Category Archives: civil rights

Wisconsin Senator reveals plan to close public schools

by

Well, those of us following the Education fiasco already knew this, but perhaps the doubters will finally realize the school profiteers have wanted to close public schools all along.

“For the next several years, 5% of public schools must be named as failing – even if those schools weren’t failing by current standards. With few exceptions, schools that failed for three years would be required to close or be operated by an independent private charter management company with a minimum five-year contract. Local school boards would have little authority over this company for five years. For Milwaukee, this change would apply to schools that failed for just one year.”

~~~~~~~~~

 

 

Elizabeth Warren, et al, come out against XL Pipeline

by

Well, I’m glad that these folks have come out against the XL Pipeline.

This is, essentially, a rebellion by 22 progressive congressional Democrats against the Clinton-Obama effort to provide a market for the Kochs’ oil. The letter was actually written by Representative Henry Waxman and Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, and co-signed by senators Barbara Boxer, Ed Markey, Dick Durbin, Jeff Merkley, and Elizabeth Warren; and Representatives John Conyers, Jr., Barbara Lee, Raúl M. Grijalva, Rush Holt, Louise M. Slaughter, Jerrold Nadler, Judy Chu, Peter DeFazio, Anna G. Eshoo, Sam Farr, Peter Welch, Alan Lowenthal, Mark Pocan, and Steve Cohen.

 

Note how deeply involved Hillary Clinton is in XL– how Paul Elliott, a former staff member, is a lobbyist for TransCanada, along with David Goldwyn.

Secretary Clinton’s State Department allowed the environmental impact statement on the proposed Keystone XL Pipeline to be performed by a petroleum industry contractor that was chosen by the company that was proposing to build and own the pipeline, TransCanada. That contractor had no climatologist, and the resulting report failed even at its basic job of estimating the number of degrees by which the Earth’s climate would be additionally heated if the pipeline is built and operated. Its report ignored that question and instead evaluated the impact that climate change would have on the pipeline, which was estimated to be none.

~~~~~~~~~

Be sure to click on this link about the March, 2013,  XL Pipeline “environmental report” as a hoax.

[…] Therefore, the reason no calculation was done of the XL pipeline’s global-warming impact appears to be that no one who was involved in the study had any climatological expertise or interest.

[…]

But be that as it may: it is by now clear that the State Department’s Draft “Environmental Impact Statement” on XL is neither by the State Department, nor does it address the pipeline’s impact on global warming, nor was anyone who had expertise on global warming even involved in its preparation. The report is thus a triple-hoax, so that to call it fraudulent would put the matter mildly.

~~~~~~~~~~

Note that the Obama Administration is trying to force the EU to purchase the Koch Brothers’ dirty oil.  Unreal.

Additionally, I don’t see it mentioned in the article, but I have a huge concern about the petcoke byproduct of this dirty oil that will make its way to Whiting, Indiana.  This is devastating to our environment and the people breathing this toxic garbage.  It seems to me that Indiana has become the garbage can of the Kochs and others who have nowhere else to dump this stuff.  Like I said before, they should start dumping this stuff on the Koch’s lawn, and see how long it takes them to change their minds about the petcoke (haha, I first typed “petchoke”…really, more accurately describes its affects on the lungs of people).

 

Tweeting…is a threat…?

by

I had to watch this video (top) twice because I couldn’t believe what I was seeing–from a distance, it looks like a couple talking…he even has his arm around her like a good friend, and then *boom* he starts to haul her off.  She showed no weapon, was not yelling or otherwise threatening anyone…I was just stunned.

Even more stunning? How everyone else just allowed it to happen.  She had every right to be there and Harper and his goons had no right to interfere with that.

In the second video, she is saying that she wasn’t even tweeting–that she did not have her phone.  So they’re lying on top of taking away her rights?

Tweeting is not a threat.  Freedom of Speech is not a threat.

 

The Education Show

by

Seriously, these folks are running schools by script.  Unbelievable. (from Diane Ravitch’s blog)

As Diane says, it’s dangerous to speak out….but this has been going on in the private sector for quite some time–somehow, one’s right to Freedom of Speech stops at the corporate door.

So now it has reached the Education doors….and that is why Bill Clinton, Bill Gates, et al, have tried to destroy teacher’s unions.  It’s much harder to fire a teacher who speaks out against corruption when that teacher belongs to a strong union that stands behind her or him.  That’s kind of the bully playbook—separate people into aloneness, and attack.  It’s much easier to take one down than a group.

~~~~~~~~

More on Education--this post is just sickening.  Depressing as hell that Pearson has now monopolized the United States Education system.

This post from Mom of Five is alarming:

My daughter’s principal just informed me that she doubts any California district will ever order a textbook again: Everything bought in the future will be digital. Her school has pretty much phased out textbooks already and at my mom’s high school the district just got rid of over 4,000 books from the library. Even though the high school has just been built (3 weeks ago) I find it sad that the library is very small. Instead, there are numerous “student lounges” where kids go to hang out.

~~~~~~~

Really disturbing.  Of course, the technology terrorists will wrap this in a “progress” blanket to quash any objections to it.  We’ve been sold this line of garbage that anything new in technology is automatically a good thing and means we are “progressing”.  What does that mean, exactly?  They don’t really say.  All it is is something “new”.  They know that marketers put “new” and “improved” on can labels so that consumers will buy it…doesn’t matter that it’s the same stuff as before and “improved” is a subjective word.

And if you notice the comment of teachingeconomist, the resident troll, he uses the word “nostalgic” as a code word for “you’re so far behind the times clinging to the past…”  to shut people up…

I see farther down the comments that Mom of Five had the same sentiment:

Momoffive

February 8, 2014 at 9:56 am

Oh yeah, I forgot the best part…she let me know that the reason I’m having a problem with all this is because “us older parents” have a difficult time with change and moving into the global 21st century.”

