Video
The American experiment in pieces: Countdown with Keith Olbermann [hour-long weeknight news commentary program on MSNBC] (16-
Politics
Quotable
Politics
Quotable
Gov. Palin's Press Office: 'There they go again?'
The governor's office issued a press release this afternoon with the title:
Governor Palin Says to Media, "There You Go Again"
You can read the full press release on the Alaska Politics blog, but this was the paragraph that jumped out at me:
Meanwhile, bloggers, the Atlantic magazine and even the Anchorage Daily News continue to give credence to the sensational allegation that the governor's child, Trig, is not hers.
The comment about the Daily News struck me as curious, at the least. Here's why:
On Dec. 31, eight days ago, I received an email from Gov. Palin asking several questions about news coverage in the Daily News. I took her inquiry seriously and by the end of the day had prepared a long email addressing each of her questions in detail.
This was her final question:
And is your paper really still pursuing the sensational lie that I am not Trig's mother? Is it true you have a reporter still bothering my state office, my very busy doctor (who's already set the record straight for you), and the school district, in pursuit of your ridiculous conspiracy?
This was my reply:
Yes, it's true.
You may have been too busy with the campaign to notice, but the Daily News has, from the beginning, dismissed the conspiracy theories about Trig's birth as nonsense. I don't believe we have ever published in the newspaper a story, a letter, a column or anything alleging a coverup surrounding your maternity.
In fact, my integrity and the integrity of the newspaper have been repeatedly attacked in national forums for our complicity in the "coverup." I have personally received more than 100 emails accusing me and the paper of conspiring to hide the truth (about Trig's birth.)
(I should acknowledge, however, that many people who commented on adn.com have alleged a coverup. Many of those were deleted as soon as we saw them, but many were not.)
I want to be very clear on this: I have from the beginning and do now consider the conspiracy theories about Trig's birth to be nutty nonsense.
If that's true, why has Lisa Demer been asking questions about Trig's birth?
Because we have been amazed by the widespread and enduring quality of these rumors. I finally decided, after watching this go on unabated for months, to let a reporter try to do a story about the "conspiracy theory that would not die" and, possibly, report the facts of Trig's birth thoroughly enough to kill the nonsense once and for all.
Lisa Demer started reporting. She received very little cooperation in her efforts from the parties who, in my judgment, stood to benefit most from the story, namely you and your family. Even so, we reported the matter as thoroughly as we could. Several weeks ago, when we considered the information Lisa had gathered, we decided we didn't have enough of a story to accomplish what we had hoped. Lisa moved on to other topics and we haven't decided whether the idea is worth any further effort.
Even the birth of your grandson may not dissuade the Trig conspiracy theorists from their beliefs. It strikes me that if there is never a clear, contemporaneous public record of what transpired with Trig's birth, that may actually ensure that the conspiracy theory never dies. Time will tell.
According to the "return receipt" feature of my email, my reply was opened shortly after I sent it on New Year's Eve. Other than that, I have received no response or acknowledgement of that email.
I think I was clear that we were not asking about Trig's birth in an effort to validate the conspiracy. Instead we were focused on the persistence of the conspiracy allegations. In the end, we didn't think the story was worth the effort required to develop it.
So I don't understand the behavior of the governor's press office. Did the governor not share my email with the press staff? Did the press staff deliberately ignore what I said in order to have a longer list of press "outrages"? Or are they just sloppy with details? I don't know.
The governor's press release ended with this:
As a public official, I expect criticism and I expect to be held accountable for how I govern... often the refusal of the media to correct obvious mistakes, unfortunately discredits too many in journalism today, making it difficult for many Americans to believe what they see in the media.
Will the governor's press office correct its misrepresentation of the Daily News?
Time will tell.
American life55
Family values: AKMuckraker (30-Dec-08), Tripp Easton Mitchell Johnston. Thoughts and a Message. The Mudflats [tiptoeing through the muck of Alaskan politics], online at www
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
Tuesday, December 30, 2008...Imagine my surprise when I double checked the People Magazine website, and found out... yes. It was Tripp. Tripp Easton Mitchell Johnston. Wow.
Tripp? Was this just a "Tr" name like Uncle Track and Uncle Trig? Did it mean something else? Why 2 "P"s?
Tripping is a hockey penalty. It's also a reference to drug use. Tripp's father is studying to be an electrician, so maybe tripping a circuit? Tripp can sometimes be a nickname for someone with a "III" after their name (triple), but not as a name unto itself... Hmm. We'll try another search.
How about the Urban Dictionary. (h/t Phil Munger at Progressive Alaska) The parents are young and hip... let's see what they mean. Maybe it means good looking, or cool, or, in the know...
orTripp: To engage in sexual intercourse with, usually while drunk or out of pure infatuation. Another word for having sex. She got drunk and tripped with him after the party.(forehead on desk) I didn't want to see that. Really, I didn't. I wanted the baby to be named John Michael, or Timothy Paul, or Stanley Eric... I figured, kids rebel, right? Maybe she'll do exactly the opposite of what her parents did. But not this...
Politics
Quotable
Eliminationism
Making us glad she's not our kid's teacher: Betsy Newmark (19-
"I will fight, I will fight, I will fight until I take my last breath," he added. "I have done nothing wrong."
Rod Blagojevich might have thought [he] echoed Winston Churchill but he sounds a bit like Robert Mugabe who made a similar vow.
War on terror
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful: Anonymous (14-

Fort Collins built environment
Draggin' the Line
Fort Collins built environment
Draggin' the Line
Fort Collins built environment
Draggin' the line
4th in a Japanese design series
Draggin' the line
When I draw water from the River White
The shinning moon, floating, soaks my sleeves.
I, once the woman within the cypress fence,
Began to perform a dance of my days that had passed.
(The ghost performs a graceful court dance)
Ice, formed of water, is colder than water;
Indigo, derived from blue, is darker than blue.

