Tuesday, December 28, 2010

Checkpoint

Hi, all:

Well, during the whole TSA uproar, I promised to clue you in to some of the dangers we citizens face closer to home...at the hands of some of those who swore to protect and serve us.

Friends, I know that we all hate a drunk driver -- believe me, I tend to hate drunks PERIOD, driving or otherwise.  As far as I'm concerned, all drunks are dangerous, and a drunk driver is a plain old menace to society.

You know what else is a menace?  A bad cop with a crap attitude and a short fuse (or minidickitis; I'm Sorry, and pardon my French, but We Need to Wonder WTF, friends).

And that's who each and every one of us is in danger of encountering...sitting on our porch...walking across the street...wandering around on campus...driving a car...and especially, at the surprise sobriety checkpoints that have been set up for our safety during the winter holiday season.

I hope that the first troubling video posted herein will be enough to keep you watching the troubling ones that follow...and hopefully, all of it together will be enough to make you THINK.  I will be adding videos to this post.

Be safe.  Be aware.  Be prepared.

If they'd do it to a barking dog...the sassy driver has plenty to fear.

Whatever you do, DON'T pass the roadside sobriety test

 

Christmas passed

We all know people who could use a miracle; some are famous...others are nobodies.

A very good friend who I've known for most my life, and certainly more "nobody" than "famous," recently experienced a miracle -- at least, that's what I'm calling it.  Perhaps there's a different word for it -- you be the judge.

For the past twenty years, this person leaned on a crutch...one that goes by many names:  go, fast, chris, speed.

With one look at this lady's hair, you could tell whether she had her crutch around; with it, she was June Cleaver, absently tending to her Better Home & Garden; without it, her house was a shambles, and she resembled Nick Nolte's mugshot.








Years ago, Mick Jagger sang about "Mother's Little Helper"...years and years and years ago... 

Anyway, around Thanksgiving, my friend could finally no longer afford her crutch, and had run out of enablers able to lend a dime or willing to share their own.  

And so days passed, and then weeks; for about a month she lazed...drooped...dozed...slept...dreamed...in between, she hoped for help to come....her house and her hair becoming increasingly disheveled.

Whitney Houston's bathroom

Christmas passed, and then another day, and still another...

Then, without any warning or fanfare, the help that was hoped for finally arrived; night turned to day, and my friend stood, brewed a pot of strong coffee, and proceeded to clean her kitchen and do her  laundry...for the first time in two decades...organically...au natural...all by herself.

And the next day, she awoke, broke the beloved crutch on which she'd relied and leaned upon for so long, and she threw it away; then, she brushed her hair, drank her coffee, and vacuumed her carpet.

The time before speed was so long ago, she had forgotten it entirely; indeed, she had come to believe she'd been born with some sort of chemical imbalance.  Now that she knew that was untrue, she said she felt like dancing, like singing, like crying, like shouting...but that no one seemed to appreciate or understand the reality of her transformation.  

So, I told her I'd write about it.

Christmas is over, and the New Year is yet to come...but after a score of broken promises and resolutions...failed efforts, failed spells, failed rituals...and unanswered prayer without number...she looks in the mirror at the part in her hair, and knows it's nothing short of miraculous and Divine Timing.

Finally.  

Thank God.

Sunday, December 26, 2010

Being Mark Barna

Have you ever seen the movie, "Being John Malkovich"?  Nominated for three Oscars, it's about a guy who discovers a portal that allows people to get inside the head of John Malkovich for fifteen minutes.

I found a similar portal that allows people to get inside the head of Mark Barna for fifteen minutes:  it's called "The Gazette."

Let's open it up and see what it's like, being Mark Barna:

"...he loves me not...he loves me...he loves me not...he loves me...he loves me not...he loves me...he loves me not...he loves me...he loves me not...he loves me...he loves me not...he loves me...he loves me not...he loves me...he loves me not...he loves me...he loves me not...he loves me...he loves me not...he loves me...he loves me not...he loves me...he loves me not...he loves me...he loves me not...he loves me...he loves me not...he loves me...he loves me not...he loves me...he loves me not...he loves me...he loves me not...he loves me...he loves me not...he loves me...he loves me not...he loves me...he loves me not...he loves me...he loves me not...

"DRAT, ALWAYS THE BRIDESMAID AND NEVER THE BRIDE!!!

"NEW FLOWER:

"He loves me...he loves me not...he loves me...he loves me not...he loves me...he loves me not...he loves me...he loves me not...he loves me...he loves me not...he loves me...he loves me not...he loves me...he loves me not...he loves me...he loves me not...he loves me...he loves me not...he loves me...he loves me not...he loves me...he loves me not...he loves me...he loves me not...he loves me...he loves me not...he loves me...he loves me not...he loves me...he loves me not...he loves me...he loves me not...he loves me...he loves me not...he loves me...he loves me not...he loves me...he loves me not...he loves me...he loves me not...he loves me...he loves me not...he loves me...he loves me not..."

Your fifteen minutes are up; I guess what they say is true:  time flies when you're having fun...
Somebody marry him, already, so he can stfu.

Friday, December 24, 2010

peace

to my friend and to my enemy,
to the slob and to the neatnik, 
to the straight and to the gay, 
to the married and to the single,
to the partier and to the teetotaler,
to the slut and to the virgin,
to the enlisted and to the civilian,
to the boy and to the girl,
to the black and to the white,
to the left and to the right, 
to the liberal and to the conservative,
to the Jew and to the Gentile,
to the Muslim and the Infidel,
to the pagan and to the religious,
to the hip and to the square,
to the innocent and to the jaded,
to the trusting and to the suspicious,
to the young and to the old,
to the up and to the down,
to the hopeless and to the hopeful,
to the lover and the mocker of Jesus the Christ...

our country...our world...they are changing, and about to change

enjoy this holiday season,
and no matter what happens
remember that I warned you
be sure that I love you
and wish you all 
peace on this earth

-- spydra

Thursday, December 23, 2010

Commander in Chief

From a July 2009 article in The American Thinker
________________________________________________________________

The birth debate about Obama is real enough, but it is legally complicated, as analyzed by legal beagle Andrew McCarthy at National Review. No judge is going to question the Constitutional qualifications of an elected president. I'm sorry, but that's the practical reality. The judge is going to follow stare decisis -- the sheer weight of commitments that cannot be reversed without creating chaos. Once the political system of the United States, the voters, the media, and the politicians themselves are all committed to the proposition that Obama is president, trying to reverse it would mean riots in every city in the nation. At some point even debatable claims become irreversible. That is why Al Franken is now the US Senator from Minnesota, even if his election was corrupt and wrong. It's water under the bridge. Leave it to history.

