Wednesday's South Park
Greg Goss
The Wednesday episode didn't re-air at its normal two time slots, and
the show's discussion boards are currently down. Some people say
that the episode is being "airbrushed from history".
--
Tomorrow is today already.
Greg Goss, 1989-01-27
Nick Spalding
on Fri, 23 Apr 2010 14:04:49 -0600:
> I'm not a South Park fan, but a blog I read is written by such a fan.
> The Wednesday episode didn't re-air at its normal two time slots, and
> the show's discussion boards are currently down. Some people say
> that the episode is being "airbrushed from history".
Probably this item from today's Irish Times has something to do with it:
<http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/world/2010/0423/1224268953577.html>
<http://tinyurl.com/2vueytl>
--
Nick Spalding
Karen AKA Kajikit
>I'm not a South Park fan, but a blog I read is written by such a fan.
>The Wednesday episode didn't re-air at its normal two time slots, and
>the show's discussion boards are currently down. Some people say
>that the episode is being "airbrushed from history".
Why? Did anyone actually watch it to know what was so objectionable
about it?
--
Karen aka Kajikit
http://kajikitscorner.com
http://kajikit.blogspot.com
If you want to send me an email please send it to kajikit AT gmail DOT com, not the addy in this message.
Greg Goss
>On Fri, 23 Apr 2010 14:04:49 -0600, Greg Goss <go...@gossg.org> wrote:
>
>>I'm not a South Park fan, but a blog I read is written by such a fan.
>>The Wednesday episode didn't re-air at its normal two time slots, and
>>the show's discussion boards are currently down. Some people say
>>that the episode is being "airbrushed from history".
>
>Why? Did anyone actually watch it to know what was so objectionable
>about it?
It was part two of a two-parter. The kids were trying to smuggle
Mohammed into somewhere but disguised so nobody would have to see
Mohammed. Any points were Mohammed's face was actually visible were
black-spotted by the network, and the guy's name was bleeped wherever
mentioned. Then the entire closing speech was censored.
groo
> On Fri, 23 Apr 2010 14:04:49 -0600, Greg Goss <go...@gossg.org> wrote:
>
>>I'm not a South Park fan, but a blog I read is written by such a fan.
>>The Wednesday episode didn't re-air at its normal two time slots, and
>>the show's discussion boards are currently down. Some people say
>>that the episode is being "airbrushed from history".
>
> Why? Did anyone actually watch it to know what was so objectionable
> about it?
I haven't seen it yet, but all they have to do is depict an image and
identify it as Mohammed (in a bear suit) and some people will get pissed
off.
Although I'm sure they did much worse than that. It is South Park.
--
"Life is like a box of chocolates. Sometimes you get eaten by a bear." -
Arthur, afca
Hidden Draggin
> I'm not a South Park fan, but a blog I read is written by such a fan.
> The Wednesday episode didn't re-air at its normal two time slots, and
> the show's discussion boards are currently down. Some people say
> that the episode is being "airbrushed from history".
I am a pretty big fan and you are correct. It did not re-air
in the normal fashion and I went out of my way to try to see it.
It is interesting they can show Jesus taking a dump
on W and the American flag, but other religions get
different treatment.
--
Hidden Draggin - Gilbert Hansford
CEO of the Brown and Mushy Corporation
http://hiddendraggin.posterous.com/
groo
> Greg Goss wrote:
>> I'm not a South Park fan, but a blog I read is written by such a fan.
>> The Wednesday episode didn't re-air at its normal two time slots, and
>> the show's discussion boards are currently down. Some people say
>> that the episode is being "airbrushed from history".
>
> I am a pretty big fan and you are correct. It did not re-air
> in the normal fashion and I went out of my way to try to see it.
>
> It is interesting they can show Jesus taking a dump
> on W and the American flag, but other religions get
> different treatment.
>
Well, I'm not an expert in Chritianity, but I've gotten the impression
that true Christians don't usually murder people for making fun of
Christ. They are supposed to turn the other butt or something.
And who doesn't want to take a dump on W?
--
"I was not lying. I said things that later on seemed to be untrue." -
Richard Nixon
Opus the Penguin
> "Hidden Draggin" <an...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> Greg Goss wrote:
>>> I'm not a South Park fan, but a blog I read is written by such a
>>> fan. The Wednesday episode didn't re-air at its normal two time
>>> slots, and the show's discussion boards are currently down.
