January 13, 2011 · 10:12 pm

Don’t Worry – Your Zodiac Sign is Not Wrong | Daily Astrology & Adventure by Eric Francis

People seem to be freaking out over a report that the Zodiac signs are changing…

Eric Francis, from Planet Waves, explains this isn’t the case….

In a lot more detail than I, at least, need to know…

I wish I could put out a press release announcing that the world is flat, and send astronomers scrambling — to return the favor for when an astronomer sends out a press release announcing that your zodiac sign is wrong. That’s what happened this week when the following went viral faster than the dude who got rich dancing around like a dork in 34 countries:

Astronomer Parke Kunkle says that due to changes in the Earth’s alignment the dates of many zodiac signs have changed, according to NBC. In addition, there may be a 13th Zodiac sign: Ophiuchus. Kunkle says that as the Earth and Sun slowly move the signs gradually change, as expected. The change didn’t happen over night either. The 12 signs were designated to different periods of the year almost 3,000 years ago, when astrology began, and since then the Earth’s position in relation to the sun has changed.

Either this is a joke or Parke Kunkle is truly ignorant of his own science. It’s probably a bit of both.

The tropical zodiac is in the inner wheel, the sidereal zodiac is in the outer wheel. Notice how they are ‘out of alignment’ by about one whole sign — to be exact, 23 degrees. This is due to precessional movement, which shifts the two zodiacs by one degree every 70 years.

There are two zodiacs in common use. Kunkle is describing what is called the sidreal zodiac: the backdrop of the stars. It’s not the zodiac used by most Western astrologers; it’s the one used by Vedic astrologers, the kind in India, and a few in our part of the world. The two zodiacs are offset by about 23 degrees. I’ll explain why in a moment.

Here in the West, we use a zodiac that follows the seasons. It’s called the tropical zodiac. It’s based on the position of the Sun’s rays and the tropics — that’s why it’s called tropical. There is another one, based on the positions of the stars. It’s called the sidereal zodiac. If Kunkle doesn’t know this, it’s like a race car driver not understanding the concept of a tire. If so, he also doesn’t understand a long list of other concepts that must make it very difficult for him to do his work. Well, that’s what grad students are for.

via Astrology, Horoscopes, Monthly Horoscopes, Weekly Horoscopes, Daily Astrology Blog, | Don’t Worry – Your Zodiac Sign is Not Wrong | Daily Astrology & Adventure by Eric Francis.

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January 13, 2011 · 8:17 pm

Chinese moms vs. Western moms: Is there a mother superior?

Very interesting article…

I think I would have been a Chinese parent…

The “Chinese Mom” theory is that nothing is fun until you’re good at it. And to get good at anything, you have to work hard. “On their own,” Chua writes, “Children never want to work, which is why it is crucial to override their preferences.” This is where Western parents fail, she says, by letting our kids give up too quickly. We simply don’t have the fortitude or patience to push through our children’s resistance.

Maybe modern day parenting in America has become too permissive. Maybe we’ve gotten too soft. We coddle and cajole our children as we gently nudge them passive aggressively to do their chores and their homework.

“Will you please put your clothes away?”

“Let’s study for your spelling test now, OK?”

“Sweetie, can you please turn off the TV and do your 15 minutes of assigned homework reading?”

Seriously, 15 minutes. Even that’s positioned as a question, not a demand.

Go to any school today with a “progressive” philosophy and administrators proudly espouse the virtues of addressing the “whole child” and creating an independent, creative, empathetic individual. These are the buzz words that resonate with Western parents. It’s true, we want happy, well adjusted, well rounded children who will contribute to society. We also buy into the theory that creativity, critical thinking and social skills are essential for future success.

Yes, our kids need to excel at algebra, but we want them to not only learn, but to also enjoy learning in a stimulating environment where they can thrive in their own uniqueness. Rote learning is out; individual exploration is in.

Chua condemns these methods as Western foolishness. Drill and kill, practice until perfect — this is the Chinese Mom way. “Tenacious practice, practice, practice is crucial for excellence; rote repetition is underrated in America,” Chua writes.

But in our Western style of enjoying and embracing, where children always expect warm fuzzies and trophies, even if they actually stink, have we become parental enablers to laziness and mediocrity?

via Chinese moms vs. Western moms: Is there a mother superior? – CNN.com.

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January 12, 2011 · 6:58 pm

Coble seeks repeal of light bulb standard- News-Record.com

With all that’s going on in the world, one of Greensboro’s Congressmen can’t focus on anything but light bulbs.

As I’ve said many times, the Republicans can only look backwards…

The idea here is to save energy and lower electric bills, but Howard doesn’t seem to get that…

Could be because he’s a 15 watt bulb in a 100 watt socket…just not bright enough…

GREENSBORO — U.S. Rep. Howard Coble is among those urging colleagues in Congress to turn off the lights on a controversial provision of the 2007 energy bill.