Fundamentalism
God rest ye: Focus On The Family Action [political arm of Focus On The Family] (13-Nov-08, updated 19-
Focus on the Family Action's 2008 Christmas-Friendly Shopping Guide
How Leading Retailers' Messages Rate
We welcome your use of these ratings in your shopping decisions. As an additional way to help you communicate with the retailers we evaluated, we are providing the convenience of a petition which you can sign by visiting focuspetitions.com.
Retailers will be presented with petitions – thanking those that embrace "Christmas," and alerting those that have purged or marginalized "Christmas" that you object to the secularization of Christmas. We hope you will "stand for Christmas" with us and encourage the continued acknowledgement of this historic Christian observance in our culture.
"Christmas-friendly" retailers – prominent acknowledgment of "Christmas"
Cabela's
Crate & Barrel
Dillard's
Eddie Bauer
JCPenney
Kohl's
L.L. Bean
Lands' End
Linens 'n Things
Lowe's
Macy's
Neiman Marcus
Nordstrom
Pier 1 Imports
Sears
The Home Depot
Target
Toys "R" Us
Wal-Mart
"Christmas-negligent" retailers – marginalized use of "Christmas"
Barnes & Noble
Bed, Bath & Beyond
Best Buy
Borders
Circuit City
Dick's Sporting Goods
GAP
KB Toys
Kmart
"Christmas-offensive" retailers – apparent abandonment of "Christmas"
American Eagle
Banana Republic
Bloomingdale's
Lane Bryant
Old Navy
Colorado
Because water quality, stream morphology and wetlands matter: Kevin Duggan (18-
EPA Has Glade Concerns
An environmental study of Glade Reservoir and the Northern Integrated Supply Project offers "insufficient information" and does not adequately describe the project's impacts, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
In comments on the draft Environmental Impact Statement for NISP, which would include Glade Reservoir, EPA officials said they are concerned about the project's impact on water quality, stream morphology and wetlands.
Opponents of Glade said the EPA's comments validate what they've been saying all along: Scientific analysis doesn't support the project.
"The EPA is saying the same thing," said Gary Wockner, spokesman for the Save the Poudre Coalition.
"There are major environmental problems with this project, and participants should be considering alternatives that are less damaging."
Wockner said the agency's comments could portend a veto of the project if it is permitted by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
But Glade supporters say the comments are just part of the process of developing a final EIS for the project, which would provide water for 15 regional municipalities and water districts.
"We're already working with EPA to address their concerns," said Brian Werner, spokesman for the Northern Colorado Water Conservancy District. "There is no fatal flaw here."
Glade Reservoir would be built north of Ted's Place and draw from the Poudre River, primarily during times of peak flow. The reservoir would hold 170,000 acre-feet of water, about the same as Horsetooth Reservoir.
The EPA's comments are among several hundred received on the project. The agency takes issue with several areas of the draft EIS, including its analysis of impacts of Glade on the Poudre, the South Platte River and Horsetooth Reservoir.
The draft document also does not support the contention that Northern Water's plan for Glade is the "least environmentally damaging practicable alternative" for NISP, according to the EPA.
Studies by the city of Fort Collins and other entities have raised concerns about how the project would affect the Poudre's water quality through the city and on to its confluence with the South Platte at Greeley.
Werner said Glade proponents "are very comfortable the water-quality issues can be dealt with" in the final EIS for the project.
The draft EIS is so flawed the Corps "should start all over" with a new analysis, Wockner said. The EPA's view of the document is "extremely significant," he said.
"I think this is potentially devastating for the entire project," he said. "The participants would do well to pay attention to what the EPA says."
List (updated; bumped up from 08-Jun-08)
Draggin' the line
Abilene is one of about 100 communities that has used North Star Destination Strategies of Nashville, Tenn., to develop a brand, but not all have been keepers.
In each community, North Star Destination Strategies CEO Don McEachern said, the initial reaction varies.
The brand's "intent is not to win a popularity contest, but to go to work in terms of making better use of the resources and efforts that are being used to market Abilene," McEachern said. "It strikes a passion with people when people are passionate with their hometown, so that's a good thing."
North Star's brand for Abilene – "Abilene Frontiering" – was unveiled Tuesday by the Abilene Branding Partnership. Initial reaction in comments left on stories on www.reporternews .com has been negative.
The partnership is made up of the Chamber of Commerce, Abilene, the Abilene Cultural Affairs Council, the Abilene Convention and Visitors Bureau and DevelopAbilene...
Jared Fields (14-Nov-08), Branding often stirs reaction, firm says, Reporter News [Abilene, Texas], online at www.reporternews .com (accessed 15- Nov-08).
A local design firm has been picked to create – for free – an alternative new city logo in an effort to quell criticism of a different new logo widely panned by residents.
Linden marketing will work with the public and city leaders to develop a logo to potentially replace the iconic image of geese flying in front of Horsetooth Rock.
"We're looking at things through a local lens," said Linden account manager Jackie O'Hara. "It's not about the money. It's about helping the city find a solution."
Elected officials and city manager Darin Atteberry have been deluged with criticism over the new $2,500 logo, which was announced in March, put on hold, then withdrawn but not before being used on some printed materials.
That new logo, designed by a national firm called North Star, featured the city's name in large type, along with two curvy lines meant to evoke mountains and rivers.
But critics said the North Star logo was everything from generic, dull and lacking heart, to too similar to Greeley's, which was also designed by North Star...
Trevor Hughes (02-Apr-08), Fort Collins firm to help design alternative new city logo for free [article for sale online], Coloradoan [Fort Collins, Colorado] (accessed 07-Jun-08).
...Galvestonians and tourists alike repeatedly cited "dirty beaches" and the town's "unclean feel" during recent interviews conducted by a marketing firm hired to help boost Galveston's image.
"Your beach is most known, but neither visitors or residents think highly of it," says the report, commissioned by Galveston's top tourism promoters. "Flaunt the uniqueness of your island. Your beaches and island are not dirty – they are colored with stories, history and culture."
That's among the advice contained in the $76,000 promotion report commissioned by the Galveston Island Park Board of Trustees, which is responsible for overseeing tourism promotion on the island. Officials plan to spend another $24,000 designing and distributing print ads and billboards promoting Galveston around the state of Texas and to targeted cities around the United States and Canada. The money comes from hotel-occupancy tax revenues in Galveston.
Parts of the new tourism campaign by North Star Destination Strategies of Nashville, reflect Galveston's promoters' desire to celebrate that history. The Galveston Island Convention & Visitors Bureau already has adopted the recommended slogan: "The Legend Continues"...
Promoters are eager to exploit the town's magnificent architecture and often tragic history to lure tourists, but they are far less keen about other North Star recommendations.
The firm had recommended taking part "in a big way" in the national "Talk Like A Pirate Day" on Sept. 19, an idea at which locals and tourists alike scoffed...
Brown said that talking like pirates for a day was probably one of those recommendations where town officials would end up smiling and turning the page. Ditto the proposal to build a huge "pirate's sandbox" in Houston filled with Galveston sand, a pirate's ship and planks to walk.
"They kept mentioning pirates," Brown said. "I think they went a little overboard on the pirates."
One recommendation that city officials rejected immediately was to change the city's name. The proposal to rename it the "City of Galveston Island" provoked such hostility that Mayor Lyda Ann Thomas felt the need to reassure residents that no such change was imminent...
Joe Stinebaker (11-Dec-06), 'Unpolished' Galveston hopes to brighten tourist image, USA Today, online at usatoday.com (accessed 07-Jun-08).
Longview residents together with local public relations and advertising firms will play a major role in the city's continued efforts to complete its branding campaign, while North Star Destination Strategies will not.
North Star's contract will be terminated, Mayor Jay Dean announced Thursday. The decision to fire the Tennessee-based firm hired to develop Longview's marketing campaign was the recommendation from the newly-formed Branding Process Review Committee.
"It is the opinion of the committee that North Star will be unable to regain the level of confidence from the Longview citizens necessary to deliver the branding product results we intended from the beginning," Dean said.
In March, the city unveiled a branding campaign developed by North Star that included the logo and tagline, "Longview, East Texas, Pure and Simple."
Though the logo was touted to be unique for Longview, within days of its unveiling at least two other U.S. cities were found to be using the same "pure and simple" phrase.
Longview and the sandy white Beaches of South Walton in the Florida Panhandle share nearly identical phrases, featuring the words "pure and simple" above the logo.
In Colorado, ski resort Gunnison-Crested Butte, has a trademark on its version of "pure and simple."
With the discovery, city officials opted to discontinue use of the tagline and began talks with North Star about the development of another logo and tagline that would be unique to Longview.
The firm submitted numerous proposals which were reviewed by the Branding Process Review Committee, but the committee decided instead to terminate the contract, Dean said...
Sherry Koonce (06-Apr-07), Mayor: Longview to fire North Star: Committee suggests use of local resources to create new logo, Daily Sentinel [Nacogdoches, Texas], online at dailysentinel.com (accessed 07- Jun-08).
Peoria's new branding slogan "Naturally Connected" is catching flak from residents and city officials.
The West Valley city spent more than $100,000 to develop the branding slogan, including paying $81,000 to North Star Destinations Strategies to come up with a catchphrase it hopes will help grow its economy, including attracting a major corporation, medical center and college.
But few seem happy with the catch phrase that some say seems confusing because it can mean so many different things: that Peoria is naturally connected to Lake Pleasant, its rivers and trails, employment opportunities and amenities.
"I do have a real concern with the tagline 'Naturally Connected,' " said Councilman Ron Aames, who has a marketing background. "I think this is off-mark. I think this is a strikeout."
Aames said, a tagline should be immediately recognizable, such as Budweiser's "The King of Beers," Coca Cola's "It's The Real Thing" and Home Depot's "You Can Do It, We Can help." He suggested using "At the Heart of the Valley of the Sun."
The logo/catchphrase issue was the subject of heated debate at a recent City Council meeting. One resident, Dolores Ceballos, spoke against the tagline and questioned whether the city could get back the $81,000 paid to the consultant.
"It's not a unique tagline," she said. "I want to see something that really defines us."
•Cecilia Chan (26-May-08), Peoria's new slogan catching flak from all sides: Tagline 'a strikeout,' not catchy, Arizona Republic [Phoenix, Arizona], formerly online at azcentral.com /arizonarepublic (accessed 07- Jun-08). •For a discussion of how the Peoria tagline and alternate tagline both duplicate those used by Canadian cities, see Steve Wright (30-Nov-07), What's the deal with Americans ripping off our tourism slogans? Brand Canada Blog [tourism, marketing and destination branding], online at cblog.brandcanadablog .com (accessed 15 -Nov-08).
Fundamentalism (updated below)
Mind-numbing shamelessness: Associated Press (12-

While his exact plans remain unclear, Haggard is unmistakably making himself a public figure again, nine months after his former church said he walked away from an oversight process meant to restore him.
Colorado (updates published in reverse chronological order; bumped up from 23-
Theocracy called to task: Adam Molzer (25-Sep-08), Lundberg's term is a failure of leadership [letter to the editor], WindsorBeacon.com [Windsor, Colorado], online at coloradoan
Lundberg Won't Help GOP Position: Republicans Need to Appoint Moderate, Realistic Voice
The Larimer County Republican Party has a choice: either appoint someone to fill Steve Johnson's seat in the state Senate that will be an effective representative who will work across the aisle or risk losing the seat altogether by choosing a right-wing extremist.
Johnson, who holds the Senate District 15 seat, was elected last week to be the next Larimer County commissioner. He intends to hold onto his Senate seat until the end of this year. Upon his resignation, the county GOP will have 10 days to name a replacement to serve until the end of Johnson's term in 2010.
Senate District 15 essentially covers much of Larimer County with the exception of Fort Collins. It is a diverse area that includes Windsor, Loveland, Estes Park and Berthoud.
Already, some talk has emerged that the county party would select Rep. Kevin Lundberg to the seat; Lundberg was just re-elected to state House District 49, which covers much of the same area as Senate District 15, except Loveland.
Such an appointment would be a mistake. Lundberg is an extremist who has little to show for his work in the state House beyond making headlines for his extreme conservative social views, including prohibiting domestic partnerships for gay and lesbian couples and for being the only nay vote in censuring Rep. Douglas Bruce for his outrageous behavior. While his social views may well reflect some of House District 49, his work as a legislator has not been significant in resolving issues such as transportation funding, health-care reform and ongoing budget challenges.
Johnson has been a moderate, realistic voice in the state Senate. He is well respected by Republicans and Democrats for his fiscally conservative values and is a strong voice in questioning the role of government. The next senator should be an equally strong conservative who will not be dismissed in an Assembly controlled by Democrats.
The county GOP has the right to choose Johnson's replacement, of course. But this term will last two years, and if Lundberg is the wrong choice, the party risks losing its hold on what has been a traditional Republican seat. More importantly, Senate District 15 risks losing effective, meaningful representation.


Residents of House District 49, do not be misled by recent mailings endorsing Kevin Lundberg. These ads are from a big-money 527 political group in Denver currently under investigation for violating campaign finance laws, and paint Lundberg as a "proven leader" running on a "proven record." The reality is that Lundberg’s time in the legislature has been a failure of leadership and an embarrassment for northern Colorado.
Lundberg's voting record reflects his own extremist views and not those of the people he supposedly represents. His narrow focus on fringe issues has done nothing to help the middle class and working families living in our district. Rather than give real attention to issues of health care, job development, programs for seniors and youth, public education, transportation and local environmental concerns, Lundberg has bent to the fanatical and divisive appeals of special interest groups and ideologue activists.
By voting for James Ross for House District 49, we have a clear alternative to two more disgraceful years of radical antics by Lundberg.
James Ross understands the real needs of residents in HD-49 and will represent our interests to create a safe and secure community.
Vote for James Ross for House District 49.
Adam Molzer
Laporte
Republican politics (updated below)
Typical: Ben Evans (10-Nov-08), Georgia congressman warns of Obama dictatorship, Associated Press, online at
Big 35s whinin' on the asphalt
Grabbin' mud, and slingin' up some red dirt
Let us resist the temptation to fall back on the same partisanship and pettiness and immaturity that has poisoned our politics for so long.

