BABBLEMUR! Seeking Common Sense in a World Gone Mad Got Comments?  Email babblemur here!

babblemur@babblemur.com Who the Heck is... Babblemur Akaoni ABOUT BABBLEMUR.COM

Akaoni on what's wrong with this country here

25 May 2005 Palmeri Responds to Oshkosh Northwestern Was it really necessary to take a cheap and borderline libelous shot at me in order to make your point that UWO teachers should teach more classes?  You write: "Any full-time UWO teacher who has the ability to teach, write, conduct research, host a radio program, participate in a weekly public affairs cable television show, support a Web site, be active in the community issues, work as a political activist and run for office almost certainly has time to teach another class." I'm assuming you are talking about me, since I don't know of anyone else on our campus meeting that description.     The issue on our campus is whether Ph.D faculty on a 3 course load to support professional and scholarly activities should be on  a 4 course load. Had you bothered to ask me, you would have found out that I am already on a 4 course per semester teaching load, the maximum load for Ph.D faculty in the UW System.    NO ONE, not even the staunchest enemies of the UW in the state legislature, has suggested that the standard teaching load for Ph. D faculty should be more than 4 courses per semester.   Surely you are not suggesting that I should be teaching 5 courses per semester because I make time to meet my citizenship obligations? Your editorial implies that I am on a reduced teaching load in order to support extra- curricular activities including political work, which is borderline libelous.   The fact of the matter is that I am NOT on a reduced teaching load.  I regularly put in 70-80 hour weeks to be able maintain teaching excellence while participating in the activities you mention and many others.  I do not miss my classes ,my office hours, my advising appointments, faculty meetings, or any other UW responsibilities because of these activities. Last year the Wisconsin Communication Association gave me a Distinguished Teacher Award, in large part because they appreciate how I am a model of the citizen- educator for my students. Finally, your editorial also implies that I am one of the faculty who signed the petition complaint.  Take a look at it and you will no tfind my name.  Best, -Tony

25 May 2005 Centrist Coalition takes control of the Senate by babblemur Seven Brides for Seven Brothers?  No, seven Republicans and seven Democrats crafted a compromise deal in the Senate to avoid a confrontation between the Religious Right and the Minority Liberals over Judicial nominations.  I know, not sexy.  But consider for a moment that a “Group of 14” was able to seize control of the Senate when the minority party of 44 could not, and the majority of 55 was thwarted.   Keep in mind that the stakes are not the boring old rules of the Senate, what is at stake is the rules by which the next Supreme Court Justice will be acted on, and further down the road, the 2008 Presidential candidates.  There are forces outside of the Senate who fashion themselves as king makers, and Senators who wish to be "King".   Both ends of the spectrum were disappointed.  The Religious Right, represented by NON-SENATOR Dr. James C. Dobson, leader of Focus on the Family, and who considers himself a king-maker, issued the Evangelical equivalent of a 'fatwah': "This Senate agreement represents a complete bailout and betrayal by a cabal of Republicans and a great victory for united Democrats… We share the disappointment, outrage and sense of abandonment felt by millions of conservative Americans who helped put Republicans in power last November. I am certain that these voters will remember both Democrats and Republicans who betrayed their trust."   Yikes!  No wonder Dr. Frist, Majority leader of the Senate, Presidential hopeful, and Dobson's 'Mary Magdeline' (if you know what I'm saying) looks so pussy-whipped all the time!   Wisconsin Senator Russ Feingold, arguably one of the most rational (and liberal) members of the Senate, said: “This is not a good deal for the U.S. Senate or for the American people. Democrats should have stood together firmly against the bullying tactics of the Republican leadership abusing their power as they control both houses of Congress and the White House.”   A deal that both sides hates is a deal with the devil.  So who are these 14 Senators that betrayed their party leadership and essentially created a Centrist Coalition?