And yet the Obama "birther" debate is important. What's important about it is the feeling a growing number of Americans have in their bones that Obama is foreign -- to our traditions, loyalties and shared understandings about the nature of America. In a way the legal debate matters less than that bone-deep sense that Obama is fundamentally "Other than American."

We all recognized George W as a prototypical American -- even if you didn't agree with him or even like him. There he was cutting dry brush around his modest West Texas ranch house, to keep down the fire danger, while the fat and foolish White House punditry stayed huddled back in the air conditioning. Or flying onto the aircraft carrier in a jet trainer after Saddam was overthrown. Or heading straight to walk Ground Zero with the cops and fire fighters right after 9/11. Bush looked at home with those cops, because he was. He likes those guys, and they like him. They are made of the same stuff. Obama isn't.

Obama is a socialist, which means that his deepest commitment is not to our nation but to the Internationalist Ruling Class. That is why the Left always has to argue that Americans' love of country will kill off the rest of the world -- by global warming, by overpopulation, any excuse will do. The fact that it's all lies proves the point: The Left must lie in order to convince millions of Americans that their normal feelings of patriotism are evil.

These facts are so obvious that they are not even worth arguing about. Obama's first international speech -- characteristically before getting elected -- started with the phrase "Citizens of the World!" Anybody on the Left has to think, "Workers of the World, Unite! You have nothing to lose but your chains!" That was the intended message to the left, of course -- that's how David Axelrod thinks, that's how Obama's mentors have always thought -- going back to his way-left mother and his Kenyan socialist father. The interracial affair between the Kansas anthropologist 20-year-old and the Kenyan socialist was itself a revolutionary act, the way these people think. It was a positive good to bear an interracial child, even if the kid was going to be abandoned by his father and mother. From that point onward the Old Left handled the whole chain of custody. Obama was passed along by leftie sponsors, one after the other. Frank Marshall Davis was the Communist Party guy in Hawaii, and wrote for the Hawaiian Communist Party rag. You can trace it link after link, following the Alinskyite chain all the way to the far left wing of the Chicago Machine, then 20 years of being preached at by Rev. Jeremiah Wright (whose brand of Christianity is only Marxism under a transparent layer of lies).

That's our Obama, and that's what he proudly proclaimed: Not Oh Say Can You See/ By the Dawn's Early Light, but Dreams from My (Kenyan Socialist) Father.

This is not a secret. Obama is foreign to America in a way that has little to do with his birth certificate. He could be American-born and still think in this very anti-American way. A lot of people are. But whatever he is legally, there is not a shred of doubt that he is steeped in an Anti-American way of thinking.

This is what I suspect the birther movement is about. Yes, the legalities are suspect. No, it will never make any practical difference. But most important, the birthers are aware of a deep intuition about Barry Soetoro Barack Hussein Obama: That he is profoundly out of tune with the meaning of America since the Founding. He is out of harmony with this country and this culture, like the dissonant scream of a power-saw biting into steel or concrete. He just grates on the American sensibility.

Obama is a Ruling Class Aristocrat -- by intuition, beliefs, and personal egomania. He was born to rule. It's partly that he has always gone to all the elite schools, from Hawaii to Harvard, just like Michelle. But he was put into those schools by the efforts of the left, which is a Socialist Ruling Class movement. The left in its own vision is always Ruling Class To Be that is being kept unjustly from taking over the world. That's why they hate real democracy, why they sneer at Coke and fries, and why capitalism is so bad: Because it constant caters to "vulgar" tastes.

(The fact that the left always claims to help the lowest of the low is just a political tactic. By digging up the most resentful victims -- by race, class or gender -- you bring out the most explosive revolutionary dynamite; it's the people who are the most envious and resentful, who want nothing more than to flip the world upside-down and watch destruction rain down. That's why the Left constantly appeals to the "idealism" of teenagers, the natural rebels. They all want to rock the world. And if it's not teens, it's illegal immigrants, sexual deviants, the homeless, drug addicts, criminals, the racially oppressed, those who hate themselves, the prostitutes, and the mentally ill. Karl Marx called them the Lumpen-Proletariat, the Eternal Underclass who want to smash whatever is. As the Nazi slogan said it, "Alles Muss Anders Sein" -- "Everything Must Be Different."

The left is about the overthrow of whatever is, whether good or bad. The Eternal Underclass is the cannon fodder of any revolution. They are the lowlifes who can be trusted to burn down the Reichstag, to smash the stores of the Jews -- or in Indonesia, of the Chinese -- and to hang the rich from the nearest lamp post. When blue collar workers started to make money the Left didn't rejoice in their new well-being and happiness. Rather, the left just looked for another Underclass: Those who felt oppressed by race, gender, sexual habits, whatever. For the left, any Underclass only exists to be manipulated by the Natural Ruling Class, the Aristocratic Vanguard, the Obamas of this world. That's the only political strategy of the left. That is why they constantly lie and still believe in their own moral superiority.)

So is Obama American-born? I don't know. I bet he never comes up with that vault copy birth certificate for us to examine. But it's never going to matter a hill of beans, because no judge wants to be accused of overthrowing a sitting President of the United States.

But is Obama in tune with the soul of this country as Americans have understood it since 1776?

I think we all know the answer to that.

That is what our political battles will be about, for years and years to come. Don't expect it to be solved soon. It's been going on for a century. It didn't end with American victory in the Cold War. It is most of all a battle for minds and hearts, not for territory -- although territory matters. Conservatives helped win the Cold War, but did not win the battle for the schools and universities. That is why Barry Soetoro Barack Hussein Obama is now President.

Gear yourself up, and don't stop fighting the battle for hearts and minds. It's all-important.

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

Friday, December 17, 2010

Let it snow


Thank you for making me feel whole.
Happy Winter Break!

Please to explain

I want to know...I *need* to know; if you got something to say, then dammit bring it already; do not be afraid to speak here.

Other than that it was prophesied in the Bible...will someone please explain to me why Christians are slammed as being intolerant against homosexuality...and I've already said, I don't know enough about Islam to criticize it in any way...nor do I believe Muslims had much of anything to do with 911 (it was an inside job, friends...period):

So, after reading what follows...please someone tell me why it's Christians who are literally *hated* and accused of driving young gay people to commit suicide...while Muslims are ...coddled?



Prophet Muhammad said: "Four people entail Allah's wrath night and day". It was asked, 'Who are they Messenger of Allah?’ He answered, "Effeminate men and masculine women, the adulterer of animals and sodomizers."
[Reported by Ibn Hajar Al Haithami on the authority of Abu Huraira in 'Majma Al Zawaid']

He also said: "On the day of judgement there will be seven people who will be excluded from Allah's Mercy and Purification. Allah will sentence them to enter hell-fire with those who enter it: Those who commit sodomy, the one who commits masturbation, the one who approaches an animal from its anus, the one who approaches a woman from her anus, the one who marries a woman and her daughter together, the adulterer of his neighbour's wife and the one who brings harm to his neighbour until he accurse him."
[Reported by Ibn Kathir in his 'Great Exegesis']

Thursday, December 16, 2010

Answer: Whistle while you work

Well...who'd a thunk it.