You may have seen news articles with blaring headlines such as 'Congressman Warns of Obama Dictatorship' written by the AP's Ben Evans hyperlinked above with regard to remarks that I recently made regarding statements by our president-elect.
Personally, I think that such headlines are a bit sensationalistic. Because they accurately summarize what you said, Congressman, and focus attention on your demagoguery? What's sensational are your untoward accusations about the President-elect. That's where the news lies. The focus really should be more on Barack Obama's remarks than upon what I have said about them. Barack Obama's spokespeople and national commentators have described how your interpretation of Obama's remarks is taken out of context, partisan, and independent of the standard definitions for the ideological affiliations you accuse Obama of holding.
Mr. Obama certainly did state in a July speech that 'We cannot continue to rely only on our military in order to achieve the national security objectives that we've set. We've got to have a civilian national security force that's just as powerful, just as strong, just as well-funded.' Give it up, man.
One would think that back in July members of the media should have begun asking Mr. Obama exactly what he meant. Since they did not, I think it is perfectly appropriate for members of Congress to do so. As I serve on the House Committee on Homeland Security, I think it is particularly appropriate for me to raise questions. Indeed, bringing accountability to the Executive Branch is what Congress is suppose to do, and we can only wish that our various Republican Congresses over the last eight years had not abdicated that responsibility. Still, Congressman, try hard not to confuse accountability with calling the President-elect a terrorist, OK?
Perhaps Mr. Obama's call for a civilian national security force on par with the authority and funding of the military is innocuous. However, historical examples of such organizations in other countries, present ample cause for concern. Unfortunately for demagogues everywhere, rhetorical posturing isn't the same thing as asserting an historic parallel.
Furthermore, the vicious attacks upon Joe the Plumber, Forget about Joe the Plumber, Congressman; everything about Joe is a fraud, which may explain why Republicans who invent their own realities – such as yourself – find him so convenient... for asking a simple question regarding Obama's tax plans, and upon Barbara West, the Orlando television reporter who dared to ask the obvious-How is wealth redistribution not a Marxist idea?-and upon her husband as well, cause one to wonder to what extremes the Obama political machine will go to suppress dissent. You've made the national news. What's your beef?
Attacking private citizens and members of the media for simply asking questions is hardly a shining example of adherence to democratic principle. Anyone who is not alarmed by such intimidation tactics needs to think again. You sound paranoid.
I firmly believe that we must not fall victim to the 'it can't happen here' mentality. I adhere to the adage 'eternal vigilance is the price of liberty.' It's a shame you couldn't have turned that "eternal vigilance" onto the authoritarian consequences of Bush's unitary executive.
By the way, why has no one asked Mr. Obama about the premise of his remark: 'we cannot continue to rely only on our military' for national security? Because it wasn't a policy statement. Why exactly do you think your loaded question about something you've taken out of context would interest a wide audience? As a United States Marine and former Navy medical officer, I take exception to his assertion. I take exception to your divisive partisanship.
It seems that during the campaign, the 'mainstream media' was strangely disinterested in Mr. Obama's personal history, particularly his long-time associations with the most radical, fringe-elements of the American Left, including those with a history of violence, such as William Ayers, and bitter anti-American rhetoric such as Rev. Wright and Louis Farrakhan. Those accusations have been aired and addressed (unlike Sarah Palin's and her husband's comradery with secessionists); Obama has disassociated himself from Wright (something McCain has never done with Rod Paisley and only belatedly did with John Hagee). The issue's a non-starter for anyone who follows the news. Isn't it interesting that in the post-election world, these characters have gone public? No.
As to socialistic/Marxist principles, Mr. Obama's confiscatory tax and wealth redistribution schemes (once that cat got out of the bag) are a self-indictment. The question by Barbara West was never answered by Joe Biden and has never been answered. It also has never been asked again of Mr. Obama or Mr. Biden by any major journalist. Why not? Let's think about it. Obama has proposed tax-relief for the middle class and tax increases for wealthy Americans like yourself, Congressman. Your name-calling smells like sour grapes. Furthermore, I don't recall hearing you pound your chest in protest against "socialism" during the last eight years, when Bush tax policies were precipitating history's largest redistribution of the wealth upwards from the poor and middle classes to the wealthy. But Republicans are like that. They're all for redistribution of the wealth when it's driven by economic fundamentalism that benefits them.
Finally, Mr. Obama's political record shows that he is no friend of the Second Amendment. The Second Amendment is rooted in the understanding of our Founders that only armed citizens can remain truly free. Or dead. Like that 8-year-old boy who recently killed himself with an Uzi at a gun show, while being supervised by a certified instructor.
I never called Mr. Obama a communist, nor did I accuse him of being Hitler, We heard your dog whistle, Congressman, and your words included, "[Obama]'s showing me signs of being Marxist"... but I do not apologize for stating the obvious: his socialist views are out of the mainstream of American political thought, and history shows that 'civilian national security forces' bode ill for citizens. You're just mad and acting badly because Americans elected Obama and rejected the right-wing politics that Republicans have traded in for so long. Like I said before, Congressman, you need to figure out what Obama and the Democrats have done right, and try to emulate it.
It is perfectly appropriate for members of Congress, members of the media, and private citizens to hold Mr. Obama accountable for his views and his intentions. When we do, we should not be marginalized. At least you understand where your trash talk has gotten you.
I hope my concerns are completely unfounded, They are... as I am eager to work with our president-elect when he is constitutionally correct. True to your right-wing breed, you claim your own views are the only ones legitimate. I hope Mr. Obama will embrace his executive role by becoming a bipartisan leader. Bipartisanship is a two-way street, Congressman, and there's nothing in what you say that would make anyone believe it's a street you intend to cross. I am extremely pleased to witness the election of our nation's first African American president, and I wish Mr. Obama much success as he leads Americans forward.
Economics
Quotable
Colorado
Shooting the story – or not: •Rich Abrahamson (04-
Exceptionalism
Quotable
Republican politics
Shameless: John McCain 2008, campaign advertisement ["Behind the fancy speeches..."], video
Economics
Quotable
Politics
Quotable
Timeline (updated; bumped up from 03-Oct-08)
Draggin' the line
Bush orders financial institutions to lend out the money they've received through the bailout
•Ooops! Capitalism promotes its own interests, rather than those of the commonweal.
•I guess it's too late to bring oversight – other than jawboning – to how the recipients of bailout funds actually use their billions of windfall dollars.
Bush signs the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008
•$700 billion bailout of the U.S. financial system.
•Minimal accountability for those receiving the funds.
•The Act is understood by most Americans to be socialism benefiting those who created the crisis.
Bush proposes largest financial bailout since the Great Depression
•"People are beginning to doubt our system, people were losing confidence, and I understand it’s important to have confidence in our financial system."
•Translation: Republican governance has (nearly) destroyed the U.S.
American International Group Inc. (AIG)
(world's largest insurance company; 18th largest company in the world; conducts business with almost every financial institution in the world)
•AIG received $85 billion bailout from the Federal Reserve, which now owns 80% of the company.
•Government seizure and nationalization.
White House says no more bailouts on the way
•Stock markets register greatest losses since 9/11.
Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc.
(founded in 1850; global financial-services; one of the largest and most venerable firms on Wall Street)
•Bankruptcy and liquidation.
Merrill Lynch & Co.
(world's largest retail brokerage)
•Forced sale to Bank of America.
•For $50 billion in stock; half of what the firm was worth earlier this year.
Fannie Mae
(Federal National Mortgage Association; makes and guarantees mortgage loans)
•Nationalized.
Freddie Mac
(Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation; makes and guarantees mortgage loans)
•Nationalized.
"[T]his is a mental recession... We have sort of become a nation of whiners." –Phil Gramm
(Co-chairman of John McCain's campaign and McCain's chief economic advisor; the former Senate Banking Committee chairman; shoe-in for Secretary of the Treasury in a McCain administration)
•Gramm explaining John McCain's plans to reform the U.S. economy; downplaying the idea that the nation is in a recession.
Bear Stearns
(one of the largest global investment banks and securities trading and brokerage firms)
•Government-brokered sale to JPMorgan Chase.
Economic conservatives take heart: Phil Gramm is John McCain's econ brain
(Shawn Tully, McCain's econ brain, Fortune, online at money.cnn .com)
Countrywide Financial Corporation
Subprime industry collapse
•More than 25 subprime lenders declare bankruptcy.
Responsible Lending Act
•The "Loan Shark Protection Act" preempted stronger state laws against anti-predatory lending.
Commodity Futures Modernization Act of 2000
(exempted new derivative markets from government oversight; included the "Enron Loophole," which exempts most over-the-counter energy trades and trading on electronic energy commodity markets)
•Senator Phil Gramm is long recognized as the key force in the Act's passage.
Have an addition to the timeline? Send me an e-mail (3D@3Dsoundblog.com).
Gramm-Leach-Bliley Financial Services Modernization Act of 1999
(repeal of the Glass-Steagall Act of 1933)
•Allowed commercial and investment banks to consolidate and thereby contributed to the subprime mortgage financial crisis.
Obama Comes to Fort Collins
It was really cool to have Senator Obama in Fort Collins at CSU. You could just feel the excitement radiating off of people. For handicap reasons, me, my Mom & my Grandma got to sit about 15 yards away from the podium. Before Obama's speech Betsy Markey & Governor Ritter talked. About 15 minutes after Ritter talked a voice came on & said "Please welcome Senator Barack Obama!" & everybody started to scream.
Obama talked about all different kinds of things but these are just a few of the topics that were covered:
Early voting
Health plans
Taxes
Economics
Schooling
& how John McCain compared him to George Bush. McCain said that if Obama was elected President it was just going to be like the last 8 years because Obama is going to use Bush's economics plan. That's wierd. Why would Obama talk about a new economics plan if he was just going to use Bush's old one? That's a really dumb thing for McCain to say.
It was really cold & we had to wait in line for about 2 hours, but it was all worth it. I think that this was a very big deal for Colorado but in particular CSU & Fort Collins.
Religion (updated; bumped up from 16-Apr-06)
In the sight of all the people upon Mount Sinai: St. Catherine's Monastery, online at touregypt

