and endangered the working relationship between previous presidential administrations and the Department of Education and the Committee. In addition to the opening statements, the report contains prepared statements, letters, and supplemental materials that were entered into the record by Lamar Alexander, U.S. Secretary of Education; John A. Boehner, Representative from the State of Ohio; and William D. Ford, Representative from the State of Michigan. Also included in the report is the transcript of a detailed question and answer session between Secretary of Education Alexander and several of the Committee members. (DB)

ED345696 - Oversight Hearing on the Use of Department of Education Funds. Hearing before the Committee on Education and Labor, House of Representatives, One Hundred Second Congress, First Session. (October 17, 1991)

I didn't read the hearing transcript.

740 [deleted]  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 11:30:45am
741 Coracle  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 11:31:26am

re: #730 Spartacus50

I find it not only surreal, but disturbing that a President, so inflated in his own arrogance, that he must address the masses of kids for any reason at all. Where I am at in Broward County, it is mandatory. This is the kind of shit that happens in Chavez-land

Yeah. I mean how could Bush I have been so full of himself?
Yeah. I mean how could Reagan have been so full of himself?

That kind of shit only happens in Republican administrations.

742 right_wing2  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 11:33:35am

re: #728 Lincolntf

I've got a college friend that used to teach in a charter school in KC. So many of the kids there blew education off because they were going to be the next Shaq or the next rap star.

A dream is great, but at some point, reality has to set in.

743 mt3_1234  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 11:33:39am

re: #730 Spartacus50

I find it not only surreal, but disturbing that a President, so inflated in his own arrogance, that he must address the masses of kids for any reason at all. Where I am at in Broward County, it is mandatory. This is the kind of shit that happens in Chavez-land

what's surreal about it?
is chavez the only president that addresses schoolkids?
what about presidents of european countries? england? canada?
do they address schoolkids?

744 Coracle  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 11:34:27am

re: #733 right_wing2

Kids need the message he gave. The message he COULD very easliy have given, as well as the spin the education establishment COULD give, is one they don't need...

My grandmother COULD have been a bus, if she'd had wheels instead of feet.

Can we also speculate on what he might have said if the Neptunians had beamed their thoughts into his head?

745 Mostly sane, most of the time.  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 11:34:42am

re: #743 mt3_1234

what's surreal about it?
is chavez the only president that addresses schoolkids?
what about presidents of european countries? england? canada?
do they address schoolkids?

Yeah, but in China, the kids listen.

746 [deleted]  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 11:34:52am
747 Charles Johnson  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 11:34:57am

re: #731 Ben Hur

Well, aside from the bowing episode.

Since some people seem to approve of your stupid comment, I'll explain this really slowly.

People were ranting and raving that Obama bowed to the Saudi king.

Yet, Bush also bowed to the Saudi king. And worse, he pandered to them throughout his presidency, just like every other president has done.

This isn't making an "excuse" for Obama bowing -- it's pointing out that the outrage was phony.

Now go ahead and tell me I'm wrong again.

748 Dianna  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 11:35:03am

re: #703 theuglydougling

I thought numerology was like astrology or fortune telling...

It is, but more fun for the OCD.

749 Mad Prophet Ludwig  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 11:35:45am

re: #707 sattv4u2

I was thinking about something we were discussing yesterday re: education

You stated (and I 100% beleive you) that the students you now have in college are woefully lacking in grade level math, science and language art skills. I have seen the same in elementary and secondary schools for years

So the question is what criteria does your college use for entrance acceptance? Is there an entrance exam? Is there a minimum SAT score thats used?

My son will be taking the PSAT's soon, and it's been decades since I or my wife has applied to or been in college. Fortunatly (thanks to my wife, mostkly) my son is an honors student taking advanced AP classes, but I'm just curious

OK, it goes like this, and I am honestly not on the admissions committees, but much depends on where your child is applying.

If you are shooting for the Ivys or near Ivys (Stanford, Johns Hopkins, MIT etc..)

Getting in to any specific one is a crap shoot assuming that your son is well positioned. These schools have dozens of qualified applicants for a given slot. It really does come down to asking how well the committee thinks that he will fit in there for reasons that are completely out of your control and frankly capricious. Say Your son plays Tuba, if Cornell say, needs a tuba player, or if Princeton needs a fencer, it could be a deciding factor.

The more your kid does extra-curricular, well, the more it will help.

But this is all for even reaching that point. Doing well in advanced topics (AP or taking college credit courses while still in HS, helps a lot). Don't bother applying to such a school if you are below the 90th percentile on your test scores - or unless you have some amazing story. If your kid spent three years learning Inuit and living with the Eskimos or designed his own nuclear reactor in the fifth grade, then the test scores matter less. However, in general, back in my day when the SAT was out of 1600, if you were below a 1450, places like I am talking about would not even look at you. This is again because they have 30,000 applicants and need some first filter.

If you go to one of the better state schools, they all have honors programs, and many have outstanding depts.

I would put Urbana Champaign or Berkely, or UCLA, or Madison or even UMD (for physics or mathematics, I talk about that, because I know these fields and who is where) up against many of the Ivys or near Ivys any day.

Getting into a flagship state school if you have good SAT scores and good AP grades is a given - and it is, if you live in a state with one of the more powerful state schools, certainly apply there as a safety.

The PSAT, does not really make a difference except for becoming eligible scholar ships.

