Albany, NY -- Conservatism Rears Its Ugly Head in Public Broadcasting

That schmuck, Kenneth Tomlinson, a Rove crony who was put in charge of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting with the intention of introducing more conservatism to public radio and TV, has resigned under investigation for misuse of CPB funds, among other accusations. I'm really relieved he's gone... of course, he could be replaced by someone worse.

With or without Tomlinson, the conservatization of public broadcasting creeps in... Recently, PBS introduced a network for preschoolers called Sprout. Sounds nice, but a couple of catches. For one thing, completely against the philosophy of public media, it includes commercials! And, shows are 15 minutes long rather than the usual 30, because, at least according to a blog called Flagrant Disregard, "that means kids are exposed to twice as many brands they’ll want to buy toys from." Insidious.

Next, PBS has introduced a show called "America's Heartland" (suspiciously close to the name of an extra-conservative show on Fox News called "Heartland"). According to PBS's site, it's "a new weekly public television series that celebrates and profiles the people, places, and processes of our nation's agriculture." It's sponsored by Monsanto, which also produces something else... the dreaded Terminator Seed. According to Ratical, the seed:

uses genetic engineering to program a mature plant's seed to sterilize itself by destroying its own embryos. If a farmer or gardener saves seed from these plants, it will not grow. If you want another tomato plant or crop of soybeans, you must go back to the company for their seeds. This patent (which they have now applied for world-wide) applies to all plants and seeds.

This seed is a horrible invention, one by which our corporations oppress poor third-world farmers even further. These are the people, ones who are in it for the money and nothing else, who are starting to control public radio. Scary. Pants-load scary.

Please keep supporting public radio and TV so that they don't have to turn to evil to survive.

I am, in fact, currently listening to all-night jazz on my local NPR affiliate, WAMC, which I have begun to support annually. I just found this neat site which is a resource for public programming, Public Radio Fan.

For an example of just how fantastic public radio is, I was straining to listen through the static to an interest-piquing story this afternoon on WBUR as I was passing Palmer, MA, where NPR changes from WBUR 90.9 (Boston) to WAMC 90.3 (Albany). It was about Robert Easton, a Hollywood dialect coach. Among the fun facts:

• There are 4,000 distinct dialects on the East Coast of the U.S. alone!
  
• Dialecticians have subjects read a short story called "Arthur the Rat" to determine their dialects.
  
• Abraham Lincoln had a high, nasal voice which didn't suit his body. Dr. Easton said that he sounded something like Mr. Haney from Green Acres!
  

Click here to listen.

posted by jbrzoska @ 11:45 PM Trackback Link 0 comments links to this post

Albany, NY -- "And We Have a Big Party!"

Another leftover, this one from Halloween. Here's my friend Ari dressed as Borat, a great character from HBO's Da Ali G Show, with his friend Daria dressed as Borat's girlfriend. Ari actually does a great Borat impression, and I wish I'd gotten to see this one in person.



Speaking of HBO, there's a new George Carlin special tonight. I'm DVRing it and will have to watch it later after I've fed my video game addiction enough. Should be good. Speaking of good, tomorrow night is the West Wing live debate episode. I really can't wait for it...

posted by jbrzoska @ 10:10 PM Trackback Link 0 comments links to this post

Albany, NY -- An Odd Parking Ticket, A Smart Idea

Here's a leftover I've been meaning to post for a couple of weeks now. This is a really interesting ticket that I received in Portland, Maine when I parked at a meter a bit too long:



Note the words "You May Not Have to Pay This Ticket." Apparently, if you're an out-of-stater in Portland and have no parking offenses in Maine in the last six months, you're off the hook for most offenses. It's a nice gesture towards tourists. How many times has a trip of yours been ruined by a parking ticket? The fines never amount to anything, but you have to deal with the payment, and it's a pain.

Great idea, Mainers.

I'm just about to wrap up Final Fantasy X... I think I'm hitting the home stretch now, about 50 hours into the game. It continues to be really, really good.

posted by jbrzoska @ 9:30 PM Trackback Link 0 comments links to this post

Albany, NY -- Turn Off CBS 6

I've been hoping to find something about this on the web for the past few days... I was driving towards my neighborhood the other day and saw a sign that said "Turn Off CBS 6" and then saw the same sign in front of my office. So what's up?



