President Obama announced the end of U.S. combat troops in Iraq today. Thank goodness!
Bush, Cheney, and company were dishonest leaders who put young American soldiers in a quagmire. Shame on them...forever...for their recklessness.
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Saturday, August 28, 2010
Just for the record: Inventions...
Inventions or concepts that started here...
1). The Roberts pyramid...In journalism education, there is a newswriting style known as the inverted pyramid style. It is an upside-down pyramid which explains that the first sentence, or lead, of the story is the important, containing the 5 W's (who, what, when, where, why) and how or how much and sometimes an attribution. The inverted pyramid style of writing is old, dating back to the Civil War days, when news stories told in traditional ways of story-telling, like a fictional story, had to be changed in order to get through before telegraph wires were cut. When I use the inverted pyramid structure as a teaching tool for basic news reporting students, noting that they should eventually write more leads in the structure of nut graphs or featurized leads, I do incorporate a separate inverted pyramid to get them thinking about their lead. Thus, it is an inverted pyramid of important elements within an inverted pyramid of story structure. As the Roberts inverted pyramid concept is intended just the lead, the students are told to consider which one of the elements of the 5 W's and how or how much is most important and to start with that. It does seem to work in helping them design their leads. Usually, leads aren't started with the when or where elements. Usually, the leads begin with the who, what, why, or how much.
2). Pitch Golf...Many decades ago, in my book "Sage Street" and for my weekly newspaper, I wrote a column about my sports innovation of the exciting, but inexpensive game of "Poor Person's Golf." It is the golf game wherein people don't use fancy and expensive clubs to hit the golf ball down the golf course. Instead, they get to throw the ball. Then there is no need for anything but a golf ball. How many throws would it take for you to get down the course to the first hole? And what would be the likelihood of a pitched hole-in-one? They are all challenges in my "Poor Person's Golf" game, which is probably is need of a higher-brow name. Thus,..."Pitch Golf." While I haven't yet gotten a call from the PGA, I did encourage a recent college graduate who is golf club management to give it a promotional try. I am hopefully that it will catch on, especially in a tough economy.
3). We-Mail...I just saw on the Internet that a website called WeBuzz.Im or something like that has a new service called "We-Mail." Alums of a journalism newsletter that I have been writing for years should recognize the word "We-Mail" for its use for the We-Mail newsletter. The We-Mail idea, of course, is that we hear from each other, as a social network of alums using e-mail...Our mail to each other about news which is then turned into one for all--We-Mail. If a company has trademarked it, then it is legally theirs. But, just for the record, that phrase was one I've been using for journalism alums long before a Google search could find it referenced by others.
I have a few other inventions, concepts and developments--one that's even in fashion, if you could imagine--but maybe I actually should get patents and trademarks before I describe them in words. Inventing is tough work!
1). The Roberts pyramid...In journalism education, there is a newswriting style known as the inverted pyramid style. It is an upside-down pyramid which explains that the first sentence, or lead, of the story is the important, containing the 5 W's (who, what, when, where, why) and how or how much and sometimes an attribution. The inverted pyramid style of writing is old, dating back to the Civil War days, when news stories told in traditional ways of story-telling, like a fictional story, had to be changed in order to get through before telegraph wires were cut. When I use the inverted pyramid structure as a teaching tool for basic news reporting students, noting that they should eventually write more leads in the structure of nut graphs or featurized leads, I do incorporate a separate inverted pyramid to get them thinking about their lead. Thus, it is an inverted pyramid of important elements within an inverted pyramid of story structure. As the Roberts inverted pyramid concept is intended just the lead, the students are told to consider which one of the elements of the 5 W's and how or how much is most important and to start with that. It does seem to work in helping them design their leads. Usually, leads aren't started with the when or where elements. Usually, the leads begin with the who, what, why, or how much.
2). Pitch Golf...Many decades ago, in my book "Sage Street" and for my weekly newspaper, I wrote a column about my sports innovation of the exciting, but inexpensive game of "Poor Person's Golf." It is the golf game wherein people don't use fancy and expensive clubs to hit the golf ball down the golf course. Instead, they get to throw the ball. Then there is no need for anything but a golf ball. How many throws would it take for you to get down the course to the first hole? And what would be the likelihood of a pitched hole-in-one? They are all challenges in my "Poor Person's Golf" game, which is probably is need of a higher-brow name. Thus,..."Pitch Golf." While I haven't yet gotten a call from the PGA, I did encourage a recent college graduate who is golf club management to give it a promotional try. I am hopefully that it will catch on, especially in a tough economy.
3). We-Mail...I just saw on the Internet that a website called WeBuzz.Im or something like that has a new service called "We-Mail." Alums of a journalism newsletter that I have been writing for years should recognize the word "We-Mail" for its use for the We-Mail newsletter. The We-Mail idea, of course, is that we hear from each other, as a social network of alums using e-mail...Our mail to each other about news which is then turned into one for all--We-Mail. If a company has trademarked it, then it is legally theirs. But, just for the record, that phrase was one I've been using for journalism alums long before a Google search could find it referenced by others.