So from my own experience in the late eighties, and this is not to brag, this is to give a reference,

I had a 1560 on the SAT, fives on AP US history, Calculus BC, European History, Biology, Physics and Physics 2 and Chemistry. I also had college credits for Vector Calculus and Linear Algebra from a local, but accredited school. I was a champion fencer and I had been on a competitive model united nations trip to the Hague. I also knew french, Hebrew and LAtin and had many, many hours of community service under my belt through local charities.

I applied to Princeton, Harvard, MIT, Cornell, U. Chicago, Johns Hopkins and Cal Tech, Yale and U of P

I got into Princeton, Johns Hopkins and Cornell.

MIT has the rudest rejection letter in history...

I did not apply to Penn State, but they offered my a full scholarship anyway.

I hope that helps.

750 Spartacus50  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 11:36:08am

re: #741 Coracle

Yeah. I mean how could Bush I have been so full of himself?
Yeah. I mean how could Reagan have been so full of himself?

That kind of shit only happens in Republican administrations.

Never to the extent that a speech by the president is compulsory and there was even prepared guidance projects on how you can help the President. Complete bullshit

751 Mostly sane, most of the time.  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 11:36:18am

re: #742 right_wing2

I've got a college friend that used to teach in a charter school in KC. So many of the kids there blew education off because they were going to be the next Shaq or the next rap star.

A dream is great, but at some point, reality has to set in.

What if we had Shaq tell the kids to study hard and stay in school?

752 LoquaciousLady  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 11:37:22am

re: #185 VioletTiger

He is a young president with young children, so it fits imo.
Also, he has been a president who has resonated with youth. Maybe they will take him seriously when he says 'stay in school'.

I think he should have modified it to say "Stay in private school."

753 right_wing2  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 11:38:25am

re: #744 Coracle

It would have made more sense than anything he'd say without Mr Teleprompter.

754 Spartacus50  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 11:38:49am

I simply don't give a fuck what the President thinks on the importance of education and could care less on his sepia-toned memories of his childhood.

755 [deleted]  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 11:38:55am
756 Ben Hur  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 11:39:04am

re: #737 Charles

Way to completely miss the point.

I don't think so.

I posted it the week of the election, that I will hold Obama to the same ridiculous standard that they held Bush.

757 mt3_1234  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 11:39:18am

re: #739 Gus 802

ahhh, the good ole days, when politicians argued over spending $26,000...

758 Randall Gross  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 11:39:44am

re: #754 Spartacus50

Obviously you do or you wouldn't be bothering with this thread or commenting on it. Unless you are complaining about what Charles is posting on his blog?

759 Coracle  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 11:39:52am

re: #750 Spartacus50

Never to the extent that a speech by the president is compulsory and there was even prepared guidance projects on how you can help the President. Complete bullshit

Yes would you please show me the federal decree of compulsory attendance?

Bullshit indeed.

760 sattv4u2  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 11:40:21am

re: #749 LudwigVanQuixote

Thanks, but I was actually asking about the college where you currently teach. You stated yesterday that some students there were lacking in those areas. How does your college (or any for that matter) admit kids that don't have those basic grade level skills

761 Randall Gross  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 11:41:24am

re: #756 Ben Hur

It's the wrong Bush. That was senior, and it was really just a ploy to keep the "Bush is going to starve children by cutting school lunches" talking point in the news.

762 Coracle  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 11:41:40am

re: #753 right_wing2

It would have made more sense than anything he'd say without Mr Teleprompter.

Clearly. Because he's the only president ever to use one, much less pre-prepared remarks in any way shape or form. Teleprompter fetish got old the day it was invented.

763 Gus  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 11:41:53am

re: #757 mt3_1234

ahhh, the good ole days, when politicians argued over spending $26,000...

I know. I laughed when I saw that. Even I'm deeper in debt compared to that number.

764 mt3_1234  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 11:42:59am

re: #756 Ben Hur

I don't think so.

I posted it the week of the election, that I will hold Obama to the same ridiculous standard that they held Bush.

better yet is to hold obama to the same standard you held bush
and vice versa

765 sattv4u2  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 11:43:06am

re: #749 LudwigVanQuixote

MIT has the rudest rejection letter in history...

And BTW ,,, I wouldn't know. I didn't get one. I did however spend only 3 semesters there (family $$$ issues came up)

766 [deleted]  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 11:43:41am
767 Ben Hur  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 11:44:05am

re: #747 Charles

Since some people seem to approve of your stupid comment, I'll explain this really slowly.

People were ranting and raving that Obama bowed to the Saudi king.

Yet, Bush also bowed to the Saudi king. And worse, he pandered to them throughout his presidency, just like every other president has done.

This isn't making an "excuse" for Obama bowing -- it's pointing out that the outrage was phony.

Now go ahead and tell me I'm wrong again.

Why is it phony? From what I remember most of all called out Bush for all his dealings with the Saudis.

You think he bowed the same way Obama bowed when Bush got a medal.

I don't.

I agree with your statement as long as the person calling out Obama called out Bush, and I think most of us did.

768 Mad Prophet Ludwig  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 11:44:17am

re: #760 sattv4u2

Thanks, but I was actually asking about the college where you currently teach. You stated yesterday that some students there were lacking in those areas. How does your college (or any for that matter) admit kids that don't have those basic grade level skills

Well it's really easy the number of excuses that happen if the kid in question has a 600 on the SAT but can run fast after catching a ball. For the general kids, it is economics. State legislatures and governors always are all so pro education when they run and so forgetful of us when elected. The big private schools have huge endowments and take huge amounts of money from grants and overhead from research - even so they hike tuition.

For state Schools, they simply take more and more kids in for the tuition money.