UPDATE, Saturday, October 25, 2008: The collection of ancient manuscripts at St. Catherine's is second only to that at the Vatican.The authority of Scripture is a key issue for the Christian Church in this and every age. Those who profess faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior are called to show the reality of their discipleship by humbly and faithfully obeying God's written Word. To Stray from Scripture in faith or conduct is disloyalty to our Master. Recognition of the total truth and trustworthiness of Holy Scripture is essential to a full grasp and adequate confession of its authority.
The following Statement affirms this inerrancy of Scripture afresh, making clear our understanding of it and warning against its denial...
Being wholly and verbally God-given, Scripture is without error or fault in all its teaching, no less in what it states about God's acts in creation, about the events of world history, and about its own literary origins under God, than in its witness to God's saving grace in individual lives...
It was at the foot of Mount Sinai, in the Convent of St. Catherine, that I discovered the pearl of all my researches. In visiting the monastery in the month of May 1844, I perceived in the middle of the great hall a large and wide basket full of old parchments; and the librarian who was a man of information told me that tow heaps of papers like these, mouldered by time, had been already committed to the flames. What was my surprise to find amid this heap of papers a considerable number of sheets of a copy of the Old Testament in Greek, which seemed to me to be one of the most ancient that I had ever seen. The authorities of the monastery allowed me to posses myself of a third of these parchments, or about forty three sheets, all the more readily as they were designated for the fire. But I could not get them to yield up possession of the remainder. The too lively satisfaction which I had displayed had aroused their suspicions as to the value of the manuscript. I transcribed a page of the text of Isaiah and Jeremiah, and enjoined on the monks to take religious care of all such remains which might fall their way (Constantin von Tischendorf [1866], When were our gospels written? The Religious Tract Society, London, page 23; quoted in Ehrman, 2005).
Colorado (updated below)
Bob Schaffer, last year's Republican:
To: Interested parties
From: Udall for Colorado
Date: October 1, 2008
Re: The economic crisis and Bob Schaffer's failed policies
SUMMARY
• Across America – It's an economic crisis.
• In Colorado – Middle-class families are squeezed to the breaking point.
• And the failed economic policies of George Bush and Bob Schaffer are a big reason for the mess.
• Schaffer voted for billions in special tax breaks for corporations that ship American jobs overseas.
• Schaffer wants billions more in tax giveaways for big oil companies.
• And Bob Schaffer voted to protect the pensions of corporate CEOs – even when those executives falsify their companies' financial documents.
BACKGROUNDFact: The failed economic policies of George Bush and Bob Schaffer are a big reason for the current Wall Street meltdown
"I am pro-George Bush – and I have a solid record to prove it" (Bob Schaffer, Post Independent, 29-Jul-04).
Schaffer bragged about blocking numerous regulatory measures. "Congressional Republicans have also blocked numerous regulatory schemes designed to slow the economy, thwart free trade, limit Liberty, and hurt the environment – all proposed by Democrats. With the election of President George W. Bush, however, America has a chance to restore economic stability, end over-taxation, reform our schools, and promote a civil society" (http://web )..archive .org /web /20010408061102 /www .bobschaffer .org /news1 .htm
Bob Schaffer said the Reagan "low-regulation" approach had created a successful economy. "With all due credit to Alan Greenspan, chairman of the Federal Reserve, for his outstanding stewardship of monetary policy, we should mostly thank President Reagan for turning around an economy that was in the ditch. We are still benefiting from his decision to make the United States a low-tax, low-regulation economy, and thus able to compete in the world better than any other" (Congressional Record, 12-Oct-98).
Schaffer even trumpeted less regulation in his 2008 US Senate nomination speech. "The Democrats say they're for change for change sake. But what they really offer is an old approach to modern challenges: more taxes applied to Americans economic productivity and we believe in freedom, more regulation applied to those who create jobs and we believe in less regulation and more jobs, they believe in more bureaucracy, more rules, less justice" (31-May-08).Fact: Schaffer voted for billions in special tax breaks for corporations that ship American jobs overseas
Schaffer supported keeping a tax loophole that allows corporations to locate their headquarters offshore in order to avoid paying federal taxes. The measure sought to close a loophole that allowed corporations to locate their headquarters offshore in order to avoid paying federal taxes. It would prevent the practice of 'corporate inversion,' under which a U.S. company inverts its corporate structure so that the parent firm is technically located in a tax-free nation and only a subsidiary is located in the United States, for the purpose of escaping federal taxes (Roll Call 247, HR 4931, 21-Jun-02).
Schaffer voted to subsidize corporations that lay off American workers (Roll Call 120, HR 2871, 01-May-02).
Schaffer voted for billions in tax breaks for overseas corporations. Schaffer voted for proposal that included a $6.5 billion tax break extension for financial corporations with overseas operations. Under existing law, U.S. firms were taxed on some types of income earned by foreign corporations that they control, regardless of whether the income is distributed back to the United States. (Roll Call 509, HR 3529, 19-Dec-01)
Schaffer voted to give homeland security contracts to offshore tax dodgers. Schaffer opposed an effort to bar companies that avoid paying U.S. taxes by moving their headquarters overseas from being awarded contracts with the new Homeland Security Department (Roll Call 366, HR 5005, 26-Jul-02).Fact: Schaffer wants billions more in tax giveaways for Big Oil companies
Bob Schaffer won't lift a finger to address our energy crisis if it means taking a dime away from the oil companies. "Udall repeatedly challenged Schaffer to endorse his [energy] bill, but Schaffer would not. The Republican opposes the way the bill takes away oil-company tax breaks and gives them to renewable-energy companies" (Durango Herald, 16-Aug-08).
Schaffer defended Big Oil profits, calling them "modest." In August 2008, Schaffer said, "The margin of profit of the energy industry in America today is 8 percent, which is modest compared to insurance companies or banks or other industries." He added, "Because prices are soaring, the reality is the federal government is raking in a bunch of cash right now on the backs of energy producers" (Schaffer Interview, Rocky Mountain News, 16-Aug-08).
On Meet the Press. Schaffer: "An 8% marginal profit [for the oil industry] is not too bad in the American context today" (Meet the Press, NBC, 28-Sep-08).
Schaffer supported the 2001 Bush energy plan which included nearly $13 billion in tax breaks for the oil and gas industry (Roll Call 320, HR 4, 02-Aug-01).
Schaffer voiced support for the 2004 Bush energy plan. "I support all aspects of the president's [energy] plan. I think the president is on the right track" (Bob Schaffer, NFIB debate, 01-Jul-04).
The 2004 energy bill included nearly $12 billion in tax breaks for the oil and gas industry. It would authorize $25.7 billion in tax breaks over 10 years, including $11.9 billion to encourage oil and gas production (HR 6 [18-Nov-03], HR 4503 [15-Jun-04]).
Schaffer supported 1999 tax break worth over a billion a year for Big Oil. Schaffer voted for the final 1999 GOP tax package, which included a provision that would give oil companies a special tax benefit for their foreign operations. According to USA Today, "One of the biggest targeted breaks in the newly approved measure is for multinational oil companies, courtesy of Ways and Means Chairman Bill Archer, R-Texas. By 2009, the companies would save $1.2 billion a year." According to the New York Times, the bill contained other measures beneficial to the oil industry as well, including allowing tax write-offs for wells that are "marginally productive" (Roll Call 333 [22-Jul-99], Roll Call 379 [05-Aug-99], USA Today [17-Aug-99], New York Times [21-Jul-99]).Fact: Bob Schaffer voted to protect the pensions of corporate CEOs – Even when those executives falsify their companies' financial documents
Schaffer voted against an amendment that would have enabled the Securities and Exchange Commission to strip stock bonuses from executives who falsify statements. It would also create a public regulator to oversee auditors, with authority to set auditing standards and rules and conduct more thorough investigations. It would require company executives to certify the truthfulness of their financial statements and set up additional restrictions on companies and auditing firms, including stronger penalties for false information and would have mandated that companies change their accounting firms every few years. The measure would have required rules from Wall Street's self-governing bodies prohibiting analysts from holding stock in companies they cover and from having their compensation tied to their firms' investment banking revenues (CQ [24-Apr-02], Roll Call 108 [HR 3763, failed 202-219: R 1-214, D 200-4, I 1-1]).
To: Interested parties
From: Udall for Colorado
Date: October 9, 2008
Re: Bob Schaffer's radical ideas – Wrong for Colorado
SUMMARY
• Bob Schaffer is "a self-admitted right-winger."
• Right after the attacks on 9-11, Schaffer voted against screening one hundred percent of checked bags on airplanes, and against requiring stronger cockpit doors.
• Bob Schaffer has compared Medicare to "socialism," health care reform to "fascism," and the US Department of Education to "the Communist legacy."
• Schaffer even voted against funding for every program to help America's military veterans four times.
• Bob Schaffer's radical ideas are wrong for Colorado.BACKGROUND
Fact: The Rocky Mountain News has referred to Schaffer as a "self-admitted right-winger" (Rocky Mountain News, 25-Aug-04)
According to a 2006 academic study, out of the 3,425 members of Congress to serve since 1937 Schaffer ranks as the 14th most conservative member over the last 70 years. According to a 2006 study by Professor Keith Poole of the University of California-San Diego. This analysis of Schaffer's three-term congressional record places him as the 14th most conservative out of more than 3,400 lawmakers to go to Washington since 1937 (Denver Post, 09-Mar-08).
"Schaffer became known for his uncompromising and unapologetically conservative views" and "that hasn't changed." According to a July 4, 2004 Fort Collins Coloradoan article, Schaffer was characterized as confident and sometimes brash. "Schaffer became known for his uncompromising and unapologetically conservative views", said the Coloradoan. The Coloradoan continued, "That hasn't changed" (Fort Collins Coloradoan, 04-Jul-04).
Schaffer has "Manufactured an image of himself as being on the far-right fringe." According to the Washington Times, Colorado State University political science professor John Straayer said, "I think what's happened is that you have a lot of people in the Republican Party who were nervous about a Bob Schaffer candidacy." "He's manufactured an image of himself as being on the far-right fringe, not just on fiscal issues, but he's also carrying a good deal of the religious right agenda with him" (Washington Times, 04-Apr-04).
"On the rare occasions when Schaffer departs from the GOP leadership line, it is to stake out an even more conservative position" (CQ member profile, 2002 edition).
Fact: The Denver Post called Schaffer "too ideological, too prone to follow a narrow set of political principles
Schaffer is "too ideological, too prone to follow a narrow set of political principles to the exclusion of other considerations" (Denver Post, 11-Oct-98).
Fact: Just two months after 9-11, Schaffer was one of just nine Representatives to vote against the post 9-11 air security plan (Roll Call 448 [16-Nov-01], Associated Press [17-Nov-01], Knight Ridder [17-Nov-01])
Components within this bill (S 1447, 107th Congress) included:
• 100% inspection of checked bags.
• Increased number of armed air marshals on flights.
• Anti-hijacking training for flight crews.
• Stronger cockpit doors.
• Background checks on individuals enrolling in flight schools.Fact: Schaffer has described Medicare as "socialist"
"Tape from that debate shows that Schaffer labeled Medicare and Medicaid as 'socialist aspects of how we deliver health care'" (Fort Collins Coloradoan, 13-Jun-96).
Schaffer voiced support for the Newt Gingrich approach to choking off Medicare. "Schaffer said he supported a slower rate of growth for the Medicare fund…" (Fort Collins Coloradoan, 06-Apr-97). "Slower rate of growth" was Gingrich's term for his plan to cut $270 billion from Medicare and allow it to "wither on the vine" (HR 2491 [17-Nov-95], CQ #812).
Schaffer voted to cut Medicare funding by $115 billion. Schaffer voted to bring up a bill to cut $115 billion in funding for Medicare (Roll Call 343, H. Res. 202, 30-Jul-97). Fact: Schaffer called universal health care "fascist"
Schaffer voted against a 1995 resolution that would have put a Colorado universal health care proposal on the ballot, calling it "a fascist economic model" (Denver Post, 20-Apr-95).
"Schaffer stands by his characterization of the plan, which would put health care under government control. That, he said, is economic fascism" (Fort Collins Coloradoan, 28-May-95). Fact: Schaffer equated public education with a "failed communist legacy"
"Mr. Speaker, just look at the Communist legacy in every single case, especially education. The bureaucrats who just love their government-owned schools and want to protect their monopoly will do so at just about any cost, regardless of whether kids have to receive an inferior education and blighted futures" (Congressional Record, 10-Sep-97).
Schaffer Called Public Schools a "government-owned, unionized, bureaucratized monopoly" (Rocky Mountain News, 10-Apr-06).
Schaffer advocated eliminating the Department of Education, the Department of Commerce, the Department of Energy (Fort Collins Coloradoan, 13-Feb-96).
"I can't think of a single thing the Department of Education does that really helps kids," Schaffer said shortly after joining Congress in 1997 (Denver Post, 17-Mar-97). Fact: Bob Schaffer voted four years in a row against funding the Veterans Administration – nearly $200 billion total
1998. Bob Schaffer was one of just 14 members to vote against $42.3 billion for Veterans Administration programs and benefits (Roll Call 483, HR 4194, 16-Oct-98, failed409-14).
1999. Bob Schaffer was one of just 18 members to vote against $44.3 billion for Veterans Administration programs and benefits (Roll Call 500, HR 2684, 14-Oct-99).
2000. Bob Schaffer was one of just 24 members to vote against $47 billion for Veterans Administration programs and benefits (Roll Call 536, HR 4635, 19-Oct-00, passed386-24).
2001. Bob Schaffer was one of just 18 members to vote against $51.1 billion for Veterans Administration programs and benefits. The bill provides $27.3 billion for mandatory veterans programs and $23.8 billion in discretionary funding for the VA including $21.3 billion for veterans medical care (Disabled American Veterans Magazine [Jan-02], Roll Call 434 [HR 2620, 08-Nov-01, passed401-18]).