The Greensboro Republican is a co-sponsor of a bill to repeal what some refer to — erroneously — as the incandescent bulb ban. Texas Reps. Joe Barton and Michael Burgess and Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee, all Republicans, were the original sponsors of the repeal measure.

The legislation is a long way from passing, but it is in keeping with Republican pledges to roll back laws they see as interfering with personal freedoms.

“It seems to me the Congress and the government is inserting its oars in waters where it doesn’t need to go,” Coble said Tuesday, adding that people ought to choose which kind of light bulb they want to use for themselves.

“This ought to be a personal decision rather than being an edict from on high.”

The 2007 bill sets energy efficiency standards for light bulbs. It doesn’t specifically ban incandescent bulbs, but it would phase out the cheap, 50 cents-a-piece, single-filament model based on Thomas Edison’s century-old design.

The rationale behind the bill had to do with cutting down the energy Americans use by making lighting fixtures more efficient. Rather than ban possession or use of any one bulb, it prohibits retailers from selling the less energy-efficient models, phasing in the new rules between 2012 and 2014.

via Coble seeks repeal of light bulb standard : News-Record.com : Greensboro & the Triad’s most trusted source for local news and analysis.

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January 12, 2011 · 5:48 pm

‘All in the Family’: 12 Memorable Moments

This was a great show…

Would ‘All in the Family’ make it today?

Today, Jan. 12, marks the 40th anniversary of the CBS show’s debut, and it’s hard to say if the comedy would’ve been as influential in today’s television landscape.

While there are plenty of shows that feature sex and violence — and even cartoons like ‘South Park’ handle some political/cultural issues — there aren’t many that deal with politics, race and sex the way this show did. It was controversial then, but with today’s 24-hour news, cable pundits, the Internet and political correctness, it would get a lot of heat (if it made it on the air at all).

So in honor of ‘All in the Family’s’ anniversary, here’s our list of 12 great moments from the show. It’s hard to pick just a dozen, but these are all classic.

More:   ‘All in the Family’: 12 Memorable Moments.

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January 12, 2011 · 5:44 pm

Koch Groups End Successful Integration Program In NC

If anyone still thinks the Tea Party Movement is really a grassroots effort, read this…

It’s all about providing cover for Big money Conservatives trying to influence politics and society to roll back the clock to a whiter, less diverse world…

We have to interact with as broad a range of people as possible if we are ever to truly understand each other, identify and build on our commonalities and lose the fear of those who may be different from us.  Of course, that’s not what these guys want….

And there is also the importance of  building an education system that allows everyone a chance to learn and succeed- not just the white and the wealthy…

From ThinkProgress.org…

Today in the Washington Post, reporter Stephanie McCrummen detailed how a right-wing campaign in the Wake County area of North Carolina has taken over the school board with a pledge to end a very successful socio-economic integration plan. The integration plan, which created thriving schools in poor African-American parts of the school district along with achieving diversity in schools located in wealthy white enclaves, was a model for the nation. However, Americans for Prosperity (AFP), the Tea Party group founded and funded by billionaire brothers Charles and David Koch, worked with local right-wing financier (and AFP board member) Art Pope to fundamentally change Wake County’s school board:

More:   ThinkProgress » Fulfilling Father’s Campaign To Segregate Public Schools, Koch Groups End Successful Integration Program In NC.

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January 12, 2011 · 5:31 pm

A Fair and Balanced Conversation About Violent Political Rhetoric

Great Video from Jed Lewison at DailyKos on the overheated rhetoric and the opposing viewpoints…

I can’t embed it, but you can click the link…

A Fair and Balanced Conversation About Violent Political Rhetoric

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January 11, 2011 · 7:40 pm

Daily Kos: CBS poll: Over a quarter of Republicans think violence against government justified

This is rather frightening…

From Dailykos.com:

A CBS poll found the following:

The poll also shows that while three in four Americans say violence against the government is never justified, 16 percent say it can be justified — the same percentage that said as much in April.

What? 16 percent of Americans think anti-government violence is justified? I emailed CBS and asked for the partisan breakdowns of that question. Here they are:

Do you think it is ever justified for citizens to take violent action against the government, or is it never justified?

Republican 28% yes, 64% no

Democrat 11% yes, 81% no

Indepdent 11% yes, 81% no

Note, this poll was conducted after the Giffords shooting. Yet while a tiny (though still too large) fringe of Democrats and Independents approve of anti-government violence (likely the Alex Jones crowd), over a quarter of Republicans do so.

28 percent.

I wonder where that 28 percent gets their news. (Not really, it’s pretty obvious.)

via Daily Kos: CBS poll: Over a quarter of Republicans think violence against government justified.

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January 11, 2011 · 7:16 pm

Pleated Pants: The Dialogue Continues…

Everyone knows I consider wearing pleated pants the greatest style crime of the 21st Century.