769 mt3_1234  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 11:44:29am

re: #754 Spartacus50

I simply don't give a fuck what the President thinks on the importance of education and could care less on his sepia-toned memories of his childhood.

in the link i gave above, reagan did the exact same thing you don't give a fuck about
he gave anecdotes about what it was like when he was a schoolkid, and how important education was

770 Spartacus50  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 11:45:14am

re: #759 Coracle

Yes would you please show me the federal decree of compulsory attendance?

Bullshit indeed.

It is mandatory for all public school students in Broward County. How goes it for you?

771 koedo  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 11:45:18am

Back in 91, Dems became quite irritated at Bush when he spoke to schoolchildren, too. It's not a right-wing thing solely.

[Link: www.washingtonexaminer.com...]

772 Ben Hur  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 11:45:53am

re: #767 Ben Hur

Why is it phony? From what I remember most of all called out Bush for all his dealings with the Saudis.

You think he bowed the same way Obama bowed when Bush got a medal.

I don't.

I agree with your statement as long as the person calling out Obama called out Bush, and I think most of us did.

I think we actually agree in a sense.

As long as you call out your guy as quickly as you call out the other guys guy, the outrage is not phony.

I think that's what we're both say.,s

773 Reginald Perrin  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 11:46:58am

"Yet, Bush also bowed to the Saudi king."

If my memory hasn't failed me, not only did President Bush bow, there are photos of him kissing and holding hands with the Saudi leader.

774 Ben Hur  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 11:47:41am

re: #772 Ben Hur

saying.

PIMF

775 sattv4u2  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 11:48:38am

re: #768 LudwigVanQuixote

Well it's really easy the number of excuses that happen if the kid in question has a 600 on the SAT but can run fast after catching a ball. For the general kids, it is economics. State legislatures and governors always are all so pro education when they run and so forgetful of us when elected. The big private schools have huge endowments and take huge amounts of money from grants and overhead from research - even so they hike tuition.

For state Schools, they simply take more and more kids in for the tuition money.

Hmmm,, something drastically wrong with a system that is forced to take kids that aren't qualified, no?

776 Gus  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 11:48:44am

Here it comes.

The new outrage is that the "Democrats were outraged" to justify the impending outrage.

/

777 right_wing2  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 11:49:04am

re: #762 Coracle

It's not that other Presidents haven't used prepared remarks or telepropters. It's that, without a teleprompter, Obama couldn't speak his way out of a wet paper bag. Without a teprompter, he's a worse speaker than Bush. Without a teleprompter, he's a worse speaker than I am, and that takes some doing!

778 Ben Hur  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 11:49:28am

re: #776 Gus 802

Here it comes.

The new outrage is that the "Democrats were outraged" to justify the impending outrage.

/

Only if they were outraged by something that they say is ok now because it is their guy.,

779 mt3_1234  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 11:49:39am

re: #771 koedo

ya, we discussed it above
it was over fiscal responsibility, and appropriate use of funds
and there might be some political tinge to it

780 Amy  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 11:50:02am

re: #711 Gus 802

If you read the article, it wasn't just about the money:

The day after Bush spoke, the Washington Post published a front-page story suggesting the speech was carefully staged for the president's political benefit. "The White House turned a Northwest Washington junior high classroom into a television studio and its students into props," the Post reported.

Unfortunately for Ford, the General Accounting Office concluded that the Bush administration had not acted improperly. "The speech itself and the use of the department's funds to support it, including the cost of the production contract, appear to be legal," the GAO wrote in a letter to Chairman Ford. "The speech also does not appear to have violated the restrictions on the use of appropriations for publicity and propaganda."

781 Spartacus50  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 11:50:15am

re: #769 mt3_1234

in the link i gave above, reagan did the exact same thing you don't give a fuck about
he gave anecdotes about what it was like when he was a schoolkid, and how important education was

and yet it wasn't compulsory that you had to attend his address. There is a major distinction.

782 debutaunt  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 11:50:52am

re: #557 HAL2010

Know what the Republicans should have done for a quick sprinkle of kudos?

Stood up and said "we truly appreciate the President taking time of his busy schedule and talk about the importance of hard work, diligence and staying in school. We look forward to having a constructive debate on health-care this autumn".

They just couldn't though could they?

So true! The dems got into office after doing that for the previous eight years.

783 Charles Johnson  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 11:51:42am

re: #781 Spartacus50

and yet it wasn't compulsory that you had to attend his address. There is a major distinction.

IT WAS NOT COMPULSORY.

Schools had the option not to show it. Nobody made them show the speech.

Stop repeating this falsehood.

784 Randall Gross  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 11:52:01am

re: #781 Spartacus50

The letter from Arne Duncan to high school principals states that it's not mandatory. Sounds like you might have a beef with your school administration in Broward.

/even though you say you don't care about the speech...

785 doppelganglander  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 11:52:09am

re: #447 Sharmuta

Like your kid staying in school?

That's not something I need to worry about. There's too little instructional time in U.S. schools in the first place. I'm sure a presidential pep talk is beneficial for some kids, but if it's not related to the curriculum, I don't see the point.

She's home from school now and in fact they didn't watch it in either class because the broadcast time didn't fit with the class schedule. She thinks they'll probably discuss it tomorrow.

786 Mad Prophet Ludwig  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 11:52:17am

re: #775 sattv4u2

Hmmm,, something drastically wrong with a system that is forced to take kids that aren't qualified, no?

Yes there is. Too bad that we can't get Americans to see the value of getting those kids qualified in the primary schools by actually funding them enough to get good people and enough good people, and too bad the State Schools always get chopped first in State budgets.