I gotta say it...Muslim folks in Europe these days seem to be at least as easily offended as gay folks here in the U. S. of A these days.  Both groups seem to be largely offended by any utterance of the word "God"...or, heaven forbid, Christ.

Austria: Judge Rules That Yodeling Offends Muslims
Published: 12/15/10,
by Elad Benari 

israelnationalnews.com

The citizen, 63-year-old Helmut G., was told by the court that his yodeling offended his next-door Muslim neighbors, who accused him of trying to mock and imitate the call of the Muezzin.

In Muslim tradition, the Muezzin is the chosen person at a mosque who leads the call to prayer at Friday services and the five daily times for prayer from one of the mosque's minarets.

The yodel is a song which is sung with an extended note which rapidly and repeatedly changes in pitch and makes a high-low-high-low sound. Developed in the Central Alps as a method of communication between alpine mountaineers or between alpine villages, the yodel later became part of the region's traditional lore and musical expression. The technique is used in many cultures throughout the world and Austria is one of the countries where it is most popular.


 Unfortunately for Helmut G., his neighbors were in the middle of a prayer when he started to yodel. The Kronen Zeitung reported that he was fined 800 Euros after judges ruled that he could have tried to offend his neighbors and ridicule their belief.

Helmut G. clarified that “It was not my intention to imitate or insult them. I simply started to yodel a few tunes because I was in such a good mood.”

  
So...this is what happens when people OVERcelebrate diversity...and take "religious tolerance" a step too far.

At this point, I think it's already plain that I eschew nonsensical political correctness for any reason whatsoever...so maybe it'll help if I apologize in advance:  PARDON ME IF I HURT YOUR FEELINGS SOMEHOW!  BUT GUESS WHAT?  IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT I HATE YOU.

Question:  What is the moral of this story? 

Wednesday, December 15, 2010

OMG...

...what HORRIFYING NEWS regarding the school board shooting in Florida!!!  I am so totally shocked and...just...totally, absolutely horrified!

I just now heard about this for the first time.

And think about what I told you...what was it I told you? 

This is what I told ya: 

That the extreme precautions undertaken by the TSA will soon be in effect at..."train stations and bus depots -- soon, they'll be there at the skating rink and school board meeting...all for our 'protection.'"


You heard it here first.


Pray for our nation, friend...pray!

Saturday, December 11, 2010

No Good!

Hi, friends...

You know, life without a telephone is full of surprises...people just come a knockin', and guess who came a knockin' today?  That's right...my rocket scientist son home from college!  

Woot woot!  

Not only is it great to see him, but I can abscond with his laptop and connect from anywhere in the apartment.  

Double Woot!  

At any rate, today I came across this America the Beautiful Park footage that I thought you'd enjoy, since after all, 'tis the season.  But I was struggling with what to name the post.  So I asked rocket boy, who is also a football expert, and he gave me the right answer.  

Enjoy.



And again, to the doubters of my contention that the fountain is representative of the Vagina of Isis, note the story below, which (unbeknownst to me) was published in the Independent about one month prior to my THREE: REVELATION post...

....call it just my dirty mind, but the word selection is...unusual...no?


_________________________________________________________________

Penrose squirts again!

POSTED BY J. ADRIAN STANLEY ON WED, MAY 19, 2010 AT 8:21 AM

Julie-Penrose-Fountain.jpg
Since the city said it could no longer pay to run the Julie Penrose Fountain — a popular destination in America the Beautiful park — it's been up to the community to keep it going for the city's kids.
The nonprofit Friends of Julie Penrose Fountain has repeatedly stepped up to the plate to raise funds for the fountain, which needs $25,000 a year for water, staff to maintain safety, supplies and maintenance costs.
The El Pomar Foundation issued a $12,500 challenge grant for the fountain this year, which was mostly matched through small community donations. However, the Friends were still $4,000 short. Thankfully, the H. Chase Stone Trust stepped up to close that gap.
So, it looks like at least one of the city's fountains will be running. For this year.
The Friends note that the fundraising effort isn't over yet. With the 2010 season paid for, they're now focused on raising funds for the fountain in 2011.
But before they start that effort in earnest, they'll take time to celebrate this small victory:

The Friends of Julie Penrose Fountain will be hosting a “Turn on the 


Fountain” Celebration for the community to enjoy from 12-2pm on May 23rd in America the Beautiful Park. Additionally, Phantom Canyon has introduced the “Continuum Ale” (a Belgium white) this month and will donate 25% of summer sale proceeds to benefit the Friends of Julie Penrose Fountain.




Sponsored by:
The "Friends of Julie Penrose Fountain" - Board Members:
Kristen R. Downs, Chair (447-9090)
Carrie Bartow, CPA, Clifton Gunderson LLP
Jan Martin, City Council Member
Mary Kay Burnett, Urban Renewal Authority
Lisa Czelatdko, Board Member




Tuesday, December 7, 2010

Power

Howdy do, indeed


My "How do" point made for me in Sunday's Gazette...effortlessly.  Thanks, RHL.

_________________

NAACP Awards Gala

More than 350 guests recently celebrated the NAACP’s annual Freedom Fund Gala.

Award recipients included Harrison Schools Superintendent Mike Miles, El Pomar Vice President Theophilus Gregory, Cuba Caravan organizer Rev. Max Hale, youth advocate and educator June Christine Brown, Judge Regina Walter, newly-elected State Rep. Pete Lee, health activist Edna Daniels and activist Willie Louise Straws, who received the Suzanne Rodgers Diamond Award for exemplary service to the NAACP and the community.

Frank Lytle received the President’s Award for Service from group head Rosemary Harris Lytle. Special youth recognition went to sophomore Arimus T. Wells of Fountain Fort Carson High School.

Wednesday, December 1, 2010

How do

You know, my Comcast service has been temporarily interrupted, which has had an ENORMOUS impact on my ability to research and write.  I can only connect in one particular corner of my kids' bedroom, and I don't really like to go there...I feel like a hapless schlep every time I do.

Between my connectivity issues, and the Gazette's continued tolerance of God-Hatin', Gay-Lovin' Mark Barna, I've had a diminished capacity and desire to turn its pages.

Oh, come on...who am I kidding; my love for the Gazette is like Heathcliff's love for Cathy.

(And if you don't get the joke, hie thee to your nearest library and/or bookstore and read "Wuthering Heights" already -- really, shame on you -- oh, come on...who am I kidding.  OK, Heathcliff is a *pimp* who loves Cathy...and Cathy loves him back...but she's wishy-washy and lets him down a lot, enraging him...regularly resulting in the wuthering of everything.)

