20070305 Frederick News-Post web cast

Cliff Cumber – star of the print and now visual media

March 5^th, 2007

As all of the internet media continues to vertically integrate we find Frederick News-Post journalist Cliff Cumber debuting as a luminary of the small screen in the Frederick News-Posts’ web cast, http://fnp3.newspost.com/.

But Cliff, we gotta tell you that Tina Wiseman with “Tina Tells All,” stole the show.

When is Doug Tallman going to get a web cast with the Gazette? Or Justin Palk or Jamie Kelly with the Carroll County Times?

Maybe Ms. Wiseman knows – get her back on the screen…

Go here to find the web cast - or here. Way cool.

And let’s weigh-in on from whom we wish to see in additional web casts?

Justin Palk?

Jamie Kelly?

How about Kelsey Volkmann with the Baltimore Examiner?

Come a little closer and I’ll tell ya a secret. The Carroll County Times has some of the very best news photographers around, so what’s up with the mug shots of Jamie and Justin anyway? Gentlemen, news web casting is the next cutting edge – go grab a news photog now and get us a better publicity shot…

Kevin

####

20070305 The 50 Most Important People on the Web

The 50 Most Important People on the Web

http://news.yahoo.com/s/pcworld/20070305/tc_pcworld/129301

PC World has published a list of what it believes are the most important folks in the Internet world… It makes for an interesting read.

Hat Tip: Powerline – who is listed at number 34…

Christopher Null, PC World Mon Mar 5, 4:00 AM ET

Despite what Time magazine would have you believe, you are not the most powerful or influential person on the Web. At PC World we love online personals, social networks, and videos of people falling on their keisters as much as the next person, but without the folks who create the Craigslists, MySpaces, and YouTubes of the world, much of the Web's potential would be lost among spam sites and other online detritus.

So who's making the biggest impact online? We considered hundreds of the Web's most noteworthy power brokers, bloggers, brainiacs, and entrepreneurs to figure out whose contributions are shaping the way we use the Web. We whittled the list down to the top 50--well, actually the top 62--people, but as you'll see, there are some you just can't separate. And don't despair: Get a little more traffic on your Web site, and you may show up on the list next year.

Read the list - and an interesting brief description as to why they are on the list here: The 50 Most Important People on the Web

####

20070306 Bridge under troubled rivals

Bridge under troubled rivals

March 5th, 2007

I found this example of the foreign press’ account – in this case, New Zealand’s press , on Illinois Senator Barack Obama and New York Senator Hillary Clinton’s sudden interest in Selma, Alabama to be an interesting read.

And the picture told a great story also:

“Tuesday, March 4th, 2007. Hillary and Bill Clinton march in Selma as a marcher holds a Time magazine featuring Barack Obama above them. Photo / Reuters”

Powerline also weighed-in on an aspect of the pandering: “Chicken-Fried Hillary.”

She will say anything – do anything to win an election… One wonders for what she really stands? And one wonders why so much “Clinton fatigue” abounds.

Bridge under troubled rivals By David Usborne 5:00AM Tuesday March 06, 2007

[…]

But it was only last week that she changed her schedule to be in Selma and the reason is barely a mystery: she had learned that Obama, the rival she fears above all others in the Democratic field, was going to be there and she could not afford to leave the day to him. While only months ago she polled far above Obama among African American voters, suddenly new polls show him pulling ahead.

And click here for the reason why…

Read the rest of Mr. Usborne’s New Zealand Herald article here: Bridge under troubled rivals

####

20070305 Vote Different

Vote Different

March 5^th, 2007

Dave Wissing over at the Hedgehog Report calls to our attention an ad for presidential hopeful Illinois Senator Barack Obama that “Apparently it is not an official Obama campaign ad” but maybe it should be…

Mr. Wissing says it is “A spoof on the old Apple computer ad which I saw first at Instapundit.”

Be sure to see it here on his web site.

#### updated March 19th, 2007 ####

20070221 Common Council hopefuls family rooted in politics by Ashley Reams for the Westminster Advocate

Black History Month: Common Council hopeful’s family rooted in politics

JEFFERY DIXON

Common Council hopefuls family rooted in politics by Ashley Reams for the Westminster Advocate

Ashley Reams 21.FEB.07

Jeffery Dixon lost when ran for a seat on the Westminster Common Council in 2005, but he’s hoping for an opposite outcome in this year’s election.