Turns out, Freedom (one of those ironic Republican names) Communications, the giant media conglomerate, is trying to cut benefits for its workers, including those at CBS 6:

"Freedom Broadcasting management has been demanding contractual concessions from Local 21 Technicians, Photographers, Engineers, Operators, Editors, including changes to the pension plan; and many take aways including wage reductions of up to 15 percent (15%)"

This despite the fact that 2004 was a “fantastic year”, according to the annual report of Freedom Communications of Irvine, CA, parent company of WRGB. “Growing audiences and growing profits at the same time is what 2004 was all about.”

I'm way past sick of wage cuts while corporate fat cats and shareholders get richer. Please take a few minutes to help these employees in their time of need by contacting Freedom Communications' General Manager. From the union's site:

• Call General Manager Robert Furlong: 381-4913
  
• E-Mail him: rfurlong@wrgb.com
  
• Write a letter: Mr. Robert Furlong
  
  Vice President/General Manager
  
  WRGB-TV
  
  1400 Balltown Road
  
  Schenectady, NY 12309
  

posted by jbrzoska @ 8:55 PM Trackback Link 0 comments links to this post

Albany, NY -- TO Mouths Off Again, Gets Suspended

Having slighted both his team and his quarterback, Donovan McNabb, in the last few days, Terrell Owens has been suspended for at least this Sunday's game, if not longer. Couldn't have happened to a nicer guy.

I hope they cut him.

posted by jbrzoska @ 7:25 PM Trackback Link 0 comments links to this post

Boston, MA -- MASH MASH MASH MASH!!!

Ok, possibly the best clip ever: Bobby Brown and Mike Tyson doing the Monster Mash on Jimmy Kimmel Live. SO amazing. Watch. Watch again. And again.

posted by jbrzoska @ 3:15 PM Trackback Link 0 comments links to this post

Boston, MA -- Jews Gone Catholic!

Rabbi David Kaye, Unleashed!

Here's a preview of the NBC Dateline piece which talks about Rabbi David Kaye's attempts at sexual encounters with young boys.

And here's a transcript of the actual series of his online conversations with "Conrad," whom David thought was a 13 year old boy. Really amusing annotations are included (Warning: not for the faint of stomach).

posted by jbrzoska @ 2:35 PM Trackback Link 0 comments links to this post

Albany, NY -- Brownie's E-mails

More on Michael Brown's ineptness and aloofness during Hurricane Katrina:

"Can I quit now? Can I come home?" Brown wrote to Cindy Taylor, FEMA's deputy director of public affairs, the morning of the hurricane.

A few days later, Brown wrote to an acquaintance, "I'm trapped now, please rescue me."

It's a good thing he doesn't work for FEMA anymore... oh, wait:

Brown is still on the federal payroll at his $148,000 annual salary. Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff, saying Brown's expertise was needed as he investigated what went wrong, agreed to a 30-day extension when Brown resigned. Chertoff renewed that extension in mid-October.

posted by jbrzoska @ 11:25 PM Trackback Link 0 comments links to this post

Albany, NY -- Breaking Jewish World News

From Panim, a Jewish organization based in DC:

Statement of Rabbi Sid Schwarz, president of PANIM: The Institute for Jewish Leadership and Values, November 2, 2005.

On October 31, 2005, Rabbi David Kaye, former PANIM Vice President for Program , informed me of certain personal conduct that took place outside of our organization, that may soon be aired as part of a larger news story on national television. He immediately tendered his resignation, which I accepted.

We currently are undertaking an internal inquiry to be certain that there has been no similar misconduct at PANIM, in any way. At this point, there have been no allegations of, nor any evidence of, any improprieties involving PANIM programs or participants and Rabbi Kaye or any other staff member. Furthermore, no complaints have ever been lodged against Rabbi Kaye or any other staff member by students, visiting faculty, parents or fellow staff members.

The trust which parents and schools place in us to care for their teenagers imposes a heavy responsibility on PANIM. PANIM maintains a zero tolerance policy for any inappropriate activity or behavior involving our faculty, staff or participants. That policy and our rigid enforcement of it, have served to protect our students from unfortunate incidents that have taken place in other institutions serving young people.

Our primary responsibility is the well being of our participants and the integrity of our program. For 18 years PANIM has had a stellar reputation for providing transformative educations programs for Jewish youth focused on Jewish values and social responsibility. Our faculty and staff remain committed to training the next generation of Jewish leadership and to ensuring the well being of our participants.