Ennyhoo...I just happened to be schlepping haplessly, when I read the Gazette's "Our View"...the one where Wayne Laugesen takes James Tucker to task for certain utterances and actions.

Yes, I'll admit it...I HAVE been salivating for this opportunity to toss in my own two-cents here.

Early this summer -- I guess it was around June of 2010 -- I had an opportunity to purchase an Apple MacBook Pro for $250.  At the time, such a laptop was retailing anywhere between $1,200 and $1,500...so it was a *really* good deal.  I had already put down $100 on it...and was just trying to find someone to lend me the other $150.

ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY DOLLARS AND NO CENTS.  I wondered, "Who can I turn to?"

Well, lessee...a local black writer needs some financial aid in obtaining an important tool of her trade; I made the laughable mistake of turning to some individuals and organizations who have made names for themselves purporting to help black folk in need...some of whom additionally claim to be journalists/writers.

  • I asked James Tucker (African American Voice) first:  "No."
  • I asked Rosemary Harris Lytle (NAACP) second:  "No."
  • I asked Kathleen Foster (Black Chamber of Commerce):  "No."
  • I asked Delia Armstrong Busby (former D11 Board Member)  "No."
  • I asked a couple of others...the Urban League (no answer), and Rev. P.M. Wynn (out of town).

To help everyone save face, I've abbreviated the answers.  There were other black VIPs I considered calling upon...but didn't.  And to be fair, there were several conservative white VIPs I also called...and who also didn't help.

In the end, an old friend of mine, who is black and a taxi cab driver, loaned me the money...and I paid her back.  Several months later, when our family found itself in serious need of cash, I was able to sell the laptop for $700 -- a decision that helped out at the time, but that I will regret for many tomorrows.

James Tucker considers anyone who doesn't advertise in his African American Voice a racist.

My point?  Lessee...well...it would be wrong for me to accuse all of the above personages and organizations of being racists for their failure and/or outright refusal to help in the advancement of this colored person.

But to be perfectly honest, it's just how most black folk "do" -- how they do each other, and how they do themselves.  The more self-important they feel, the less important things they tend to do for others...and the colored person they're most likely to help advance is the one they see when they look in the mirror.

Yep, I said it...and I meant it.

So, sue me.

Monday, November 22, 2010

Giving & Taking Tree (Board meeting recap)

Hello, hello, hello -- hope you are all well; I've been better, but HECK, I've certainly been worse.

Here's an expository recap of the Board meeting; some of it's shallow, some of it's deep...but then, so is the ocean. It is what it is -- glean from it what you may.

(Don't you just love the word *glean*?)

First of all, let me say that Lyman Kaiser is a BADASS...and I mean this in only the best way.  I don't know much about him, but I'll tell you this:  He Commands Respect.  So understated, sitting there with his yellow legal pad and pen, you just know that everyone is on his and her absolute Best Behavior.  Unlike me, who does the whole stenographer thang and types out every word everyone says, Mr. Kaiser just jots a note here and there; I get the sense he doesn't even need to review the video or audio recordings of the meetings -- he has like a photographic and phonographic (?) memory, and can tell you who said what when at a moment's notice.

Moving on to the moving of the records from the old Pike Elementary School Building.  Yeah, yeah, yeah...everybody already knows that I was/am/will be ONE HUNDRED PERCENT OPPOSED TO ANY AND ALL SCHOOL CLOSURES.  So what, I guess; a grip of them are closed now, and nobody cares but the people who still live in those neighborhoods and day in and day out have to drive past what used to be a school.  I'll tell you what:  for myself and my family...it's a darn good thing my 1st grader is blessed with his mother's brains...otherwise, he'd really be suffering from having missed out on kindergarten as a result of Adams closing and its kids bussed over to Hunt; sorry, but my little man just wasn't ready for all of that, especially with a perfectly good school building being wasted across the street.

I just don't get it, though...I mean, I really puzzle over it.  Think about it this way:  say you were getting married...and just wanted an intimate gathering, because it would mean more to you that way.  But say that some know-it-all said, "Hey, well, Miss Bride, as far as announcements go, it would be a lot more efficient to invite EVERYONE AND HIS MAMA to your wedding -- that way, everyone will know at the same time, and you won't have to repeat yourself over and over -- you'll be able to save your breath."  Well, yeah...but Everybody Knows that the bigger the wedding...THE MORE EXPENSIVE AND PROBLEMATIC THE WEDDING.  Some Messages are Supposed to Be Intimate; Some Messages are Best Communicated in Smaller Settings.

I have simply no idea why the people at the District seem so damn SOLD on the Walmart SuperCenter method of educating children, and moving from schools with a capacity for 200 students to schools with a capacity for 600.  There's no way they can honestly advocate for "achievement"; I hate to say it, but the Administration at District 11 seems to care a lot less about its kids and a helluva lot more about $$$$...and it's no wonder, they way they sit and daydream the time away, preparing for their imaginary future.

Maybe they know something I don't know...like neighborhoods will be going the way of the dinosaur, and women will give birth to some kind of sexless half-sheep, half-robot Play-Dough offspring who benefit from being manipulated while crammed  into small containers -- it works for cows, right?

I digress.

Anyway, I was always opposed to moving the records from the Admin building to Pike, because anyone with an interest in obtaining any type of records would have to drive all the way over to practically the west side to put in a request for them -- and you don't get them lickety-split on the spot.  The original move, I guess cost $80,000; now, because of a contractual commitment to AACL (I think I know who that is, but I'm not sure), the records have to move again.  Well, if you thought the Pike location was convenient, you'll really love their new destination:  that's right...The Warehouse, all the way out in Bum^#$% Egypt....right over there by Transportation.  Believe me: if you ever needed your kid to take a different bus than the one he or she was assigned, then you KNOW where it is I'm talking about -- the forms to request the different bus MUST be filled out in person AT the Transportation Building...and for some of us, it would be just as easy to let your kid climb up on your shoulders and carry them to school.

"This is one of the final pieces of the reutilization," said Glenn.  Yeah, yeah, yeah -- I doubt we'll ever hear the end of that line.

The cost to relocate the records themselves is about $60,000; the required building modifications to the Warehouse will run about $140,000.  What I want to know is, if there's so much room at the Warehouse for these records, why did the District have to use the Adams building to store all of the copiers and school furniture left over from the reutilization?   I mean, shouldn't there have been enough room for all of that at the Warehouse?  But there wasn't...and as I recall, the reason given at the time was that there were pallets and pallets of H1N1 vaccine supplies taking up a bunch of space at the Warehouse.


