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.

New Rules on Textbooks: The Age of Reason Approved by Texas Board of Education

by Nomad

A recent decision by the Texas Board of Education will attempt to roll back the effect of religious and political groups' influence over public school textbooks. 
Despite this good news, the question remains whether the experts which the board will consult for accuracy can actually be trusted. 

Here's another sign that what was once blood red can just as easily become sky blue. AP is reporting news that civil libertarians will see as a victory of science and established facts over religious dogma and the influence of politics.

The Texas Board of Education imposed tighter rules Friday on the citizen review panels that scrutinize proposed textbooks, potentially softening fights over evolution, religion's role in U.S. history and other ideological matters that have long seeped into what students learn in school.

How The Minority Used its Majority
This issue has been brewing for awhile. One reason for this is that Texas is the nation's largest state with more more than 5 million public school students. Also, it is because many of the textbooks printed there are accepted in other states as well. Thus all it takes is for a few activists with a religious or political agenda to have a vast influence over what is being taught to our children.

The 15-member education board approves textbooks for school districts to use, but objections raised by reviewers can influence its decisions. The volunteer review panels are often dominated by social conservatives who want more skepticism about evolution included in science textbooks, arguing that a higher power helped create the universe.

The article pointed out that social conservatives used their majority on the board to affect these changes to the textbook selection process. 

The board also had long been controlled by social conservatives before election defeats weakened their voting bloc in recent years — but not before its culture war clashes drew national headlines. 

It was clear that certain issues were on the hit list.

Those members pushed for de-emphasizing climate change in science classes, and requiring social studies students to learn about the Christian values of America's founding fathers and evaluate whether the United Nations undermined U.S. sovereignty.

In an effort to reverse the influence of narrow interest groups, the new rules mandated that teachers or professors be given priority for serving on the textbook review panels for subjects in their areas of expertise. Furthermore, the rules enable the board to appoint outside experts to check objections raised by review panels and ensure they are based on fact, not ideology.

"It won't eliminate politics, but it will make it where it's a more informed process," said Thomas Ratliff, a Republican board member who pushed for the changes, which he said "force us to find qualified people, leave them alone, and let them do their jobs."

The new rules were unanimously approved.

Two Free Posters: Why 2014 won't be 2010 and Tea Party Clowns

by Nomad

Here's are two posters you might enjoy.

Please be sure to repost it, tweet it and pin it. Thanks!

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