Open Thread
I’m not sure which river this is. And I’m not sure which mountain this is. That’s part of what amazes me about Alaska. There are so many rivers, and more than a million lakes, and who knows how many mountains. Most have no names, and the ones that do are sometimes hard to keep straight. But they’re all beautiful.
Palin spoke in TX tonight. Some of the press balked. I love it.
http://www.baylor.edu/lariat/news.php?action=story&story=79638
“The Lariat requested press passes the week before the event and was instructed that a simple application was required to get a press pass into the media section of the Ferrell Center. The hitch: We would have to buy a $30 general admission ticket to gain access.
It is not normal practice, nor is it appropriate, to require a media outlet to pay to cover an event.
Our refusal to cover the event is founded on ethical grounds alone, not ideological or political ones.
When we planned to cover the event, we planned to cover a political figure’s visit to Waco — we weren’t going to endorse Sarah Palin or her beliefs. Paying for this event would do just that.
Requiring the media to financially support any cause compromises our objectivity in the eyes of our readers.”
“For sixty years, since the McCarthy era, America’s oldest independent media network has defied political pressures and the conventions and internal censors inherent to mainstream media. A haven and training ground for artists and journalists, Pacifica has been the vanguard of free media. Breaking important news, providing historical and political analysis, and discovering some of our greatest artistic talents, Pacifica Radio has brought us the great voices of each era.”
Today , all day , Pacifica radio did a fundraiser for the preservation of their archives. They played excerpts from a 7 disc , 70 hour box set that may be purchased for $150 , you can hear everything from:
Bob Dylan’s 1st radio interview/playing in March 1962.
Studs Terkel featuring interviews with Arthur Miller, Martin Luther King, Jr., Muhammad Ali, and Isaac Bashevis Singer , The Ballad of Pete Seeger, an original radio documentary.
An Interview with John Coltrane. Coltrane discusses his art, the meaning of music in human experience and his particular spiritual approach. This rare interview was done less than a year before his death in November 1966.
Defining Black Power
The classic African-American studies standard from Pacifica Radio Archives, used in classroom curricula around the world. This series of three CDs begins in 1954 when Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat to a white man on an Alabama bus: a simple yet courageous act that ushered in the modern-day civil rights movement. But as these historic voices reveal, the actions of Rosa Parks also sparked a debate over which strategy African Americans should use to gain equality and human rights: integration, separation or revolution? This 3-CD set serves as a history lesson for the young—and a reminder to those who lived through those times—that the issue of African American political power is complex and the field of thought on the subject is diverse.
James Baldwin
American writer noted for his novels on sexual and personal identity, and sharp essays on civil rights struggles in the United States.
It goes on and on with tons of music and interviews and historical stories.
They will send a copy of the box set to any school or student that you designate in addition to the copy that you buy , free of charge.
The funniest thing happened when they played an interview with Bella Abzug. They marveled at the brainpower of this woman and commented on the “dumbing down” of America and used……wait for it….sarah Palin as a prime example.
And in closing , let me tell you I laughed my ass off when they received a call and the person had their “free” copy sent to “Sarah Palin’s high school in Wasilla !!
Here is the link and please note that the price is $75 on the site , but the price on air for the “super size” is $150.
http://pacificaradioarchives.org/cc-index.html
Nice picture! Very nice.
If anyone’s interested I made an 3d interpretation of the birth of SP. Make sure you view it full size.
Hmmmm, for some reason the link didn’t make it into the comment. Sorry about that. Trying again: http://twitpic.com/2oa4j8
I voted in our states primary now on to the general
There’s even an Otter Lake!
New Yorkers: It’s primary day here! If you haven’t done so already, PLEASE vote. We’ve got the new ballot scanners, so it’s different from any other election in which you’ve participated. We have a great Senator (Kirsten Gillibrand) who needs to keep her seat, a very progressive candidate for Attorney General (Eric Schneiderman), whose opponent never even registered to vote until age 34, and, in my district, a brilliant Congressmember (Carolyn Maloney) who is being challenged by a hedge fund lawyer who helped the hedge funds rip off investors (Reshma Saujani, who is cute but who left out huge portions of her resume, to avoid the inevitable questions).
Whether you’re urban, suburban, or rural, get to the polls! Health and peace.
Just got back! The only two positions in my district were Senator (love me some Gillibrand!) and Attorney General, but I did my part.
It was the first time we’ve had the new scanning system in place so it was a great chance to try it with no one waiting. The folks working the polls haven’t quite gotten the hang of the new system, but they should be in good shape by November. I really do miss the lever machines (they make me nostalgic and the levers are fun to flip!) but I know time moves on. Fortunately, the machines we’re using here in NY are NOT Diebold and they have a paper ballot that’s scanned and then drops into the bottom of the machine so it could easily be recounted if necessary. They make me feel a LOT more secure than the Diebold touchscreens that seem to be a hackers dream to mess with. You just fill in the bubble next to the chosen name and feed it into the scanner. As a teacher in elementary school, I am an expert in filling in bubbles so it was a piece of cake!
wow! this is good.
AKM… Have you signed up or heard about This..?
I just received this email from “Democracy for America “. The online training tomorrow night is available for anyone that wants to sign up. ( It’s Free, but you must sign up.
http://www.democracyforamerica.com/pages/2428-nightschool_2010
————————————————————–
The world is changing. If I told you in 2000 about the tools we’d have for mobilizing and empowering progressives only 10 years later, you wouldn’t believe me. The difference is technology. And the best part about today’s campaign technology? It’s easy-to-use and much of it is free!