>>> Some people say that the episode is being "airbrushed from
>>> history".
>>
>> I am a pretty big fan and you are correct. It did not re-air
>> in the normal fashion and I went out of my way to try to see it.
>>
>> It is interesting they can show Jesus taking a dump
>> on W and the American flag, but other religions get
>> different treatment.
>>
>
> Well, I'm not an expert in Chritianity, but I've gotten the
> impression that true Christians don't usually murder people for
> making fun of Christ.
I think that's absolutely true of true Christians. On the other hand,
mileage may vary for groups that have historically called themselves
by that name. But currently, even annoying fundie evangelicals do not
appear to have a base that will murder someone for offensively
exercising free speech.
--
Opus the Penguin
The best darn penguin in all of Usenet
Paul Ciszek
In article <Xns9D63ECD6768D0op...@192.168.1.106>,
Opus the Penguin <opusthepen...@gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>> Well, I'm not an expert in Chritianity, but I've gotten the
>> impression that true Christians don't usually murder people for
>> making fun of Christ.
>
>I think that's absolutely true of true Christians. On the other hand,
>mileage may vary for groups that have historically called themselves
>by that name. But currently, even annoying fundie evangelicals do not
>appear to have a base that will murder someone for offensively
>exercising free speech.
Once you start talking about who is a *true* Christian and who isn't,
you slide down the slippery slope to the No True Scotsman fallacy.
--
Please reply to: | "Any sufficiently advanced incompetence is
pciszek at panix dot com | indistinguishable from malice."
Autoreply is disabled |
Opus the Penguin
> Opus the Penguin <opusthepen...@gmail.com> wrote:
>>>
>>> Well, I'm not an expert in Chritianity, but I've gotten the
>>> impression that true Christians don't usually murder people for
>>> making fun of Christ.
>>
>>I think that's absolutely true of true Christians. On the other
>>hand, mileage may vary for groups that have historically called
>>themselves by that name. But currently, even annoying fundie
>>evangelicals do not appear to have a base that will murder someone
>>for offensively exercising free speech.
>
> Once you start talking about who is a *true* Christian and who
> isn't, you slide down the slippery slope to the No True Scotsman
> fallacy.
>
The slippery slope is itself a fallacy of course. So in order to get
to the fallacy you mention, one would have to reason fallaciously.
I think it is possible to slide down that slope, but it is not
inevitable. To say otherwise is to slide down the slippery slope to
the assertion that language has no meaning. At that point
communication is impossible and I must bid you Gzborgnak.
--
Opus the Penguin
I said, Gzborgnak!
groo
And regardless of whether or not you agree with Opus' definition of
"Christian", his overall point is correct, and to the point. Most
Christian (or "Christian") groups apparently have a fairly high tolerance
for people making offensive comments about their saviour. If not, there'd
be a pretty high body count here in the USA, and I'd probably be
somewhere in the pile. It might piss them off, and they might even wish
for bad things to happen to the heathens, but they are apparently not
very inclined to go all stabby on them.
I think this is also generally true of most Muslims, Jews, Buddhists,
etc. But there appears to be a non-trivial subset of "Muslims" who have
other ideas.
Hidden Draggin
"Go all stabby." I love it!
Peter Boulding
<Xns9D63DEECFAE7E94...@81.169.183.62>:
>"Christian", his overall point is correct, and to the point. Most
>Christian (or "Christian") groups apparently have a fairly high tolerance
>for people making offensive comments about their saviour. If not, there'd
>be a pretty high body count here in the USA, and I'd probably be
>somewhere in the pile. It might piss them off, and they might even wish
>for bad things to happen to the heathens, but they are apparently not
>very inclined to go all stabby on them.
>
>I think this is also generally true of most Muslims, Jews, Buddhists,
>etc. But there appears to be a non-trivial subset of "Muslims" who have
>other ideas.
Given the predominance of Neocon military and foreign policy influence over
W and, now, Obama--and the resulting body count--I'm not entirely sure why
you single out that particular subset.
--
Regards, Peter Boulding
pjbn...@UNSPAMpboulding.co.uk (to e-mail, remove "UNSPAM")
Fractal Music and Images: http://www.pboulding.co.uk/ and
http://www.soundclick.com/bands/default.cfm?bandID=794240&content=music
Boron Elgar
Here is a variation on the theme:
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/17/world/middleeast/17goldstone.html
JOHANNESBURG — For the past few days, many South African Jews have
concerned themselves with a question perhaps better put to Talmudic
scholars: Is it ever right for protesters to keep a grandfather from
his grandson’s bar mitzvah?
