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Another Day in the Year of Betty

2010-04-27T17:06:00.001-04:00

Condescension in Arkansas

2010-04-27T15:06:00.002-04:00

It's not exactly clear what transpired, but it seems a reporter who does freelance work for the Jacksonville (AR) Patriot was late for the city council meeting and while she was waiting to ask the Mayor questions, he asked her to "cover her ears" during a discussion he was having with the local NAACP reps and she left with the Chief of Police.

The Chief and the Mayor say that the reporter wasn't asked to leave city property, while those involved in the discussion and the reporter, Kate Knable, apparently had a different impression.

Quickie: Montana Advertises to a Select Market

2010-04-27T14:38:00.004-04:00

Montana spends most of their tourism ad budget regionally, but because New Yorker readers are passionate about the publication, are much more likely to travel and have an income 2.5 times that of an average Montanan, they decided to gamble 18% of their summer magazine budget on a single ad.

PullQuote: Even Hardcore Islamics "Like" Lesbians

2010-04-27T14:11:00.003-04:00

From an article about Iranian homosexuals escaping to Turkey;

Under Iran’s Islamic law, the punishment for same-sex intercourse between two men is death and between two women is 100 lashes for the first three offenses and the death penalty for the fourth.

(Source)

Island Hopes Whitewater Scandal Left No Scar

2010-04-12T05:46:00.012-04:00

Adjoining the Roosevelt Campobello International Park and New Brunswick's Herring Cove Provincial Park is the rustic Lupine Lodge, which up until the end of last season offered accommodations and the island's only fine dining.

The estate was originally developed by a family of Roosevelt cousins, who used it as a getaway until the 1970s, when they turned it over to the New Brunswick Department of Tourism and Parks. Due to budget limitations, the Parks Department let the property sit empty and fall into disrepair until the 1980s, when a brash developer from Arkansas did a flyover and saw potential in the place.

Jim and Susan McDougal of Madison Guaranty Savings and Loan and "Whitewater" fame bought 3000 acres on Campobello Island in the 80s. They built roads, cut lots and entered into an agreement with the New Brunswick government to develop the old Adams Estate in a full service resort, which they used to entertain friends, clients and potential buyers for their property development.

After the savings and loan crash and the dissolution of Madison Guaranty, a private corporation operated the resort under contract until 2009, when economic conditions and border procedures changed. Over the course of that year, a local non-profit was established to operate the lodge, which took over full management in August of 2009.

Then, without explanation and with only two days notice, the provincial government ended their contract with the Compass Institute in January 2010 and because it's now time for the local tourist economy to spring to life, the island's residents are getting concerned. After all, the lodge has traditionally employed about twenty people and it's estimated they do $60,000 in local purchasing, with the bulk going to the local grocer.

As of the March 26th edition of the Quoddy Times, the provincial government still had not announced any plans for the property and they've told local residents that the "process doesn't require" local input. Also prior to February, New Brunswick had held no discussions with the International Park, though now at least one meeting has occurred.

Unfortunately, beyond getting "official" answers from the various governmental bodies, the status of any negotiations or plans for the summer season are still completely unknown.

PullQuote: Oprah May Not be Gay

2010-04-12T04:46:00.006-04:00

Kitty Kelley promoting her unauthorized biography of Oprah Winfrey;

I know people are expecting me to 'out' her. But I think she's just asexual. She's poured all of her energies into her career. And if she is, she is never ever, ever going to come out.

(Source)

Tea Party Candidate Gets a Point for Style

2010-04-07T18:05:00.004-04:00

I don't know much about Mike Yost, who is running for the Republican nomination to face the Democratic incumbent in Florida's 3rd, except what can be found in a couple of quick articles announcing that he'd gathered more than enough signatures, his website mentions the Tea Party on their front page and he really should boost his YouTube channel.

But, I did find it amusing that at his recent press event, he said about Rep. Corrine Brown; "She's promised people the moon and she couldn't even deliver a Moon Pie", as he passed out the Southern delicacy, then added "microwave for an out of this world dessert!".

Head Scratcher: A Non-Story in Questionable Taste

2010-04-06T13:35:00.010-04:00

Phoebe Prince, a student at South Hadley High committed suicide.

