Blue Star Chronicles

Baltimore teachers, including Jolita Berry, claim they are under attack by their students and the school system does nothing to stop it.

When I see videos and read stores like these I just think there HAS to be something done to bring values back into our society.

(CNN) — Two teachers at a Baltimore, Maryland, high school say they were attacked by students, and one says such assaults are commonplace, according to CNN affiliate WBAL.

The school district says it is investigating and will take appropriate action, but both art teacher Jolita Berry and English teacher Marc Standish say the administration has failed to protect and support them.

“I looked over, and her friends were cheering her on. And before I knew it, she hit me in the face,” Berry told WBAL after cell-phone video depicting what she said was a student beating her last Friday appeared on the social networking Web site MySpace.com.

This particular incident happened at Reginald F. Lewis High School in Baltimore. Unfortunately, its not isolated to that one area.

Jolita Berry goes on to talk about how frustrating it is to her that she can’t teach her students. She says that no place of learning should be that violent. She’s absolutely right.

At some point, some time down the road, we are going to have to come back to old fashioned ideas like ‘honor’, ‘integrity’, ‘honesty’. Meanwhile, our society is going down the toilet.

These kids actually get rewarded for this behavior. They videotape it, put it on YouTube or MySpace and get a lot of fans. The more outrageous their behavior, the more attention they get. They might even get to be on Oprah or some other television show and get to be really famous. There are NO consequences for bad behavior that really matter to these people!!

The last few decades seem to have been more about entitlements and not ever expecting anyone to suffer the consequences of their own behavior. We avoid testing so that students don’t feel bad if they aren’t as successful as another kid in their classroom. We avoid scores in sports because we want all the kids to be exactly equal in all things. The problem is that holds back kids who DO excel and doesn’t challenge anyone to try harder or do better. It also excuses VERY bad behavior.

Time to start having consequences for behavior. And consequences that actually MEAN something. If it doesn’t hurt there is no motivation to change. I have to live by the rules, you should too.

Would someone PLEASE tell Jimmy Carter that he’s not the President anymore??? What is wrong with him? I’m embarrassed for him and I’m not even kin to him.

I originally posted the cartoon above in January 2006, so this isn’t new behavior on this man’s part!!!!

The Washington Post

Former president Jimmy Carter plans to meet next week in Damascus with Khaled Meshal, the head of the Palestinian militant group Hamas, in a direct rebuke of the Bush administration’s campaign to isolate it.

The disclosure of Carter’s plans by the Arabic-language newspaper al-Hayat and subsequent confirmation by sources familiar with his itinerary instantly placed the campaigns of Sens. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) and Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) in a political bind.

The campaign of Sen. John McCain (Ariz.), the presumptive Republican nominee, was quick to blast Carter’s plans and called on both Obama and Clinton to condemn the meeting with what the State Department lists as a terrorist group.

Both Clinton and Obama issued statements with milder language, saying they “disagreed” or did “not agree” with Carter’s plans.

Hamas is a terrorist organization that regularly bombs Israel and is an enemy of the United States. They receive assistance from Iran and Syria who have declared they are committed to the destruction of the United States and Israel and who are supplying weapons that are KILLING and maiming American Soldiers in Iraq.

A former President of the United States carries a certain amount of official clout. This meeting by this SILLY man will be used as a propaganda tool for the enemies of the United States and Israel. Former President Jimmah Carter is bringing shame on himself and on the United States though his misguided attempt to salvage some sort of legacy for himself. And I do believe this is all about HIM for him.

Its not wonder that his wife looks so angry all the time.

I can’t think of an example of a former President behaving so badly. T.R.E.A.S.O.N.

BTM with Right Pundits calls him a ‘dangerous coot’. HA!

President Carter is a disgrace to this country. It has gotten beyond the point where he is the crazy old former president who likes to build houses. The guy is now a plain embarrassment and frankly dangerous coot now.

Allahpundit thinks this is just too good to be true … for the election.

The left’s senior statesman, sitting down for a photo op with this degenerate in the heat of an election? After having only just recently quasi-endorsed a guy who, thanks to his associates, is already suspect on Israel? It’s too good to be true. Memo to JC: As an icebreaker, ask him how many Jews really died in the Holocaust.

Something … and Half of Something says this is a real opportunity for Hamas:

This is an outstanding opportunity for Hamas! Is it too much to hope for, that Al-Hayat will realize what a wonderful hostage Jimmy Carter would make? I sure would like to see a video of his sorry ass sitting in front of bunch of jihadis with a flag, some AKs and at least one kitchen knife. Yep, I’d call that a win-win situation, just think! Carter could give his all for his principles and beliefs, and we would be spared having to listen to the happy horseshit that pours out of his mouth every time he opens it. I’d call it poetic justice, and it would surely be a very fitting end to a very stupid man.