Past Issues: May 19, 2005 May 20, 2005

LINKS TO OTHER SITES Nat'l Blogs and Babblers Alternet Common Dreams Crooks and Liars Daily Kos Eschaton Wisconsin Commentary Vast Dairy State Conspiracy Fightingbob.com Wisconsin Democracy Campaign Oshkosh News and Blogs ABV Army Times Lake Winneblogo Eye on Oshkosh TonyPalmeri.com Oshblog Lake Winnebago Green Party Media Democracy Now! Salon.com Slate.com Washington Post New York Times Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Oshkosh News Oshkosh Northwestern

John Warner (R-Virginia) Lincoln Chafee (R-Rhode Island) Susan Collins (R-Maine)             Ben Nelson (D-Nebraska) Joe Lieberman (D-Connecticut) Mark Pryor (D-Arkansas)

Wisconsin News Brief or... Is this normal behavior for a 'progressive' state? by Babblemur Gay Bashers to Defend Wisconsin  Wisconsin State Legislature decides to hire James Dobson's Alliance Defense Fund, the extremist evangelical legal team, to represent the State Legislature in the state supreme court case regarding Domestic Partner Benefits in Wisconsin. (This is the "Sponge Bob is Gay" outfit, to put it in perspective).  Said Marc Pocan, D-Madison: "If bringing in fringe extremists who think cartoon characters are gay is the only way to fight providing health care benefits to Wisconsin's families, it is a sad day in Wisconsin," Pocan said in a statement. "John Gard is clearly obsessed with gays and lesbians. I know of few people who think so regularly think about sex."  See Duluth Superior article for more.   No Birth Control for YOU, Baby Killer!  Republican Lawmakers in Wisconsin are pushing a bill that would support the right of Pharmacists to refuse to fill prescriptions for birth control pills or 'morning after' pills based on their religious beliefs, without fear of reprimand or loosing their job.  The 'conscious clause' became an issue recently when a pharmacist refused to fill a woman's prescription for a 'morning after' pill, refused to transfer the prescription to another pharmacy, and called the woman a 'baby killer' in front of everyone (and God Almighty).  The woman, not only distraught, wound up pregnant and had an abortion.   For an insightful analysis on this see Vegitarian Steakhouse    Also news on this here: It Worked in Florida (2000), it can Work Here!    In fall 2004 the djirector of the Wisconsin State Elections Board gave the state's contract to create an electronic voter list to Accenture, the famous firm responsible for the 2000 purging of Florida's voting rolls.  Accenture, whose parent company is HQ'd in Bermuda to avoid paying U.S. taxes, was also formerly a division of Arthur Anderson of ENRON fame.  Accenture is now asking for a re- negotiation of their contract supposedly because they can't get the job done on time.   For 13 Million Dollars, I could create a voter list by August!  In fact, I could do it for 10 million!  Throw in a bonus, and I'll even purge some names for ya! : See the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign for information on their lawsuit regarding this.   Also see this watered down story here.