I have a few other inventions, concepts and developments--one that's even in fashion, if you could imagine--but maybe I actually should get patents and trademarks before I describe them in words. Inventing is tough work!
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Meringue on a cowpie...
Alan Simpson, former U.S. senator from Wyoming, made the news today for more goof-ball comments--this time about Social Security. President Obama made the mistake of putting Simpson on a national taskforce committee. Another goofy effort to compromise an important issue into diddly-squat.
What really irritates me is Simpson's typical Republican view about Social Security. Simpson, with his undeserved Senate retirement, should keep his hands off my (and every other workers') Social Security, especially if his conservative ideas are for cutting it or raising the retirement age. How about proposing a raise in the Social Security payroll cap of just 2 percent (or even more) on those who have very high incomes (like Simpson)?
Many years ago, in my Medicine Bow Post newspaper in Wyoming, I noted that Alan Simpson's folksy baloney was like meringue on a cowpie. Looks like Simpson is still meringuing and haranguing.
What really irritates me is Simpson's typical Republican view about Social Security. Simpson, with his undeserved Senate retirement, should keep his hands off my (and every other workers') Social Security, especially if his conservative ideas are for cutting it or raising the retirement age. How about proposing a raise in the Social Security payroll cap of just 2 percent (or even more) on those who have very high incomes (like Simpson)?
Many years ago, in my Medicine Bow Post newspaper in Wyoming, I noted that Alan Simpson's folksy baloney was like meringue on a cowpie. Looks like Simpson is still meringuing and haranguing.
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
News at 10...
This just in:
The 99-Weeks Club, the group of unemployed people who have come to the end of their unemployment benefits and still haven't found jobs, are hoping members of Congress who won't extend the benefits will join them someday...so they can see how it feels.
Though the government said the security scans wouldn't be kept, the best of the naked scans of people going through airport security were posted this week on the WikiLeaks website.
A woman traveling passenger class on a plane to Butte, Montana, was voted as Miss August by visitors to the WikiLeaks website concerning the naked scans by the airport security machines. A man traveling first class to Littleton, Colorado, was voted most likely to make naked-scan equipment workers laugh.
A teenager took the keys of the family car and then drove the vehicle into the ditch. His father said, "Son, that officially makes you a Republican." (Explanation: President Obama has referred to the Republican condition of the economy that he was left to salvage as a car that was driven into a ditch and that now the Republicans want the keys again to drive it.)
Mad Hatter of the Tea Party has claimed that Alice is an illegal immigrant and should be put in an Arizona jail.
Tea Party members ran for public office and lost in the primary elections. But they sure have funny hats and goofy signs.
It has been recommended that someone chip in a dollar for the Tea Party sign-writers, so they can buy a dictionary. (This is absolute true: A recent message on a sign at a Tea Party rally shown on a TV news segment was "Obama care not fare.")
The primary campaigns really got nasty and mean. One candidate accused his opponent of sleeping with bed bugs. The other candidate responded back that only bed bugs would want to sleep with his opponent. Pollsters are trying to figure out which bed bug accusation hurt the worst.
Obama's press secretary, the guy with the Southern twang in his mouth who complained recently about the "professional left," is trying out an interesting theory: Insult the Democratic base which is the left and remind them that the Obama administration couldn't come close to providing the same quality of a health care system that Canadians enjoy, and then see if they will vote for Democrats in the elections. Maybe he's an Einstein and the theory will work. Or maybe he's a Bozo.
Warren Buffett, Bill Gates, and other billionaires have promised to give away half of their wealth during their lifetimes. Though on the other end of the economic scale, the Sage Street blogger wants to join the effort and thus promises to give away half of his poverty.
An opposite-sex couple filed for divorce today, saying that the prospects of same-sex couples having the same right to marry drove them to it. The Family Nonsense Council warned that it signals the end of marriage between a man and a woman. "No straight couple will want to get married if gay couples are doing it," said Al Mond, a religious nut.
Ben Nelson the asterisk is the U.S. senator from Nebraska who's a Democrat but who often votes with the Republicans. Well, something very strange happened. Stranger than paranormal activities, jackalopes, and Glenn Beck. Ben Nelson actually turned into an asterisk. A real, tiny asterisk. One moment he was a man, the next moment he was an asterisk. He's been shipped back to Nebraska for immediate display below a pile of corn cobs, with tiny type for explanation.
The 99-Weeks Club, the group of unemployed people who have come to the end of their unemployment benefits and still haven't found jobs, are hoping members of Congress who won't extend the benefits will join them someday...so they can see how it feels.