787 mt3_1234  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 11:52:27am

re: #772 Ben Hur

I think we actually agree in a sense.

As long as you call out your guy as quickly as you call out the other guys guy, the outrage is not phony.

I think that's what we're both say.,s

ya, but that's not what you said
" I will hold Obama to the same ridiculous standard that they held Bush."
you even called it a "ridiculous standard"

788 Mostly sane, most of the time.  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 11:53:14am

If the President would tell them not to pick their noses and make farting noises along with washing their hands, I would put the boys in school for the day.

789 Charles Johnson  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 11:53:38am

re: #773 Reginald Perrin

"Yet, Bush also bowed to the Saudi king."

If my memory hasn't failed me, not only did President Bush bow, there are photos of him kissing and holding hands with the Saudi leader.

Shhh! Nobody wants to hear that!

790 Amy  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 11:54:51am

re: #718 Charles

Why, don't you think that exposing hypocrisy is relevant to the discussion? I think that referring to the Dem brouhaha over Bush's address to students provides some much-needed context.

791 Mad Prophet Ludwig  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 11:55:05am

re: #775 sattv4u2

Hmmm,, something drastically wrong with a system that is forced to take kids that aren't qualified, no?

And just going private is not the answer. Too many good kids could do great in the best programs but could not afford to go. A kid's education - particularly if he has talent - should not rest solely on if his parents have cash.

The good state schools are needed. Further, so is more scholarship money for the good private schools.

792 mt3_1234  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 11:55:12am

re: #773 Reginald Perrin

"Yet, Bush also bowed to the Saudi king."

If my memory hasn't failed me, not only did President Bush bow, there are photos of him kissing and holding hands with the Saudi leader.

better yet, here's the video

793 sattv4u2  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 11:55:35am

re: #783 Charles

IT WAS NOT COMPULSORY.

Schools had the option not to show it. Nobody made them show the speech.

Stop repeating this falsehood.

AND ,, here in Gwinnett County Ga (which did show the speech) if you didn't want your child to see it you could opt for them to go to a classroom (om with NO TV in it) with NO reprecussions. So even though it was shown in the schools here, you STILL didn't have to view it

794 mt3_1234  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 11:56:55am

re: #777 right_wing2

... Obama couldn't speak his way out of a wet paper bag. Without a teprompter, he's a worse speaker than Bush. Without a teleprompter, he's a worse speaker than I am, and that takes some doing!

really???
do you have video link of this?

795 right_wing2  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 11:56:58am

re: #783 Charles

As I understood some of the comments above, some of the schools required students to attend, not the government.

796 gander  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 11:57:50am

I'm OK with the POTUS addressing school children. I should probably be done on a regular basis. I'm just creeped-out by his devotee's. I'll bet he has more fans than the Dali Lama.

797 Gus  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 11:58:02am

re: #783 Charles

IT WAS NOT COMPULSORY.

Schools had the option not to show it. Nobody made them show the speech.

Stop repeating this falsehood.

I hope the kids that weren't able to see it get a chance in the future. It's odd to think that a parent would want to further prevent their child from seeing this outside of the school environment. Actually, it's more than odd but rather disturbing.

798 mt3_1234  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 11:58:04am

re: #781 Spartacus50

and yet it wasn't compulsory that you had to attend his address. There is a major distinction.

that wasn't the argument i was replying to
thanks for moving the goalposts anyway...

799 sattv4u2  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 11:58:55am

re: #786 LudwigVanQuixote

Yes there is. Too bad that we can't get Americans to see the value of getting those kids qualified in the primary schools by actually funding them enough to get good people and enough good people, and too bad the State Schools always get chopped first in State budgets.

Topo bad there weren't better alternatives for kids that don't want too nor should go to college (vocational schools come to mind immediatly. Too bad colleges like yours accept unqualified kids perpetuating the wrong started in primary schools

800 mt3_1234  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 11:59:40am

re: #790 Amy

Why, don't you think that exposing hypocrisy is relevant to the discussion? I think that referring to the Dem brouhaha over Bush's address to students provides some much-needed context.

it is relevant
and it should be addressed
and fully discussed
and it should also be noticed where the differences between the two are

801 Mad Prophet Ludwig  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 12:00:18pm

re: #799 sattv4u2

Topo bad there weren't better alternatives for kids that don't want too nor should go to college (vocational schools come to mind immediatly. Too bad colleges like yours accept unqualified kids perpetuating the wrong started in primary schools

Agreed on that as well.

802 Charpete67  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 12:01:08pm

re: #795 right_wing2

As I understood some of the comments above, some of the schools required students to attend, not the government.

Broward county superintendent:

"After receiving dozens of complaints from parents who didn't want their children to be forced to watch the speech, the Broward schools superintendent issued a ruling Thursday: There will be no opting out."

after hearing the speech (or reading), I don't have a problem with it. I think that children should be taught to respect the president and politics should be left out of schools. I also think that Dems should also look back at how they handled this issue with Bush Sr. in the past and shut up.

803 Spartacus50  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 12:01:27pm

re: #783 Charles

IT WAS NOT COMPULSORY.

Schools had the option not to show it. Nobody made them show the speech.

Stop repeating this falsehood.

It's mandatory attendance in Broward County Schools. I can't think how it can appear any less compulsory.

804 Lincolntf  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 12:01:32pm

re: #791 LudwigVanQuixote

I think you're a Prof, right? So is my wife.

