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'Round the Bloggerhood and Open Thread

By Jeralyn, Section Blog Related
Posted on Tue Feb 28, 2006 at 04:40:16 PM EST
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It was 79 degrees in Denver today, way too nice to stay indoors working or blogging. Here's some things I would have blogged about had I been around. If you'd rather discuss other things, this is also an open thread.

  • Dan Froomkin's column in the Washington Post asking about President Bush, How Low Can He Go (make sure you make it to the last page where he cites me and TalkLeft, twice -- thanks, Dan!)
  • Instapundit has quotes of Karl Rove commenting on the blogosphere. And don't forget to buy Glenn's excellent book, Army of David. just click on the ad on the right side of TalkLeft.

< Zogby Poll: 72% of Troops Want Out of Iraq in a Year | Feingold Stands Alone on Patriot Act >

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    'Round the Bloggerhood and Open Thread | 36 comments (36 topical)
    Re: 'Round the Bloggerhood and Open Thread (none / 0) (#1)
    by squeaky on Tue Feb 28, 2006 at 05:20:54 PM EST
    Also a really great interview with Mark Danner by Tomdispach:

    Re: 'Round the Bloggerhood and Open Thread (none / 0) (#2)
    by squeaky on Tue Feb 28, 2006 at 06:20:08 PM EST
    Here is a short piece about The Chimp's upcomong visit to India by one of my favorite writers Arundhati Roy, The Nation via robot wisdom Also from robot wisdom another travel post which amounts to a scorecard. It reports on the recent matchup between two bouncing American ladies and two bearded Arabs.
    Two of these four Middle Eastern itinerant ideologues are slick, appointed American political figures who spend many of their waking hours preaching the benefits of democratic elections in the Arab world. Two others are bearded Arab Islamists who have come to power through the American-supported vehicle of democratic elections in the Arab world. It would seem to be a match made in heaven: bearded Arab politicos who wish to expand their own efficient constituencies and militias into governing systems that enhance the wellbeing of their fellow citizens; and the American ladies who combine the bouncy enthusiasm of young high school cheerleaders with the more daring inclination to engage in political genetic engineering in order to enhance the wellbeing of Arab citizens and the security of Americans, in one fell swoop.
    link

    Re: 'Round the Bloggerhood and Open Thread (none / 0) (#3)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Tue Feb 28, 2006 at 08:53:06 PM EST
    It's not like I'm a "chubby chaser" or anything, but I always thought Rikki had a cute face and a vivascious personality. Sure, the thing with the animal rights is a bit of a turnoff, but what the hey.

    Re: 'Round the Bloggerhood and Open Thread (none / 0) (#4)
    by squeaky on Tue Feb 28, 2006 at 11:20:51 PM EST
    Looks like I better brush up on the Simpsons.
    Americans apparently know more about "The Simpsons" than they do about the First Amendment.
    The study by the new McCormick Tribune Freedom Museum found that 22 percent of Americans could name all five Simpson family members, compared with just one in 1,000 people who could name all five First Amendment freedoms.
    link

    Re: 'Round the Bloggerhood and Open Thread (none / 0) (#5)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Wed Mar 01, 2006 at 02:34:37 AM EST
    I'll pass on giving Instapundit any of my money, thanks.

    Re: 'Round the Bloggerhood and Open Thread (none / 0) (#6)
    by jen on Wed Mar 01, 2006 at 06:27:45 AM EST
    Maryland law allows counties to send parents to jail for truant kids. Montgomery county has never done this until now. For the first time ever they have sent a parent to jail for the truancy of her two of her sons. They picked a single mother immigrant mother working two jobs. Way to go, richest county in Maryland!! Next: they will probly go after her for not having enough bedrooms for her kids. video: http://www.nbc4.com/video/7554246/index.html text: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/02/27/AR2006022701186.html

    Re: 'Round the Bloggerhood and Open Thread (none / 0) (#7)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Wed Mar 01, 2006 at 07:04:39 AM EST
    What is it with conservative administrations and links to The Simpsons? And why isn't this a story about the incredibly poor instructions in our schools? Do they even teach Ethics anymore?