I know Panim well, and they're a great organization. Apparently one of their directors isn't so great... My sources say that Rabbi Kaye was sending nude photos of himself to young boys on the internet. JTA has more and the story will be on Dateline NBC tomorrow night.

posted by jbrzoska @ 12:45 PM Trackback Link 0 comments links to this post

Albany, NY -- Not Quite the Best Healthcare System...

According to a conducted by the Commonwealth Fund:

Patients in the United States reported higher rates of medical errors and more disorganized doctor visits and out-of-pocket costs than people in Canada, Britain and three other developed countries, according to a survey released on Thursday.

Thirty-four percent of U.S. patients received wrong medication, improper treatment or incorrect or delayed test results during the last two years, the Commonwealth Fund found.

Thirty percent of Canadian patients reported similar medical errors, followed by 27 percent of those in Australia, 25 percent in New Zealand, 23 percent in Germany and 22 percent in Britain, the health care foundation said.

Is this what private medicine gets us? Just another reason to socialize the damn system.

posted by jbrzoska @ 11:50 AM Trackback Link 0 comments links to this post

Albany, NY -- All Epoch Long...

Paleontologists have discovered fossils of two organisms doing the nasty, myxomycete fungus style:

Finding the fossils in a fused position and with their flagella shed, is evidence that the two cells were having sex, Kar said.

"The sexual organs being delicate and the time of conjugation short lived, it is indeed rare to get this stage in the fossil state," the study said.

These scientists are probably living vicariously through their fossils...

posted by jbrzoska @ 9:50 AM Trackback Link 0 comments links to this post

Albany, NY -- Senate Democrats Grow Balls?

Check this one out:

Democrats forced the Republican-controlled Senate into an unusual closed session Tuesday, questioning intelligence that President Bush used in the run-up to the war in Iraq and accusing Republicans of ignoring the issue.

This is becoming a real pattern... Democrats chanting "FOR SHAME!" on the floor of the House during the energy bill vote, the fight against Social Security... testicles, anyone?

posted by jbrzoska @ 6:05 PM Trackback Link 0 comments links to this post

New York, NY -- Having a New Website is Stressful!

Whew... busy day! I have so much work to do, and on top of that, we launched the new design for our MyJewishLearning.com website today, and of course, there are bugs to fix!

posted by jbrzoska @ 3:50 PM Trackback Link 0 comments links to this post

Albany, NY -- Alito's Bio

For more info on just who Samuel Alito is, the US News & World Report has a bio:

In 1997, Alito authored the majority opinion upholding a city's right to stage a holiday display that included a Nativity scene and a menorah because the city also included secular symbols and a banner emphasizing the importance of diversity. In Planned Parenthood v. Casey, Alito was the sole dissenter on the Third Circuit, which struck a Pennsylvania law that required women seeking abortions to consult their husbands. He argued that many of the potential reasons for an abortion, such as "economic constraints, future plans, or the husbands' previously expressed opposition . . . may be obviated by discussion prior to abortion." The case went on to the Supreme Court, which upheld the lower court's decision 6 to 3.

posted by jbrzoska @ 9:00 AM Trackback Link 0 comments links to this post

Albany, NY -- Bush: "Say Hello to My Scalito Friend!"

After the Miers debacle, President Bush has nominated Samuel Alito, a noted conservative, to the Supreme Court:

From the bench, Alito, has staked out positions supporting restrictions on abortion, such as parental and spousal notification.

Can someone explain to me why views like this can be considered "strict constructionism?" Where does it talk about abortion in the Constitution, and where does it say that a woman needs permission from her husband to do ANYTHING?

Alito's nickname is "Scalito," as he's known in his circles for sharing views with Antonin Scalia, a radical conservative justice already on the court.

It's time for Harry Reid and the Dems to take the gloves off, methinks...

posted by jbrzoska @ 8:55 AM Trackback Link 0 comments links to this post

Albany, NY -- Fitzgerald's Statements

Just a quick post because I'm heading to NYC in the AM.

Here's Fitzgerald's indictment of Scooter Libby, and here's the transcript of his press conference that day.

What do you make of it? Is this over? Does Fitzgerald have more on the way? I'm inclined to believe the latter, as Fitzgerald just opened an office in DC, but who knows?

posted by jbrzoska @ 10:20 PM Trackback Link 0 comments links to this post