That grandfather is Richard Goldstone, one of this nation’s most
eminent jurists and head of a United Nations investigation that said
it found evidence of war crimes during Israel’s invasion of Gaza. Many
of his countrymen not only took issue with the findings, they called
the judge a traitor who had sold out his Jewish brethren.
Next month, Judge Goldstone’s grandson is to celebrate his bar mitzvah
at Beth Hamedrash Hagadol, an Orthodox synagogue in Sandton, a
Johannesburg suburb. Ordinarily, this would be nothing but a joyous
event, signifying the boy’s ascent into manhood.
But Jewish leaders here recently began to speak darkly among
themselves of threatened disruptions to the ceremony. Their concerns
were taken to the synagogue, and the anxieties of its leadership were
then shared with the family.
In an e-mail message on Friday, Judge Goldstone, who is a visiting
professor at Georgetown University Law Center, said, “Because of the
threat of protests at my grandson’s bar mitzvah, I agreed in
discussion with leaders of the Sandton synagogue that in the interests
of my grandson, I would not attend the services.”
The source of those threats carries an air of mystery. The story was
first reported in the South African Jewish Report. No one quoted in
the article took responsibility for the threats or reliably pointed a
finger elsewhere.
The South African Zionist Federation has been among the most vocal
critics of the so-called Goldstone Report on the war in Gaza. On
Friday, Moonyeen Castle, the chairwoman of the organization’s Western
Cape Council, said the anger at Judge Goldstone was so great that it
would “result in an almost certain barrage of protesters” on the day
of the celebration.
********************************************
There is more at the link. I am too busy channeling my anger towards
Chris Christy this week to expend any precious drop of it on lunatic
South African Zionists.
Peter Boulding
wrote in <jir5t5prf5rhhg33t...@4ax.com>:
> I am too busy channeling my anger towards
>Chris Christy this week to expend any precious drop of it on lunatic
>South African Zionists.
What? You haven't joined the War On Teachers? You fail to appreciate his new
era of hope and optimism in New Jersey?
Boron Elgar
<pjbn...@UNSPAMpboulding.co.uk> wrote:
>On Sat, 24 Apr 2010 09:17:53 -0400, Boron Elgar <boron...@hotmail.com>
>wrote in <jir5t5prf5rhhg33t...@4ax.com>:
>
>> I am too busy channeling my anger towards
>>Chris Christy this week to expend any precious drop of it on lunatic
>>South African Zionists.
>
>What? You haven't joined the War On Teachers? You fail to appreciate his new
>era of hope and optimism in New Jersey?
I have never seen anything quite like this, but it has stirred up a
hornet's nest of hated directed towards teachers, as if they are the
ones making the budget decisions, not the local BOEs and
administrators.
TP's district had 95% of their state funding cut last month and their
school budget did not pass in last week's election. Her job line will
likely be cut next week. Her SO is in a similar situation in another
township, as are many teachers all over the state. Our new governor
made several very public requests for voters to turn down local school
budgets before the election.
Christy's kids go to private school.
Boron
.
groo
> On Sat, 24 Apr 2010 04:54:55 +0000 (UTC), groo <afca...@gmail.com>
> wrote in <Xns9D63DEECFAE7E94...@81.169.183.62>:
>
>>"Christian", his overall point is correct, and to the point. Most
>>Christian (or "Christian") groups apparently have a fairly high
>>tolerance for people making offensive comments about their saviour. If
>>not, there'd be a pretty high body count here in the USA, and I'd
>>probably be somewhere in the pile. It might piss them off, and they
>>might even wish for bad things to happen to the heathens, but they are
>>apparently not very inclined to go all stabby on them.
>>
>>I think this is also generally true of most Muslims, Jews, Buddhists,
>>etc. But there appears to be a non-trivial subset of "Muslims" who
>>have other ideas.
>
> Given the predominance of Neocon military and foreign policy influence
> over W and, now, Obama--and the resulting body count--I'm not entirely
> sure why you single out that particular subset.
>
I don't hear about a lot of Buddhists chopping peoples' heads off,
blowing up truck bombs, etc. And I've never heard about a credible death
threat from Jews because someone did a comic book about Yaway that they
didn't care for.