23 May 2005 Oshkosh Northwestern Suggests UW-Oshkosh Faculty Work Harder by Babblemur The Sunday Editorial in the Oshkosh Northwestern suggests that the budget woes of the State's cuts to the University of Wisconsin System budget could be absorbed if the faculty would teach an extra class each semester.  Although the teaching load at the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh is based on AAUP principles and is in line with other Universities and Colleges across the nation, the Northwestern chose instead to compare the teaching load with that of K-12 teachers.   To illustrate the point that UWO faculty have "time to teach another class", the newspaper appears to use its arch-nemesis and harshest local critic UWO Professor Tony Palmeri, without actually naming him: "Any full-time UWO teacher who has the ability to teach, write, conduct research, host a radio program, participate in a weekly public affairs cable television show, support a Web site, be active in community issues, work as a political activist and run for office would seem to have time to teach another class."   The suggestion that UWO faculty "see the leadership opportunity" in taking on another course each semester is novel, but ignorant of the teaching load principles of the University.  But worse, by justifying its argument through a thinly veiled attack on Dr. Palmeri, an openly hostile critic of its parent company Gannett and the Northwestern itself, begs the question as to what the intention of its lead editorial really was.  Are they suggesting that faculty have too much time on their hands?  Or are they suggesting that Tony Palmeri has too much time on his hands?   Dr. Palmeri teaches the maximum 4 course load every semester, whether he is running for office or not.   Furthermore, UWO allows faculty who take on certain institutional governance positions such as Department Chair or President of the Faculty Senate teach less courses, but he chose to teach his full load in both of those capacities.  He was awarded the Distinguished Teacher Award by the Wisconsin Communication Association in large part because of his dedication as a citizen-teacher.  In one sense, the Northwestern demonstrates just how dedicated Dr. Palmeri is: [Tony Palmeri] "...has the ability to teach, write, conduct research, host a radio program, participate in a weekly public affairs cable television show, support a Web site, be active in community issues, work as a political activist and run for office..."   If that kind of work ethic and dedication rub off on any of his students, Oshkosh will become a better place because of it.

23 May 2005 U.S. Government Presses OAS on Hugo Chavez by babblemur The United States Government, in an attempt to find 'diplomatic' means to put pressure on Venezuela's popular democratically elected President Hugo Chavez, is pressuring the Organization of American States to create a committee to monitor the "quality of democracy and the exercise of power in Latin America".  The idea is not popular among Latin American leaders.   The continued verbal assault on Chavez by both the United States Government and the media reeks of hypocrisy.  Consider the following quote from the New York Times: “Mr. Chávez has curtailed some press freedoms and judicial independence while forming close ties with Cuba, an alliance that, more than anything else, infuriates some Bush administration officials.” (NY Times, Joel Brinkley, May 22, 2005) This could easily be turned around to say: Mr. Bush has curtailed some press freedoms (see Newsweek scandal) and judicial independence (see Schiavo affair) while forming close ties with Anti- Castro Cubans, an alliance that, more than anything else, infuriates some Venezuelan officials. (Babblemur's 'Black Pot and Kettle' dept.) The U.S. Government is finding itself increasingly frustrated by the popular and populist Chavez.  The Iraq war has tied up the U.S. military to the point that it is no longer able to invade "third world" nations and depose elected leaders and replace them with dictators.   Recent South American tours by both Secretary of State Rice and Secretary of Defence Rumsfeld, in an effort to drum up anti-Chavez support, both appeared to fail miserably.  Either Latin America has shifted left, or the United States has shifted far to the right, (or both), but in either case the US seems to be completely out of touch with the political and social trends towards 'people power' or populism that are sweeping across South and Central America.  The United States has found itself no longer in the position to claim the 'high, moral ground' on either elections (Chavez was elected and re-elected in open, fair elections by computerized voting machines with a paper trail to boot while both of Bush's elections were legally challenged) or human rights (Chavez diverts money from oil profits to programs for the poor, while Bush screws the poor and his administration has sought and adopted legal justification for torture.).   Truly the tables are turning in the Americas.  The United States is no longer the bastion of 'freedom', 'democracy', and 'human rights' in the Americas while populist governments in Venezuela, Argentina, Brazil, Chile and others is; and its military is no longer able to enforce its 'freedom', 'democracy', and 'human rights' on Latin America while it is occupying hostile nations in the middle east.   Once the lantern of morality and righteousness, the United States appears to be in a state of darkness, while the lanterns of common sense and ration shine brightly to the North in Canada and to the South in Latin America.

MEET THE GREENS!   Green??? Meet Pete Karas, a life-long Racine resident, who was re-elected as Alderman for Racine's 9th district with over 73% of the vote!  Karas formed the "Bright Public Power Initiative" to bring low-cost, municipally owned utilites to Racine, WI.  Look for a "Bright" future for Alderman and Green Pete Karas!