    Re: 'Round the Bloggerhood and Open Thread (none / 0) (#8)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Wed Mar 01, 2006 at 07:16:03 AM EST
    Saving Jen's link for when it's deleted to avoid skewing the site. Living next door in PG County, I have followed this on and off, and there is more at issue here than a couple of kids skipping school. These two boys both missed school more than 50 days in the 2004-2005 school year. That's more than one-quarter of the days they are required to be in school for the year. The mother says she has bought them alarm clocks and tried to bribe them with movie tickets, but they still don't go, and because she works two jobs she can't be there to make sure they go. News flash: You have a responsibility to see that your kids are educated, and with a free education being provided for them, the least you can do is to make sure they attend. Yes, I realize this is harsh, but the mother in this story is not taking her responsibilities seriously at all, and two days in the county jail just might be what it takes to get her to do so and to get her kids to wise up. I suppose it's easy to throw stones at the county for this (although what the economic status of the county has to do with it is beyond me), but do we really want to look the other way while two more young boys are turned into uneducated, unemployable young adults who will have trouble getting a job at McDonald's?

    Re: 'Round the Bloggerhood and Open Thread (none / 0) (#9)
    by jen on Wed Mar 01, 2006 at 07:22:24 AM EST
    JustPaul, yeah, between her two jobs, one of which is hotel custodian, she is supposed to herd her two boys, who given their ages probably go to two schools. Maybe if she goes on welfare it will be easier?

    Re: 'Round the Bloggerhood and Open Thread (none / 0) (#10)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Wed Mar 01, 2006 at 07:44:15 AM EST
    Jen, So what are you suggesting? That we should all ignore the fact that this woman is failing her two kids? That we should agree that her pursuit of the all-mighty dollar is more important than her parental responsibilities? That we should overlook the obvious fact that she could choose to get a different job with hours that allowed her to fulfill those responsibilties? What do you propose instead, Jen? That Montgomery County, which is already providing a free education to her two sons also assign a police officer to stop by every morning and make sure they go to school? Or maybe the school should just go get them? Just how far do you want to go with the state holding this woman's hand? Does she have no responsibilities at all because she has chosen to work two jobs with hours that do not allow her to look after her kids? (And don't give me the "she's working two jobs because she has to and those are the only hours she can get" sob story either. This woman is choosing to live in the most expensive county in Maryland; she could move less than 20 miles and be in an entirely different economic situation. She is choosing to work jobs with hours that conflict with the schedules of her kids when the market is filled with other jobs she could pursue. She is choosing to be where she is and doing what she is doing and, in doing so, she is failing to meet her obligations.) I would also note the irony involved in complaining about a liberal county in a liberal state pursuing a liberal goal of providing a free education and stepping in to make sure it is utilized. Should I read this to understand that "It takes a village" doesn't apply here?

    Re: 'Round the Bloggerhood and Open Thread (none / 0) (#11)
    by jen on Wed Mar 01, 2006 at 08:36:26 AM EST
    She has 'chosen' as you put it low paying jobs. this means she has 'chosen' to try to raise her kids, put food on their table, clothes on their backs, shoes on their feet by the only means she has, and it take her working two jobs, and her oldest son working at least one. The cost of living being what it is in this area they aren't living high on the hog and you darn wall know it. Not on what hotel custodians get paid. A two bedroom apartment is what.. at least 1500 a month now? If you're lucky? Without utilities. Precicely how does a single mother *make* her two boys go to school when they ignore her coompletely, as her older son states. Beat em? Then go to jail for child abuse? The richest county in maryland picked on the poorest possible type of person it could find. Single immigrant mother working two minimum wage jobs. This is helping no one. Good news is she will probably loose her two grand jobs that she so unresponsibly 'chose' and be forced on welfare, loose her housing, and thereby have plenty of time to keep an eagle eye on the boys.
    Should I read this to understand that "It takes a village" doesn't apply here?
    The county is expecting the mother to do it all by herself without any help from the villagers, or wind up in jail. Hence the complaint