Of course the common sense location for the records would be at the Admin building.  Listen, the reason why that surplus furniture and equipment was stored at Adams is the exact reverse of why the records will be stored at the Warehouse:  convenience/inconvenience.  It was more convenient for people to *shop* at the Adams building like a second-hand bargain mart located mid-town...and now with the records, it's just more nonsense, farther away, designed to make it harder for the common folk to access records.

SHALLOW SPOILER:
You knew it was coming, and here it is.  First, this is just my opinion...and sometimes, I think her skirts are cut just a tad too long -- but it's always wise to err on the side of conservative:  anyone wanting to add some class and sass to their haberdashery would be wise to imitate Mary Thurman, whose pantsuit made her look like a freshly sharpened navy blue colored pencil -- she was happening, and didn't even look like she was trying; she probably wasn't, cuz a lotta times, girlfriend just has it going on like that.

I have grown especially fond of Sandra Mann lately; I liked her sweater and earrings LOTS and I REPEAT -- I LOVE HER EYEGLASSES.  Even after she got cold and put on a warmer sweater, she just looked so nice and cozy...like watching the evening news by the fireplace with hot cocoa in the winter time twenty-five years ago.  And her voice hasn't changed an iota -- yes, I'm digging on Sandra as of late, and think she's doing a decent job of representin'.

Ditto for Tom Strand -- I don't know about the rest of y'all, but doesn't he come across as damn affable?  And he LISTENS -- I love the way he encapsulates whatever free-form musing has been going on and repeats for the speaker, to ensure said musing has been accurately interpreted.  He just has a real easy-going way about him, and mild-mannered sense of humor -- I dig him, striped shirts and hand-print ties and all.

Mike Poore lately just doesn't seem to be trying very hard; I liked his coat better this week, though, and thank goodness his tie wasn't the exact same color as his shirt.  And of course, Bob and my hero Charlie are reliables, no matter what they're wearing.

Tom asked if there was a suggestion program in the District that would provide the suggester with some sort of monetary recompense for an especially efficient idea; Glenn said yes, but the only type of recompense would come in the form of profuse thanks, which was met by laughter.

Glenn was wearing one of my favorite suits; even though it wasn't black, it was quality-made, along with his tie, and had the effect of giving him a fitter and trimmer appearance.  Well prepared and rehearsed, Double G was simply on point -- as per usual.  But I noticed it again, that weird bearish behavior he ends up exhibiting whenever the talk turns to the 2011 legislative priorities, or "agenda" or "policy" or "platform" -- for some reason, there's a lot of tip-toeing about which of those words to use.  Gledich is always so smooth in dress and manner, and quick on his feet, expressing the nonchalant desire merely to have the Board speak with a presumably unified "D11 Voice"...but even though Glenn didn't slip into pre-hibernate state this time, I still saw it; whenever the discussion turns to this legislative stuff, it's like he turns into some kind of thoughtful honey-bear:  "Somebody's been sittin' in my chair...somebody's been eatin' my porridge..."

I dunno...maybe I'm mistaken...but believe me -- I've taken a fancy to studying a couple of these Wednesday Night Superstars carefully...like with a magnifying glass...and I'm telling you: something's up with this legislative crap, otherwise, it wouldn't keep coming up again and again, and it wouldn't have such an odd and noticeable effect on Alejandro...like he's getting ready to do some sort of Tantric Yoga.

There's an agenda for a breakfast, where the Board will meet with the incoming legislators...at least one of whom hails from Colorado Springs (read:  Pete Lee) and enthusiastically supports D11 arriving at a list of things that matter to the D11 Board.  Remember, Pete is listed as the agent of record for Giving Tree Montessori Pre-School; it's my belief that he's the CEO/Owner/Big Kahuna of Giving Tree...and that would explain why a bunch of this legislative priority stuff seems to include Early Childhood Education initiatives.  Any doubts you have to this end can quickly be answered by reading the write up about Giving Tree in the Indepdendent's "Best Of" issue -- tell me it doesn't practically SCREAM "restorative justice for toddlers."  If I'm wrong, you can hand me a Peace Rose and we can talk about it civilly, in a One-World Way, like the big boys and girls do at the United Nations.

I dunno why the previous paragraph is all bold; God just told me to do it, and so I did.

Whatever Example Legislative Priorities ONE, TWO OR TEN are -- take a good look at 'em; after guesstimating Alejandro's temperature, one, two and ten are the ones that really matter to the clique all hot and bothered about this legislative stuff.

Bob Null said:  "We're putting the cart before the horse; let's read all of the policy, not just the parts that we like; what are we going to do with it, how do we get these items before us, not only have we not developed an agenda previously, we need to be willing to spend the extra time to review the long list of bills we'll receive, and take the time to read them; I'd challenge everyone to remember what was even discussed."

Bob said the only priority that came quickly to his mind was to never support any unfunded mandates...and to mention the things D11 would oppose and those D11 would like the new governor and the CDE to support and/or reject.  Bob again asked, "What's the difference between the policy and the agenda as opposed to the platform? That will hopefully have some impact...Larry Liston would like to meet with the Board to discuss our hopes and dreams and likes and dislikes; right now, while [these incoming legislators] are still new, we ought to grab them while they're interested."

The meeting with Liston is to occur on Nov. 29, 2010 -- I'm not sure if that's the same event as the Big Breakfast; whatever, however, Bob suggested reviewing the policy and making sure they all know what they mean by it in an upcoming work session.  Time sure seems of the essence, for whatever reason.

You know, it just came to me...what this is probably all about.  Some of you may already be aware that Colorado again lost out in Obama's Race to the Top; there's like a bazillion dollars available to the states that meet these new "standards" and such; these guys probably want to get all lined up so that *this* time, they'll be sure to snag the money.  Well, I've said it from the Git-Go:  somebody call these guys a WAAH-mbulance; so what if Colorado doesn't get a piece of that commie pie.  To be perfectly honest, we'd all be better off WITHOUT IT; pass me the pumpkin, the apple, the cherry, WHATEVER, just please NO COMMIE PIE FOR MY KIDS, THANKS VERY MUCH.

All of that federal money comes at a very steep price, my friends; doesn't the District already have PLENTY of money that it takes from we, the people??  Friends, I want to believe everyone means well, and none are motivated by selfishness and personal gain.  But believing doesn't necessarily make things so.

Wrapping up was Jan Tanner, and I'm just going to put up here what I typed as she spoke:  "I think it's important to solve a problem we maybe had in the past but we definitely have now; if anyone were to come to us from Educational Oversight and ask, 'What does D11 think about this?'  We need to be able to say, on this particular point we feel like such.  If we have legislative positions and objectives on funding, then whoever is called can say, well, based on the Board's position, we would support or reject this bill.  We can't even say what we think about certain things, we can't just pass it back onto the State; even if a majority of the Board believes in innovation, we can't tell the legislature that most of the kids and families in Colorado Springs feel the same way.  For instance, closing the achievement gap -- we may have certain things in mind to make that happen; we need to know what these things are in order to support them, go forth and talk to people...so that Glenn and our grant writers can go back speak to these things.  I absolutely support it, no matter what word we use for it."

