We expected a big fall-off in BlueNC readership after the election, but are relieved to report that hasn't materialized. We're still seeing nearly 1100 unique visitors each day - with each visitor coming by three times on average. So far in December, we've had 4947 visitors total, and roughly 91,000 page-loads.
As a reminder, open threads like this one are free-for-all forums where anyone can say anything they want. It's a great place to pop in with notes and news about whatever is on your mind. For example, I found this article about Yoga magazine publishing in the Columbia Journalism Review. There's a closing paragraph worthy of our own Greg Flynn.
Happy weekend!
Comments
Off to do a little last minute whatever
before a long slogging weekend of business writing about international taxation.
:(
Some teacher got fired for yoga...
This was in the late 90's and I am going from memory here.
There was an elementary school teacher who was fired for using yoga and meditation during the school day to calm the rowdy students.
She was fired because some parents believed it was teaching witchcraft.
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Town Called Dobson - Daily Political Cartoon: Not all is red in rural America!
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Town Called Dobson - Daily Political Cartoon: Not all is red in rural America!
Thanks for the compliment
Even if it is a stretch. :)
Speaking of yoga and international commerce, India is working to document indigenous knowledge so that 5,000 year old traditions like yoga, as "prior art", cannot be patented in the West for sale back to India.
North Carolina Company And CIA Renditions
On the North Carolina ACLU website is this note...
I'm 56 years old. I moved to North Carolina five years ago. The previous twenty-five years I spent as a resident of Chicago's north shore and before that Wisconsin, Utah and California. I live in Moore County. My Congressman is Howard Coble, my State Sen
Dole Solicits To Retire NRSC Debt
Regarding Sen. Dole's crash and burn as chair of the National Republican Senatorial Committee comes this report from NewsMax. Sen. Dole, in what was described as an "urgent appeal," tells potential contributors that
Dole has come under intense criticism from fellow Republicans for her failure to raise enough money to match the Democrats and hold off their unexpected Senate takeover in the last election.
I'm 56 years old. I moved to North Carolina five years ago. The previous twenty-five years I spent as a resident of Chicago's north shore and before that Wisconsin, Utah and California. I live in Moore County. My Congressman is Howard Coble, my State Sen
but but
I thought that they did an excellent job of "keeping the senate close"
HelpLarry.com
"Keep the Faith"
Edwards to announce.
DailyKos story here.
I know that every good and excellent thing in the world stands moment by moment on the razor-edge of danger and must be fought for. ~ Thornton Wilder
Jesus Swept ticked me off. Too short. I loved the characters and then POOF it was over.
-me
damnit
i thought for sure i was gonna get a recc diary finally. damn your fast fingers.
HelpLarry.com
"Keep the Faith"
Sorry Blue South.
But, I did write something of an analysis, so I don't feel too sorry. : )
If I had just put out the headline, I actually would feel really bad about it.
I know that every good and excellent thing in the world stands moment by moment on the razor-edge of danger and must be fought for. ~ Thornton Wilder
Jesus Swept ticked me off. Too short. I loved the characters and then POOF it was over.
-me
Robert's a meanie
He bumped me at Kos yesterday too. (For which I was totally relieved after a day of being called heartless, crude, bad taste, whatever.)
I can retire now.
Two top diaries two days in a row.
: )
I know that every good and excellent thing in the world stands moment by moment on the razor-edge of danger and must be fought for. ~ Thornton Wilder
Jesus Swept ticked me off. Too short. I loved the characters and then POOF it was over.
-me
Will The Next NC House Speaker be Black?
No, not Jim Black, a black.
There's been some fitful maneuvering to offer up a black candidate for the NC House speakership, but few take those efforts very seriously. There's an interesting story by Cash Michaels in The Wilmington Journal, the foremost African-American news resource in North Carolina. His article provides a historical critique of The North Carolina Legislative Black Caucus. This Democratic stalwart in the State Legislature has had a sad habit of minimizing its own influence though infighting and a lack of unity.
Maybe a black speaker isn't in the offing, but could the NCLBC be thrust into the position of king maker? Will the Black Caucus be able to play their hand well enough to enjoy increased influence in the next session? Could things be starting to change?
I'm 56 years old. I moved to North Carolina five years ago. The previous twenty-five years I spent as a resident of Chicago's north shore and before that Wisconsin, Utah and California. I live in Moore County. My Congressman is Howard Coble, my State Sen
I'm sure the good old boys
don't want to hear about the Black caucus gettin' uppity. Just like they don't want to hear about the women gettin' uppity either.
Mickey Michaux is in the hunt, according to Kirk Ross. So is Dan Blue.
It'll be interesting to see how Dan Blue plays all this. Getting caught up in the intrigue and infighting for speaker of the House might be like jumping into a mess of brambles. He may want to steer clear of that mess and hold out for a seat on a bigger stage.