Colorado (updated below)
Most important issue we face today: Robert Moore (16-Oct-08), Salazar blasts Musgrave as 'agent of hate': Senator denounces ad against Markey, Coloradoan [Fort Collins, Colorado], pages A1 [above the fold]-A2, and online at coloradoan
Using extraordinary language even for a heated political campaign, Sen. Ken Salazar denounced Rep. Marilyn Musgrave Wednesday as "one of the agents of hate" who "should be ashamed of herself."
Salazar's denunciation came after Musgrave released a new campaign ad against Democratic challenger Betsy Markey, saying that Markey faces possible prison time for improprieties while serving as Salazar's aide from 2005 to 2007.
"I think these campaign ads for her have reached a new low in Colorado politics," Salazar said in a conference call with reporters. "Congresswoman Musgrave should be ashamed of herself and the voters of the 4th Congressional District should be appalled by her blatant disregard for the truth."
Jason Thielman, Musgrave's campaign manager, dismissed Salazar's criticism as a "side show, Betsy Markey has serious questions that need to be answered."
Musgrave, a three-term Republican incumbent, has frequently cited her work with Salazar as an example of how well she works with Democrats. She featured a picture of herself with the Democratic senator in her first campaign ad this year.
"Marilyn won't let Salazar's inflamed rhetoric interfere with our ability to work with him on important issues like Rocky Mountain National Park, stopping a proposed uranium mine or solving our economic crisis when she returns to Congress in November," Thielman said.
Democratic Gov. Bill Ritter also criticized Musgrave's ad, though in less strident language than Salazar.
"I'm disappointed in Congresswoman Musgrave's dishonest campaign ads. I've known Betsy Markey for years. Betsy is above reproach and has always conducted herself with the highest level of integrity," Ritter said.
Musgrave's new ad opens with a voice-over that says, "Like the worst on Wall Street, Betsy Markey gamed the system and got rich on taxpayer money. But Millionaire Markey got caught."
The ad continues, "The Justice Department has been asked to investigate whether Markey broke the law" and said she could face five years in prison. The ad fails to mention that the investigation request came from the Republican Party chairman in the 4th Congressional District.
Musgrave's campaign has focused almost exclusively in the past month on Markey's family business, Syscom Services, which gets about a quarter of its revenue from federal contracts for computer software and services.
Musgrave initially alleged that Markey used her position as an aide to Salazar to steer contracts to Syscom but quickly dropped that approach to focus on inconsistencies in Markey's statements about her role in the company.
Ronald Buxman, chairman of the 4th Congressional District Republican Party, sent letters requesting an investigation of Syscom to the Justice Department, General Services Administration and Small Business Administration.
He asked the agencies to look into whether Syscom falsely represented itself as a woman-owned company to obtain government contracts and whether federal purchasing agents violated a law that prohibits them from knowingly awarding contracts to a company owned or substantially owned by a federal employee.
Markey has repeatedly denied the allegations and said Musgrave has produced no evidence to back them up. She said the Musgrave campaign sent the letter to the Justice Department and other federal agencies "so they could use it in an ad, saying that I'm under investigation."
"Several weeks ago these allegations were made by the Musgrave campaign and they said that it was up to me to disprove them, and I have done that," Markey said.
"And I believe that Marilyn Musgrave needs to apologize to my family. She needs to apologize to Senator Salazar and all of the employees of Syscom Services."
Thielman said: "Betsy has lied to the public. She has filed false documents with the government and engaged in business practices that pose a conflict of interest. Just because she is rich and well connected doesn't remove her from the consequences that any other citizen would face for similar misdealing."
Colorado State University political scientist John Straayer said Musgrave's latest ad could boomerang on her. "Might we conclude that linking Syscom to Wall Street to five years in prison is intimating, if not stating directly, that Markey is a felon?" Straayer said. "If this doesn't backfire, there really is a pathology infecting our democracy."
Salazar said voters have a clear choice in the 4th Congressional District.
"On the one hand, they have somebody who is clean as a whistle in the name of Betsy Markey, who's been a successful business owner, someone who has been civically engaged in her community, who knows Fort Collins, Greeley and the Eastern Plains well.
"And on the other hand they have someone in the name of Marilyn Musgrave, who has been one of the agents of hate, and political division for her term in the U.S. Congress."
When asked for a reaction to Salazar's criticism, Thielman responded with a press release stating that Markey's brother may have helped steer contracts to her company while he worked at the Department of Labor.
The Musgrave campaign provided no evidence that Thomas Markey influenced contract awards, saying only that he worked in the 17,000-employee federal agency during a four-year period when his sister's company got $500,000 in contracts from the Department of Labor.
Markey spokesman Ben Marter said the new allegation left him "speechless."
Thielman said Syscom got contracts totaling $500,000 between 1997 and 2001 from the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the Employment and Training Administration, agencies of the Labor Department. Records available on the Internet show that Thomas Markey didn't work for those agencies during that time but was a senior administrator in other Labor Department agencies.
The Northern Colorado congressional race has been among the most closely watched in the country in the past few weeks. Republicans have held the seat for 35 years, and Democrats believe they have an opportunity to pick up the seat and expand their House majority.
The race has become increasingly negative as national Democratic and Republican party groups this week launched their own ad campaigns attacking the other party's nominee. Musgrave has already been hit with almost $2 million in attack advertising by independent groups.



15th in a food series
Draggin' the line
Ancient Americas (content and hyperlinks updated; bumped up from 09-Jan-07)
Blowing life into Mayan artifacts: Music from the land of the jaguar (April 17 – September 5, 2004) [exhibit of musical instruments from the major cultures of the ancient Americas], Princeton University Art Museum [Princeton, New Jersey], online at princetonartmuseum

The sound emitted from the friction drum can be said to resemble a large animal, growling or purring. Of those for whom I played the replicated friction drum, many said upon hearing it that it sounded, or at least could be construed as sounding, like a purring or growling large animal, specifically a cat such as a jaguar. This might be attributable to the knowledge of many of the listeners that this was a replica of a Maya musical instrument, hence the immediate association of some with a jaguar. Still, given the descriptions of sounds produced by many of the friction drums surveyed here, I must say the observations of my listeners is telling.The jaguar is the largest cat inhabiting Mesoamerica. The ancient Maya associated the jaguar with authority and the underworld. The garments worn by the three figures illustrated above are decorated with black spots, which allude to the jaguar's and indicate the figures' elevated status.