Several of her classmates were indicted by a Grand Jury for contributing to her death, which takes the case into national headlines, so WWLP in Springfield (MA) filed a report on whether it sells hotel rooms?

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Arizona Highways to Help State Parks

2010-04-06T12:32:00.007-04:00

A couple of months ago, the Arizona legislature voted to take 60% of the state park budget, which is comprised entirely of user fees with no state contribution, six months after the budget went into effect.

As I reported at the time, the move would force the division to several parks, reduce the maintenance budget and turn the whole system into a threadbare operation, which is kind of self-defeating because they need the user fees to continue the services which remain.

In response to the legislative action, the State Parks Board voted to close thirteen parks and keep nine open. The best I can tell from a glance, five of those which remain open are operating on a five day a week schedule and several of the previously closed parks have gotten a temporary reprieve by partnering with local governments.

Toward the same end, Arizona Highways magazine has graciously offered five dollars from every subscription sold using a specific checkout code to the state park ofyour choice and they're suggesting that people consider buying multiple subscriptions, as gifts.
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Related: For a look at how far a state government might go to be considered ridiculous, follow the AZ tag for a shock.

LocalLinks: WV Mining Disaster

2010-04-06T11:18:00.018-04:00

WVNS in Beckley, West Virginia seems to be doing sort of a liveblog with updated information, plus they're streaming and archiving the various press conferences.

The Beckley Register-Herald, thus far seems to have one major story that appears to have been put together in increments and it certainly has the "local" angle. One assumes their larger website will be updated, as information about the Montcoal mining disaster becomes available.

Also worth monitoring: WVVA (Beckley); WSAZ (Charleston); the Huntington Herald-Dispatch; Charleston's Daily Mail and Gazette

Massey Energy: Official Site; Wikipedia

U.S. Mine Safety & Health Administration
WV Division of Mining & Reclamation

If and when other local sources are identified, this post will be updated accordingly and suggestions for local blogs or other sources are more than welcome in the comments.

PullQuote: A New Kind of Duress

2010-04-05T15:26:00.005-04:00

Bobby Goodson, star of Discovery's Swamp Loggers on what it's like to work on camera;

It took a little while to get used to. But when you got cameras in your face for five and a half months, you kind of get used to them. It's aggravating. I'm not going to tell you it's not. Because they do get in the way. And we're out there trying to do our job and they're trying to do their job and sometimes we collide. But there haven't been any fights yet.

(Source)

Television Wins from Health Care Reform

2010-04-05T13:41:00.015-04:00

Over a nine day span prior to the House of Representatives voting on reconciliation for the Health Care Reform Act, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce spent $522,000 on television ads urging Rep. Betsy Markey (D-CO) to vote against the bill, as she had originally.

Unfortunately for them, she changed her position because as she told the Washington Post, she felt the revised measure had better cost containment, she liked the improvements to benefit small business, the better financing and the CBO's finding that it would reduce the deficit.

After she became one of the seven Democrats to change their vote, the Service Employees International Union and the Democratic National Committee spent $270,000 on advertising to thank her and the National Republican Congressional Committee spent $1,725 chastising her with spillover media from Wyoming.

Thus far in the first quarter of this year, she has raised $505,000 for her re-election bid in what promises to be a hotly contested race, with $355,000 coming after she had announced her change.

Another College Paper Generates Firestorm

2010-04-05T09:57:00.012-04:00

College is where many people learn limits and that seems to be especially true, when it comes to student newspapers.

In the short life of this blog, I've pointed toward a questionable column from a self-described provocateur at American University which has gotten some national press, a week-long learning opportunity from a text ad purchased by a Holocaust denier and an instance when the humor magazine at Georgetown crossed over a line.

Now, it's the University of Colorado at Denver's turn.

Most of the news articles for their April 1st "joke" edition was prefaced with the line, "Please read this fake article only if you can take a joke", which allows for an easy search and the overwhelming majority of articles are rather innocuous.

There's one about an intervention to combat the student Vice-President's Furby addiction; An article announcing a medical marijuana dispensary in the cafeteria; A how-to for opening a portal to hell and a culinary review of a local dumpster.

