Boehner at the President's State of the Union Address: Caption Request

by Nomad

 Caption anyone?

Betty Friedan: True Personhood Means Self-Control Over One's Body

by Nomad

Today marks the anniversary of the death of one of the leaders of the feminism movement, Betty Friedan. 

On this date, eight years ago, Betty Friedan died. It was also her 85th birthday. The name may not be familiar to many young women today. That's a shame. 

Friedan's Legacy
Her 1963 book,  The Feminine Mystique, is considered to be the catalyst for the American feminism movement of that decade. It remains one of the most powerful works of popular non-fiction written in America. 

In 1966, Friedan founded and was elected the first president of the National Organization for Women (NOW), which aimed to bring women "into the mainstream of American society now [in] fully equal partnership with men." 

Half-Baked News: Big Government Crushes Little Girl's Cup-Cake Dreams

by Nomad

How did a small human interest news story about a little girl's cupcake making business suddenly become an "unbelievable" story of government overreach and oppressive regulations? We examine how local media contribute to the right-wing propaganda machine.

How Not to Report the News

When it comes to the art of the spin, the way a simple news story can be manipulated is truly impressive. It is interesting to see how, instead of explaining the legitimate reasons- which can be a little tiresome and taxing on viewers- local news has become excellent at twisting a story to fit into a pre-decided mold.

Take the recent case of the little cupcake maker. When Belleville News-Democrat threw a spotlight on 11- year-old Chloe Stirling from Troy, Illinois and her cupcake making business, it was originally one of those quaintly positive human interest pieces that local news does ad nasueum. A dedicated self-starter, amazement to her mother, hard working (and photogenic) little girl with a vision. That sort of thing.

However, when the local health department watched the broadcast, they saw something very different. They saw a businessperson operating without any of the required health permits. Officials called the Stirling residence and promptly put Chloe out of business.