The main/only/worst (put whatever scare word you want in there) problem is the Fed/State Aid system. It massively inflates bills and it absolutely does NOT translate into higher salaries/better working conditions for the Faculty. You want 30 million bucks to build a "Senator So-and-So Hall", that's no problem. Try to get the heat turned on in January, there's not enough money in the budget. It's a sick system that is due for collapse.

805 right_wing2  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 12:01:49pm

re: #794 mt3_1234

Links of me speaking? No. Links of Obama stumbling & fumbling through a speech? Not handy, but there are plenty out there where about every 3rd word is 'uhhh'. Plus there's his idiotic comment on the wonders of a government run health care plan and thinking it's a good idea to point out the Post Office isn't making money, while FedEx & UPS are. Like that'd be a reason for me to want more government involvement in an already imperfect industry. Let's see... 57 states?

806 sattv4u2  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 12:04:27pm

re: #801 LudwigVanQuixote

Agreed on that as well.

Gee ,, and thats exactly what I was stating yesterday when you asked me a list of questions, I answered , then you went off on me !!

Okay m,,, who are you and what did you do with LUDWIG!?!?!?!?

807 mt3_1234  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 12:05:02pm

re: #805 right_wing2

ya, i meant links of obama where he is a worse public speaker than bush
i just figure it's a little hard to beat that...

808 Locker  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 12:05:18pm

re: #573 mt3_1234

what racist overtones are you referring to?
what is the hidden definition of neocon?

I was going to ask the same question. I never knew of a connection between neocon and being jewish or it being used as a racial insult. Always thought it was just someone who followed neoconservativism:

[Link:wikipedia.org... ]

Neoconservatism is a political philosophy that emerged in the United States of America, and which supports using American economic and military power to bring liberalism, democracy, and human rights to other countries.[1][2][3] In economics, unlike traditionalist conservatives, neoconservatives are generally comfortable with a welfare state; and, while rhetorically supportive of free markets, they are willing to interfere for overriding social purposes.[4]

Yea, yea i know... wikipedia... but it's something and I'm eating my pizza.

809 Charles Johnson  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 12:06:24pm

re: #803 Spartacus50

It's mandatory attendance in Broward County Schools. I can't think how it can appear any less compulsory.

So Broward County required students to attend -- and you're going to blame Obama for it.

Unbelievable.

810 mt3_1234  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 12:06:33pm

re: #808 Locker

me neither
i'm very familiar with leftwing talking points and jabs, yet never ever heard anyone use "neocon" as a racist insult
news to me

811 Charles Johnson  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 12:07:37pm

re: #810 mt3_1234

me neither
i'm very familiar with leftwing talking points and jabs, yet never ever heard anyone use "neocon" as a racist insult
news to me

"Neocon" has definitely been used by some on the left as a synonym for "Jew." It's very common at places like Indymedia.

812 reine.de.tout  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 12:08:40pm

re: #794 mt3_1234

really???
do you have video link of this?

Bush was not a stellar public speaker.

Neither is Obama. And there are links all over the place.

If you are going to be one of those to start lecturing the right on "intellectual honesty", perhaps you should practice a bit yourself.

813 reine.de.tout  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 12:10:13pm

re: #803 Spartacus50

It's mandatory attendance in Broward County Schools. I can't think how it can appear any less compulsory.

School requirements are set by counties, not the federal government.

As far as I know, school attendance in every state is mandatory up until a certain age. Should Broward County schools be any different?

814 mt3_1234  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 12:11:11pm

re: #812 reine.de.tout

Bush was not a stellar public speaker.

Neither is Obama. And there are links all over the place.

If you are going to be one of those to start lecturing the right on "intellectual honesty", perhaps you should practice a bit yourself.

sorry if it came across as not being honest, but i actually am curious
it's quite the claim to say obama is a worse speaker than bush
obama stutters and uses ah's and um's, no doubt
but is that worse?

815 Bloodnok  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 12:11:27pm

re: #706 iceweasel

Bullshit. The pathetic last resort of those who got no game. Seize on the fact that your objector used a 'nasty' word, and ignore all the points he made.

I'm all for condemning a person who makes a post consisting of nothing but insults and abuse, but it's more than a bit rich to see people fixating on a single word, clutching their pearls and calling for the smelling salts whenever someone uses the very innocent and silly word butthurt-- especially on a blog where the POTUS is regularly referred to as "Fucking Commie Bastard Barack Hussein Obama" and the First Lady as "Whiny-Ass Bitch".

Butthurt. And Butthurt Cinservative.
read it, learn it, live it, love it.

/Fast times at ridgewood high reference.

Agreed. It is weak. Selective outrage.

816 Reginald Perrin  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 12:12:48pm

re: #789 Charles
Shhh!


Sorry, I got carried away trying to score a few extra Soros dollars.
I promise to be more careful in the future.

817 reine.de.tout  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 12:12:54pm

re: #814 mt3_1234

sorry if it came across as not being honest, but i actually am curious
it's quite the claim to say obama is a worse speaker than bush
obama stutters and uses ah's and um's, no doubt
but is that worse?

No, I couldn't say it's worse.
But it is just as bad, imo.

818 mt3_1234  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 12:15:10pm

re: #811 Charles

"Neocon" has definitely been used by some on the left as a synonym for "Jew." It's very common at places like Indymedia.

did indymedia.com change?
they claim to have coulter and limbaugh as their "editorialists"
there doesn't seem to be a search engine for their site
and i'm not getting "neocon" results from external search engines

819 reine.de.tout  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 12:17:45pm

re: #706 iceweasel

Bullshit. The pathetic last resort of those who got no game. Seize on the fact that your objector used a 'nasty' word, and ignore all the points he made.