But I don't follow the news that closely.
Peter Boulding
wrote in <mse6t59goi8cfu11s...@4ax.com>:
>>What? You haven't joined the War On Teachers? You fail to appreciate his new
>>era of hope and optimism in New Jersey?
>
>I have never seen anything quite like this, but it has stirred up a
>hornet's nest of hated directed towards teachers, as if they are the
>ones making the budget decisions, not the local BOEs and
>administrators.
>
>TP's district had 95% of their state funding cut last month and their
>school budget did not pass in last week's election. Her job line will
>likely be cut next week. Her SO is in a similar situation in another
>township, as are many teachers all over the state. Our new governor
>made several very public requests for voters to turn down local school
>budgets before the election.
Grim.
Lee Ayrton
> Peter Boulding <pjbn...@UNSPAMpboulding.co.uk> wrote:
>> On Sat, 24 Apr 2010 04:54:55 +0000 (UTC), groo <afca...@gmail.com>
>> wrote in <Xns9D63DEECFAE7E94...@81.169.183.62>:
>>>I think this is also generally true of most Muslims, Jews, Buddhists,
>>>etc. But there appears to be a non-trivial subset of "Muslims" who
>>>have other ideas.
>>
>> Given the predominance of Neocon military and foreign policy influence
>> over W and, now, Obama--and the resulting body count--I'm not entirely
>> sure why you single out that particular subset.
>>
>
> I don't hear about a lot of Buddhists chopping peoples' heads off,
> blowing up truck bombs, etc. And I've never heard about a credible death
> threat from Jews because someone did a comic book about Yaway that they
> didn't care for.
>
> But I don't follow the news that closely.
Rather old news, but:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MIaORknS1Dk
Lee "A lovely piece of fish" Ayrton
--
"Your problem is that you don't understand reality, and so can't trace
causes to effects."
D. F. Manno critiques Mammonism on AFC-A
D.F. Manno
Peter Boulding <pjbn...@UNSPAMpboulding.co.uk> wrote:
> Boron Elgar wrote:
>
> > I am too busy channeling my anger towards
> > Chris Christy this week to expend any precious drop of it on lunatic
> > South African Zionists.
>
> What? You haven't joined the War On Teachers? You fail to appreciate his new
> era of hope and optimism in New Jersey?
Gutting school budgets and eliminating property tax rebates while giving
millionaires tax cuts is breathtaking hypocrisy on a scale rarely before
reached, even by N.J. politicians.
--
D.F. Manno
dfm...@mail.com
"Quid lucrum istic mihi est?"
Boron Elgar
wrote:
We have previously been quite fortunate in NJ with GOP governors who
have been of the Rockefeller variety. Christy is an extreme
conservative populist, who is hell bent on breaking the teacher's
union, casts public employees with health care or a pension as
money-grubbing enemies of the people (rather than making an effort to
ensure that all citizens have access to health insurance and decent
retirement opportunities) and comes very close to adding in the
uniformed workers to his target. I wish he'd do that, actually, as it
might wake a few people up to his insanities.
The local Northern NJ paper (which, sadly, is pretty much online
garbage these days, rather than the decent paper it used to be), The
Bergen Record, has forums that Christy supporters like to fill up with
posts. It is like seeing print versions of Hannity and Beck call-ins.
There was one interesting dissenter, though, a teacher who said she
had 9 years of teaching experience and was making 10 grand less than
the 25 year old Christy hired to manage his Twitter account.
Boron
Dover Beach
>
> I have never seen anything quite like this, but it has stirred up a
> hornet's nest of hated directed towards teachers, as if they are the
> ones making the budget decisions, not the local BOEs and
> administrators.
>
> TP's district had 95% of their state funding cut last month and their
> school budget did not pass in last week's election. Her job line will
> likely be cut next week. Her SO is in a similar situation in another
> township, as are many teachers all over the state. Our new governor
> made several very public requests for voters to turn down local school
> budgets before the election.
Oh, I'm sorry to hear that.
>
> Christy's kids go to private school.
Of course they do.
--
Dover
Boron Elgar
wrote:
Thank you.
We are all on pins and needles, but at the same time, the kid is
extremely talented, has been saving all her money for 2 years while
observing her teacher friends become or remaining jobless, and has a
corral of private students to bring in some cash.
I am hoping this pushes her seriously into grad school.
>> Christy's kids go to private school.
>
>Of course they do.
Natch.