Although Dixon has not yet filed, he said he plans to run for city council again in May, and he said he’ll count on his community involvement and the relationships he’s built with local residents since his first campaign to get him in office.

“I’ve had the last two years to engross myself in the city and really understand how it works,” he said.

Dixon, 32, and his wife, Heather, both grew up in Westminster and moved back to the city from Silver Spring in 2003. They wanted to start a family, Dixon said, and they thought Westminster was the perfect place.

He began attending city council meetings to get a better feel for the community, he said. He also became a member of the Charles Street Improvement Association, a group dedicated to addressing issues in their community.

[…]

He has also become a member of the Boys and Girls Club Advisory Council and will soon begin spending time with kids in the Westminster unit. He said he might also begin teaching a monthly science class there.

Dixon is a defense systems analyst at Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, where he is leading a multi-million-dollar project.

If elected, Dixon would be the first black council member, according to Kevin Dayhoff, local historian and former Westminster mayor.

Politics run in Dixon’s family. Dixon’s uncle, Richard Dixon, was Carroll County’s first black delegate. He served from 1983-96.

[…]

Dixon graduated from Westminster High School in 1992 and the U.S. Naval Academy in 1996.

After serving on two ships, Dixon entered the Navy Reserve in 2001.

Read the entire article here: Common Council hopefuls family rooted in politics by Ashley Reams for the Westminster Advocate

20070221 Common Council hopefuls family rooted in politics by Ashley Reams for the Westminster Advocate

20070305 Bowling Brook student death ruled a homicide

Former Bowling Brook Preparatory Academy student death ruled a homicide

March 5th, 2007

Isaiah Simmons, 17, died on Jan. 23, 2007 at Bowling Brook Preparatory Academy[1] in Keymar, Carroll County Maryland.

Today, the Maryland State Medical Examiner’s Office has ruled that Mr. Simmons’ death was the result of “Sudden Death during Restraint.”

Just last Friday, March 2nd, 2007 Bowling Brook announced that it was closing.

In a story by Baltimore Sun reporters Greg Garland and Laura McCandlish on March 2nd, 2007, they wrote:

"Bowling Brook Preparatory School announced today that it intends to cease operations on March 9, 2007, while the investigation into Isaiah Simmons' tragic death continues," the school said in a statement.

"Bowling Brook again expresses its sympathy to the family of Isaiah Simmons. Since the death of Isaiah Simmons, Bowling Brook has cooperated fully with the Department of Juvenile Service and other investigators, and Bowling Brook will continue its cooperation."

The statement said the school, located in Keymar in Carroll County, "remains committed to serving its mission of helping young men make positive changes in their lives and becoming productive citizens" and that it is "proud of its 50-year history of fulfilling that mission."

Many in Carroll County have been both shocked and saddened by the death of the young man and shocked that the 50 year-old academy has closed.

Anecdotally, the reaction of the average person in the street who was even aware of the academy sang praises for the institution that has worked so hard to turn around the lives of so many young men.

Many of us have attended the Union Bridge Town Hall funding breakfasts and witnessed first hand the work of the young men who served food, were so polite and nice to have a conversation.

Upon further inquiry, the reaction was consistent, “What you see is what you get.” That behind the scenes, the teachers and administrators of the school did great work and were committed to maintaining a sterling reputation in a juvenile services program that was essentially considered to be broken throughout the rest of the state.

After the death, many were bewildered that Bowling Brook suffered from a negative political climate in Annapolis so anxious to condemn the facility – while winking and uttering meaningless politically pious platitudes and latitudes about state-run facilities that are broken and are run amok with violence and codified institutional neglect.

Folks who were not even aware of the facility and its good work, much less, to even know where the facility was – were so quick to shake their heads and opportunistically grandstand. All in a misplaced political agenda to capitalize on the death of the young man and paint the facility as an example of everything that was wrong with the juvenile services program in Maryland.

If anything the facility was everything about what is right. About how a juvenile services program can be run well and makes a difference and that bad things happen to good programs.

In an air atmosphere and environment where it is perceived by the elected leadership in Annapolis that big government is the answer to all of our problems, the privately run Bowling Brook Academy is a victim of folks who are still attempting to justify their recent political victory by suggesting a crisis in order to make themselves and their agenda relevant.