I'm all for condemning a person who makes a post consisting of nothing but insults and abuse, but it's more than a bit rich to see people fixating on a single word, clutching their pearls and calling for the smelling salts whenever someone uses the very innocent and silly word butthurt-- especially on a blog where the POTUS is regularly referred to as "Fucking Commie Bastard Barack Hussein Obama" and the First Lady as "Whiny-Ass Bitch".

Butthurt. And Butthurt Cinservative.
read it, learn it, live it, love it.

/Fast times at ridgewood high reference.

Oh, golly.
Well, ice, you know I'm clutching my pearls and calling for my smelling salts.
(don't like it one bit, sorry).

820 drcordell  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 12:19:32pm

I think the scariest part about all this was the reaction of the crazies when Obama's speech text was released and it was completely innocuous. "He must have changed it because we were onto his sekrit plans!" There's just no convincing them of anything factual. All information is simply further evidence of the conspiracy.

At this point I fear it is only a matter of time before another domestic terror incident. The rhetoric is way too crazy and way to commonplace. Some nutjob is going to snap and take a lot of innocent people with them.

821 Spartacus50  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 12:20:26pm

re: #810 mt3_1234

me neither
i'm very familiar with leftwing talking points and jabs, yet never ever heard anyone use "neocon" as a racist insult
news to me

Are you kidding me? Neocon is simply a codeword for conservative Jew. One only needs to troll any RP website to see how often it is used.

822 mt3_1234  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 12:20:43pm

re: #820 drcordell

I think the scariest part about all this was the reaction of the crazies when Obama's speech text was released and it was completely innocuous. "He must have changed it because we were onto his sekrit plans!" There's just no convincing them of anything factual. All information is simply further evidence of the conspiracy.

it's called moving the goalposts
it's done to guarantee that they win the game

823 Spartacus50  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 12:21:23pm

re: #813 reine.de.tout

School requirements are set by counties, not the federal government.

As far as I know, school attendance in every state is mandatory up until a certain age. Should Broward County schools be any different?

It doesn't matter which level of government issues the decree' it is still the government.

824 mt3_1234  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 12:21:39pm

re: #821 Spartacus50

Are you kidding me? Neocon is simply a codeword for conservative Jew. One only needs to troll any RP website to see how often it is used.

i'm not kidding
what is RP?

825 Spartacus50  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 12:26:32pm

re: #809 Charles

So Broward County required students to attend -- and you're going to blame Obama for it.

Unbelievable.

I'm sure the vast majority of school districts nationwide had similar policies in place for this speech. I can simply think of no other precedent where a President's speech, regardless of the topic, was required to be listened to by any segment of the civilian population.
As far as which government body is ultimately responsible for the decree, it really doesn't matter.

826 JohnH  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 12:26:56pm

I thought God was banned from the schools...

827 Spartacus50  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 12:27:09pm

re: #824 mt3_1234

i'm not kidding
what is RP?

ron paul

828 Charles Johnson  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 12:27:13pm

re: #825 Spartacus50

I'm sure the vast majority of school districts nationwide had similar policies in place for this speech.

You're simply wrong about this.

829 weimdog02  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 12:27:31pm

re: #783 Charles

"Broward Schools Superintendent James Notter wrote in a memo to principals Thursday that students will not be allowed to opt out of viewing Obama's address. The district has encouraged civics education through programs such as Kids Voting Broward and by watching presidential inaugural addresses, Notter wrote, so letting students skip Obama's speech "does not align with our practices and responsibility to provide a well-rounded, quality education for all students."

"You don't get to go out into the hall," Notter said. "You're there and you're silent."

[Link: www.sun-sentinel.com...]

830 Charles Johnson  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 12:28:09pm

re: #829 weimdog02

"Broward Schools Superintendent James Notter wrote in a memo to principals Thursday that students will not be allowed to opt out of viewing Obama's address. The district has encouraged civics education through programs such as Kids Voting Broward and by watching presidential inaugural addresses, Notter wrote, so letting students skip Obama's speech "does not align with our practices and responsibility to provide a well-rounded, quality education for all students."

"You don't get to go out into the hall," Notter said. "You're there and you're silent."

[Link: www.sun-sentinel.com...]

The horror!

831 Locker  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 12:28:46pm

re: #811 Charles

"Neocon" has definitely been used by some on the left as a synonym for "Jew." It's very common at places like Indymedia.

No doubt about your observations and personal experiences. Personally I've never seen this at all and I didn't even know people on the left had a racial problem with Jews in any kind of organized way. Normally I'd associate that with skinheads and other white supremacy groups which normally appear to be right wing.

Is this the same kind of thing where if you have concerns about Israel hawkish military that means you don't like Jews? I ask because of the amount of times I've been subjected to lines like "You hate our troops if you don't support the war in Iraq".

Personally I am comfortable supporting the troops and questioning war. I'm also comfortable with racial tolerance while still questioning Israel's role in certain middle east issues.

Just asking and curious.

832 Locker  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 12:30:18pm

re: #824 mt3_1234

i'm not kidding
what is RP?

Same question. It might be already answered but I'm not down there yet.

833 mt3_1234  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 12:30:37pm

re: #827 Spartacus50

ron paul

ok, hang on here
the original comment was that the left media uses "neocon" as codeword for "jew", and then you are pointing me to ron paul forums for evidence?
ron paul is left wing? far left?