It was a long meeting, and right about now, I had to pop in a VHS tape and record the remainder of the meeting; I haven't watched it yet...I hope to, but can't/won't promise.  Keep your ears out for something called the "Underwood" approach to school finance; I dunno what it's all about, but it's got something to do with increased mill levy, increased property tax, either for perpetuity, or just for a three-year plan (YEAH, RIGHT).

Anyhoo, friends, love ya; thanks for reading this far, and ciao.

- Spydra

P.S.:  Consider participating in the National Opt-Out Day this coming Wednesday; I'll post some pretty compelling reasons why tomorrow.

xoxo

Sunday, November 14, 2010

Missed a spot

Ok, well, yeah, while I was sleeping, I missed a spot or two of Wednesday's regular meeting of the Board.

I really don't have time to fully devote right now -- birthday parties and housecleaning and laundry and the like...but I do STRONGLY RECOMMEND catching tonight's re-broadcast; I know I will.

On deck is discussion on the Irving building reutilization...WHICH I believe I've already said was brazenly lifted from a proposal I WROTE for the Irving Village Community group and Johnson Heating and Plumbing, and submitted to the District in response to their RFP a year ago.  The District ended up rejecting all of the proposals, wasting everyone's time; then all of a sudden, there's Mike Poore, presenting to the Board what a great idea it would be to start a vocational school at Irving (!).

Indeed, it is flattering and the source of much bemusement to see so much of what I'd envisioned for Irving taking shape.  But -- someone correct me if I'm wrong -- the remodeling at Irving took out the metal shop and the wood shop that came part and parcel with the building; the existence of those two rooms provided the very substance of the proposal to establish a building technical trades program at Irving.  I'll tell you what -- Rick Johnson is a man of high integrity, and the program he had envisioned for Irving was just perfect, all the way around, and I've always thought it was stupid of the District not to have partnered with his outfit to make this part work.

The proposal also suggested that the remainder of the building be used as a community center.  By becoming a resource for the community, it could have helped the people there heal from the closing of Irving Middle School -- because believe me:  the people in that area ARE still hurting over it, and will for a long time.  The community center portion of the proposal would have also offered some rental revenue; after all, there's the auditorium, the stage, tennis courts, cafeteria, computer rooms, etc.

I mean, the building was already all set up for it -- so there was no need for capital improvements.  DUH.

But having the tendency to take a good idea and make ONE GREAT BIG GIGANTIC HAIRY EXPENSIVE MONSTER out of it, the District, No Doubt, is finding that chewing all it's bitten off is gonna be one challenging mouthful. 

The price of gluttony.

I dunno...but I'm not at all sold on the the Achieve K-8 or K-12 program there -- why is the District so sure, and so ready to sink SO MUCH money and time and effort and retrofitting in something so uncertain?

It's called fixing what isn't broken.  YOO-HOO, you know what was a sure thing, School District 11?  Irving Middle School, and the kids who went to it and the families that grew from it and the neighbors who benefitted from it; yeah, not the kind of big money-maker like the District is always chasing after...but the regular, bread and butter kind -- you know...THE SUSTAINABLE KIND.

The meeting ends with the defeat of Jan Tanner's repeated suggestion to rejoin the Coalition for a Thorough and Uniform Colorado Public Education System.

Will write more on this later.

Saturday, November 13, 2010

Prediction

Hickenlooper selects Mike Merrifield to be one of his inner-circle henchmen.

Thursday, November 11, 2010

Morning Assembly

Wow...so what's up at Lincoln?  Who complained about the principal there, and the morning assemblies?

I'll be honest, this is the first I've heard of it; but I always sit up and take notice when citizen comments come from...shall we say, a more diverse group of parents...as opposed to the general PTO-ish cheerleaders.

So, I don't know all the details, but from what I could gather, some parents think it's a waste of time?

Well, for me, I think it's kinda cool to all meet at the start of the day for a quick morning pep-talk.  I was a Terrorette, and so maybe I'm a little biased; but there's not much more *rousing* to me than the sound of a school band doing the whole "let's get rowdy" thang...and the sound of a whole group of kids banging their feet on the bleachers and shouting is just like *WOW*.  I always loved pep assemblies; heck -- I always loved morning announcements.  Things like this didn't necessarily shape my day; but I really feel like it helped me feel like I was part of something bigger than myself; it's called "spirit" -- and if it helps the kids achieve, then so be it; be glad no one's starting out the morning with a (*gulp* dare I say it) prayer. 

And to be recognized in front of everyone at school is just cool.

The cutest little teacher from Lincoln came in and slapped everyone around with a bunch of achievement numbers, and the Lincoln community liaison said it well:  "If parents are upset that their kids didn't earn some sort of recognition, then the parents can recognize and reward their own child themselves."

"Here ya go, Johnny...here's a gold star just for being you."

Anyway, I love school.  I love everything that makes kids love school.  I've only heard good things about Shirley Stevens (or is it Stephens, I dunno), and while I know I'm pretty uninformed on this subject, my gut is to support the principal.  Tell ya one thing for sure:  I didn't see a single soul step up in support of Ms. Herbst.

I love Sandra Mann's black hair, and her eyeglasses are the BEES KNEES y'all.

It was most unfortunate that the next item up was the District's audit and the results thereof.  I tried, and I tried, and I tried...but after three tries, I was out like a light -- as though an enormous Alejandro sandman crooned me a lullaby after covering my face with a cloth dipped in chloroform.  I tell ya, he has his way with me using that exact same tactic time and time again.

So, I'll have to tune in over the weekend to catch all that I missed.

(pssst...you know who you are:  good job.  two weeks in a row.  nice sweater)

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Madman Hold Music

While we wait:

I just love this song...wear headphones and turn it up LOUD, it is totally amazing.

Just a thought...

...that's been bothering me for some time:

I gotta hand it to Bob Null -- he advised against 60, 61, and 101 so many times...sometimes on the verge of tears...that he sold me against them.  I mean, even though it sure seems like D11 wastes a lot of money, wouldn't be terrible to take so much money away from them?

But won't it be a slap in the face, now that 60 and 61 were defeated, if these guys end up voting to close another school?

Even just one school...no doubt about it, I WILL HAVE A FIT.

So, let's see how the Board discussions on the boundaries play out; I sure hope my suspicions on this one are proven wrong.

Come to meetin' night all -- be there, or be square.