To be certain, all signs point in the direction that the state juvenile services program is in crisis – but Bowling Brook was not a part of the crisis.

The death of the young man is tragic and hearts and prayers go out to the young man’s family.

Throwing Bowling Brook under a bus helps relegate so many more young men to a system that is otherwise broken and condemns that many more young men to a lifetime of recidivism – when they could otherwise be lead to a lifetime as a productive citizen.

In an environment like this, one wonders why anyone would want to stick their neck out to attempt to make a difference… _____

NEWS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT
Lieutenant Phil Kasten,
Carroll County Sheriff’s Office
100 North Court Street Westminster, MD 21157

Medical Examiner releases final report”
Mon 3/5/2007 2:56 PM

Westminster, Carroll County, Maryland, March 5, 2006 ----

The Maryland State Medical Examiner’s Office has informed Sheriff’s investigators that an examination into the cause and manner of 17-year-old Isaiah Simmons III death has concluded. While their were no obvious external injuries observed during an initial examination,” the autopsy has concluded that Simmons died from, “Sudden Death during Restraint,” and have ruled his death a homicide. The medical examiners office has shared this information with Isaiah Simmons family.

During the past several weeks, Sheriff’s Investigators have collected more than one hundred pieces of evidence, and in coordination with the Department of Juvenile Services interviewed more than one hundred people, including staff and students. At this stage, the Sheriff’s Office has forwarded the investigative results to the Carroll County States Attorney’s Office for review.
_____

The Carroll County Times has a breaking news alert on their web site written by Justin Palk. Mr. Palk writes:

“A grand jury will determine whether charges should be filed in the January death of Isaiah Simmons at Bowling Brook Preparatory School in Middleburg.”

[…]

“At the press conference where that announcement was made, Kevin Lewis, assistant special agent in charge of the FBI’s Baltimore division, also announced the bureau would be investigating whether Simmons’ civil rights had been violated.

To hear portions of the 911 tape from the night of Simmons' death, click here.”

You can read the rest of Mr. Palk’s article here.

Footnotes
####

[1] Bowling Brook Preparatory Academy Mission Statement:

To provide quality residential and education services to male adolescent offenders while helping these same young men make positive changes in their lives. We are committed to providing an environment that is conducive to learning. Our results oriented program focuses on education and providing students with the means of creating and sustaining real life changes through behavior modification and life learning skills. This personal achievement will lead students to successful re-integration into the community.

About Bowling Brook

Bowling Brook Prep School is a private, group oriented residential school for court committed young men. Services provided are designed to change behaviors and attitudes, teach life skills and help these young men sustain these changes as he returns to the community.

Bowling Brook Prep School provides a community based alternative to institutional living for troubling young men. Located just outside of Taneytown, Maryland, the campus is a safe, staff secure environment situated on 120 acres in rural Carroll County.

The program is licensed by the Maryland Department of Juvenile Services. Bowling Brook offers a pre-GED or GED curriculum that is certified by the Maryland State Department of Education. The school is accredited by the Association of Independent Maryland Schools.

The Bowling Brook Facility

Bowling Brook Preparatory School is located approximately 40 miles northwest of Baltimore, Maryland and 18 miles southeast of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania on a 120 acre site in the rural Carroll County community of Keymar, Maryland. We are currently licensed for 173 students.

The campus consists of three 13 bed cottages, one 24 bed cottage and two 48 bed dormitories. A 28,300 square foot physical education/recreation facility complete with gymnasium, weight room, wrestling room, locker rooms and a health suite was completed in 2000. An education building which houses 8 classrooms, one computer lab and administrative offices on the upper level and a dining hall with food services spaces on the lower level was completed in 2001-2002. The campus also includes a student union area with a television/training room. The administrative/multi-service building houses the library/media center and administrative offices. The campus also boasts an outdoor sports field, track and basketball court and a large garage with a multi-use workshop. Construction is currently underway for a new workforce learning center which will house a barber shop, culinary arts, building trades, masonry, welding, digital print shop and a modern multi-media auditorium and several classrooms.