14th in a food series
Draggin' the line
Colorado
A new form of taking: George N. Wallace (01-
Options Highlight Environmental Justice
One issue surrounding Glade Reservoir has received too little attention – environmental and social justice.
The President's Council on Environmental Quality directs agencies such as the Army Corps of Engineers to "recognize the interrelated cultural, social, occupational, historical or economic factors that may amplify the natural and physical environmental effects of the proposed agency action."
If Glade were built as currently envisioned, some communities such as Fort Collins and Greeley would be asked to sacrifice resources and quality of life so that other communities outside the project area might eventually benefit from expected growth.
Many of us in the affected area have worked for decades on boards and commissions and through our elected officials to develop sound county and municipal land-use plans, water supply and conservation strategies and a cohesive vision for our communities. This vision calls for minimization of agricultural loss to maintain working landscapes, utilizing cluster development in rural areas, open space acquisitions, private land conservation, advanced water and storm water planning, and a variety of partnerships with agriculture.
Impacts from NISP spoil this vision. Specialists from the city of Fort Collins, Colorado State University and elsewhere have revealed that the Glade project would induce a host of impacts: reduced flows, diminished water quality, increased water treatment costs, weakened riparian ecosystem functioning, diminished value of open space along the Poudre, years of construction associated impacts such as loss of dwindling aggregate resources, highway relocation, loss of the unique tumble-down rimrock landscape in Hook and Moore Glade, impacts to North Poudre irrigators etc.
Locals are asked to bear such impacts to supply water to small towns, bedroom communities, special districts and Denver suburbs. Many of the NISP partners are havens to developers (many out-of-state corporations) precisely because planning has been scarce, regulations more permissive and unbridled annexations have been approved by those promising future jobs and tax revenues.
Though we here have worked in an open democratic process to build consensus and adopt master plans and land protection programs, we now find ourselves faced with an enormous project where offering comments to the Corps is our sole access to the decision process short of litigation. Our elected officials can comment but not determine the outcome. Because planning for NISP was never an inclusive or participatory regional process, this is a socio-economic or social justice issue overlooked by the draft EIS and is likely sufficient grounds for litigation.
Is this is a new form of "takings"? Must it be that each time smaller rural communities wish to grow, other established communities must sacrifice their resources and hard-won quality of life? One of the goals of NEPA is "to balance population growth and resource use." As currently conceived, Glade Reservoir seems out of balance. It is at once highly consumptive of resources in the project area and an engine for population growth largely outside the project area.
Alternatives to Glade have recently been proposed that would use fewer resources and produce fewer impacts in the communities not participating in NISP. Such alternatives would foster environmental justice, provide tangible benefits to agriculture (water sharing agreements) while allowing some continued growth. A revised EIS should give these alternatives the attention they are due.
George N. Wallace lives in Waverly, two miles east of the proposed Glade Reservoir site.
13th in a food series
Draggin' the line
Colorado
Opinion and pseudo-opinion: Craig Trumbo (19-Sep-08), Glade poll reporting was uncritical [letter to the editor], Coloradoan [Fort Collins, Colorado], page A6, and online at coloradoan
Glade Poll Reporting Was Uncritical
The Coloradoan's Sept. 13 story on the Glade Reservoir poll was not especially insightful journalism. While the survey was conducted scientifically, the interpretation of the results should have been more thoroughly examined.
Only 52 percent (260 responses) of the 500 respondents in Larimer County were aware of the issue and only 28 percent (84 responses) of the 300 respondents in Weld County were aware of the issue. Yet most respondents still went on to offer an opinion – only about 10 percent said "don't know" on the question concerning support. Many of the opinions reported in this survey were quickly formed at the time of the interview (a phenomenon known as "pseudo opinions"). Responsible survey reporting would have constrained the results to the respondents who reported having been previously aware of the issue.
The headline for the story might have been "Poll shows mixed awareness of Glade." The lead might have been "Nearly half of Larimer County residents and fully two-thirds of Weld County residents report knowing very little or nothing about Glade Reservoir..." These results can hardly be interpreted as showing "overwhelming support" for Glade, as reported.
Two technical issues are worth noting. For the smaller sample sizes of respondents who were aware of the issue, the margins of error are about +/- 6 percent for Larimer and +/- 11 percent for Weld County. Finally, no overall participation rate was reported, so we do not know how many refused to participate. This is important for assessing potential bias in the sample.
Craig Trumbo, Ph.D., Fort Collins
Politics
Quotable

12th in a series
Draggin' the line
Commentary
Quotable
Colorado
Birds of prey: Hallie Woods (09-Sep-08), Raptor program-linked school reapplies for charter, Coloradoan [Fort Collins, Colorado], online at coloradoan
A proposed environmental charter school previously denied chartering rights in March by the Colorado Charter School Institute [CSI] will reapply through the Poudre School District and CSI.
The Nature School, which will work in conjunction with the Rocky Mountain Raptor Program, said it has revamped its curriculum and reapplied for its charter through PSD and plans to apply through CSI soon...
The Nature School will offer a standards-based curriculum with an emphasis on environmental education.
The kindergarten through eighth-grade school will house up to 450 students in a renovated facility adjacent to the Rocky Mountain Raptor Program.
Larry Neal, president of the Poudre school board, said he believes the school's environmental focus is timely.
Media
Emergent truth (click to enlarge): Staff at wowOwow.com (03-

Colorado
Don't dry up the Poudre: Linda Stanley (08-Sep-08), NISP will cost citizens while providing no benefits, Coloradoan [Fort Collins, Colorado], page A7, and online at coloradoan
NISP Will Cost Citizens While Providing No Benefits
A little over a year ago, I wrote a column about Glade Reservoir and the Northern Integrated Supply Project (NISP), the gist of which was that the economic, recreational, ecological, and many other benefits that we receive from the Poudre River flowing through our community are in grave danger if this project is built.
I have to admit – although I knew at the time that the project has major problems, I did not realize just how bad they are. The costs to the citizens of Fort Collins go far beyond what I originally believed.
Based on careful analysis done by scientists, economists and other professionals, this project will cost the citizens of Fort Collins plenty while providing us with essentially no benefits.
The costs come in many forms, but ultimately, originate from substantially reduced flows of the Poudre River.
While what may come to mind is a less attractive and possibly smellier river through our community, the negative effects of these reduced flows are much more extensive – adversely affecting our drinking water quality, wastewater treatment, and flood management ability, in addition to substantial ecological and economic losses.
Here's just a small sample of these costs.
Based on rigorous scientific modeling, NISP/Glade will likely degrade the Fort Collins' drinking water quality to a point where the city will have to install advanced water treatment systems.
These systems will cost citizens anywhere from $50 million to $90 million in one-time costs, in addition to annual operating expenses of $3 million.
In addition, part of Glade would be built on a former nuclear missile silo that is contaminated with trichloroethylene (TCE), a solvent used to clean rocket fuel tanks. Long-term TCE exposure in minute concentrations causes liver damage and cancer. If Glade Reservoir is built, TCE-contaminated groundwater may end up in our drinking water and in the Poudre River. The costs to correct this are potentially enormous.
On the other end of the water spectrum, because of lower flows in the river, the city would most likely have to install advanced wastewater treatment systems at both the Drake and Mulberry plants (reduced flows require cleaner wastewater upon discharge). The cost? Somewhere between $75 million and $125 million plus significant annual operation and maintenance costs.
Also in grave jeopardy would be the riparian vegetation (including the magnificent cottonwood trees), aquatic habitat and wildlife. Recreational opportunities like fishing, kayaking, tubing and bird watching would be greatly diminished. These effects would significantly diminish the value of the city's $30 million investment in parks, natural areas, and trails along the river, in addition to many residents' quality of life.
The river's reduced flows also would endanger plans for continued improvement and revitalization of downtown Fort Collins centered around the Poudre River corridor. Overall, we could lose what the City calls one of its "economic engines".
Promoters of the Northern Integrated Supply Project (NISP), of which Glade Reservoir is a major component, are saying that Fort Collins shouldn't stand in the way of this enormous water project, all in the name of regional cooperation.
I say – hold on to your wallets! You're being asked to pay dearly while receiving no benefits in return. That's not cooperation; that's highway robbery!
Video
The culture of self-dealing (à la Sarah Palin, who seems to have coined that remarkable phrase): Jon Stewart (04-

Family values
Draggin' the line
Commentary
Draggin' the line
Why Sarah Palin Was Chosen
John McCain is the Republican running to become Pres of the United States. He has chosen Sarah Palin to be his VP but we don’t know anything about her except she's a woman from Alaska. What's wrong with this picture? Shouldn't we know more about the person who may very well be the next Vice President? I mean the only real thing that's been said is that she has a teenage daughter who's a senior in high school that's pregnant.
McCain knew all about Palin's daughter being prego before he chose her to run with him. I think he may have done this because he's all against the whole abortion thing, so having Palin's daughter want to keep the baby & marry the father is going to help his fan basses go up. I also think that he chose Palin because she's a woman. Since Hillary ran to be in the President I think that McCain thinks that if he has Palin with him he'll have a better chance of becoming President. What I'm trying to get at here is that I think the whole thing is just dumb.

11th in a food series
Draggin' the line
Video (YouTube hyperlink updated)
A hard rain's a-gonna fall: Steve Benen (16-
10th in a food series
Draggin' the line
Curriculum (content and hyperlinks updated; bumped up from 21-Aug-07)
Right-wing wishful-thinking about women: Homemaking concentration [required courses], Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary [Fort Worth, Texas], online at college