Then, there are those which dance close to the line, if not straddle it, inappropriately. A writer compares a romantic breakup to the Chilean earthquake. An article announcing that CU-Boulder will be going private because it's where all the "privileged white students want to party" and then there's the piece heralding the benefits of bulimia.

Though,what seems to be stirring up most of the storm is an op-ed written from the point of view of a racist from the reactionary right, entitled "Enjoy obamacare if you like payin for illegal mexicans" and an advice column called "Dear White Guys", in which they say minorities have more children and are looking to steal white kids.

The paper has now released an editorial, where they invoke the First Amendment, lament the fact that more than half of their run was stolen and say that the edition will be available all week.

To their credit, they also encourage people to write letters to the editor and to attend a protest this morning. Which, though they intended it as a joke, if there's a modicum of truth to their own sense of irrelevance, all this publicity and fanning the flames could get them more readers.

Stimulus Stimulated Pennsylvania Business

2010-04-05T08:35:00.004-04:00

Alan Levin of Northeast Building Products was skeptical of the President's stimulus plan until he had to take his factory to 24/7, adding two shifts and almost doubling his workforce.

And, before he was written-up in his local paper, interviewed by CNN and ABC, profiled on Bloomberg, mentioned in the President's State of the Union, blogged about by a member of the Vice President's staff, held-up as an example by the Secretary of Commerce at a European conference and his company was called "the best example in the country of what the economic recovery act has done in getting the economy back on track" by the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development.

Needless to say, he and his employees have had a pretty good year.

Sheriff Embarrassed to be Lauded by Playboy

2010-04-05T07:17:00.001-04:00

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PullQuote: Air Force to Begin Forced Layoffs

2010-04-05T06:25:00.007-04:00

Clipped from a letter, Air Force Chief of Staff Norton A. Schwartz sent to base newspapers announcing a change toward seeking non-voluntary separations of service;

We are nearly 5,000 airmen above our authorized, funded end strength ceiling. We must correct these overages and skill imbalances by sizing and shaping our force within our authorized, funded ceiling.

(Source)

Update: Constance McMillen had a "Prom"

2010-04-04T17:57:00.015-04:00

Perhaps the subtitle of this post should ask how a Federal judge feels about being misled, or how they would feel about making a mistaken ruling, or whether a missed deadline excuse is contempt of court?

Early internet reports about the parent-sponsored prom for Itawamba Agricultural High School in Fulton, Mississippi claimed that Constance McMillen, the lesbian student who wanted to attend with her girlfriend wasn't invited. But in issuing his ruling confirming that her rights had been violated, Judge Glen H. Davidson said that he wouldn't order the school to hold a prom because the parents had done so much work in organizing an alternative and Miss McMillen had been told that she would be welcome.

Unfortunately, Constance supposedly missed the deadline for purchasing a ticket to the substitute prom, so whomever was selling the tickets took her phone number and in what sounds like a fit of panic over getting sued, the parents cancelled their prom and hurriedly issued refunds from the parking lot of a local church.

Then, a second make-up prom was scheduled for the local country club and according to media reports and comments from local residents, Miss McMillen spent less than an hour at the event without a date. Her publicity-shy girlfriend had never intended to go to the original make-up prom and at one time, it was believed that Miss McMillen would be attending with another girl, but if 'net comments are to be believed, it doesn't sound like the back-up date showed.

As I said, the initial internet reports were that Constance wasn't invited to the first alternative prom, but for some reason, the judge was under the impression that she would be welcome, which is why he didn't order the school to hold one of their own. After the parent-sponsored prom was originally cancelled, post-McMillen trying to buy a ticket, multiple unnamed parents told the Tupelo Journal that their prom was to have the same rules as those used by the school anyway, which meant no same-sex couples would be allowed.

Thankfully, the hastily-arranged, second alternative prom didn't plan to follow the school's rules and Constance was allowed to attend, but by that time, one must assume that the whole thing had become a letdown for all involved and because the judge didn't force her rights to be protected, poor Constance's victory seems sort of hollow.

Though, next time, the schools should know better than to ban same-sex or mixed-race couples and hopefully Judge Davidson has learned that empty promises from an ad-hoc group does not trump a court order, especially when it's passed down to a legal, governmental body.