Boron
D.F. Manno
Boron Elgar <boron...@hotmail.com> wrote:
> D.F. Manno wrote:
>
> > Gutting school budgets and eliminating property tax rebates while giving
> > millionaires tax cuts is breathtaking hypocrisy on a scale rarely before
> > reached, even by N.J. politicians.
>
> We have previously been quite fortunate in NJ with GOP governors who
> have been of the Rockefeller variety. Christy is an extreme
> conservative populist, who is hell bent on breaking the teacher's
> union, casts public employees with health care or a pension as
> money-grubbing enemies of the people (rather than making an effort to
> ensure that all citizens have access to health insurance and decent
> retirement opportunities)
IOW, he's the second coming of Christie Whitman. Even shares a name with
her.
I had the misfortune of learning a lot about Queen Christie when I wrote
for UPI's NJ broadcast wire in the '90s. To know her was to loathe her.
> and comes very close to adding in the
> uniformed workers to his target. I wish he'd do that, actually, as it
> might wake a few people up to his insanities.
State troopers aren't the "real" cops that so many right wingers spend
so much time giving tongue baths to.
> The local Northern NJ paper (which, sadly, is pretty much online
> garbage these days, rather than the decent paper it used to be), The
> Bergen Record
I'm sorry to hear that. The Record was a damn good paper.
> has forums that Christy supporters like to fill up with
> posts. It is like seeing print versions of Hannity and Beck call-ins.
> There was one interesting dissenter, though, a teacher who said she
> had 9 years of teaching experience and was making 10 grand less than
> the 25 year old Christy hired to manage his Twitter account.
"Manage his Twitter account"? What's that take, 10 minutes a day?
Boron Elgar
wrote:
>In article <31t6t5dinlbbnev9c...@4ax.com>,
> Boron Elgar <boron...@hotmail.com> wrote:
>
>> Christy is an extreme
>> conservative populist...
>
>IOW, he's the second coming of Christie Whitman. Even shares a name with
>her.
>
>I had the misfortune of learning a lot about Queen Christie when I wrote
>for UPI's NJ broadcast wire in the '90s. To know her was to loathe her.
I was never a fan of hers, but I think our new governor will make
Whitman seem like a flaming lefty liberal before it is all done.
>
>> and comes very close to adding in the
>> uniformed workers to his target. I wish he'd do that, actually, as it
>> might wake a few people up to his insanities.
>
>State troopers aren't the "real" cops that so many right wingers spend
>so much time giving tongue baths to.
Wasn't it a state trooper at the wheel when Corzine got smooshed?
>
>> The local Northern NJ paper (which, sadly, is pretty much online
>> garbage these days, rather than the decent paper it used to be), The
>> Bergen Record
>
>I'm sorry to hear that. The Record was a damn good paper
It was. It still exists in print, but in name only. I miss it.
>
>> has forums that Christy supporters like to fill up with
>> posts. It is like seeing print versions of Hannity and Beck call-ins.
>> There was one interesting dissenter, though, a teacher who said she
>> had 9 years of teaching experience and was making 10 grand less than
>> the 25 year old Christy hired to manage his Twitter account.
>
>"Manage his Twitter account"? What's that take, 10 minutes a day?
I'd be interested in seeing the job description. Christy alone is
costing the state $175k+ a year, as Corzine did not take a salary.
Boron
Opus the Penguin
> On Sat, 24 Apr 2010 14:56:01 -0400, Boron Elgar
> <boron...@hotmail.com> wrote in
> <mse6t59goi8cfu11s...@4ax.com>:
>
>>>What? You haven't joined the War On Teachers? You fail to
>>>appreciate his new era of hope and optimism in New Jersey?
>>
>>I have never seen anything quite like this, but it has stirred up
>>a hornet's nest of hated directed towards teachers, as if they are
>>the ones making the budget decisions, not the local BOEs and
>>administrators.
>>
>>TP's district had 95% of their state funding cut last month and
>>their school budget did not pass in last week's election. Her job
>>line will likely be cut next week. Her SO is in a similar
>>situation in another township, as are many teachers all over the
>>state. Our new governor made several very public requests for
>>voters to turn down local school budgets before the election.
>
> Grim.
>
I first read that as "Grin." So I re-read Boron's post three times to
see where the humor was that I was missing. Then I figured I'd better
have another go at your on-word reply.
Grim, indeed.