Colorado
"The consciences of youth also require an education" (T.O. Moore): •Facebook | Justin Schaffer [mirror website of Justin Schaffer's now deleted Facebook page] online at schafferfamilyvalues
•T.O. Moore (summer 2007), Graduation address: The call to greatness [PDF file], The Conversation ["a journal for educational theory and practice published by Ridgeview Classical Schools"]
•mysteriousways (05-
We have seen Justin Schaffer staying up all night not only to study for an AP Latin exam but also to finish a script to an unsanctioned dramatic production that did honor to the faculty and to the school. (I am told he even fit in some swing dancing and a couple of rugby games that same night.)
All of which makes Justin Schaffer's [Facebook] webpage extra-ordinary and even instructive. By clicking here, you can see Justin's webpage for yourself and wonder what sort of traditional family values were taught in Bob Schaffer's home.
Here are some questions that jumped out at me, for example: Is promoting slavery a traditional family value?
Is it a traditional family value to argue that democracy is bad, and to belong to a group saying so in its title – not to mention belonging to a group that calls itself "Pole Dancers for Jesus"? What about a group called "Affirmative Action Sucks"? Or "Bitch, please... I'm from Colorado"?
Is it a traditional family value to twist Biblical scripture to fit a political agenda? Is it a traditional family value to celebrate "diversity" by posting a picture of 18 kinds of handguns above the rainbow-colored word "diversity"? And is it a traditional family value to depict Jesus, in a televangelist suit and wearing a dollar-sign lapel pin, holding an Uzi against a Confederate flag background, and to ask, "What would Republican Jesus do?"
And is it a traditional family value in the Schaffer home to depict Barack Obama as Osama bin Laden, seven years after bin Laden's deadly attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, during which time the present president has said loudly and clearly from the James S. Brady Briefing Room of the White House, "I truly am not that concerned about [bin Laden]?"
And that brief list of questions ignores the other offensive references depicted on the younger, but still adult, Schaffer's webpage: the references to women as "slutty," the illustration of fecal matter with halos, the suggestion that drivers can earn "1,000 points" for hitting "slow children" on a road sign.
I don't know if I'd put my thoughts exactly this way, but one person called "Republican 36" commenting on the younger Schaffer's work here wrote,
If anything it shows a young man who was raised in a political family who has a callous and repugnant attitude toward slavery. After four hundred years of slavery, Jim Crowe laws and racist attitudes you would think he would have the intelligence, and training at home, not to post something like this, especially when his father is running for a high profile public office. Apparently, he is proud of his attitudes, including the antithesis of the words in the Declaration of Independence that states "all men are created equal."
We should not deceive ourselves because this man is only 20 years old. This is another example of the dark underbelly of the Republican-religious right and their drive to make ugly, racist values part of the mainstream again.
Colorado
Bob Schaffer's circle: Schaffer's son apologizes for Web posts (06-
People who are worthy of our respect hold themselves to high moral standards in every area of their lives. When the camera is not rolling and they are behind closed doors, good people are faithful. Good people are kind to everyone, not just their friends. They know that wrong actions always hurt someone. They know that wrong deeds diminish the doer as well (Congressional Record, 14-Oct-98).
Schaffer's Son Apologizes for Web Posts
The 19-year-old son of Republican Senate candidate Bob Schaffer of Colorado has apologized for an entry on his Facebook page that had the words "High Five ... Who's Gay" over a photo of a waving Barack Obama.
It also had a picture of the Pyramids with the words "Slavery Gets (expletive) Done."
Justin Schaffer, a student at the University of Dayton, issued an apology Monday, calling the entries "offensive" and saying he alone was responsible. The statement says the materials "directly contradict the values that my parents taught me and are forbidden in my parents' home."
Bob Schaffer has said he and his wife decided on "firm punishment" for their son but declined further comment.
Schaffer's campaign opponent, Democrat Mark Udall, had no comment.
Peer-review science (updates published in reverse chronological order; bumped up from 01-Jul-08)
Conservative politics: •Z.D. Blount, C.Z. Borland, and R.E. Lenski (2008), Historical contingency and the evolution of a key innovation in an experimental population of Escherichia coli [full text available by subscription, or at Richard Lenski's website [PDF file] at Michigan State University (https:
•Conservapedia contributors, "Richard Lenski", Conservapedia, online at conservapedia


Identification of Flaws in the Following Paper Published in PNAS: Blount ZD, Borland CZ, andLenski RE, "Historical contingency and the evolution of a key innovation in an experimental population of Escherichia coli,"105 PNAS 23, pp.7899–7906 (June10, 2008)
The following flaws in this PNAS paper negate its claim that E. coli bacteria underwent an evolutionary beneficialmutation.[1]
1. Figure 3 depicts an "historical contingency" hypothesis around the 31,000th generation, but the abstract states that mutations "arose by 20,000 generations." The paper fails to admit that the Third Experiment disproved the hypothesis depicted in Figure 3.
2. Both hypotheses propose fixed mutation rates, but the failure of mutations to increase with sample size disproves this. If the authors claim that it is inappropriate to compare the Second and Third experiments to the First for scale, then it was an error to treat them similarly statistically.
3. The paper incorrectly applied a Monte Carlo resampling test to exclude the null hypothesis for rarely occurring events. The Third Experiment results are consistent with the null hypothesis.
4. It was error to include generations of the E. coli already known to contain trace Cit+ variants, and the otherwise highly improbable occurrence of four Cit+ variants from the 32,000 generation in the Second Experiment suggests an origin from undetected pre-existing Cit+ variants.
5. The Third Experiment was erroneously combined with the other two experiments based on outcome rather than sample size, thereby yielding a false claim of overall statistical significance.
The underlying data for this publicly (NSF) funded research have not been publicly released, despite requests to do so and despite NSF policy that "data collected with public funds belong in the publicdomain."[2]
Andrew Schlafly, B.S.E., J.D.
www.conservapedia.com, teacher of precollege students
cc: Randy Schekman, Editor-in-Chief, PNAS, University of California at Berkeley (by email and postal mail)
New Scientist (by fax - 0171 261 6464)
Rep. Brian Baird, Chairman of the Subcommittee on Research and Science Education of the U.S. House Committee on Science and Technology (by postal mail)
Judicial Watch (by email)
References: 1. Detail is at http://www.conservapedia.com and its talk page./Flaws _in _Richard _Lenski _Study
2. http://www.nsf .gov /sbe /ses /common /archive .jsp
The foregoing letter is to be sent by postal mail, return receipt requested, to PNAS, 500 Fifth Street, NW,NAS 340, Washington,DC 20001, by email to pnas@nas .edu, and by posting it in its feedback form at http://www .pnas ..org /feedback



Lenski is best known for his questionable claim to have observed the theory of evolution in practice, saying that E. coli bacteria made minor changes in a long-term laboratory study, and insisting that it was not due to contamination. His 2008 paper asserting his claims was peer reviewed in a mere 14 days, sparking obvious questions about the thoroughness of the review. When challenged, Lenski displayed several examples of irrational behavior, thrice referring to the challenges as slander, yet has filed no lawsuit charging that (or libel). Truth offers total legal protection from accusations of libel. He has also displayed annoyance, arrogance, and elitism when asked to release the information. When Lenski received a public request for the data underlying for his published claims, he did not provide the actual data even though his study was taxpayer-funded. Undisclosed data from the central claims in Lenski's 2008 paper are noted below...
2nd in a food series (updated and bumped up from 06-Apr-08)
Draggin' the line

Criticism (updated and bumped up from 30-Apr-07)
Making good on the Voice's loss: Robert Christgau, Consumer Guide [monthly compendium of capsule record reviews written by Christgau since 1969], MSN Music [Microsoft Network portal], online at music

Christgau's project at the Voice was to create a venue for popular-music writing that assumed a certain readership – one equipped not just with broad cultural knowledge but with a fluency in music history, the pop canon, and all the little meta-narratives of individual artists and their discographies. The goal, in other words, was to talk about pop music in the way literary critics talked about books. Christgau succeeded in making the Voice the indispensable source for serious music writing – in the '70s and '80s, it was a local alternative weekly read by music nuts from coast to coast. The critical ideal of serious music writing was best exemplified in his own pieces, packed tight with erudition and insight.

I think Robert Christgau is the last record reviewer on earth who listens to eight records a day twice before giving his opinion on it... Christgau is the last true-blue record critic on earth. He gave us anA-plus [for the Roots' latest album, Rising Down]. That's pretty much who I make my records for. He's like the last of that whole Lester Bangs generation of record reviewers, and I still heed his words. He gets my vision, and I'm cool with that. But half these people, they read Pitchfork, and they base half their opinion and quotes on that.

UPDATE, Thursday, August 21, 2008: What's that? You don't know Greg Tate? Man, he wrote about music for the Voice in the 80s. And here's how he describes it (License to ill: Black journalism in the pages of the 'Voice', 18-The nature of the Voice easily made that radical pipe dream of a career plan a reality. I can't think of anywhere else my impudent ass would have been able to do the history of Harlem one week, George Clinton and hermeneutics the next, or routinely be encouraged to dispense my arcane opinions on Bootsy Collins, King Sunny Ade, Cecil Taylor, and the Bad Brains, or be given major space to theorize on the trial of eight Black revolutionaries whose sympathies lay with members of the Black Liberation Army and the Weather Underground.
This doesn't even begin to talk about the utterly outrageous liberties I got to take with the English language high and low here because, as was explained to me – by that amazing staff of editors who midwifed and made the paper sing in the '80s: Christgau, M. Mark, Kit Rachlis, Vince Aletti, Ross Wetzsteon, et. al – the Voice was a writer's paper, where editors were encouraged to help you say what you wanted to say in the way you wanted to say it and stay vaguely consistent with the style manual.
Review (updated, with daughter's content added; retitled; and bumped up from 12-
Neil Gaiman (1997), Neverwhere, New York: Avon Books
Fundamentalism (updated and bumped up from 12-Apr-06)
Asserting a priori beliefs: Thomas Sowell (04-
What is more frightening than any particular policy or ideology is the widespread habit of disregarding facts. Former House Majority Leader Dick Armey put it this way: "Demagoguery beats data."
People who urge us to rely on the United Nations, instead of acting "unilaterally," or who urge us to follow other countries in creating a government-run medical care system, often show not the slightest interest in getting facts about the actual track record of either the UN or government-run medical systems.
Those who believe in affirmative action likewise usually see no reason to find out what actually happens under such policies, as distinguished from what they wish, hope, or imagine happens.
The crusade for "a living wage" that will enable a worker to support a family proceeds without the slightest interest in finding out whether most people who are making low wages actually have any family to support – much less seeking out the facts about what actually happens after the government sets wages.
People who have made up their minds and don't want to be confused by the facts are a danger to the whole society. Since the votes of such people count just as much as the votes of people who know what they are talking about, politicians have every incentive to pass laws and create policies that pander to ignorant notions, if those notions are widespread.
Even institutions that are set up to pass on facts – the media, schools, academia – too often treat facts as expendable and use their strategic positions to filter out facts which go against their own preconceptions.
Crimes against homosexuals, blacks, or the homeless are big news to be dramatized, repeated, and denounced. Crimes committed by homosexuals, blacks, or the homeless are not – and are often passed over in silence by much of the media. The net result is that the public gets filtered facts, which can create an impression the direct opposite of the truth.