_____

_____

20070305 Sheriff's Office to host News Conference

Sheriff's Office to host News Conference

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Mon 3/5/2007 10:16 AM

Lieutenant Phil Kasten,
Carroll County Sheriff’s Office
100 North Court Street Westminster, MD 21157 410-386-2759

“Sheriff’s Office to host News Conference”

Westminster, Carroll County, Maryland, March 5, 2007 ----

The Carroll County Sheriff’s Office will host a Press Conference at 2:00 PM in the Public Hearing Room on the lower level of the Carroll County Office Building, 225 North Center Street in Westminster, to provide updated investigative information into the death of Isaiah Simmons, a former Bowling Brook Preparatory Academy student.

####

20070305 CCBOC Agenda

The agenda for the Carroll County Commissioners

for the week of March 5^th, 2007

Board of County Commissioners

Julia W. Gouge, President

Dean L. Minnich, Vice President

Michael D. Zimmer, Secretary

Carroll County Government

225 North Center Street

Westminster, Maryland 21157

410-386-2043; 1-888-302-8978

fax 410-386-2485; TT 410-848-9747

Agenda for the Week of March 5, 2007 ~ Revision 1

Please Note: This weekly agenda is subject to change. Please call 410-386-2043 to confirm a meeting you plan to attend. All meetings will be in Room 300A, (Unless otherwise noted) Carroll County Office Building.

• Indicates Outside Activities

Monday – March 5, 2007

National Association of Counties (NACo)

Washington, D.C.

Commissioners Gouge & Zimmer

Tuesday –March 6, 2007

National Association of Counties (NACo)

Washington, D.C.

Commissioners Gouge & Zimmer

Wednesday – March 7, 2007

Maryland Association of Counties (MACO)

Annapolis, MD

Commissioner Gouge

12:00 p.m. Visit the Carroll County Delegation

Annapolis, MD

Commissioner Zimmer

Thursday – March 8, 2007

9:30 a.m. Board of County Commissioners Open Community Discussion

Carroll County Office Building ~ Room 300 A

Commissioners Gouge, Minnich & Zimmer

10:00 a.m. Board of County Commissioners Open Session

Public Hearing

Proposed Amendments to Chapter 103, Development & Subdivision of Land for

Traffic Impact Studies

Department of the County Attorney ~ Ms. Kimberly Millender

"Get Connected" Resource Center Discussion

Department of Citizen Services ~ Mrs. Jolene Sullivan

Option to Purchase Gilbert Property

Jasontown Road Improvement Project

Department of Public Works ~ Mr. J. Michael Evans

Bid Approval ~ Rehabilitation of Culvert CL305

Twin Arch Road Over South Branch Patapsco River

Department of Public Works ~ Mr. J. Michael Evans

Bureau of Purchasing ~ Mr. Rich Shelton

Bid Approval ~ Northeast Library Carpet Tiles

Department of General Services ~ Mr. Ralph Green

Bureau of Purchasing ~ Mr. Rich Shelton

Bid Approval ~ Water laboratory Analysis Services

Department of Public Works ~ Mr. J. Michael Evans

Bureau of Purchasing ~ Mr. Rich Shelton

Letters of Support for the Agricultural Center and the Hoff Log Barn

Department of Management & Budget ~ Mr. Ted Zaleski

Carroll County Farm Museum ~ Mrs. Dottie Freeman

Chief of Staff Time ~ Mr. Steve Powell

ADMINISTRATIVE ~ Closed

ADMINISTRATIVE ~ Closed

Thursday – March 8, 2007 ~ Continued

3:00 p.m. Quarterly Mayors Meeting

County Office Building ~ Room 300 A

Commissioners Gouge, Minnich & Zimmer

Friday – March 9, 2007

7:30 a.m. Taneytown Business Breakfast

Thunderhead Lanes, Taneytown

Commissioners, Gouge, Minnich & Zimmer

9:00 a.m. Industrial Tour of Taneytown

Taneytown, MD

Commissioners Gouge, Minnich & Zimmer

6:00 p.m. Maryland Holstein Convention Banquet

Martin’s Westminster

Commissioner Zimmer

Saturday – March 10, 2007

5:30 p.m. Mount Airy Volunteer Fire Company Annual Banquet

American Legion in Mount Airy

Commissioner Zimmer

Sunday – March 11, 2007

8:05 a.m. “The Commissioners’ Report” – WTTR

Commissioner Zimmer

ACCESSIBILITY NOTICE: The Americans with Disabilities Act applies to the Carroll County Government and its programs, services, activities, and facilities. If you have questions, suggestions, or complaints, please contact Ms. Jolene Sullivan, the Carroll County Government Americans With Disabilities Act Coordinator, at 410-386-3600/1-888-302-8978 or TTY No. 410-848-9747. The mailing address is 225 North Center Street, Westminster, Maryland 21157. Posted: 07/07/06