Xho Jingleheimerschmidt
> On Sat, 24 Apr 2010 04:54:55 +0000 (UTC), groo <afca...@gmail.com> wrote in
> <Xns9D63DEECFAE7E94...@81.169.183.62>:
>
>> "Christian", his overall point is correct, and to the point. Most
>> Christian (or "Christian") groups apparently have a fairly high tolerance
>> for people making offensive comments about their saviour. If not, there'd
>> be a pretty high body count here in the USA, and I'd probably be
>> somewhere in the pile. It might piss them off, and they might even wish
>> for bad things to happen to the heathens, but they are apparently not
>> very inclined to go all stabby on them.
>>
>> I think this is also generally true of most Muslims, Jews, Buddhists,
>> etc. But there appears to be a non-trivial subset of "Muslims" who have
>> other ideas.
>
> Given the predominance of Neocon military and foreign policy influence over
> W and, now, Obama--and the resulting body count--I'm not entirely sure why
> you single out that particular subset.
Perhaps because he is not entirely insane.
Xho
Paul Ciszek
In article <Xns9D647E63E38A494...@188.40.43.213>,
Wasn't Zen Buddhism ostensibly the religion of the Samurai?
bill van
"D.F. Manno" <dfm...@mail.com> wrote:
More likely, it means keeping tabs on her activities all day along,
staying current with her spin doctors and sending out tweets, or
whatever they're called, every time the politician might send them if
she actually had time to do that herself. Also, responding to other
people's tweets to make sure the right spin is maintained. Politically
delicate work, I'd say.
bill
Mark Steese
@reader1.panix.com:
>
> In article <Xns9D647E63E38A494...@188.40.43.213>,
> groo <afca...@gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>>I don't hear about a lot of Buddhists chopping peoples' heads off,
>
> Wasn't Zen Buddhism ostensibly the religion of the Samurai?
A skim through Google News's archives indicates that very few people have
been getting their heads chopped off by samurai lately. Tom Cruise
supposedly came close to being decapitated while filming "The Last
Samurai," so there's that.
--
Year after year you wrote up these stories, and they'd wind up archived in
a pile of cardboard boxes in the warehouse, flattening and drying like
pressed flowers under the weight of all the stories above them - the
unknown stratigraphy of your career. -Jordan Fisher Smith
Boron Elgar
<opusthepen...@gmail.com> wrote:
>Peter Boulding (pjbn...@UNSPAMpboulding.co.uk) wrote:
>
>> On Sat, 24 Apr 2010 14:56:01 -0400, Boron Elgar
>> <boron...@hotmail.com> wrote in
>
>>>
>>>TP's district had 95% of their state funding cut last month and
>>>their school budget did not pass in last week's election. Her job
>>>line will likely be cut next week. Her SO is in a similar
>>>situation in another township, as are many teachers all over the
>>>state. Our new governor made several very public requests for
>>>voters to turn down local school budgets before the election.
>>
>> Grim.
>
>I first read that as "Grin." So I re-read Boron's post three times to
>see where the humor was that I was missing. Then I figured I'd better
>have another go at your on-word reply.
>
>Grim, indeed.
Misery loves company. Mass teaching firings are not happening only
here in NJ. NYC and state are going through it and the stories from
California are brutal.
I understand times are rough. I understand that in these lean years
people who have seen everything they have worked for swept away in a
market crash or company closing or mortgage foreclosure look around at
those who have some job security or benefits and feel that "the
system" is unfair, but my tinfoil hat tells me that there is political
method to the madness.
There has been a movement in the US to dismantle the public education
system and replace it as much as possible with charter schools run by
private enterprise. Huge budget deficits, poor test scores, teacher
scandals that talk of the academic equivalent of Cadillac welfare
mamas are fueling such talk and become rallying cries against the
system.
I believe we are running headlong into disaster by undermining the
public educations system and tossing chunks of it into a capitalistic
money grab. Below is my latest favorite adventure in schools and
profit making - about a company called Imagine.
Companies such as Imagine are usually set up as nonprofits, but guess
what....they aren't actually functioning that way, as just as the
medical insurance/management system went from public sector and
non-profit to what is actually for profit companies, money gets
diverted from its original purpose, be it medical or actual education
expenses.
I could rant about this for 5 years, Sorry to bend everyone's ear. It
is not that I think government does a perfect job of running things,
but there is less likelihood of wholesale screwing on a magnificently
massive level in the public sector with sunshine laws and established
oversight, that with private enterprise, and yes, I know about the
screwings that DO come from govt, too.
