] Education Secretary Rod Paige today called the National
] Education Association a "terrorist group" but later
] apologized for the remark saying that it was insensitive
] to well-meaning terrorists everywhere.
]
] "To equate American teachers to terrorists was an
] unfortunate choice of words on my part," said Paige in a
] written statement. "Terrorists the world over are known
] for their ability to inspire children to do incredible
] things and to put them in the same category as our lazy,
] selfish, do nothing teachers and their union was wrong. I
] am sorry."

] "The commitment they get out of their students is
] increasingly impressive. Terrorist
] groups are consistently emboldening their youth with
] results driven training and stern classroom discipline.
] By giving kids seemingly unobtainable goals such as
] simultaneous suicide bus attacks, they are challenging
] them to learn the basics of chemistry, the logistics of
] traffic planning and the value of teamwork. If any of
] these kids lived, their groups would be major world
] powers."

Education Secretary Calls Teachers Union Terrorist

] AFT article on NCLB. Highlights downfalls and gives
] recommendations on making law effective.

No Child Left Behind

Relatives pleaded on Monday for the release of two Americans and a Briton as a deadline loomed for their beheading.

More than 100 foreigners have been kidnapped in Iraq, some for lucrative ransoms, and at least 26 of them have been executed. At least five other Westerners are currently being held hostage here, including an Iraqi-American man, two female Italian aid workers and two French reporters.

The Tawhid and Jihad group, led by Jordanian terror mastermind Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, has threatened to behead Americans Jack Hensley and Eugene Armstrong and Briton Kenneth Bigley on Monday unless Iraqi women are released from two U.S.-controlled prisons here.

(One of these guys is from Marietta. I know his 13 year old daughter.)

Hostages in Iraq

Many African-Americans had objected to the former state flag and its prominent display of the Confederate battle emblem, saying it was a painful reminder of slavery.

But supporters of that flag, which was raised in 1956, said it was merely a reflection of Southern heritage and pride.

Some historians say the rebel banner was added to the flag in response to the federal order to desegregate schools. Supporters of that flag say it was meant only to honor the memory of Confederate soldiers.

The debate is one of heritage versus racial sensitivities.

More on the flag

]Senate Bill 98 was signed into law on February 13, 1956,
]effectively changing the flag to its current design.

]Proponents for the current design say that it represents the
]state's heritage, and those who want it changed call it a symbol
]of defiance of the civil rights movement.

This is from a town hall meeting held at Tech.

GA flag

] The writer-director of "Dogma," "Chasing Amy" and "Jay
] and Silent Bob Strike Back" told the Associated Press on
] Friday that he has begun work on a sequel to "Clerks,"
] his homemade indie classic from 1994.
]
] ...
]
] The sequel picks up 10 years later.
]
] "It's about what happens when that lazy, 20-something
] malaise lasts into your 30s. Those dudes are kind of
] still mired, not in that same exact situation, but in a
] place where it's time to actually grow up and do
] something more than just sit around and dissect pop
] culture and talk about sex," Smith said during an
] interview at his Hollywood office. "It's: What happened
] to these dudes?"

[ HOLY CRAP! -k]

CNN.com - Ten years after original, Kevin Smith plans 'Clerks' sequel - Aug 30, 2004

Acidus wrote:
] ] Earlier, before being clawed by Kerry's reps, we spoke to
] ] "Daily Show" executive producer Ben Karlin, a charming
] ] man who did not take offense at our questions and who
] ] promised that the Comedy Central program would try
] ] especially hard to resemble an actual TV news show
] ] tonight during its Kerry encounter.
] ]
] ]
] ] "All of us [on 'The Daily Show'] are just blown away by
] ] the turn the campaign has taken," Karlin said. "We cannot
] ] believe that this is what is being talked about at this
] ] juncture. It's so astounding to us. We are trying to work
] ] through our amazement and to conduct a meaningful
] ] conversation absent of incredulity, because [the
] ] interview] is not going to go anywhere if you just say,
] ] 'What the [expletive] is going on?' "
] ]
] ] "If you just want to pinpoint the success of the
] ] Republican Party and Bush, this is a perfect case study,"
] ] Karlin continued, "because George W. Bush has put a
] ] moratorium on talk about his behavior under the age of 40
] ] and everyone [in the press] is abiding by it. 'Were you
] ] or were you not an alcoholic or did you just have a
] ] drinking problem?,' 'Were you or were you not a drug
] ] abuser?' Meanwhile they're debating whether [Kerry's war]
] ] wounds drew blood or were they superficial, or occurred
] ] in the same day, or whether he shot a guy wearing a toga.
] ] . . . How is that possible?"
]
] This whole thing is so stupid its sickening

Exactly! How do they expect the american public to take an election seriously if they won't themselves. Honestly there are so many HUGE issues that we should be addressing at this very moment in time but we are still stuck on this shit. This is the exact reason why no one votes. The majority of the american public has yet to hear a good reason why they should interupt their lives, take of work and waste thier precious time to drag themselves down to the poll to vote for who the best bully is.

RE: Kerry on 'Daily Show'

"Yellow wakes me up in the morning.
Yellow gets me on the bike every day.
Yellow has taught me the true meaning of sacrifice.
Yellow makes me suffer.
YELLOW IS THE REASON I'M HERE."

I am glad that these have gotten so much support and attention because it is a really important message. But on the flip side I hope other people remember the meaning and not just that it's the cool thing to do right now. If you're interested in the background check out this site or the Lance Armstrong Foundation.

LiveSTRONG bracelet