03/05/07 ~ dln

CARROLL COUNTY

a great place to live, a great place to work, a great place to play

20070305 A discussion about the legacy of slavery in Carroll County

Many Rivers Crossed

A discussion about the legacy of slavery in Carroll County

March 5^th, 2007

Kelsey Volkmann, writing for the Baltimore Examiner has three great articles in today’s edition of the paper that are compelling “must reads.”

“Carroll County, free at last?”

“A mystery that can be solved”

“Remembering the Dred Scott decision on its 150th anniversary”

Kudos to Ms. Volkmann for once again working hard to bring alive yet another important issue that needs to be further discussed in Carroll County. It is community journalism at its best.

In “Carroll County, free at last?,” I am quoted:

“Explaining (the legacy of slavery in Carroll County) away by saying it was a practice of the times is unacceptable,” former Westminster Mayor Kevin Dayhoff said. “Slavery was wrong, plain and simple.”

Carroll’s future, Dayhoff said, lies in embracing its diversity.

“In order to go forward, we need to meaningfully address old wounds,” he said. “Done correctly, it can bring us closer together. A meaningful portion of the quality of life we enjoy today in Carroll County was built on the backs of African-Americans in bondage.”

The column that I have already filed with my editor for the Westminster Eagle for this coming Wednesday will also explore the subject of the legacy of slavery in Carroll County… and among my ancestors… Paradoxes and surprises abound… More on that later in the week.

On the issue of the Dred Scott decision; if you will recall this was the subject discussed between Maryland Blogger Alliance members Crablaw, Maryland Conservatarian, Soccer Dad and I last November 2006:

“20061115 Taney Taneytown and Tupac Shakur” and “20061120 Crablaw’s stand-up mea culpa.” and “20061122 Chief Justice Roger Brooke Taney” and “Thank You to Kevin Dayhoff and MD Conservatarian for Taney Correction.” and “Crablaw’s reflection on Chief Justice Taney” and never mind that Taneytown history stuff…, we got that solved… here and here.”

On March 12^th, 2007 there will be a public presentation on the subject of the legacy of slavery in Carroll County:

“Many Rivers Crossed”

Sponsored by the Carroll County Human Relations Commission

In Partnership with

the Carroll County Public Library and

The Enoch Pratt Library

Carroll Citizens for Racial Equality

Carroll County NAACP

Carroll County Public Schools

With Special Guest appearance by Dr. Jesse Glass

A presentation by Enoch Pratt Library regarding:

v Collecting and Organizing Family papers

v Examples of Documents

v Slaves Census

v Immigration Records

v Vital Records

v Preserving Family records

v What to think about when collecting documents

v The role of informal oral history

v Where the library can help

March 12, 2007

7-9 pm

At the Board of Education Office Building

Board Room

125 North Court Street

Westminster

####

20070304 Truck “decorations” in Maryland.

Truck “decorations” in Maryland.

March 4, 2007

The low down on the raging debate on truck “decorations” in Maryland.

I guess I have avoided this topic because of the lack of a tactful manner in which it can be treated.

“Soundtrack” is not really set up to be the place to discuss such issues, but if ya really – really wanna read two great posts on the raging debate on truck “decorations” in Maryland – the place to go is Crablaw and the Pillage Idiot.

For those who are not aware of this pressing concern, Attila writes, “A state delegate from Allegany County, Leroy E. Myers Jr., has introduced a bill that would prohibit…”

Crablaw helps us find the legislation: “Delegate LeRoy Myers' House Bill 1163…”

What might even be funnier is that the ACLU has deemed it necessary to weigh-in with their opinion…

And OMG - - Reading Crablaw’s ponderings upon a hypothetical cross-examination is a hoot. Of course, one can only imagine that there would be a “legal definition” of the offending “decorations” and that might be the fodder for humor for decades… Where were you Daddy when Maryland struck a blow for civility, taste and the future of the planet?