The article below is much, much longer than the piece I clipped below.
***************************************************************************************
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/24/education/24imagine.html?ref=education
The concerns are being raised as charters, designed by education
reformers to create alternatives to hidebound and failing public
schools, are becoming an indelible part of the nation’s education
landscape. Such schools are among the biggest beneficiaries of the
billions of dollars the Obama administration plans to spend to improve
public education.
Because public money is used, most states grant charters to run such
schools only to nonprofit groups with the expectation that they will
exercise the same independent oversight that public school boards do.
Some are run locally. Some bring in nonprofit management chains. And a
number use commercial management companies like Imagine.
But regulators in some states have found that Imagine has elbowed the
charter holders out of virtually all school decision making — hiring
and firing principals and staff members, controlling and profiting
from school real estate, and retaining fees under contracts that often
guarantee Imagine’s management in perpetuity.
The arrangements, they say, allow Imagine to use public money with
little oversight. “Under either charter law or traditional nonprofit
law, there really is no way an entity should end up on both sides of
business transactions,” said Marc Dean Millot, publisher of the report
K-12 Leads and a former president of the National Charter Schools
Alliance, a trade association, now defunct, for the charter school
movement.
*************************************************************************
And there was another article in the NY Times the day before, too...
Again, much more at the link, and there are turf wars talked about,
too.
***************************************************************************
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/23/education/23charter.html?ref=education
A Buffalo charter school, run by a for-profit company, received $7.2
million in taxpayer money last year to educate about 500 elementary
and middle school students. But at the end of the year, the audit it
submitted to the state listed its expenses only in broad brushstrokes,
including $1.3 million in rent for a building the company owned,
$976,000 for executive administration and $361,000 in professional
fees.
Boron Elgar
Chris Christie is male
Peter Boulding
<opusthepen...@gmail.com> wrote in
<Xns9D64E834DAAAFop...@192.168.1.106>:
>> Grim.
>I first read that as "Grin." So I re-read Boron's post three times to
>see where the humor was that I was missing. Then I figured I'd better
>have another go at your on-word reply.
>
>Grim, indeed.
The unholy alliance between (a) businessmen who've worked out that buying
politicians is a lot cheaper than competing on the open market and (b) the
fuck-all-education-and-proud-of-it-let's-send-the-intellectuals-to-the-
paddy-fields brigade has gone far too far.
Dover Beach
> I understand times are rough. I understand that in these lean years
> people who have seen everything they have worked for swept away in a
> market crash or company closing or mortgage foreclosure look around at
> those who have some job security or benefits and feel that "the
> system" is unfair, but my tinfoil hat tells me that there is political
> method to the madness.
>
And it's not just teachers. Because my mother relies on my dad's
CalPERS pension, I pay some attention to the griping going on about
California's state employees. The lies that get told! They can't
retire with full salary at 50. That's just not true. Dad's pension,
when he retired at age 68 with over 40 years of service behind him, was
something like 80% of his salary, and he opted for the inflation rider,
which meant that the pension started lower and has gone up over the
years.
He didn't just sit there and suck his thumb. He worked every day, he
designed highways, he dealt with right-of-way cases, he managed
fractious employees and got them to provide service to the public. I
really hate that he's being vilified by the resentful mob just because
in 1951 he decided to take the job that promised security for him and
his family rather than a private-sector job with greater pay but more
risk.
--
Dover
Kim
>
> TP's district had 95% of their state funding cut last month and their
> school budget did not pass in last week's election. Her job line will
> likely be cut next week. Her SO is in a similar situation in another
> township, as are many teachers all over the state. Our new governor
> made several very public requests for voters to turn down local school
> budgets before the election.
Oh no!! I'm so sorry that this is happening to her - and you know, I'm even
MORE sorry for the kids who will lose out on the opportunity to be taught by
her.
I thought that with the popularity of "Glee" music programs in schools were
getting a *boost*, not being cut.
>
> Christy's kids go to private school.
But of course.
--
Kim
www.thedarwinexception.wordpress.com
* To me, boxing is like a ballet, except there's no music, no
choreography, and the dancers hit each other.*
Boron Elgar
wrote:
>Boron Elgar <boron...@hotmail.com> wrote in
Sing it, Sistuh!