Beth at My Vast Right Wing Conspiracy is outraged.

If there were ever any doubt as to where Carter stands on terrorism vs. Israel ‘and for that matter, the West in general, including us’ this ought to settle it. Hamas? I shouldn’t be surprised, but HAMAS? A former President of the United States is going to legitmize this?

ShrinkWrapped says its an unconscious hate.

Jimmy Carter is the Godfather of the modern leftist hater. He presents a pious mien, untroubled by rage or hate. He truly sees himself as a man of peace. Yet Hamas is openly and unapologetically genocidal. Jimmy Carter hates through others maintaining deniability of his own monstrous impulses. His evil is worse than the banality Hannah Arendt described because he should know better. The compartmentalization required to embrace the murderers of innocents while proclaiming their moderation is breath taking yet never seems to give pause to our ex-President. Jimmy Carter is a hate filled and bitter man and every effort he makes seem to support monsters. It is a mystery only to him.

Hyscience says Jimmy Carter is a friend to our enemies.

Slobokan’s Site O’ Schtuff has a pictorial reminder of who it is that Jimmy Carter is meeting with.

This time, it’s worse than overseeing the election in Venezuela for Hugo Chavez. It’s worse than rubbing elbows with Fidel Castro. It’s worse than inviting Robert Mugabe to the White House. This time he is meeting with the exiled head of a terrorist organization.

Others posting: Tel-Chai Nation, The Hedgehog Blog, Meryl Yourish, Stuck on Stupid, Tizona’s Weblog, Gay Patriot

Related Posts:

• All We Are Saying …
• Jimmy Carter’s Book Sells Alongside Mein Kampf in Amman
• Can the Progressives Find Something to Hang Their Hats on?
• The Illusion of Democracy Dies in Venezuela
• How the left led us into 9/11
• Jimmy Carter Isn’t New to Interfering With International Affairs
• Jimmy Carter Interceded on Behalf of Death Camp Nazi
• Jimmy Carter: Conduct Unbecoming a Former President
• The twenty most annoying liberals in the United States: The 2006 edition
• US Navy welcomes the USS Bill Clinton
• Has Jimmy Carter had a Brain Scan Lately?
• Jimmy Carter allowed surveillance in 1977
• Does Jimmy Carter Think Roses are Barns?
• Avoiding Conflict Creates Unavoidable Conflict
• Old Men and War

Just when I’ve been hearing how the United States feeds people what they are supposed to think from people who say they haven’t got the freedom to speak openly even while they are openly speaking …. I see a press release from China’s official Olympics website.

According the the Chinese, the Olympic torch relay is going fantastically! Its being warmly received and there is strong worldwide support of the relay and the Beijing Olympics.

Under the theme of “Journey of Harmony,” the Beijing Olympic Torch Relay started its worldwide journey on April 1, 2008. The sacred flame has so far passed through Almaty in Kazakhstan, Istanbul in Turkey, St. Petersburg in Russia and London in Britain. People along the Torch Relay route have extended the flame a warm welcome and the relay is proceeding successfully as planned.

Ain’t propaganda a wonderful thing. Unfortunately for the Chinese, it doesn’t work so well in the society we now live in. They have a bit of a hard time holding an event in front of the whole world while spreading their own form of propaganda. It has to be a bit confusing for them.

After discussing the enormously enthusiastic reception the Olympic Torch has received in city after city throughout the world, they do acknowledge that there have been a very few “pro-Tibet independence” activists who have made unsuccessful attempts to ruin it for everyone else.

The press release states that the Chinese strongly condemn the attempts of anyone who tries to condemn China for their human rights violations.

Read the entire press release here.

Christopher Traverse

My husband is a Survivorman fan so that means I’ve watched Les Stroud mark his territory more than once myself. You know how it is, we women watch what our men watch. Its just a fact of life, men control the remote.

Interestingly, there is a story in the news right now about a guy who survived because of watching Survivorman. Twenty-four year old Christopher Traverse spent five days lost in the snowy wilderness and credits Survivorman with his survival. Seriously!

Mr. Traverse said he credits his survival to knowledge gleaned from an unlikely source.

“I watch a show called Survivorman,” he said.

Survivorman is a reality-based show whose protagonist, Les Stroud, ventures out into the wilderness for a week at a time, with nothing but his wits to survive on.

It’s from the show that Mr. Traverse said he learned how to eat snow to fend off dehydration, and how to make a shelter from the twigs and branches.

“I wanted that experience — I got it and then some,” Mr. Traverse said with a laugh.

