Author Archives

eaglehttps://sunlightonthewater.wordpress.com
eagle's avatar

Putting an “X” on XL and Enbridge Pipelines

by

Idle No More has put up  links to several folks speaking out against XL and Enbridge Pipelines:

Honor the Earth:

Rise Up Mother Earth:

Note how they characterize Mother Earth as crying–Earth isn’t a big ball of dirt, but a living, breathing organism.

Here’s a list of nationwide vigils.

The Black Snake will face mounting opposition.

What did Big Oil know and when did they know it.  Jack Gerard, head of the American Petroleum Institute, thought the pipeline was dangerous to the environment…bwahahahahaha *snort*   /just a little joke there, folks

Finally, Democracy Now! featured the XL in a debate with an industry insider and Friends of the Earth:

http://www.democracynow.org/2014/2/3/debate_state_dept_moves_keystone_xl

http://www.democracynow.org/2014/2/3/environmental_groups_shocked_by_reports_of

And this on Enbridge’s infamous 2010 Kalamazoo spill, with cleanup still not done.

http://www.democracynow.org/2014/2/3/michigan_activists_face_up_to_2

Bob Braun: Newark school closings may be illegal

by

I have to hand it to Bob Braun–the hits just keep coming.  He has yet another great report up on how the Christie/Anderson plan of trashing public education via closing public schools and pushing children into charters may be illegal, according to New Jersey law.

I am so happy that at least someone is fighting for them.  I wish we had them here….Indiana’s public schools will close before Hoosiers wake up to what is really happening…

**note that the 5 principals that were fired…er, put on indefinite layoff…were reinstated.  Woot.

 

Dylan Farrow shares her story on abuse

by

This is difficult to read….her pain is evident.  I am glad she had good support from those around her–many times victims of abuse are accused of “leading on” their abuser–so they suffer twice…

Good on Mia for finding the strength to hold the family together.  Some may find fault with her for not pressing criminal charges, but given Allen’s celebrity and the culture of rape/violence against women that almost guarantees she won’t be believed, I think it was wise of Mia not to press charges and put her daughter through yet more abuse.  As Dylan states, she was repeatedly questioned about the abuse, having to tell the story over and over and over again…trying to find some way to get her to flub up.

And for those who don’t know what “gaslight” means…it’s a term used to describe the most despicable psychological games to throw someone off and make them think they are crazy.  An example:  a woman places her keys on the table next to the door when she comes home.  The keys are not there when she goes to leave.  She looks all over and finds them in the refrigerator.   The next time, they’re in the bathroom cabinet.  This goes on until she thinks she is truly “losing it”….when all the time it’s been her psycho husband playing mind games with her.  If you need more of an example, see the film Gaslight. 

The hardest part to read is her account of cutting herself…sadly, this seems to be standard for those abused who don’t have any other outlet to express their pain.

Here’s to you, Dylan, for the courage to come forward because you already know the flaming will come next from those defending Allen. And here’s to your mama….God Bless the mothers of the world.

 

Angel Meadow: Hell on Earth

by

City Jackdaw has this up on a hellhole called Angel Meadow.  And as I view it, I can’t help but think that America is headed back in that direction…

…but then I catch myself…we have always had a problem, but now it’s a bigger problem.

This from Mother Jones on poverty right on Silicon Valley’s doorstep.  I think the folks featured here give the business workers/owners a little too much credit that they “would do something because they’re so smart” if they were only aware.  Please.  They’re aware.  They don’t care because they have the attitude “I’ve got mine, screw you.”  This, from people whom have sent tech jobs overseas and/or create nothing (F_cebook).

More here on a tent city in New Jersey where the mayor calls it “disgusting”….but the solution, before a lawyer showed up, was to…wait for it…fine them $1,000 for violations.  Unreal.

This in Greenville, South Carolina.

As I read all of these, I have to shake my head at the lack of creativity to find a solution.  In South Carolina, with the red clay Earth, why can’t one use that to create bricks and build a dwelling out of that?  Perhaps a traditional Native American can show them how it’s done?  And, of course, my favorite, Earthships, which are self-sufficient, and sustainable, could be a solution, too.

Note that many of these folks were made homeless circa 2008, after Wall Street caused the crash tumbling us into the Un-Depression.  (are we calling it a Depression, yet?)

 

 

 

 

ALEC hard at work in Indiana; HB1321

by

Diane Ravitch has this up on the destructive policies designed to push for charter schools that will ultimately mean the demise of public schools through siphoning funding away.

By the way, HB1320, has passed.  By the legiscan link, it’s hard to tell whether it passed in the legislature or just the committee.  Either way, it doesn’t look good.

 

Tennessee Teachers: You don’t speak for us

by

Diane Ravitch has this up on Tennessee teacher Laura Hopson speaking out on what teachers really want–funny thing is they don’t want what the self-appointed education gurus say they want…

U.S. Dept. of Ed. receiving money from Gates

by

What a bombshell…the United States Department of Education is taking dirty money from Bill and Melinda Gates.

For a “collaboration conference” April 2012

Another “collaborative” effort to implement Common Core, December 2013

Note the “shared responsibility” white paper….and the focus is on labor collaboration…nothing about a well-rounded education as a robust part of democracy….the focus is on labor and business.

Note the paper states that the Dept. of Ed. is under “immense pressure” to implement labor-management collaborative…um, yeah, I don’t remember asking for more corporate involvement in public schools, have you…?

This sentence is telling:

To advance this collaborative theory of change the Department has been using both its convening and

grant making powers.

~~~~~~~~~~

(I have no idea why the font changed to smaller size…must be the pdf.)

…in other words, the Dept. of Ed. has been coercing schools to adopt the policy through grants and legislation…

n February 2012, the Department

announced the launch of the RESPECT Project.
RESPECT stands for Recognizing Educational Success, Professional Excellence, and Collaborative Teaching.
The project’s purpose is to directly engage with teachers across America in a national conversation about transforming the teaching profession by
dramatically changing the way teachers are recruited,
credentialed, supported, compensated, promoted,
and retained in the profession.
The near-term aim of the RESPECT Project is to elevate teachers’ voices in shaping federal,
state, and local policy, with a long-
term goal of making teaching one of America’s most respected professions.

~~~~~~~~~~

This is such a joke.  Respect means you pay teachers a decent wage that reflects their professional education and their experience.  Respect means you do not bash teachers and teacher’s unions.

“…the…aim of RESPECT Project is to elevate teachers’ voices…”  Unless, of course, those voices are in passionate disagreement with you:

Finally, I found this wonderful video that takes on “Waiting for Superman” and all the false claims made by the education profiteers and their allies:

Terry Kath, another talented musician

by

I remember hearing of Terry Kath’s death on the radio.  He was a soulful vocalist and guitar player for the band Chicago, born January 31, 1946.  The news announcer said he was playing “russian roullette” with a gun when it went off.  That was not true–he didn’t realize the gun was loaded.  What a terrible loss.

Someone put together a pretty decent video of Terry:

He touched so many lives and he lives on…

Want to know a surprising thing?  Terry couldn’t read music.

If today’s education gurus were to judge little Terry Kath by his inability to read music, he would be forever labeled “stupid” and put into a black hole, never to realize his potential because some hedge fund manager/education profiteer decided he had no potential because he couldn’t identify musical notes on paper.  And we all know how powerful his musical ability was—what a waste that would have been to deny him that by labeling him.

Terry’s daughter, Michelle, is putting together a documentary on her father.

She was on a radio show last night to talk about her dad.