834 Kaymad  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 12:35:10pm

I hope it doesn't mean I'm a crazy by posting on this thread so late. My daughter is in the 6th grade and I asked her when she got home what she thought of the speech, she said they didn't watch it. I know they were suppose to, but maybe it was just left up to each individual teacher.

835 drcordell  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 12:39:49pm

re: #833 mt3_1234

ok, hang on here
the original comment was that the left media uses "neocon" as codeword for "jew", and then you are pointing me to ron paul forums for evidence?
ron paul is left wing? far left?

"Left" is a codeword for anything objectionable. It actually has been for some time. That's where the word "sinister" comes from actually.

836 mt3_1234  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 12:42:13pm

re: #835 drcordell

"Left" is a codeword for anything objectionable. It actually has been for some time. That's where the word "sinister" comes from actually.

ya, i wasn't familiar with the etymology
:P

837 Spartacus50  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 12:43:20pm

re: #833 mt3_1234

ok, hang on here
the original comment was that the left media uses "neocon" as codeword for "jew", and then you are pointing me to ron paul forums for evidence?
ron paul is left wing? far left?

The term "neo-con" has been used for years by many left wingers to deride those of Jewish faith who advocated a hawkish foreign policy. You simply need to go back as far as Fahrenheit 9/11 to witness its insidious use. As for RP and his followers, they are simply not as sophisticated in the term's use so their anti-semitism is more apparent.

838 Ben Hur  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 12:45:48pm

re: #787 mt3_1234

ya, but that's not what you said
" I will hold Obama to the same ridiculous standard that they held Bush."
you even called it a "ridiculous standard"

Yes.

839 mt3_1234  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 12:50:41pm

re: #837 Spartacus50

The term "neo-con" has been used for years by many left wingers to deride those of Jewish faith who advocated a hawkish foreign policy. You simply need to go back as far as Fahrenheit 9/11 to witness its insidious use. As for RP and his followers, they are simply not as sophisticated in the term's use so their anti-semitism is more apparent.

the word "neocon" was used as a codeword for "jew" in fahrenheit 9/11?
i didn't see that one, i'll have to look into it, thnx

but again, i've never really seen "neocon" used as a substitute for "hawkish jews"
usually when i hear neocon from the left, the association is buckley or kristol

840 [deleted]  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 12:52:35pm
841 Coracle  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 12:59:05pm

re: #770 Spartacus50

It is mandatory for all public school students in Broward County. How goes it for you?

Take it up with the Broward county superintendent. Unless you think s/he's a personal appointee of the President's or has a Presidential Directive Hotline in his/her office or a remote control installed by Whitehouse operatives. If not, you have a local problem, not a national one. You're wasting your outrage on the wrong target.

842 Coracle  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 1:02:05pm

re: #777 right_wing2

It's not that other Presidents haven't used prepared remarks or telepropters. It's that, without a teleprompter, Obama couldn't speak his way out of a wet paper bag. Without a teprompter, he's a worse speaker than Bush. Without a teleprompter, he's a worse speaker than I am, and that takes some doing!

You go right on believing that. Clearly you don't need pesky things like facts to support it.

843 Coracle  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 1:08:11pm

re: #790 Amy

Why, don't you think that exposing hypocrisy is relevant to the discussion? I think that referring to the Dem brouhaha over Bush's address to students provides some much-needed context.

Ah, yes context.

But, but, but they did it first! Only 18 years ago! We're doing it because they were right! Er, no, they were wrong. We're right!

Our side can do no wrong. Other side can do no right. That's context for ya.

844 [deleted]  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 1:10:39pm
845 Charles Johnson  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 1:16:28pm

re: #844 haavamaal

Get off my website.

846 Spartacus50  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 1:20:07pm

re: #841 Coracle

Take it up with the Broward county superintendent. Unless you think s/he's a personal appointee of the President's or has a Presidential Directive Hotline in his/her office or a remote control installed by Whitehouse operatives. If not, you have a local problem, not a national one. You're wasting your outrage on the wrong target.

Broward County is not the only school district to mandate this; I cited this as specific evidence of the speech being compulsory for students.

847 Spartacus50  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 1:21:11pm

re: #839 mt3_1234

the word "neocon" was used as a codeword for "jew" in fahrenheit 9/11?
i didn't see that one, i'll have to look into it, thnx

but again, i've never really seen "neocon" used as a substitute for "hawkish jews"
usually when i hear neocon from the left, the association is buckley or kristol

or Charles Krauthammer...or Richard Perle...

848 mt3_1234  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 1:27:16pm

re: #847 Spartacus50

or Charles Krauthammer...or Richard Perle...

are you saying krauthammer and perle used "neocon" as code for "hawkish jew"?

849 Walter L. Newton  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 1:27:21pm

re: #732 mt3_1234

case opened (hopefully any site will suffice as evidence)
some people use the term, some don't

quote:
"This would actually make America into a national concentration camp, and we can be sure that ultimately it will be a national death camp."

Thanks.

Case opened and that is crazy. Too bad you had to do the foot work for a point presented by Ludwig.

Anyway, got it. Thanks again.

850 [deleted]  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 1:28:19pm
851 Coracle  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 1:29:12pm

re: #846 Spartacus50

Broward County is not the only school district to mandate this; I cited this as specific evidence of the speech being compulsory for students.

By a local mandate. You are literally trying to make it a federal case and blaming he president. "It doesn't wash" would be a pathetic understatement.

852 Coracle  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 1:31:06pm

Flounce on Aisle 850.

853 mt3_1234  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 1:32:00pm

re: #849 Walter L. Newton

Thanks.