And he’s only getting warmed-up. The rest of his post is a keeper…

Warning – do not read either post with your mouth full of say, Dr. Pepper…

If Maryland begins to outlaw poor taste, there is no end to where this nanny-state can go.

If you wanna smile – go immediately to here – and here.

####

20070304 Republicans Attack....Each Other

Republicans Attack....Each Other

This is going to be the longest presidential campaign any of us have ever had to endure…

Sunday, March 04, 2007 By Susan Estrich[1]

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,256525,00.html

LOS ANGELES —

"I'm sure we'll disagree on issues from time to time, but I doubt you'll see the rancor that apparently may exist elsewhere," said Mitt Romney, commenting on the shouting match between Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama spokesmen about Obama supporter David Geffen’s anti-Hillary rant.

That was Feb. 23.

A week later, Romney went on the attack against his two major rivals, with rancor worthy of the angriest Democrat. Pushing one hot button after another, he accused John McCain of wrongly promoting amnesty for 11 million illegal immigrants, and Rudy Giuliani of being wrong on abortion, gay rights, and guns.

"He is pro-choice, he is pro-gay marriage and anti-gun," was Romney’s description of former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani. "That's a tough combination in a Republican primary."

As for McCain, Romney criticized his role in the pending Senate debate about immigration, where the Arizona senator has been working with the man who beat Romney a few years ago, Ted Kennedy, to come up with a comprehensive reform package. "I do not believe amnesty is the right course for the 11 or 12 million illegal immigrants who are living here. It didn't work in the 1980s. It's not going to work in the 2000s either."

He also criticized McCain for not supporting a federal constitutional amendment to limit marriage to heterosexual couples.

Other than that, Mrs. Lincoln, how was the play?

Read the rest here.

####

[1] Susan Estrich is currently the Robert Kingsley Professor of Law and Political Science at the University of Southern California. She was previously Professor of Law at Harvard Law School and was the first woman President of the Harvard Law Review. She is a columnist for Creators Syndicate and has written for USA Today and the Los Angeles Times.

Estrich's books include the just published “Soulless,” “The Case for Hillary Clinton,” “How to Get Into Law School,” ...“Getting Away with Murder: How Politics Is Destroying the Criminal Justice System,” and "Making the Case for Yourself: A Diet Book for Smart Women.”

She served as campaign manager for Michael Dukakis' presidential bid, becoming the first woman to head a U.S. presidential campaign. Estrich appears regularly on the FOX News Channel, in addition to writing the “Blue Streak” column for foxnews.com.

20070304 CPAC, Blumenthal, Malkin, Coulter and politics as a contact sport

CPAC, Blumenthal, Malkin, Coulter and politics as a contact sport

March 4th, 2007

I had wanted to go to the Conservative Political Action Conference in Washington DC last weekend.

Time is not my friend and in hindsight I haven’t a clue as to how I could’ve done it. Nevertheless, grazing through the blogs I came across a video of the event that Max Blumenthal had put together. I found it on the Maryland Federation of College Democrats web site.

If you’d like to know more about Max Blumenthal go here for a brief bio and list of his pieces in “The Nation.” I cannot refer you to his blog because it has lots of “unpleasant words…”

It appears that he is a one-person cottage industry in the pursuit of painting Republicans in a profoundly unbearable - undesirable light – And I guess there’s the rub.

And he seems to have had some success in doing that.

Michelle Malkin was less than pleased to see Mr. Blumenthal at CPAC. She wrote:

“Interlude: Two punks from The Nation with a camera stopped by my book signing to ambush me about In Defense of Internment. Have they bothered to read the book? No. I look forward to their butchering of my comments and the predictable unhinged reaction.”

Mr. Blumenthal wrote:

“I met concentration camp enthusiast Michelle Malkin at her book signing at CPAC today. I merely asked her to autograph this photo and she launched into a prolonged hysterical rant at the lens of our video camera. From the looks of what she wrote on her blog, Malkin is not looking forward to seeing video of the encounter…”

Later Mr. Blumenthal added in a post titled, “CPAC: The Unauthorized Documentary:”

The video is finally ready! I’m having trouble embedding it on WordPress so just click here to view it.