~~~~~~~~~

Diane has probably blogged on this, but with all the information out there, I have trouble keeping up–Valerie Strauss (God love her) has this up on the Bush connection to this education fiasco.

More here from an old post at dailykos.  I think I may have posted this before–but doesn’t hurt to repost…easier to keep up with the octopus of education $$.

 

Woody Allen speaks

by

The NY Times has a rebuttal  by Woody Allen on the child molestation allegations.  Since I posted Dylan Farrow’s letter, I feel it only fair to give the same to Allen.

The piece not only doesn’t change my mind, but reaffirms my belief that he most likely did molest Dylan Farrow.  Allen attacks Mia with the tired “scorned woman” defense with “evidence” that is questionable.  Mia acted as any mother would act if she found the father in a sexual relationship with the daughter (Soon-Yi) .  What kind of deviant takes nude pictures of his girlfriend’s daughter? 

He stated that he “passed” the lie detector test, but fails to state that his own lawyer had a friend do the test–it was not administered by police. And they are notorious for giving false results. 

A commenter provided a link to the court documents of their custody battle.  It’s pretty damning.  Woody Allen had been giving sole attention to Dylan, while ignoring the other children.  Others noted inappropriate actions towards Dylan BEFORE the affair with Soon-Yi, Mia’s adopted daughter, most notably the event in the TV room. 

Even before the Soon-Yi affair, Allen was not giving Dylan appropriate physical space–he was not honoring boundaries–a red flag.  The judge stated that Allen’s behavior with Dylan was inappropriate.

The conclusion stated that Allen had not demonstrated any parenting skills that would allow him to have custody of any of the children.  He did not consider the consequences of his actions with Soon-Yi.  He was oblivious to it.

Additionally, Allen had an affair with a girl of 17 years of age while he was 42—a twenty-five year difference….so there is history there of him with much, much younger women who are more vulnerable to manipulation and/or abuse.  I’m not saying that age difference is a sole factor–if a 40 year old woman is seeing a 65 year old man, that is hugely different than a young woman of 17.  Choosing vulnerable women of that age speaks volumes.

 

The Monuments Men Opens Today

by

It’s a movie about Hitler stealing art during World War II.  My posts on it here.  And here.

National Geographic channel is featuring the story with an interview with the book’s writer, Robert Edsel.

The tale is intriguing…in the days before email and computers, tracking down the artwork had to be through footwork—a phenomenal task.  I love good mysteries and good detective work, and so wish I could see the movie as it opens today.

 

McSchools

by

Diane Ravitch has a great blog up today on one family’s monopoly on charters in Minnesota and the resulting segregation.

A great comment by Reteach for America explains just how charters actually give parents less choice…and less power…when it comes to their child’s education:

Charter schools have no civic responsibility.

[…]

Many parents don’t realize this lack of democratic representation or really any say whatsoever in their children’s school is a serious issue until they have a concern about the charter and the charter tells them they are welcome to shop for another school. When they turn to the district for help, they’re often told the same thing. You don’t like McDonalds? Go to Burger King.

~~~~~~~~~~

So, imagine that your town no longer has independent restaurants, but only McDonald’s, Burger King, or any other national chain….you dislike the fast food and wish for a home-cooked meal that fits your diet…none of these chains have decent food, so you no longer have a choice.  You either eat the stuff that resembles food, or you stay home.  They don’t care about you, as an individual, but only YOU as a collective group to profit off of…

….this is essentially what charters like the ones in Minnesota are doing.  McSchools.

The right to be let alone

by

Warrior Publications has this up on the Munduruku People fighting the centuries old fight against the dark side.  I will never understand someone thinking they can just go and take what they want with no regards to the rights of others.

This article doesn’t mention it, but mercury is also a factor in gold mining.  It was wise of them to protect their land and kick them off.

If you want to know more about the indigenous fight to be let alone, see Joe Kane’s book, Savages.

 

The right to raw milk

by

…is also a right to decide what goes into our bodies.  Apparently, Americans aren’t the only ones battling the bureaucrats who won’t allow us to know what food contains GMO’s…but tell us that good, natural raw milk with natural enzymes and natural Vitamin A and D (not synthetic, which is questionable)  that help us digest that milk…is bad for us.  Riiiight.  Somebody please explain this backward thinking…’cause I don’t get it…

More here.

Additionally, the right to decide what goes into our bodies has a far-reaching aspect–the right not to be vaccinated.  It never ceases to amaze me that abortion advocates will call you a nutjob for being anti-vaccine while saying that you have a right to choose to have an abortion…but not have a right to refuse vaccination.  Unreal.

 

When ridiculous turns to cruelty

by

Indignant Teacher has a story up on the ridiculous test, test, test, mentality of the Department of Education…which turns to cruelty when a child who is dying and a child with only a brain stem must.be.tested.  Good God.

Apparently, my communication through her that he was in hospice wasn’t enough: they required a letter from the hospice company to say that he was dying. Every day that she comes to visit, she is required to do paperwork to document his “progress.” Seriously? Why is Ethan Rediske not meeting his 6th-grade hospital homebound curriculum requirements? BECAUSE HE IS IN A MORPHINE COMA. We expect him to go any day. He is tenaciously clinging to life.

~~~~~~~

This just makes me angry.  How utterly insane and cold and unfeeling to put this additional burden upon this mother whom is going through the most horrible thing a mother should ever have to endure–the death of her child.