Sunday, November 7, 2010

Mann Handled

Hey y'all,

Not a whole lotta time...but for my background mood music, I was just listening to cool, rockin' sounds of Wednesday's work session.

For those of you who are interested in learning more about the District's hiring practices, watch the first hour of the Wednesday's Board Work Session meeting.  Kudos to Mary Thurman, whose suit was just too-too; she is just like *so* together, she makes me feel like a hobo.

For those of you interested in the Purple Packet Process, watch the second hour of Wednesday's Board Work Session meeting. 

Sandra Mann, by the way...I'm not sure what's gotten into her, but lately her questions have been *WAY* pointed, and she doesn't let up until the question has been decisively answered (or not).  My admiration for her grows with each hard-hitting question she she insists on having answered.  She did the same thing to Brenda LaBrasse several weeks ago, and it seemed like she came pretty close to making Brenda cry. 

Make sure to listen to Sandra's questions about HRO's involvement in the Purple Packet Transition process and how it affects external applicants, as well as her astute observations on how a lot of the hiring and "transition" procedures seem totally slanted against the District and in the teacher's favor. Her look, by the way, was dramatically spider-like.

Tom Strand, Charlie Bobbitt, Al Loma and Bob Null all asked very good questions as well...with several of them commenting on HOW EXPENSIVE PURPLE PACKET EMPLOYEES ARE...and Tom actually saying something about "the appearance of [Purple Packet] double-dipping." 

Just a couple of random Strand thoughts here: Is he growing a beard?  Does he have a cold? He's been a bit hoarse for two weeks now. I really like the way he controls the meetings...and he ended this one with a pretty humorous quip; sometimes, his sense of humor really cracks me up.

Good to see Reverend Loma back in the saddle again.

Final comment:  It's a little troubling how LuAnn *always* comes to the teacher's defense, even when it's nearly impossible to do.

Wednesday's work session only went 2 1/2 hours, so it's manageable; it's a must watch, so as soon as it becomes available online, watch it.

Good job to everyone on their clothing choices. 

Thursday, November 4, 2010

Are we too late?

...well, are we?
check out this video

Wednesday, November 3, 2010

Thanks alot Dan Maes

What was your point in staying in?  Don't you realize that you have become one of the most reviled men in the state of Colorado??  Don't you care???

It literally disgusts me that you allowed this to happen to everyone in Colorado.  I AM MAD AT YOU.

Sunday, October 31, 2010

Convicted of the Holy Spirit

I've told you that I used to drink pretty heavily...and whenever I wasn't at work, I was practically squatting at the Ritz. It was not a time of my life I'm particularly proud about.

I left home one day following a morning-after spat with my husband over the summer of 1996, and flew to Seattle to visit an old girlfriend from CSU. The trip was a big disappointment; my friend was still plenty wild and very single...and I was soon reminded of all the reasons why being married with children is quite alright.

My ride to the airport was sluggish and hung-over; he got me there just as my plane was departing, and I ended up having to take an Alaska Air flight back to the Springs. The only seat available was in first-class...and so that's where they placed me. I had already downed several glasses of wine in short order when the man sitting nearest to me struck up a conversation.

I experience significant memory loss when I drink too much, and often am left with only a flash of recollection of either the very best or the very worst moment that took place; so I don't remember what all we talked about. But my speech becomes quite animated after I've been drinking, and peppered with expletives; there's little reason for me to think this drunken occasion was different from any of my countless others.

So, anyway, my flash of total recall is this: my seatmate was absolutely pleasant, with a most remarkable voice, and I made him laugh several times. At one point he asked what I did for a living, and I told him I worked for MCI; I then asked him the same, and he chuckled a bit before telling me he was a preacher.

Well, that lit me up. "Wow. Hey, maybe you can explain a couple of things: How come in the Bible it says that if a woman gives birth to a male child, she shall be unclean for six days...but if she gives birth to a girl child, she's unclean for a month!?! Why is the woman 'unclean' at all??? Whut up wid dat, huh? And what about Cain and Abel -- why'd God reject Cain's offering of grain but favor Abel's offering of meat? God doesn't like broccoli?? How about the offerings the people were supposed to make at the temples; I mean, COME ON -- God doesn't eat food; God doesn't need money -- but I bet there were a whole lotta rich and fat Rabbis passing the collection plate!! The Bible is no different from ancient Greek mythology."

He laughed good-naturedly, and started to explain things to me...things I no longer recall, and dismissed posthaste as utter nonsense. I presume the plane landed safely and we parted ways.

Years later, I dreamt three dreams that I can only explain as messages from God...and it was still several years after that before I realized the man sitting next to me on the plane was the most excellent preacher, Charles Stanley.

What a remarkable man; what a gentle, dignified and *powerful* speaker...and such an unpretentious servant of the Lord: if any of you reading long for a better understanding of the Bible and a closer relationship with God, I highly recommend listening to his sermons. Indeed, my habit is to watch Charles Stanley on Sunday mornings instead of going to church (which I still really have a very hard time with).

His topic today was, "Giving back to the Lord." Let me tell ya: I don't care who's preaching -- I usually NEVER sit through a sermon about tithing...and to be perfectly honest with you, I considered changing the channel once I recognized the topic. But he kept saying things that kept me listening, and before he was done, I had a page full of notes -- front and back.

Anyway, less than a week ago, I received an anonymous comment that stuck in my craw.

The writer said that judging from my tone, as well as the number of articles I've written about her, it was plain that I hated Jan Tanner -- and then the writer prayed for me to let it go. And I wrote a follow-up that said, "I don't hate Jan Tanner, I'm practically in love with Jan Tanner." But in my heart, I know that all but maybe 20 words I've written about her have been generously laced with spydra-venom.

Yes, Jan's association with the District has been wrong for a very long time...but she's unlikely to ever come clean about it; heckling her won't make a confession come any faster, and after all, "Better is a little with righteousness than great revenues without right."

Yes, I am poor and covetous and envious of her ill-gotten gains -- but she's not gonna share with me, and the Bible says, "Better it is to be of an humble spirit with the lowly, than to divide the spoil with the proud."

Yes, Jan's a poor choice as a leader, but it's the electorate's responsibility to become educated on the candidates. The Bible says that, "The simple believeth every word; but the prudent man looketh well to his going."

"A wholesome tongue is a tree of life; but perverseness therein is a breach in the spirit." Well, no doubt, there are times when my tongue ain't exactly wholesome... but I do believe "pleasant words are as an honeycomb, sweet to the soul and health to the bones."

Thank you to the anonymous commenter -- even though I know who you are -- for chastising and correcting me. "Every one that is proud in heart is an abomination to the Lord; the ear that heareth the reproof of life abideth among the wise; the heart of the wise teacheth his mouth and addeth learning to his lips."