3rd in a series, I guess (first one published)
Draggin' the line
Media
Fist bumpin': Barry Blitt [cartoonist] (21-
RIP (updated below)
Jesse Helms (1921-2008): Mr. Fish (08-

UPDATE, Thursday, July 17, 2008: For a satisfying commentary on Helms' passing, see Sarah's post at Ornicus (Goodbye, and good riddance, published 04-July-08).
Fundamentalism
No intelligence allowed: Melissa Nann Burke (16-May-08), Home-schoolers learn to argue against evolution [article available for sale online], York Daily Record [York, Pennsylvania] (accessed from Google cache on 05-
•"Incredibly rude to Andy. Lenski is another liberal scientist who forgets that our taxes fund his research [regarding Lenski's second response to Andrew Schlafly]" Goodman 23:14, 24 June 2008 (EDT) [Talk:Main Page, accessed 07-Jul-08]
•"The average length of peer review for PNAS, based on a sample, is over 120 days. Yet Lenski's paper was accepted after no more than 14 days in peer review. That sharp contrast speaks volumes about the bias in the so-called peer review process at PNAS." Aschlafly 19:32, 28 June 2008 (EDT) [Talk:Main Page, accessed 07-Jul-08]
•"You really go out of your way to defend a guy who's clearly a fraudulent hack. Even if he released his so called "raw data" it would just be a huge load of numbers no one is going to take the time to analyze. If it took him years and years to do this experiment he can be pretty sure no one is going to waste that much time trying to replicate it, so everyone can assume he's right and the atheist Darwinists can pretend they've proved evolution, even when we know it's impossible. Do you believe everything you read? If someone claimed they had a mountain of evidence that Bigfoot and the Loch Ness Monster had a baby, I suppose you'd believe that too if it were published somewhere?" TonyT 14:36, 15 June 2008 (EDT) [Talk:Lenski Dialog/archive1, accessed 07-Jul-08] •"Prof. Lenski claims that these bacteria "evolved" novel traits and that these were preceded by the evolution of "potentiated genotypes", from which the traits could be "reëvolved" using preserved colonies from those generations. But how are we to know if these traits weren't "potentiated" by the Creator when He designed the bacteria thousands of years ago, such that they would eventually reveal themselves when the time was right? The only way this can be settled is if we have access to the genetic sequences of the bacteria colonies so that we can apply CSI techniques and determine if these "potentiated genotypes" originated through blind chance or intelligence. But with the physical specimens in the hands of Darwinists, who claim they will get around to the sequencing at some unspecifed future time, how can we trust that this data will be forthcoming and forthright? Thus, Prof. Lenski et al. should supply Conservapedia, as stewards, with samples of the preserved E. coli colonies so that the data can be accessible to unbiased researchers outside of the hegemony of the Darwinian academia, even if it won't be put to immediate examination by Mr. Schlafly. This is simply about keeping tax-payer-funded scientists honest." Dr. Richard Paley 20:03, 18 June 2008 (EDT) [Talk:Lenski Dialog/archive1, accessed 07-Jul-08]
•"Only by allowing unbiased conservative scientists access to samples of the bacteria colonies can we assure that we aren't witnessing another Piltdown hoax, as the Darwinian community has a reputation for perpetrating them." Dr. Richard Paley 10:50, 19 June 2008 (EDT) [Talk:Lenski Dialog/archive1, accessed 07-Jul-08]
•"[Y]ou're engaging in bullying if you maintain that Lenski plans to release his raw data soon for independent, public review. I asked him last Friday to release it, and his reply declined to do so. I asked him again yesterday, and he predictably has not replied. It now seems to me to be likely that the peer reviewers for his paper did not even see the raw data. I think it's likely that only Lenski and his grad student have seen the raw data underlying that paper (note its footnote). Don't pretend that Lenski welcomes independent review of the data." Aschlafly 15:15, 19 June 2008 (EDT) [Talk:Lenski Dialog/archive1, accessed 07-Jul-08]
•"It's unscientific for others to repeat as true an unverified claim based on concealed data. I wonder if PNAS violated its own stated policies by publishing Lenski's paper, and I'm going to email its Editor-in-Chief to request an explanation." Aschlafly 11:19, 20 June 2008 (EDT) [Talk:Lenski Dialog/archive1, accessed 07-Jul-08]
•"Unfortunately, there are essentially no real scientists left. Peer review is almost never done with the amount of scrutiny Aschlafly discusses. Reviewers, even for journals with long submission-to-publication times, do not request the original data. When original data are requested, it is by researchers who want to continue the work and write publications of their own on the subject. There just aren't incentives to do thorough reviews... Most professors are self-centered, and would see true peer review as impinging on their personal freedom. "Who has time," they think, "to transcribe lab notebooks? I've got more papers to publish!" I bet the majority would even resist your request to Lenski. This liberal attitude towards truth is what leads to claptrap like Particle/wave duality theory and the theory of cosmic microwave background radiation." Drochld 09:19, 28 June 2008 (EDT) [Talk:Lenski Dialog, accessed 07-Jul-08]
•"People withhold data from public scrutiny for one obvious reason: to prevent the public (including experts) from scrutinizing their work. Feigning offense has nothing to do with it." Aschlafly 09:53, 1 July 2008 (EDT) [Talk:Lenski Dialog, accessed 07-Jul-08]
•"We've been extremely specific about which data are being withheld. See Richard Lenski. And I found Lenski to be quite clear that he's not going to release his underlying data for public review, even though it was publicly funded. Perhaps you think Lenski is perfect and there is no chance of flaws in his work that the public might discover when the underlying data are released, but such a position is obviously absurd." Aschlafly 09:35, 3 July 2008 (EDT) [Talk:Lenski Dialog, accessed 07-Jul-08]
•"I added additional bibliographic information about Lenski's professional awards and they are reversed as 'meaningless edits'?" Argon 13:43, 30 June 2008 (EDT) [Talk:Richard Lenski, accessed 07-Jul-08]I have to wonder where such a reflexively adversarial view of science and scientists comes from. And frankly, I truly don't know. But one of the ways it's maintained is through homeschooling.
•"Is Lenski an actual professor? I know there are plenty of people who exaggerate their status and pretend they're something they're not. I wouldn't be surprised at all if he's one of them, given what we know of him so far. Have we seen his credentials?" TonyT 08:26, 1 July 2008 (EDT) [Talk:Richard Lenski, accessed 07-Jul-08]
•"Can we be more clear about 'data' and 'samples'? The point is whether anyone but his cronies has tried to replicate his results, or even to check whether his data and methods are sound. Peer review is not enough; that just means his article is worth publication; it doesn't mean he has discovered something which now automatically goes into the standard biology textbooks." Ed Poor 16:17, 2 July 2008 (EDT) [Talk:Richard Lenski, accessed 07-Jul-08]
•"It's clear to me that Lenski won't release his data to anyone independent. I'm not even sure Lenski has any meaningful data to support his claims." Aschlafly 16:27, 2 July 2008 (EDT) [Talk:Richard Lenski, accessed 07-Jul-08]
Home-schoolers Learn to Argue Against Evolution
About 13 percent of Americans say they believe in evolution, and 11-year-old Nathan Tasker was feeling ready to take them on last week.
He attended a seminar at the convention of the Christian Homeschool Association of Pennsylvania that taught him how to defend his belief in biblical creation and Noah's flood.
While his and other home-schoolers' parents shopped for curricula and sat in workshops, he and 200 other home-schoolers heard a lecture critiquing the evidence for evolution.
Convention organizers said parents could use the seminar to count as instructional hours under state home-schooling standards.
"I'm one of the kind of people that likes facts," said Nathan, a fifth-grader who is home schooled in Conewago Township, Adams County.
"I like seeing all the evidence, like the different layers (of sedimentary rock) caused by the flood."
The presenter, Mike Snavely of Jonestown, Lebanon County, drew the rapt attention of the teens and preteens at the Farm Show Complex in Harrisburg.
"People say, 'I don't believe in evolution.' But they don't know why," Snavely said in an interview. "They ask me how to answer a co-worker who says we evolved through random mutations."
Snavely's seminar arms them with answers, he said.
He questions the significance of the fossil record and observations of natural selection, which scientists say support Darwin's theory that life on Earth evolved from a common ancestor more than 4 billion years.
Evolutionary scientists say there are no credible scientific critiques of evolution – no more than there are credible alternatives to the theory of gravity. While its details are debated, evolution is unassailable in scientific circles.
The American public thinks differently. Gallup polls have shown nearly half of U.S. adults don't believe evolution, and a third are unhappy schools teach it.
Conservative Christians who reject evolution have tried over the last decade to push alternatives to evolution into the curricula or remove it entirely.
Dover Area school board officials lost a court battle in 2005 over their attempt to introduce ninth-grade students to an alternative to evolution. A federal judge said intelligent design was a religious idea that may not be mentioned in public-school classrooms.
Snavely has a Bible college degree but no formal training in the sciences. (Creation is not science, he said.) Since the mid-1990s, he's presented his seminars at churches, Christian schools, summer camps and military bases.
He said he learned what he knows from talking with experts, some of whom belong to the small camp of scientists who find evolution implausible.
Snavely spent an hour Friday explaining his skepticism for the basics of evolution. He read from a biology textbook and highlighted the verbs and qualifiers that he said cast doubt on Darwin's theory.
"'Most scientists today believe that life could have risen from non-living matter,'" he read.
"One of the things that galls me about evolution is not just that it's taught but that it's taught as fact. Look at these words: 'may have,' 'could have,' 'probably,' 'possibly.' Do these sound like knowledge words? No, they sound like guessing words."
Science is among 14-year-old Hannah Bernhart's favorite classes. Before Snavely's seminar, she had already studied evolution to better understand what "our opponents" believe, said the ninth-grader from Elizabethtown.
She knows some Christians view the Bible differently and accept evolution. That's confusing to her because the Bible clearly says God created man in his present form, she said.
"I believe the reason most people believe in evolution is they don't want to believe the Bible," she said.
Eighth-grader Nate Brown, 14, of Gardners, Adams County, shook his head in disgust as Snavely explained the many questions evolutionary scientists can't answer about how life began.
"I've always looked at evolution skeptically," Nate said.
"Creation is probably one of the most attacked parts of our faith and that's the basis of all life. If you can be able to defend how life started and know it's true, that's pretty powerful."
9th in a food series
Draggin' the line
Colorado (updated below)
The Peter Principle strikes again (or a variation of it): Kevin Duggan and Kevin Darst (02-


UPDATE, Thursday, June 26, 2008: Variation on a Republican theme:
3rd in a Japanese design series
Draggin' the line