Wearing them is just a horrible thing for a man to do to himself.  If you see anyone wearing them, please encourage them to get help fast before Stacy and Clinton find  them and forcefully put them on “What Not to Wear.”  There are few things in life worse than being forced onto a show on the same network that did “Sarah Palin’s Alaska”.

Just in case you still have questions, here is a great video that explains the issue…

 

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January 11, 2011 · 7:00 pm

Don’t Blame Sarah Palin, Just Stop Paying Attention! Vanity Fair

I love Henry Rollins.  He has an interesting take on the political atmosphere and it’s cause/effect/lack of effect in driving the tragic shooting of Congresswoman Giffords and all the other victims in Tucson a few days ago…

I think I’m with him on this….

I encourage you to click the link and read the entire piece on VanityFair.com.

I saw Glenn Beck in action last summer at his Restore Honor Rally. His speech sucked and his audience looked ancient and out-of-shape. Rush Limbaugh makes money getting simpleminded people to feel good about their intellectually undernourished brain spasms. He’s very good at it, and I scarcely believe a fraction of what he says. Sarah Palin embarrasses herself almost immediately upon opening her mouth to speak or upon moving her fingers to send messages to her dull flock. I just don’t believe these people can really motivate anyone to do anything except misspell words on the signs they take to their corny rallies and vote for candidates who will immediately screw them upon entering office. Past that, I don’t think much gets done.

I could be completely wrong here, but I think there is a much harder-core element in American society that doesn’t listen to these pundits, doesn’t care who is president, and has nothing but contempt and hatred for government in general. I don’t believe it mattered to Timothy McVeigh who was president or who his congressional representative was when he blew up the Murrah Building in 1995.

I know that Loughner had a history of extreme dislike for representative Giffords. I just can’t believe he got that from a map drawn up by Sarah Palin or the bug-eyed-baby ravings of Glenn Beck.

One thing I think we can count on is that no conservative radio personality will be toning down their rap at all. They are now almost forced to keep it up, to show that they are in no way a part of this case.

Again, you might not dig this, but I don’t want them to tone it down. I want them to have the same First Amendment rights that I enjoy. What I want is for everyone else to evolve and stop listening. I want for these talkers to have such low ratings due to non-interest that they are dropped from their contracts and fall into immediate and absolute obscurity. That would be the ultimate victory. The right people would win and the right people would lose. For Limbaugh and his ilk, it would be a defeat so totally crushing that they would never recover. Even if they did, no one would notice.

Immediately, what is to be done? Gun control? Too late. You can always get a gun in America. Censorship? Slippery slope. In my opinion, it always comes down to the same thing: education. You pump up the volume on the smart factor in America and this regrettable and tragic era would be in our collective rear-view with all speed.

More:   Don’t Blame Sarah Palin, Just Stop Paying Attention! | VF Daily | Vanity Fair.

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January 11, 2011 · 6:40 pm

Was Jared Loughner’s Act Political?

Excellent post from MyDD.com:

Was Jared Loughner’s act in shooting Rep. Giffords political? Apparently this is what’s being debated with a straight face now. Is this a joke? He shot a politician in the head. He called it an “assassination.” What part of that was unclear?

He didn’t shoot Gabrielle Giffords randomly and it turned out she just happened to be a politician. He sought her out, targeted her and then tried to kill her based on the fact that she was a politician. He thought the government was the problem and it was unresponsive to his psychotic demands on grammar and currency.

So, is Loughner a psycho? Obviously. And that’s not just because he shot all of those innocent people, but also because it is abundantly clear from his writings and videos that he has significant mental issues.

But why does the act have to be either psychotic or political? It’s obviously both. It was a psychotic act driven by his political beliefs. What’s so hard to understand about that?

Then, the next question is whether both sides are equally at fault. Again, I’m confused by this question. What the hell did the Democrats or liberals do here? Nothing, except get shot. How can the media possibly attach false equivalency to this? Are the Democrats equally culpable for getting shot as the conservatives are for shooting them?

Loughner shot a Democrat. Gee, I wonder which side he was on? He hated the government and thought they were out to get us. Gee, I wonder which side he was on?

I thought conservatives said liberals love big government. But now some have the audacity to claim Loughner was a liberal. But if one thing is obvious from Loughner’s political writings, it was that he hated the government. So, which one is it — do liberals love or hate the government?

Come on, this is all a smoke screen to make sure people don’t see what’s going on here. In the last two years, there have been dozens of attacks and shootings aimed at government officials and political organizations. Every single one of them was directed at liberals, Democrats or the government. Now we’re to believe that’s the world’s largest coincidence?

The conservative hate-mongers don’t create psychos. We get that there will always be disturbed individuals out there. But the right-wing directs these lunatics to a source. They channel their fear, anger and paranoia — and they point them toward the Democrats. They use them as hate seeking missiles.

MORE:   Was Jared Loughner’s Act Political?.

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