ETA: A Mississippi blog alleges the country club prom was a decoy.
Confirmed: Local media has reported the dual prom story

An Hour with Rachel Maddow

2010-04-02T22:12:00.004-04:00

MSNBC's Rachel Maddow did an hour Q&A for the Clinton School of Public Policy which proved to be so popular, they had to move her appearance to a larger venue. The actual event took place on March 22nd, but the video wasn't uploaded until today.

Sit back and watch, as we learn a bit about her hometown; her stint as an instigator of skinhead violence; her work as an AIDS activist; how she ended-up in Western Massachusetts, got into radio and how her "old testament" style of self-motivation has affected the choices in her life... all within the first ten minutes.

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Impersonating Twitter Inflames High Schools

2010-04-01T15:23:00.009-04:00

It's a little hard to get from a first read because the names and other identifying features are being withheld due to them being minors, but as I understand it...

After Eastside High beat rival Seattle in a basketball game, somebody opened a bogus Twitter account in a name that closely resembles an Eastside player and sent derogatory, racist tweets to a Seattle player.

The Eastside student has become the target of threats and tensions between the two schools have increased, so the player who was impersonated has asked Twitter through an attorney for the identity of whomever opened the account and Twitter has agreed to release the information in their possession in twenty days.

The gap between the request and disclosure is to give the impersonator ample time to seek a court order barring release.

Litter: Perhaps Not the Best Advertising Vehicle

2010-04-01T14:51:00.005-04:00

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution used to distribute a free ad-pack by mail, but postage costs became prohibitive, so they switched to hiring a company to toss the weekly publication into targeted neighborhoods.

WGCL reports that some local residents are up in arms because the advertising circulars land on the street or the public sidewalk, which means that nobody picks them up until some do-gooder takes the task and as we anecdotally learn from their unembeddable report, perhaps as many as 3/5ths of the packets are never seen by a consumer.

The newspaper would not respond on-air to the television station's questions, but maybe in addition to creating an advertiser boycott website, residents might want to take a cue from what happened to an editor from This Old House, as was related in their April magazine.

Follow-Up: Cobb: Atlanta Newspaper Breaks The Law

Daniel Boone was a Man - A Big Man

2010-04-01T14:05:00.003-04:00

When Fess Parker passed, the Clayton (GA) Tribune published an obituary which reminisced about his time in their local community, when he was filming The Great Locomotive Chase.

Among the stories is how he and others from the production serenaded a young girl, as she lay dying of cancer and then took up a collection to help with the burial expenses.

It was also recalled that he purchased a dog for companionship during filming, then gave it to a local woman before leaving town and when contacted to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the film, he wrote in an email about his fond remembrance of the ever-present, locally-produced "white lightning".

Trying the Feds on the Subject of Guns

2010-04-01T12:11:00.007-04:00

The federal government gets their legal authority to regulate guns, require background checks and dealer licensing through an interpretation of the Interstate Commerce Act.

As a workaround and to test the limits of this authority, the state of Montana passed the "Montana Firearms Freedom Act" in 2009, which basically exempts any gun from federal authority that is manufactured in Montana and which doesn't leave the state. In response, the ATF has said that federal law still applies and a test case is currently working it's way through the federal courts.

After Montana (according to Wikipedia), Tennessee, Utah, South Dakota, Wyoming and Idaho have all passed similar laws and just this week, the Arizona Legislature approved an identical measure, which is now on their Governor's desk.

The authors of the Arizona legislation make no bones, in either the press or in the legislative documents that their goal is to question the authority claimed by the U.S. government.

Update: Governor Brewer signed this measure into law on April 5th.
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Though somewhat unrelated, but not entirely: When I was looking for the Arizona legislation, I learned that Rep. Nancy McLain (R-Bullhead City) is among the co-sponsors of a bill that would require political parties to prove the eligibility of any Presidential candidates, they forward to the state.

S.C. Lt. Gov. Calls for Constitutional Convention

2010-03-31T13:47:00.006-04:00

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Background: Lesson Plan: A New Constitutional Convention?

$8000 in Flowers for Tiger's Return

2010-03-31T12:39:00.004-04:00

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Semi-Related: Waiting for Tiger: The Steve Williams Story

College Columnist Strives to be Provocateur

2010-03-31T12:08:00.011-04:00

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