Traverse had been on a fishing trip in the wilderness of northern Manitoba when he got lost on the way back to his uncles house. Fresh snow had covered up his tracks and while trying to find it way without having the tracks to follow his snowmobile ran out of gas.

He used the survival skills he learned from watching Survivorman and managed to not only survive in the frigid weather for five days but to eventually make his way to town and walk into a store to call his family.

Searchers are looking for his snowmobile, but he said his family won’t let him go along to look for it. Ha!

UPDATE: Thanks to Kat for finding the link to the video from the ceremony today.

Michael Monsoor - Photos

I just caught the tail end of the award ceremony of President Bush awarding the Medal of Honor to Petty Officer Michael Monsoor. The President had a difficult time maintaining his composure. So did I.

I just can’t imagine how his parents deal with this except to know the great honor that Michael Monsoor brought upon himself. He died to save his comrades. He showed extraordinary bravery and love for others. There are no words that adequately express the gratitude I have that we have young men like this in our country and the sadness I feel that they are so soon taken from us.

ABC news sent a reporter deep into the danger zones of Iraq to find out who American Soldiers are going to vote for for President. The reporter came away with some shocking sentiments from the Soldiers. For instance, she found out that Soldiers think about home and would like to be at home!!!! SHOCKING!!!!

“We think about how our families are doing back home. That’s a major concern, like how the economy is doing, also as well as where we’re going to be in the future. Because really, truly, what we consider we’re doing, we’re doing a valuable job, we want to make sure that the efforts we make are appreciated.”

The reporter also found out that the Troops are too engaged in what is going on there to keep up with politics back home. Lord. Have. Mercy! In a war zone they aren’t tuning in to CNN every night to see what the latest gossip is or how far they are going to have to go to willingly suspend disbelief in order to vote for someone this fall. Tsk. Tsk.

I don’t know what the Soldiers are so busy doing over there that they can’t chill out in the evening and tune in to ABC for the nightly Obama love fest!!! They didn’t have to work nearly as hard as this particular reporter had to work. She searched until she found three Soldiers who she could contort quotes from that could be construed to mean that they are going to vote for Barack Obama for President!

Now they can report that the military backs Obama for President!

Well done little ABC reporter! Well done! You know that had to be a difficult task, but she accomplished it. I hope she gets a big bonus for her efforts or a raise or a promotion. Its well deserved.

Tune in to ABC for more of The Love of Obama!

General David Petraeus and Ambassador Ryan Crocker are testifying in front of the Senate Armed Services Committee and Foreign Relations Committee right now. The proceedings have already been interrupted twice by protesters in the chambers.

As anyone can expect, the democrats are intent on finding any way they can to prove that we have or are being defeated in Iraq and need to surrender. As it is with any televised session of this kind the Senators are preening and posturing for the cameras.

You probably remember that the last time General Petraeus testified in front of this committee, last September, he was treated with less respect than would be expected for someone of his standing. In fact, Senator Hillary Clinton stated that his comments required ‘a willing suspension of disbelief’. Moveon.org took out a full page ad in the New York Times to insult Petraeus. Even right now a Senator told Petraeus that the surge was poorly planned and has been poorly executed.

Never mind that it has been working. Never mind that Sadr has called for a cease fire even with his attempts to reestablish himself with violence in Iraq and the continued interference of Iran and Syria. Never mind that we have an enormous investment in seeing this battle through to victory both for ourselves and for the world that we leave our children. The democrats still seem intent on seeing us surrender. Nancy Pelosi has already given Petraeus the message that there had better be a negative report today.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell hopes that Petraeus is going to get a better reception today and that the Senate will not embarrass themselves as badly as they did last time. To that end, he has set up a place online where people can express their gratitude for what Petraeus has accomplished in Iraq. All you have to do is fill in your name and add your comments. It only takes a minute to show that the entire country is not of the opinion of those who yell the loudest.

Go to Senator McConnell’s page and leave your comments of support here.

h/t Hot Air

For reasons that are beyond anything that I can comprehend, the powers that be made the decision that the only North American city that will host the Olympic Torch as it makes its way to Beijing will be San Francisco. Someone or some group of people sat down in a board room somewhere and decided that was a good idea.

SAN FRANCISCO — In this city where protests are as much a part of the landscape as the Golden Gate Bridge, the impending arrival of the Olympic torch is drawing out thousands of activists critical of Beijing, even as many residents celebrate San Francisco’s cultural ties to China.

The torch makes its only North American stop in San Francisco on Wednesday. The torch is expected to arrive at San Francisco International Airport early Tuesday morning.

Its path around the globe already has been marked by protests against China’s policies toward Tibet and Sudan, and more demonstrations are expected worldwide before it reaches the Summer Games.