Telling these lies is a great way to foster class anger and racism and
fuel the "starve the beast" mentality.
Boron
groo
Boron Elgar
<darwinexcepti...@verizon.net> wrote:
>Boron Elgar wrote:
>
>>
>> TP's district had 95% of their state funding cut last month and their
>> school budget did not pass in last week's election. Her job line will
>> likely be cut next week. Her SO is in a similar situation in another
>> township, as are many teachers all over the state. Our new governor
>> made several very public requests for voters to turn down local school
>> budgets before the election.
>
>Oh no!! I'm so sorry that this is happening to her - and you know, I'm even
>MORE sorry for the kids who will lose out on the opportunity to be taught by
>her.
She is wonderful with her kids. If anyone really has a calling to
teach, it is TP. She positively glows with it, and she gets those kids
to sing like crazy. Last year her kids got the highest commendation at
a choral competition. First one ever for the school.
Her principal told her that if the worst does happen (the decision is
being made by the board a superintendent, not anyone who knows her or
her work) he will give her best recommendation he has ever written.
They do not want to lose her.
>
>I thought that with the popularity of "Glee" music programs in schools were
>getting a *boost*, not being cut.
So who gets cut, math or music? I like to think that both body and
soul need educating, but understand the wicked financial status
brought on by losing 95% of state funding with no way to make it up in
time.
>
>>
>> Christy's kids go to private school.
>
>But of course.
I hope they all grow up to be flaming liberals - gay ones!
Boron
Mark Steese
news:fmh8t5511s0l34hlj...@4ax.com:
> On Sun, 25 Apr 2010 03:57:03 GMT, Opus the Penguin
> <opusthepen...@gmail.com> wrote in
> <Xns9D64E834DAAAFop...@192.168.1.106>:
>
>>> Grim.
>
>>I first read that as "Grin." So I re-read Boron's post three times to
>>see where the humor was that I was missing. Then I figured I'd better
>>have another go at your on-word reply.
>>
>>Grim, indeed.
>
> The unholy alliance between (a) businessmen who've worked out that
> buying politicians is a lot cheaper than competing on the open market
> and (b) the fuck-all-education-and-proud-of-it-let's-send-the-
> intellectuals-to-the- paddy-fields brigade has gone far too far.
Unholy alliances tend to do that. One seldom hears of a modest, circumspect
unholy alliance.
--
The boughs rustled, and the air was stirred by the muffled beat of their
wings: I could see them, like unearthly, boding shapes, as they swooped
between me and the stars. -Bayard Taylor
D.F. Manno
Boron Elgar <boron...@hotmail.com> wrote:
> There has been a movement in the US to dismantle the public education
> system and replace it as much as possible with charter schools run by
> private enterprise.
And that's working sooooo well. A Philly charter school recently made
the news by renting out its cafeteria on the weekends for a dance club,
complete with liquor license. In the aftermath, it turned out that at
least one charter-school head is paying himself $626,000 a year, more
that the city school superintendent.
Boron Elgar
wrote:
>In article <44f8t5tqv1fcln9s7...@4ax.com>,
There has been quite a bit of discussion about lack of financial
oversight and transparency with charter schools and to make it even
worse, you get findings such as those by Margaret Raymond below.
I think charter schools are a crock of shit.
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/answer-sheet/charter-schools/straight-talk-about-charter-sc.html
Last year a national evaluation by Margaret Raymond of Stanford
University (including data from 2,403 charters and 70 percent of all
charter students) found that only 17% outperformed regular public
schools; that 46% had learning gains no different from regular public
schools; and that 37% had gains that were worse than regular public
schools.
Raymond concluded, �This study reveals in unmistakable terms that, in
the aggregate, charter students are not faring as well as their TPS
[traditional public school] counterparts. Further, tremendous
variation in academic quality among charters is the norm, not the
exception. The problem of quality is the most pressing issue that
charter schools face.�
She went on to say that �If this study shows anything, it shows that
we�ve got a two-to-one margin of bad charters to good charters.�
Lee Ayrton
Not to flirt with Godwin, but privatization of public services was a
program of the National Socialist government in 1930s Germany, a move that
would not see wide-spread application in western government again until
the end of the 20th C. The motives then and now were similar: Creating
new profitable markets for private enterprise, improved relationships
between wealth and politicians, getting certain expenses to the government
off the books.
Here's a paper on the topic:
www.recercat.net/bitstream/2072/3584/1/162.pdf