A preview:

Michelle Malkin goes unhinged and launches a hysterical tirade into the lens of our camera. I ask Ann “John Edwards is a (My redact)” Coulter why she isn’t the same person on Sunday morning as on Sunday night. Tom Tancredo fanatics lose their cool when asked about connection between race and immigration, then try to conceal their neo-Confederate paraphenalia(sic). a curiously pale black Republican explains why black Republicans can’t get elected. Bob Barr, Grover Norquist and “Flipper,” the anti-Romney dolphin, discuss the conservative movement. I receive a special gift from David Horowitz…and much, much more!

Then later yet, Mr. Blumenthal writes, “Language police chief Michelle Malkin calls me an “(my redact).” Wait, who’s unhinged again?”

Looks like Ms. Malkin and Mr. Blumenthal won’t be exchanging Christmas cards anytime soon.

Of course with Ann Coulter’s reprehensible remark at the Conservative Political Action Conference, perhaps it really isn’t that hard to paint Republicans in an unpleasant light.

Speaking of Ms. Coulter’s unfortunate remarks, Michelle Malkin has weighed in. I’ll put her remarks in a footnote so that some of my friends who do not care to go to her site can read them absent any philosophical trauma.[1]

I’m just not sure what to make of the video. I sorta-kinda viewed it with an eye for “how not to conduct oneself” with someone with whom I have political disagreements. I believe that when working with someone who disagrees with me – that’s the time to turn on the charm, be profoundly polite and make sure that we can all go out and have a soda afterwards.

And I guess that is what is lacking in politics these days.

To be certain, Mr. Blumenthal is a “brave” person. I would be profoundly uncomfortable at a Cindy Sheehan rally or if I were to attend the YearlyKos Convention[2] with the specific agenda and purpose of gathering only information that paints Democrats in an unpleasant light.

Perhaps I wouldn’t be uncomfortable? Then again hopefully the professionalism simply would take over and I’d report upon the event straight down the middle. Whatever.

Of “left-wing conferences,” Michelle Malkin wrote:

CPAC's Friday night banquet honored many of these troops, along with modern civil rights leader Ward Connerly (who gave THE best, most eloquent, rousing, passionate, stalwart, and courageous speech of the entire conference), and other conservative leaders. After the dinner, journalist/happy warrior Joel Mowbray quipped to me:

"At left-wing conferences, you leave hating America. At right-wing conferences, you leave loving America."

Well, if you’d like another point of view – and I always do - - Mr. Blumenthal’s video came be found here. It certainly has some cringe worthy moments. I’d love to find a video with another point of view from Mr. Blumenthal’s.

####

[1] Enter Ann Coulter.

Her "(My redact)" joke was not just a distraction from all the good that was highlighted and represented at the conference. It was the equivalent of a rhetorical fragging--an intentionally-tossed verbal grenade that exploded in her own fellow ideological soldiers' tent.

There are countless conservatives who bring their children to CPAC. It's a family-friendly event. I brought mine last year and the year before. I met several parents with their kids there this year. We expect CPAC to be a place where conservative role models speak with clarity, passion, and integrity. There are enough spewers of mindless filth, vulgarity, and hatred on TV, at the movies, and in the public schools. We don't expect our children to be exposed to that garbage at the nation's preeminent conservative gathering.

I was in the back of the ballroom and did not see any children in the audience during Coulter's speech. But what if there had been?

Would you want your children hearing the word "faggot" spoken in such a casual and senseless manner? Would you like your first-grader or three-year-old running around the halls of CPAC singing "(my redact)?" Not me. Not anymore than I'd like my toddler singing "(my redack)" or "(My redack)"--favored epithets hurled at conservative minorities by leftist haters groping around in their empty intellectual quivers. There were hundreds of young conservative college students in the ballroom. Would you be proud of your college-age daughter spewing such epithets in her campus debates with leftists?

With a single word, Coulter sullied the hard work of hundreds of CPAC participants and exhibitors and tarred the collective reputation of thousands of CPAC attendees. At a reception for college students held by the Young America's Foundation, I lambasted the substitution of stupid slurs for persuasion-- be it "(My redact)" from a conservative or " (My redact)" from a liberal--and urged the young people there to conduct themselves at all times with dignity in their ideological battles on and off campus.