    Re: 'Round the Bloggerhood and Open Thread (none / 0) (#12)
    by swingvote on Wed Mar 01, 2006 at 08:57:11 AM EST
    She has 'chosen' as you put it low paying jobs. this means she has 'chosen' to try to raise her kids, put food on their table, clothes on their backs, shoes on their feet by the only means she has, and it take her working two jobs, and her oldest son working at least one. The issue is the hours, Jen. Not the wages. I admire this woman for doing what it takes to make ends meet, but the fact is she isn't maing ends meet, she's only getting by. She may be clothing them, but now she wants someone else to help her raise them and you apparently think that's okay. So be it. The cost of living being what it is in this area they aren't living high on the hog and you darn wall know it. Not on what hotel custodians get paid. A two bedroom apartment is what.. at least 1500 a month now? If you're lucky? Without utilities. So why is she living there, Jen? PG County is less then a hop-skip-and a jump away, with significantly lower housing costs, ample job opportunities, and convenient Metro and bus transportation. Most people move to Montgomery County for the quality schools, but that clearly isn't the issue here, so what is it that is keeping this woman in a high-rent area where she has to work two jobs to even get close to providing for her sons? Precicely how does a single mother *make* her two boys go to school when they ignore her completely, as her older son states. And whose fault in that, Jen? At what point was this woman granted total amnesty for every bad parenting decision she has ever made? And who was it that made smacking your kid upside the head for being a dimwit illegal? The richest county in Maryland picked on the poorest possible type of person it could find. Single immigrant mother working two minimum wage jobs. This is helping no one. Well, that's one way to put it. One could also say "The richest county in Maryland took the time to make it clear to everyone that they have responsibilties to their kids and they must be met. Even single immigrant mothers working two minimum wage jobs. This helps everyone." Personally, I'd lean more toward something like "Montgomery County takes its duty to educate its children seriously and gives an ignorant mother a slap on the wrist for not doing so after being warned repeatedly." Good news is she will probably loose her two grand jobs that she so unresponsibly 'chose' and be forced on welfare, loose her housing, and thereby have plenty of time to keep an eagle eye on the boys. What a crock. The classic liberal jump to Welfare as the only option. If she loses her jobs for being absent, presumably with notice, for two days, she'll probably have a good shot at a lawsuit for wrongful termination. Besides that, the point was that she has other options; other jobs she could seek. If she is so unskilled that the only thing she can qualify for is custodial work, and so unmotivated that she can't be bothered to seek jobs with better hours, shy is she living in Montgomery County instead of somewhere cheaper? The county is expecting the mother to do it all by herself without any help from the villagers, or wind up in jail. You know Jen, you're right. It's so unfair of the county to expect a parent to meet their basic legal responsibilities. Clearly the county should step in, take these kids away from this woman, and place them in foster homes. When should I tell her to expect you to be by to pick them up? And by the way, jen; the villagers are providing the school, the truant officers, and the cops who have tried to get this woman to take her responsibilities seriously. In return, she bought some alarm clocks. Whose failing who? And I note that you still haven't even considered what happens to these two boys when they turn 16, drop out of school with fourth grade educations, can't get a job anywhere, can't even join the military, and end up joining the local branch of MS-13, assuming they haven't already. Will you be willing to employ them, or should they just go on welfare like you think their mother should?

    Re: 'Round the Bloggerhood and Open Thread (none / 0) (#13)
    by jen on Wed Mar 01, 2006 at 08:59:59 AM EST
    How?