Chinese officials have dismissed the demonstrations as the actions of a few who are trying to hijack a historical event for their own purposes.

There have been rallies, vigils, news conferences and demonstrations already in anticipation of the arrival of the torch. The protests related to the Olympic Torch are less likely to be violent than the ordinary protests that go on in San Francisco on any given day. After all, the usual groups of communists (Code Pink) are not likely to show up to protest a communist country.

Then again, we might do well to remember how monks so poignantly brought down governments in Vietnam and other wars/conflicts. They do it in their ‘non-violent’ way, generally by setting themselves up to be abused and killed by whoever the target of their protests might be. Or, as we all recall from the 1960s, setting themselves on fire. Those kinds of protests aren’t soon forgotten. The message of those protests is clear. Tibetan monks are not to be messed with.

If a Tibetan monk grabs the Olympic torch in San Francisco this week and immolates himself, nobody should be astonished. If the 19th anniversary on June 4 of the Tiananmen Square crackdown passes quietly, everyone should be surprised. [source]

There’s gnashing of teeth on both ends of the issues of human rights in China. Many claim that China has made enormous progress in the area of human rights. The Tibetans have legitimate concerns that they are facing cultural extinction at the heavy hand of the Chinese communist.

So some people sat in a board room and decided San Francisco would be their best choice for a non-violent reception in North America. As it turns out, they might be right. If the communists stay at home and the Richard Gere- type Buddhists are the protesters, it might be the most non-violent demonstration San Francisco has seen in a long time.

On September 18, 2007 Carnegie Mellon Professor Randy Pausch gave what he expected to be his last lecture. You see, he’s dying of pancreatic cancer. He spoke to a packed auditorium on ‘Really Achieving your Childhood Dreams’. You can read more of the lecture at www.cmu.edu/randyslecture.

Since he gave this lecture the video of it has gone viral. Just today he talked about it again. He has lived longer than he expected when he gave that lecture last September. He says he has enjoyed the extra time he’s been granted. He’s spent more memorable time with his family and has testified before Congress requesting more funding for finding a cure for this deadly form of cancer.

Diane Sawyer of ABC News is doing a TV special on Wednesday, April 9th at 10pm. Click for promo.

h/t: PA Pundits

Japan’s oldest person died today at 113 years of age. She was Kaku Yamanaka who was born on Dec. 11, 1894. She only became her country’s oldest person in February after Tsuneyo Toyonaga passed away. Health Ministry officials have not named Japan’s new oldest person.

The world’s oldest person lives right here in the good ol’ U.S.A. Edna Parker of Shelbyville, Indiana is recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records as the oldest person in the world at 114 years of age. She was born on April 20, 1893 and will turn 115 on her birthday.

Just a little bit of useless information to keep you informed and help you be the life of the party!!! I’m always here to help.

source

The Bush administration plans to announce next week that U.S. soldiers’ combat tours will be reduced from 15 months to 12 months in Iraq and Afghanistan beginning later this summer, The Associated Press has learned.

The decision, expected to get final, formal approval in the days ahead, comes as Gen. David Petraeus, the top U.S. commander in Iraq, prepares to deliver a progress report to Congress next week on the improved security situation there. He is also expected to make recommendations for future troop levels.

A senior administration official said Friday that plans are to deploy soldiers for 12 months, then give them 12 months rest time at home. Exactly which units would be affected is not yet clear. The official spoke on condition of anonymity ahead of the announcement.

Defense Secretary Robert Gates made the decision to extend deployments from 12 to 15 months last year, because that was the only way the Army could provide enough troops for the Bush-ordered military buildup aimed at quelling the violence in Baghdad.

Ever since, Gates; Gen. George Casey, Army chief of staff; and Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, have said they wanted to go back to 12 month tours as soon as possible.

Casey has pushed shorter deployments to reduce the strain on troops battered by long and repeated tours in Iraq and Afghanistan. But that goal has been hindered by the security demands in Iraq.

Officials have been publicly tightlipped in recent days about the move to reduce the tours.

Gates said Friday he expected a decision by President Bush “fairly soon” on the Army’s proposal. But he also cautioned that cutting troops’ time on the battlefront will impose limits on what the military can do in the future.

“So I think the bottom line is, we’re all still looking at that. But I think we’ll have a better idea of what we think we can do, what we ought to do, in the fairly near future,” Gates told reporters Friday.

What the future holds for troops in Iraq will become clearer when Petraeus goes before congressional committees Tuesday.

I am so glad they are doing this. Fifteen months is just too long. A 12 month tour is much more reasonable when the guys are looking at multiple deployments.

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