Join us for our penultimate DFA Night School session on mobilizing progressives in 2010 — this one is all about using targeted, interactive tools like Google Docs, Voice, AdWords and YouTube.
Register for our free online training!
Web technology is what made the difference for Barack Obama in 2008. But only two years later, the tools and strategies have evolved. That’s why DFA brings the experts into your home with for our free and interactive online training on ways to mobilize progressives online.
We’ll be joined by Matt Yalowitz, a veteran progressive campaigner who’s worked for a variety of progressive campaigns. He currently works in Google’s Election & Advocacy department. We’ll have an engaging presentation, live demonstrations and lots of time for your questions.
Register for this free online training!
Here are the details you need —
What: DFA Night School: Mobilizing Progressives with Google
When: Wednesday, September 15, 8:30pm ET
Can’t wait to see you there!
Matt Segal, National Field Organizer
Democracy for America
When I looked at this photo, it reminded me that one of the hard parts about living here is trying to explain to outsiders that there can be “nothing”. That there is a lot of space that has no road, no town, no homes. It is not farmland. It is not trails and campgrounds. It is not developed.
Down south, when people are driving through a rural area, with a mile or two between houses, they describe the area as “the middle of nowhere”.
I tell people that I can drive hours without seeing a house or business, and they have no comprehension of that.
That land is not empty. There’s a lot of happy ducks there . . .
the land looks like what i imagined the world looked at the beginning of mankind’s time. how beautiful.
That’s not “nothing.” That’s quite something!
Palin irresponsible? According to this conservative commentator she is:
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0910/42133.html
The people responsible for supporting the Tundra Twitter Twit had better get used to this. Palin plays for herself and only herself. She loves to use basketball analogies but this lady is no team player.
Let the infighting begin.
Good grief…when Krauthammer thinks you’ve gone over the edge, you are really out there!!!
Has anyone been watching Charlie Rose lately? Last night he had a Republican Congressman from Wisconsin (Paul Ryan-I think-one of Cantors BFFs) on. He was going on about his plan for “taking America back” and fiscal conservatism and the “crushing tax burden” that his children will have, etc, etc, etc.
There were two things in this that held special interest for me.
1. I was talking to someone in the break room yesterday who was telling me about her 90+ year old mother and how “she doesn’t need her social security check but she laughs all the way to the bank with it every month”. This made my ears perk up because A) I had heard this as an argument for Joe Miller’s idea of abolishing SS just the other day and B) it was something the conservative dude was talking about last night. he went on and on about how his ideas will be to “reform” SS and Medicare and keep it as a “safety net” for “those who need it” . He believes that PO is taking the US towards “European Social Democracy” and making us all dependent on a “welfare state”. Same talking points. I believe this guy is the head of the budget committee. He added in the “be very afraid” dog whistle of “we are headed over a precipice (sp?).
2. When Charlie asked him about the Tea Party, he said “they are good for us in 2010”. But he seems to think that they can be controlled (poor fool). When asked, he had no suggestions for who would be a decent GOP candidate in 2012.
I thought to myself, if you don’t think about what he is saying very hard, this guy sounds reasonable (on the surface). The I thought, my goodness, he thinks the GOP is just going to use the TP and then throw it under the bus when it is no longer convenient. He also reeks of classism. And I am dead sure there are some big corporations behind him as he was all about trickle down economics. doesn’t want to tax the big corporations to help with the deficit-just cut, cut, cut. To give him credit, one of the depts he wants to cut is DOD (wonder if that means the military industrial complex, or just body armor, etc for soldiers fighting abroad?).
This post on Andrew Sullivan’s is only slightly interesting but his comment at the bottom made me shiver:
http://andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com/the_daily_dish/2010/09/the-consequences-of-calling-the-president-a-prick.html
OMG – you’re right, it’s down right scary!
G.O.P. Allies Drive Ad Spending Disparity
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/14/us/politics/14money.html?_r=1&src=twt&twt=nytimespolitics
“Driving the disparity in the ad wars has been an array of Republican-oriented organizations that are set up so they can accept donations of unlimited size from individuals and corporations without having to disclose them. The situation raises the possibility that a relatively small cadre of deep-pocketed donors, unknown to the general public, is shaping the battle for Congress in the early going. ”
sickening !!!
That’s how Joe the Smoe won the primary in Alaska, the Koch brothers Tea Party. Now they are coming to a state near you. I liked the term Teahadists that was prominent at the Beck rallies here!
That speaks to my spirit and lifts me more than words – and words are very, very important to me.
Thanks, AKM, for reminding us that we live in a world of wonder and beauty.
I forgot to say “wow” for the photo.
Another GOPer calls his party out for racism:
http://www.salon.com/news/politics/barack_obama/index.html?story=/politics/war_room/2010/09/14/greer_apologizes_to_obama
Amazing story this. It almost slipped under the radar, didn’t it. I hope the media follow this man’ story. It appears to be a microcosm of the Republican Party at large.
Regardless of his wrongdoing that led to this epiphany, I for one am glad to see him apologize and recant his attacks. I am also relieved to see that he is willing to admit that our suspicions about racism as a motivator in the file attacks against President Obama are well and truly founded.
What twain said.
Oh…Alaska
stunning
That’s a gorgeous photograph and one that is worthy of being printed. Or at least entered in the state fair!