    Re: 'Round the Bloggerhood and Open Thread (none / 0) (#14)
    by Che's Lounge on Wed Mar 01, 2006 at 10:13:23 AM EST
    If she loses her jobs for being absent, presumably with notice, for two days, she'll probably have a good shot at a lawsuit for wrongful termination. Legal fees? No prob. Just get another job. Judge Paul. Your solutions (at least any you propose between complaints) are, shall we say, unrealistic. Or we could say...BS. This woman needs help, not criticism, or a trip through our BS, rich=free, poor=guilty legal system. You libertarians are such a whiney bunch. "She does this. She does that." Anyone else's life you want to run? You need to live in Baghdad for a few months. See what it's like with NO functioning government. But I guess it's easy to stomp on someone who's already down. Cowardly, but easy nonetheless.

    Re: 'Round the Bloggerhood and Open Thread (none / 0) (#15)
    by Che's Lounge on Wed Mar 01, 2006 at 10:19:34 AM EST
    And why isn't this a story about the incredibly poor instructions in our schools? Do they even teach Ethics anymore? They never did. It's a BS or BA humanities requirement. Incredibly poor? How so? Do you even know anything about the public school curricula in your area?

    Re: 'Round the Bloggerhood and Open Thread (none / 0) (#16)
    by squeaky on Wed Mar 01, 2006 at 12:11:47 PM EST
    So much for NYC being a hotbed for 'controversial' theater' From the Notion:
    The play My Name Is Rachel Corrie, directed in London by actor Alan Rickman and due to open in New York City in March, has been canceled for fear of controversy.
    I guess the theater biz in NY exists because most of the theatergoers are bussed in from red states. The Notion

    Re: 'Round the Bloggerhood and Open Thread (none / 0) (#17)
    by jimakaPPJ on Wed Mar 01, 2006 at 12:38:01 PM EST
    Squeaky - Don't worry. Us Red States folks won't riot, condemn the author the author to death or kill anyone.

    Re: 'Round the Bloggerhood and Open Thread (none / 0) (#18)
    by glanton on Wed Mar 01, 2006 at 12:47:32 PM EST
    Don't worry. Us Red States folks won't riot, condemn the author the author to death or kill anyone.
    No, instead you'll all put on suits and a smug grin and go out, shake a few hands, congregate in a school board or a state building, and pass legislation pulling such authors from the community stages or the school book shelves or in some instances banning them altogether, as you would do with flag burning or homosexual behavior or abortion rights, all the while with a very proper civilized smile on your faces and equipped with lots of rhetoric about states' rights and "the people deciding for themselves." All of which amounts to threats of violence by a mob followed by violence done on behalf of a mob. But no, it wouldn't look at all like violence. It would look very civilized, replete with lots of "Y'alls" and "order in the court"s and lots of "Uhmmerrikkah the freeeee!" Stay alert, and stay with Fox.

    Re: 'Round the Bloggerhood and Open Thread (none / 0) (#19)
    by squeaky on Wed Mar 01, 2006 at 12:49:04 PM EST
    PPJ-I was not wotrried about that. From my limited NY theater experience I have noticed that most of the Red Staters who are bussed in are way too large to do any harm, that is,unless they sat or fell on someone.

    Re: 'Round the Bloggerhood and Open Thread (none / 0) (#20)
    by Dark Avenger on Wed Mar 01, 2006 at 12:51:15 PM EST
    Glad to see that PPJ isn't on the side of Eric Rudolph, Tim McVeigh, Terry Nichols, or a few other Red State folks that I could name if bandwidth wasn't a consideration :)

    Re: 'Round the Bloggerhood and Open Thread (none / 0) (#21)
    by jen on Wed Mar 01, 2006 at 12:53:38 PM EST
    JimakaPPJ So, why did they cancel? Out of 'fear'. Land of the free and home of the .. oops, not anymore.

    Re: 'Round the Bloggerhood and Open Thread (none / 0) (#22)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Wed Mar 01, 2006 at 01:26:18 PM EST
    Justpaul... Nice try, but as you can see, nobody (in the liberal world) is responsible for their actions. It's ALWAYS the Government's fault. Let us (the tax payers) take care of her. My question about this woman is.. is she here legally? If not... problem solved... deport her & her kids!