I'd say at least ten percent of Spydra's Web is about Jan Tanner...and so, because I have no money to give up to God, I surrender my obsession with Jan.

"When a man's ways please the Lord, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him." So Jan, I won't dress you down in public anymore, and I ask your forgiveness; with that said...I'm only human; please don't tempt me.

"Commit thy works unto the Lord, and thy thoughts shall be established."  I will continue to research as God guides me, but will try hard to only write in ways that honor Him; for vengeance is not mine...and I want Him to be proud of me.  "He that handleth a matter wisely shall find good; and whoso trusteth in the Lord, happy is he."

And I am happy.



*   *   *   *   *   *   *   *

His Word *is* so magical...

came across this audio one day after writing this post
 

 

Friday, October 29, 2010

Dear President Strand...

Just a quick note:

I missed most of the last Board meeting, so perhaps I'm too late; pehaps it's already a done deal.  But if not: 

The topic has been raised SEVERAL TIMES and each time, a majority of the Board said "No." 

PLEASE DO NOT ADD THE TOPIC OF RE-JOINING THE LEGISLATIVE COALITION TO THE CALENDAR.

Jan is already on the CASB Board; Glenn is already the President of the CASE Board.  There is no need to rejoin the legislative coalition.  PERIOD.  I truly hope that you don't capitulate to the wants and whims of Jan and Glenn.

Hope your wife is well.

Love,

Spydra

Wednesday, October 20, 2010

The Communist Takeover of America

You are about to read a list of 45 goals that found their way down the halls of our great Capitol back in 1963. As you read this, 47 years later, you should be shocked by the events that have played themselves out.

* * * * * * * * 

Communist Goals (1963) Congressional Record--Appendix, pp. A34-A35 January 10, 1963

Current Communist Goals EXTENSION OF REMARKS OF HON. A. S. HERLONG, JR. OF FLORIDA IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Thursday, January 10, 1963 .

Mr. HERLONG. Mr. Speaker, Mrs. Patricia Nordman of De Land, Fla., is an ardent and articulate opponent of communism, and until recently published the De Land Courier, which she dedicated to the purpose of alerting the public to the dangers of communism in America.

At Mrs. Nordman's request, I include in the RECORD, under unanimous consent, the following "Current Communist Goals," which she identifies as an excerpt from "The Naked Communist," by Cleon Skousen:


* * * * * * * *

1. U.S. acceptance of coexistence as the only alternative to atomic war.

2. U.S. willingness to capitulate in preference to engaging in atomic war.

3. Develop the illusion that total disarmament [by] the United States would be a demonstration of moral strength.

4. Permit free trade between all nations regardless of Communist affiliation and regardless of whether or not items could be used for war.

5. Extension of long-term loans to Russia and Soviet satellites.

6. Provide American aid to all nations regardless of Communist domination.

7. Grant recognition of Red China. Admission of Red China to the U.N.

8. Set up East and West Germany as separate states in spite of Khrushchev's promise in 1955 to settle the German question by free elections under supervision of the U.N.

9. Prolong the conferences to ban atomic tests because the United States has agreed to suspend tests as long as negotiations are in progress.

10. Allow all Soviet satellites individual representation in the U.N.

11. Promote the U.N. as the only hope for mankind. If its charter is rewritten, demand that it be set up as a one-world government with its own independent armed forces. (Some Communist leaders believe the world can be taken over as easily by the U.N. as by Moscow. Sometimes these two centers compete with each other as they are now doing in the Congo.)

12. Resist any attempt to outlaw the Communist Party.

13. Do away with all loyalty oaths.

14. Continue giving Russia access to the U.S. Patent Office.

15. Capture one or both of the political parties in the United States.

16. Use technical decisions of the courts to weaken basic American institutions by claiming their activities violate civil rights.

17. Get control of the schools. Use them as transmission belts for socialism and current Communist propaganda. Soften the curriculum. Get control of teachers' associations. Put the party line in textbooks.

18. Gain control of all student newspapers.

19. Use student riots to foment public protests against programs or organizations which are under Communist attack.

20. Infiltrate the press. Get control of book-review assignments, editorial writing, policy-making positions.

21. Gain control of key positions in radio, TV, and motion pictures.

22. Continue discrediting American culture by degrading all forms of artistic expression. An American Communist cell was told to "eliminate all good sculpture from parks and buildings, substitute shapeless, awkward and meaningless forms."

23. Control art critics and directors of art museums. "Our plan is to promote ugliness, repulsive, meaningless art."

24. Eliminate all laws governing obscenity by calling them "censorship" and a violation of free speech and free press.

25. Break down cultural standards of morality by promoting pornography and obscenity in books, magazines, motion pictures, radio, and TV.

26. Present homosexuality, degeneracy and promiscuity as "normal, natural, healthy."

27. Infiltrate the churches and replace revealed religion with "social" religion. Discredit the Bible and emphasize the need for intellectual maturity, which does not need a "religious crutch."

28. Eliminate prayer or any phase of religious expression in the schools on the ground that it violates the principle of "separation of church and state."

29. Discredit the American Constitution by calling it inadequate, old-fashioned, out of step with modern needs, a hindrance to cooperation between nations on a worldwide basis.

30. Discredit the American Founding Fathers. Present them as selfish aristocrats who had no concern for the "common man."

31. Belittle all forms of American culture and discourage the teaching of American history on the ground that it was only a minor part of the "big picture." Give more emphasis to Russian history since the Communists took over.

32. Support any socialist movement to give centralized control over any part of the culture--education, social agencies, welfare programs, mental health clinics, etc.

33. Eliminate all laws or procedures which interfere with the operation of the Communist apparatus.

34. Eliminate the House Committee on Un-American Activities.

35. Discredit and eventually dismantle the FBI.

36. Infiltrate and gain control of more unions.

37. Infiltrate and gain control of big business.

38. Transfer some of the powers of arrest from the police to social agencies. Treat all behavioral problems as psychiatric disorders which no one but psychiatrists can understand [or treat].

39. Dominate the psychiatric profession and use mental health laws as a means of gaining coercive control over those who oppose Communist goals.

40. Discredit the family as an institution. Encourage promiscuity and easy divorce.

41. Emphasize the need to raise children away from the negative influence of parents. Attribute prejudices, mental blocks and retarding of children to suppressive influence of parents.

42. Create the impression that violence and insurrection are legitimate aspects of the American tradition; that students and special-interest groups should rise up and use ["]united force["] to solve economic, political or social problems.

43. Overthrow all colonial governments before native populations are ready for self-government.

44. Internationalize the Panama Canal.

45. Repeal the Connally reservation so the United States cannot prevent the World Court from seizing jurisdiction [over domestic problems. Give the World Court jurisdiction] over nations and individuals alike.