Fall No Matter How You Slice It
This post originally posted at my TucsonWeather.us site
Cornucopia of Information
I could also subtitle this post, “Fixin’ to be Fall.”
The Autumnal Equinox is upon us. Striking just after midnight here in Tucson. Specifically at 2:04 a.m. This marks the moment that the Sun will be directly over the Equator on it’s journey south. Of course it’s not the Sun that is doing the journeying so much as the tilt of the Earth as it goes around the Sun etc., etc. etc. You know. Stuff you learned in grade school science. I will mention that “Equinox” is Latin or Greek (I can never remember which.) for “Equal Night.” Presumably the entire globe has a 12 hour night tomorrow night. I think it’ll be close. Your individual equinox may vary however.
I always joke that the moment the Sun is over the Equator that you may feel a little dizzy, dogs may start barking, if you are doing the dishes you may drop one. Which is of course silly. I mean, who does dishes at 2:04 a.m.?
Meteorologically (probably not a word) speaking the Northern Hemisphere of our planet (including Tucson presumably) have been in the Fall Season for three weeks now. September, October and November make up the Meteorological Fall. The Autumnal Equinox marks the beginning of Astronomical Fall. So. No matter how you slice it it’ll be Fall for sure starting tomorrow. I just hope it’s cooler than 80 degrees at Thanksgiving!
Loretta Hunnicutt on Glenn Beck
Thanx to The Daily Beck for the clips. Great job Lori! I think you and Glenn each made a new friend.
TUSD Board Members Bail when Opposition to Mexican-American Studies Expressed.
Tucson Unified School District Superintendent Dr. John Pedicone says that planning is underway for a community-wide public hearing on Mexican-American Studies as it is taught at TUSD. Supposedly it will be an open discussion on that aspect of Ethnic Studies in the District. If the May 10th school board meeting is any indication, there are some on the school board that have no interest in hearing opposing views. Here is my view on how it went down Tuesday night:
In very related news, another speaker at the same meeting (that I did not get on tape) was cautioned for bad language because she was reading from material taught in elementary school. (content warning):
Yep. Education’s Under Attack
We’ve all heard the chant over and over and over (and over) and over. “Our Education’s under attack. What do we do? Fight Back!”
Catchy. So where did these students that are known as UNIDOS come up with the idea to storm a Tuscon United School Board Meeting and chain themselves to chairs?
So glad that Tucson Independent Daily was able to capture the very public Facebook discussion between School Board Member Judy Burns and some of her friends.
And whose idea was it to invite disgraced former Ethnics Studies Professor Ward Churchill?
Dana Loesch Rocks the Tucson Tea Party
Cross posted at ttpdaily.com
Dana walked out to Def Leppard's "Let's Get Rocked" and the temperature was turned up from there. Pop some corn, hit play. Dana skewer's the old stream media for being lying liars after the Tucson shooting. They were more than willing to blame talk radio, Sarah Palin and the Tea Party before any facts were in.
Dana also encouraged the Tucson crowd reminding us that we are not alone. The St. Louis Tea Party and Tea Party's across America stand with us.
Thank you Dana for being willing to go into the lion's den with your conservatism and debate skills. You are welcome back to Tucson anytime!
Dana Loesch Rocks the Tucson Tea Party, April 30, 2011 from Mike Shaw on Vimeo.
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Tucson’s Mexican-American Studies Problem
Specifically, Tucson Unified School District's Mexican-American Studies Problem as assisted by the University of Arizona's Mexican-American Studies Program.
I can hear the cries of "racist" already. To which I will counter, "Hey, some of my best friends are Mexican-American's."
America saw the results of teaching a racist curriculum to an impressionable group of kids and many may be wondering, "what is going on down there?" I spend nearly 8 minutes trying to answer that question, and honestly, it's not nearly enough time. Many thanx to the fine folks with Tucsonans United for Sound Districts (TU4SD.com) for all of the information. Loretta Hunnicutt, her husband John and long-time educator Richard Kronberg have decided to stand for what is right even though they are paying a high personal price.
Watch the video and please excuse my voice. I've been coughing all week and it's fading. Still, I hope the story gives you a better idea of what La Raza Studies is all about at TUSD.
The next meeting is tomorrow, Tuesday, May 3, 2011. The School Board is determined to have a vote and is expected to return Mexican-American Studies to elective only status. Currently, students can take La Raza Studies (as it was formally known as) as a core History credit. Meanwhile, students are on record saying they will do everything they can to prevent a vote. Should be an interesting meeting. I hope the La Raza folk aren't planning anything drastic.
As for the University of Arizona Professor that is apparently very much involved in the alleged indoctrination of students. There is a much larger story there. From what I know at this time, it sounds like Professor Roberto Rodriguez, professor of Mexican-American Studies at the University of Arizona, is hoping to export Tucson's version of Mexican-American Studies to the rest of the country. Hopefully, if time allows, I can do a story of how Social Justice is being taught overtly and covertly to America's future teachers and administrators at the U of A and across the country.
The light is the best disinfectant. Spray this post around!
Ward Churchill Spotted at TUSD Board Uprising
Students who chained themselves to chairs in order to stop the Tucson Unified School District (TUSD) Board from taking action against "Mexican-American Studies" the other night may have had some rather infamous company.
Remember Ward Churchill? The Former Ethnic Studies Professor and activist that was fired from the University of Colorado? The one who pretended to be an American Indian? The one who called 9-11 victims "Little Eichmann's"? Yeah, that Ward Churchill. He was apparently in Tucson supporting the students who took over a TUSD Board Meeting.