    Re: 'Round the Bloggerhood and Open Thread (none / 0) (#23)
    by jondee on Wed Mar 01, 2006 at 01:45:54 PM EST
    "Us red state folks" Yeah I bet youre real salt a the earth; like good ole New Canaan/Aspen contry gal Ann and the Koch-s*cker brothers. Had any good suppositions lately; like that you speak for the whole state?

    Re: 'Round the Bloggerhood and Open Thread (none / 0) (#24)
    by jen on Wed Mar 01, 2006 at 03:11:56 PM EST
    BB, Let me get this straight. You believe that single mothers having jobs and supporting themselves and their kids is wrong?

    Re: 'Round the Bloggerhood and Open Thread (none / 0) (#25)
    by jimakaPPJ on Wed Mar 01, 2006 at 03:57:05 PM EST
    Squeaky - Just more to love. You know, hug and chalk. glanton - I think it is called democracy. Hey, maybe we'll start serving a little wine and cheese to go with the whine and whine. That should bring in the blue staters. Dark Avenger - Do you really think it is only Red Staters who are terrorists, or is it you can't spell the Moslem names? Jen - Why ask me? I mean you won't believe a thing I say about important stuff like the WOT, why this? Jondee - Yep. Nothing like a cold PBR while waiting for the curtain to go up. I just sit there channeling away, waiting for some Lefty to confuse my suppositions with their suppositories.

    Re: 'Round the Bloggerhood and Open Thread (none / 0) (#26)
    by glanton on Wed Mar 01, 2006 at 04:34:16 PM EST
    I think it is called democracy.
    Yes. Indeed it is called democracy when they vote to ban books, and it is thereby legitimized. It is called democracy when they vote to oppress minorities, or control women, and it is thereby legitimized. Slavery too had democratic support and enjoyed the banner 'states' rights' (code for bigotry). So too was Andrew Jackson, that bloody murdering demoagogue, democratically elected, and thereby legitimized. So too was Hitler democratically elected. And most recently of all, Hamas now enjoys the designation democratically elected. But hey, Jim says anything goes if a majority votes for it. He would hate to insult the "good folks from Texas" by admitting that their hatred of homosexuals makes them bigots, pure and simple. For example. Yes. It would be unfair to say there's something fundamentally wrong, something rotten to the core, about a culture whose populace would vote for such things, and endorse such people. Not to mention the fact that we're supposed to be a republic in which everyone's rights are respected, and that includes unpopular people/ideas. The violence these hicks are committing onb a daily basis at the polls is still violence, pretty it up with whatever words you want. Stay alert, and stay with Fox.

    Re: 'Round the Bloggerhood and Open Thread (none / 0) (#27)
    by Dark Avenger on Wed Mar 01, 2006 at 04:39:26 PM EST
    Dark Avenger - Do you really think it is only Red Staters who are terrorists, or is it you can't spell the Moslem names? If you'd had checked the terrorist link on the page about Eric Rudolph, you'd have found a whole bunch of "Moslem names", but as you didn't notice that, I will not hold it against you. And I wouldn't be making remarks about people's spelling abilitites if I were you, as Jerilyn has already deleted and warned me before on this matter. I'd hate for you to be absent from this dialog by following the primrose path I once trod. :->