I made something else explicitly clear: Not all of us treat the communication of conservative ideals and ideas as 24/7 performance art. You can and should use humor to convey your message. You can enlighten and entertain--without becoming a tired old schtick. You can joke without becoming the joke.

[2] The mission of YearlyKos is to encourage and facilitate the promotion of progressive values. YearlyKos uses the term "progressive" to describe the common values held by most Americans, rather than as a reference to any political or partisan agenda. Progressive values include, for example, preserving and promoting the environment, equal rights for all human beings, separation of church and state, good governance and ethics in government, the private sector, and individual behavior, enlightened international relations, media reform, voters' rights, and election reform. YearlyKos intends to pursue these broad goals through social and cultural programs that center on progressive values and worldviews. Specifically, YearlyKos will focus on progressive community building through arts and education.

YearlyKos may develop and conduct classes, workshops, lectures, and seminars to educate the public about progressive values. It will present these programs at its own events and at progressive conferences, such as the annual convention held by bloggerpower.org.

To learn about the YearlyKos Convention, sponsored by bloggerpower.org with the generous support of YearlyKos Inc. please click here.

20070304 True Geek

True Geek

A couch blogger geek in action.

March 4th, 2007

My wife, pray for her, took the picture. One cannot be sure if she was gathering evidence or what. You would’ve thought her mother would’ve warned her from marrying a nerd. Then, again, maybe she was warned and didn’t heed the advice – cuz ya know geeks always get the girl.

Not one shred of evidence supports the notion that life is serious.

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20070303 Ann Coulter comment on Edwards is reprehensible

Ann Coulter’s comment about John Edwards is reprehensible.

March 3rd, 2007

And speaking of “20070303 The Pillage Idiot says” and “$)*%&#@(&!” - - whether it was a bad joke poorly delivered or whatever – Ann Coulter’s use of a slur to describe presidential hopeful John Edwards is reprehensible.

Click here to see Ann Coulter's controversial comments on John Edwards.

Or just click: “Ann Coulter uses slur to describe John Edwards @ CPAC”

There are plenty of polite and even colorful words available to disagree with the positions and views of presidential hopeful John Edwards.

Ms. Ann Coulter unnecessarily gave Mr. Edwards relevancy (see “John Edwards Hopes to Raise 'Coulter Cash' After Commentator's … Comment”) when she resorted to using a slur in her Conservative Political Action Conference presentation to describe the person that is John Edwards.

Disagreeing with his views provides more than ample fodder for discussion but attacking him as a person is off the table and cries out for an apology.

Until she apologizes, I certainly hope that Fox News and “Townhall.com” drops her from their repertoire.

Ann Coulter uses slur to describe John Edwards @ CPAC

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sx9Bi3C4rs8

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20070226 Tapscott on Internet and government transparency

Tapscott on Internet and government transparency

Internet and government transparency

February 26^th, 2007 – Posted March 3^rd, 2007

I had missed it – but just came across a fascinating commentary by Mark Tapscott, the “editorial page editor of The Washington Examiner and a member of The Examiner Newspaper’s national editorial board.”

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Mark Tapscott: They aren’t laughing now about the Internet and government transparency

Mark Tapscott, The Examiner

Feb 26, 2007 3:00 AM

WASHINGTON - There were more than a few skeptical chuckles seven years ago when I first wrote in a Knight Ridder column that posting federal contracts and other spending documents on the Internet could restore public confidence in government by making it more transparent.

They aren’t laughing anymore. Using the Internet to foster greater transparency and accountability in government has not only become one of the few points of agreement between liberals and conservatives, it has even become official government policy.

Exhibit A here, of course, is passage last year of Coburn-Obama, aka the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act of 2006, co-sponsored by Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Okla., and Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., and enthusiastically signed into law by President Bush.

Coburn-Obama directs the U.S. Office of Management and Budget to establish a Google-like searchable database of most federal spending by 2009. You can view the preliminary Web site at FederalSpending.gov. You can also get a good idea of the benefits to come by checking OMB Watch’s superb Fedspending.org, a precursor to the Coburn-Obama database.

Read the rest here. More great links and this informative commentary is well worth the time.

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Kevin