Here is a rather long and poorly shot video of what took place on Tuesday. Pay attention to the guy leaning on the podium in the middle of the room. (I know it's hard with the excessive zooming and panning). Churchill can be seen chanting along at 1:57, 2:35, 3:30ish and 5:39. I have posted freezes below the video.
So why was he there? Did someone bring him in? He certainly appeared to be having a good time. Mysteries for now.
If you've forgotten some of the controversies that led to Ward Churchill's firing from the University of Colorado, here is an instructive refresher link:
Michelle Malkin's Ward Churchill Category
(h/t the fine folks who run TU4SD.com)
UPDATE: Daily KOS article from April 27th also mentions Ward's presence at the meeting.
Clarification and UPDATE: Some people think I shot the video. It was shot by someone sympathetic to the students and also a true amateur. Also, Churchill's presence blows apart the claims by the students communist handlers that the students were working mostly on their own.
TUSD Ethnic Study Students Shut Down Meeting
If you are a news junky like I am then you probably already know what happened. If you live in Tucson, then you know that a lot of the country's craziness is happening right here. Here's one account of what happened:
I think the adults directing the children know that their time is short. After all, the class has been found in violation of state law.
There is so much to say on this subject and will try to carve out more time to say it in the coming days. The Blaze was kind enough to pick up some links that I sent them to La Raza studies. Go to their story and take a look at the handouts for yourself and see some of the anti-American hate that is presented in the class. Or, just surf over to TU4SD.com. They have a TON of information.
What floored me is when I learned that "Ethnic Studies" was being offered as a core curriculum class! In other words a student could chose La Raza and skip U.S. History and still graduate! Outrageous. The TUSD Board Meeting that was scheduled (and is now rescheduled for May 5th) was to decide if Ethnic Studies should be offered as an elective only. According to the Arizona Republic, some of the "adults" in the room are cheering the students on:
It certainly isn't the hapless governing board running TUSD that's in charge. Two of the board members could be seen pathetically cheering on the screaming students and former students during Tuesday night's melee.
No arrests were made, but charges still may be forthcoming.
Reptile Dysfunction
Don't you hate it when you've just popped some corn and the family gathers around for a little evening TV and one of those Cialis commercials comes on? If no one is talking, suddenly someone brings up something, anything, so the family can talk instead of stare uncomfortably at the screen.
While I'm on the subject I've been wondering, just what is "Reptile Dysfunction?" I live in the desert and see lots of reptiles. I even came face to face with a rattlesnake a few Springs ago, not to mention a Gila Monster and numerous other slithery and scaly critters. They all seemed fine. Frankly, I'm a big fan of all the lizards that run around here. It kinda brings out the big kid in me! All of that excitement seeing a lizard dart up a wall or a snake crossing the street. I don't think I've seen any reptile dysfunction.
What? What's that you are saying?
Really? Oh. That's different.
Never mind.
California vs. Texas
This was originally posted at the Tucson Tea Party's new blog
They say everything is bigger in Texas. That is not entirely true. Texas has a much smaller unemployment rate than the rest of the country and a smaller deficit too. Their deficit is so small, it's a surplus!
Compare that to California that excels in joblessness and deficit spending. How did the Golden State squander their gold while Texas is thriving in the the worst economy in a generation?
One only look as far as the ideals that have brought Americans out on the streets asking Washington D.C., pleading really, to shrink the size of Government, lower taxes and embrace fiscal responsibility. The Tucson Tea Party Peeps have been pointing out what Texas is proving. Less really is more when it comes to government and resulting prosperity.
Mark Hemingway shows the contrast between the Golden and Lone Star states in the first of his 5 part series, "Texas booms while California busts." He compares the two states philosophies and behaviors, and the very different results they bring. From the article:
While Texas has been affected by the economic downturn, its 7.9 percent unemployment rate is well below the national average of 9.8. At 12 percent, unemployment in California is well above average.
Perhaps the most dramatic illustration of Texas’ superiority is that Americans have been stating their preference for the Lone Star State with their feet.
Between 2000 and 2009, California had a domestic outflow of 1.5 million people, while Texas had 850,000 move in from other states. From 2008 to 2009, Texas’ population inflow was double that of any other state.
So how have two similar states ended up in such radically different situations? The answer is smaller government.
What Texas is doing “appears as right-wing science fiction to many California legislators and pundits. They claim that serious reform of the tax code is unrealistic, that a large state has many duties to fulfill, and that it is irresponsible to call for a return to a 19th century view of the role of government,” write economists Arthur B. Laffer, Stephen Moore and Jonathan Williams in their annual report “Rich States, Poor States.”
Texas has no state income tax or personal capital gains tax and a small 1 percent gross receipts tax on business. In contrast, California’s 10.3 percent personal income tax is the second highest in the country, and the Golden’s State’s top marginal rates for corporate income and capital gains are 8.84 and 10.55 percent, respectively.
Unfortunately Washington D.C. and the Federal Government aren't listening to the Tea Party and aren't following the real world example of Texas. Instead they continue down the California path that instead of being paved with gold is littered with printed money borrowed from our kids and grandkids.
We the People of the Tucson Tea Party will be back out there holding our signs, peacefully assembling for principles that are obviously and demonstrably right. For a country that is seeking answers we only need to examine the bad and good examples being set by California and Texas.