    Re: 'Round the Bloggerhood and Open Thread (none / 0) (#28)
    by Nowonmai on Wed Mar 01, 2006 at 05:49:01 PM EST
    Jen, justpaul, here by speaks another voice, one with actual experience on this subject. Jen, you are right. If they had gone after an at home mother who wasn't pulling two jobs to make sure her family had the luxuries in live (food, clothing, shelter)it would have made a true statement. JP: There comes a time using the "they are just kids" doesn't work as an excuse to make an example of the only parent in the household. At their ages, these kids/young adults not only know better but are also bigger and stronger than their mother who isn't home anyhow because she is out WORKING to support them, and should be held accountable for their own misdeeds. And why the hell did the law/school system wait until these kids/young adults had skipped so much school before doing something,other than giving them an alarm clock? As for the rather silly suggestion of "toss them out".. other than saying it's a silly suggestion, there isn't much else to say. The comment about the working mothers' jobs being the 'wrong hours',let me clue you to the fact that the 2nd and 3rd shift hours are the higher paying jobs,(meaning at least one of her jobs is a night shift) which she needs to support said sons. Unless you are advocating her quitting her jobs, and going on welfare, or that silly suggestion of tossing the boys out on the street? It comes down to this: If Montgomery County wanted to make a point about punishing the parents of truant kids, they should have picked someone who had the means and opportunity to ride herd on the kids, not someone who was busting her hump to make sure her children were taken care of.

    Re: 'Round the Bloggerhood and Open Thread (none / 0) (#29)
    by squeaky on Wed Mar 01, 2006 at 06:45:01 PM EST
    The WH just released a video that showed that the Chimp was fully informed before Katerina struck. Evidentially to show that Bush was on top of the situation. Too bad it not only contradicts his story that he had no idea it would be so bad but he stayed in Crawford. Disgusting. Josh Marshall and jane at fdl have the story. C&L has the video.

    Re: 'Round the Bloggerhood and Open Thread (none / 0) (#30)
    by john horse on Thu Mar 02, 2006 at 03:58:06 AM EST
    Rep. Katherine Harris (R-FL) is in hot water. According to the Sarasota Herald-Tribune, she lied about her contacts with lobbyist Mitchell Wade (see Josh Marshall).

    Re: 'Round the Bloggerhood and Open Thread (none / 0) (#31)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Thu Mar 02, 2006 at 04:36:11 AM EST
    Katherine Harris lie. Gee, that's kinda why we're here in the first place.

    Re: 'Round the Bloggerhood and Open Thread (none / 0) (#32)
    by jimakaPPJ on Thu Mar 02, 2006 at 06:12:01 AM EST
    glanton - You can condemn the outcome with out condmening the process. Wasn't it Churchill that said democracy was the worst form of government known to man, except for all the rest? BTW - Claiming that Hitler was democratically elected is a bit of a stretch. Squeaky - Disgusting? Why? Like it or not, once the process starts there isn't much anyone can do. Tell me. Have you ever managed anything?

    Re: 'Round the Bloggerhood and Open Thread (none / 0) (#33)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Thu Mar 02, 2006 at 06:48:11 AM EST
    Yeah, Old Winston did say that. He also said to a woman at a dinner party who'd told him "Sir Winston, if I were your wife, I would poison your drink, sir!" to which he replied "Madam," if you were my wife, I would drink it." She must've been Katherine Harris in a previous life. Wilson also thought the Dardanelles (Gallipolli) Campaign was a good idea and he got a few thousand sailors killed in shark-infested waters by Japanese planes when he sent the Prince of Wales and the Repulse which had helped sink the Bismarck less than a year previously into hostile waters without any air cover. Churchill was a great man. Undoubtedly, he was the man for the moment to see Britain through the War, but he also struck out from time to time, too. The British people turned to Clement Attlee in the waning days of the War for a reason.

    Re: 'Round the Bloggerhood and Open Thread (none / 0) (#34)
    by Dark Avenger on Thu Mar 02, 2006 at 09:02:58 AM EST
    Another Great Man(vide Henry Fielding)

    Re: 'Round the Bloggerhood and Open Thread (none / 0) (#35)
    by glanton on Thu Mar 02, 2006 at 09:09:12 AM EST
    Jim, Good evasion, but you well know I'm not talking about process. It's the voters and what they embrace.

    Re: 'Round the Bloggerhood and Open Thread (none / 0) (#36)
    by squeaky on Thu Mar 02, 2006 at 09:16:44 AM EST
    Dark Avenger-What a character. Some things never change.

    'Round the Bloggerhood and Open Thread | 36 comments (36 topical)