Though the government said the security scans wouldn't be kept, the best of the naked scans of people going through airport security were posted this week on the WikiLeaks website.
A woman traveling passenger class on a plane to Butte, Montana, was voted as Miss August by visitors to the WikiLeaks website concerning the naked scans by the airport security machines. A man traveling first class to Littleton, Colorado, was voted most likely to make naked-scan equipment workers laugh.
A teenager took the keys of the family car and then drove the vehicle into the ditch. His father said, "Son, that officially makes you a Republican." (Explanation: President Obama has referred to the Republican condition of the economy that he was left to salvage as a car that was driven into a ditch and that now the Republicans want the keys again to drive it.)
Mad Hatter of the Tea Party has claimed that Alice is an illegal immigrant and should be put in an Arizona jail.
Tea Party members ran for public office and lost in the primary elections. But they sure have funny hats and goofy signs.
It has been recommended that someone chip in a dollar for the Tea Party sign-writers, so they can buy a dictionary. (This is absolute true: A recent message on a sign at a Tea Party rally shown on a TV news segment was "Obama care not fare.")
The primary campaigns really got nasty and mean. One candidate accused his opponent of sleeping with bed bugs. The other candidate responded back that only bed bugs would want to sleep with his opponent. Pollsters are trying to figure out which bed bug accusation hurt the worst.
Obama's press secretary, the guy with the Southern twang in his mouth who complained recently about the "professional left," is trying out an interesting theory: Insult the Democratic base which is the left and remind them that the Obama administration couldn't come close to providing the same quality of a health care system that Canadians enjoy, and then see if they will vote for Democrats in the elections. Maybe he's an Einstein and the theory will work. Or maybe he's a Bozo.
Warren Buffett, Bill Gates, and other billionaires have promised to give away half of their wealth during their lifetimes. Though on the other end of the economic scale, the Sage Street blogger wants to join the effort and thus promises to give away half of his poverty.
An opposite-sex couple filed for divorce today, saying that the prospects of same-sex couples having the same right to marry drove them to it. The Family Nonsense Council warned that it signals the end of marriage between a man and a woman. "No straight couple will want to get married if gay couples are doing it," said Al Mond, a religious nut.
Ben Nelson the asterisk is the U.S. senator from Nebraska who's a Democrat but who often votes with the Republicans. Well, something very strange happened. Stranger than paranormal activities, jackalopes, and Glenn Beck. Ben Nelson actually turned into an asterisk. A real, tiny asterisk. One moment he was a man, the next moment he was an asterisk. He's been shipped back to Nebraska for immediate display below a pile of corn cobs, with tiny type for explanation.
Sunday, August 8, 2010
Update on Prop. C vote and other comments...
Update of the news: By 71 percent, Missouri voters supported Proposition C, the measure that opposed mandatory health care insurance. The national TV news downplayed the vote by saying that it didn't matter since federal law trumps state law. But the newspeople missed what the vote really meant: That a majority of voters, from the right as well as from the left, dislike the idea of mandatory health insurance with its costs in a reform measure that offers little change. The right dislikes anything that's Obama. The left dislikes the farce of watered-down health care with insurance companies still in control. That's what it meant. Legislators who continue to dilute measures because they think they will make more people happy by going to the center need to understand what that does to the enthusiasm and support factor.
Concerning the 9.5 percent unemployment nationwide, a conservative commentator on an ABC news show said, "Democrats are at an ideological deadend on jobs." He may have been referring to the Obama Administration which morphed into the Clinton Administration. But he sure wasn't referring to the FDR Administration during the Great Depression which had plenty of creative ideas for job growth. The difference is in leadership and vision.
There he goes again. Ben Nelson the asterisk, who is the Democratic U.S. senator from Nebraska but tends to vote with the Republicans on everything when he's not diluting Democratic measures, was the only Democrat in the Senate to vote against Elena Kagan as the U.S. Supreme Court nominee. Kagan was approved for the position and has become the fourth woman to ever serve on the U.S. Supreme Court (the others being Sandra Day O'Connor, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and Sonia Sotomayor).
Concerning the 9.5 percent unemployment nationwide, a conservative commentator on an ABC news show said, "Democrats are at an ideological deadend on jobs." He may have been referring to the Obama Administration which morphed into the Clinton Administration. But he sure wasn't referring to the FDR Administration during the Great Depression which had plenty of creative ideas for job growth. The difference is in leadership and vision.
There he goes again. Ben Nelson the asterisk, who is the Democratic U.S. senator from Nebraska but tends to vote with the Republicans on everything when he's not diluting Democratic measures, was the only Democrat in the Senate to vote against Elena Kagan as the U.S. Supreme Court nominee. Kagan was approved for the position and has become the fourth woman to ever serve on the U.S. Supreme Court (the others being Sandra Day O'Connor, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and Sonia Sotomayor).
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