Case opened and that is crazy. Too bad you had to do the foot work for a point presented by Ludwig.

Anyway, got it. Thanks again.

well, honestly, you can pretty much find ANYTHING out there on the internet
the craziest thing you can think of is probably out there

854 Coracle  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 1:33:03pm

re: #853 mt3_1234

well, honestly, you can pretty much find ANYTHING out there on the internet
the craziest thing you can think of is probably out there

And there's pron of it. Rule #34

855 wrenchwench  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 1:35:46pm

re: #853 mt3_1234

Yesterday (or the day before, I don't remember) you were defending yourself against an accusation of being a troll. Now it looks like you have updinged a flounce.

What's up?

856 Austin From Boston  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 1:37:35pm

Thank you to 850 (beniyyar), I have lurked here for ages and I have often counted on LGF to be a site that I can refer my friends and co-workers too, as an excellent source for news not covered anywhere else.

I understand that Charles has, and continues to put untold hours of work into his site, and I agree with his points on many if not all issues (not going to get into my disagreements, but dont worry certainly nothing major and definitely nothing to do with creationism >.> ).

I worry that we are collectively as a nation are turning back to a 09/10 society and I depend on sites such as Little green footballs to keep us anchored in reality.

Thanks either way Charles

857 mt3_1234  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 1:38:42pm

re: #855 wrenchwench

Yesterday (or the day before, I don't remember) you were defending yourself against an accusation of being a troll. Now it looks like you have updinged a flounce.

What's up?

what's a flounce?
i updinged because i support the idea that there should be more variety and breadth
i've read LGF a few months, and it does feel like the same topics over and over

858 mt3_1234  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 1:40:29pm

re: #855 wrenchwench

bytheway, how do you find out whether or not someone up/downdinged someone?
the interface is taking me a while to get used to...
thnx in advance

859 Coracle  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 1:46:35pm

re: #858 mt3_1234

bytheway, how do you find out whether or not someone up/downdinged someone?
the interface is taking me a while to get used to...
thnx in advance

Click on the number next to a comment.

860 wrenchwench  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 1:49:07pm

re: #858 mt3_1234

If you click on the number next to the "-" and "+" buttons, you will see the updings and downdings that comprise a comment's rating.

A flounce is where a commenter (or long-time lurker) whines about how good LGF used to be, and how it sucks now. Also known as "suicide by Stinky." (Stinky Beaumont is the sanitation engineer who has to clean the place up.)

It also looked like you downdinged a comment by Charles that he was going to get some sleep. If you clicked the "-" when you meant to click the "+," you can go back and click the other one.

861 Spartacus50  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 1:52:42pm

re: #851 Coracle

By a local mandate. You are literally trying to make it a federal case and blaming he president. "It doesn't wash" would be a pathetic understatement.

Initially, it was a directive of the Dept of Education complete with guideline instructions. This was discarded after the controversy arose.

862 mt3_1234  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 1:54:24pm

re: #860 wrenchwench

ah, ok, thnx
ya, still getting used to everything and the protocols
i might have accidentally downdinged and updinged when i was doing page refereshes (didn't see the new comments button at the bottom)

some nice UI here, just not used to it being so different from every other forum/blog i've been on
dunno if i can go back to web 1.X UIs

863 Spartacus50  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 1:54:49pm

re: #848 mt3_1234

are you saying krauthammer and perle used "neocon" as code for "hawkish jew"?

they are neo-cons in the eyes of the Left

864 Coracle  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 1:58:18pm

re: #861 Spartacus50

Initially, it was a directive of the Dept of Education complete with guideline instructions. This was discarded after the controversy arose.

Show me the DoE directive saying the presidents speech was mandatory.

865 Coracle  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 2:00:40pm

re: #864 Coracle

Pretty nimble of you, by the way. The president made it mandatory. Then it was the county school board, then it was the DoE (which clearly takes dictation directly from the President). Too bad that's a dead weight sack of crap you're carrying.

866 Austin From Boston  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 2:14:28pm

In response to others, not trying to flounce, flame or whatever.

Shrug, I hardly ever even browse the comments section, due to time limitations on my behalf, I just happened to drill into this one as I appreciatted the sarcasm and mocking of the issue by Charles.

This is many issues covered in the media, seem to be a "Much Ado about nothing", I saw a comment which was deleted...so I guess that my response if it hasnt already will be deleted.

Bleh, I am going to go back to work, and stick to reading up on the articles and issues linked. Since commenting seems to get me in as much trouble as inter-office conference calls

867 formercorpsman  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 2:59:07pm

re: #820 drcordell

Well that is a rationale leap.

868 Irish Rose  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 3:01:39pm

It's been a seriously crazy day in the blogosphere, and my eyes are burning from long term exposure.

Time to kick back and relax... martini, anyone?

869 im_gumby_damnit  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 3:16:55pm

Charles,

Nice to see your sense of humor again. More please.

870 leftover54  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 4:13:04pm

re: #869 im_gumby_damnit

Ditto. Was gettin' worried...

871 leftover54  Tue, Sep 8, 2009 4:49:56pm

re: #30 Charles

Lack of sleep ?
It's gettin' so ridiculous that you're getting giddy ?
Finally gone over the edge ?
Whacked the funny bone when jumping out of bed this morning ?
The 'Good Humor' man made his last pass of the summer down your block ?
Someone near and dear sat you down and told you
'you're just not fun anymore' ( this includes the little voice in your head as 'near/dear').

Sometimes ya just gotta laugh... beats cryin' ! And a little creative exercise can help discharge those negative energy cells.


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