Question-
In recent history has there (with the exception of Jim Hunt) been a Lt. Governor elected Governor
Hunt and Easley go back
nearly 20 years. So, there isn't much other "recent" history : )
I know that every good and excellent thing in the world stands moment by moment on the razor-edge of danger and must be fought for. ~ Thornton Wilder
Jesus Swept ticked me off. Too short. I loved the characters and then POOF it was over.
-me
This ran Under the Dome at the N&O
(following a press release from the Perdue Committee)
Whack-a-mole
I was reading today about how Wilson County feel short-changed in its share of tobacco settlement money. The story is a decent one until the reporter quotes John Hood, stage manager at the John Locke Puppetshow. It's really amazing how the so-called reporters throughout North Carolina have come to depend on Puppets for easy, lazy commentary.
The Puppetshow has run unchallenged for decades and North Carolina reporters have become addicted to its dependable stream of bullshit. We have our work cut out.
The Jefferson Jackson Foundation
It would be nice if some rich sugar daddy with a liberal heart could step forward and establish a think tank similar in design and method to the John Locke Foundation. However, I don't think we should hold our breath.
I'm guessing that much of what the John Locke foundation does, especially in terms of its lobbying in behalf of various legislative causes, is handled quite nicely by a variety of non-profit organizations devoted to specific issues such as civil rights, the environment, education, health etc.
However, what bothers us most as Democrats is the week to week P.R. function that the John Locke Foundation does so well, and against which the Democrats have no adequate response.
There is nothing academic or especially credible about what the John Locke Foundation does, though it has managed to successfully create that illusion. People imagine a staff of highly trained and politically dispassionate experts doing research into various areas of public policy, and then offering up their nuggets of wisdom to a grateful public. However, The John Locke Foundation simply operates as a privately funded adjunct to the North Carolina Republican Party.
If a weekly press release were to go out every week from the Chair of the North Carolina Republican Party with the expectation that it would appear in the opinion section of newspapers throughout the State, the Republican Party would be consistently disappointed.
Editors would resist giving something so explicitly partisan a regular place in their opinion section, and even the most conservative editor would find it inappropriate to use his newspaper as an organ of the Republican Party.
However, if you set up an organization with a name like "The John Locke Foundation" and fund it privately, then you're allowed to broadcast the party line to your heart's content while readers assume that they're being informed by experts whose opinion their newspaper subscribes to because of its quality, and not because of its price - which is gratis.
There has to be some way for North Carolina Democrats to establish an organization or an agency that is outside the party, but is devoted to public advocacy of the progressive cause. This agency would produce coordinated press releases and well researched columns that would be regularly distributed throughout North Carolina under some high minded title like "The Jefferson Jackson Foundation."
How could we go about making something like that happen? Anyone have an idea?
I'm 56 years old. I moved to North Carolina five years ago. The previous twenty-five years I spent as a resident of Chicago's north shore and before that Wisconsin, Utah and California. I live in Moore County. My Congressman is Howard Coble, my State Sen
This is as good a statement of the situation as I've seen
and the "now what?" is clear. We need a sugar daddy like the Puppetmaster!
senate race
Im glad no one has any idea who is running.
swing state project
I WANT TO BEAT DOLE! Why does no one with the ability seem interested????
HelpLarry.com
"Keep the Faith"
Episcopals take lessons from Baptists
Hate and divide for the glory of god.
I'm sooooo glad I'm sort of a Unitarian.
Wazzup?
Where's everybody been for the last four hours? Over at DailyKos and global swarming with Robert? All I could do to is keep up with rec'ing his comments. No time to comment myself so I turned in to revisit "An Inconvenient Truth" and am taking a break because the ice in my drink is melting.
no kidding
I would say that I am hard at work finishing my book so I can write up a review of it for the site, but I have read 3 pages tonight so....
HelpLarry.com
"Keep the Faith"
last minute weekend scribble
woohoo!! w00000T!! yeehah!!, even ...
My son, an enterprising self-supporting college student, finally got his Wii!! He's so happy. I'm so happy for him. :D Just wanted to share that.
"They took all the trees and put them in a tree museum Then they charged the people a dollar 'n a half just to see 'em. Don't it always seem to go that you don't know what you've got till it's gone? They paved paradise and put up a parking lot."
Finally some good news!
Very great, Leslie H. I needed a little cheeriness!
It's truly the coolest game system
I've ever seen, and I've seen 'em all. It's all wireless -- internet connection, controllers, everything ... 'cept for the tv connections.
I don't play the games but I love to watch the kids play. I suppose ours is a strange sort of modern day family ritual on weekends when both kids are home. But maybe no stranger than watching football together would be.
Glad that made you smile, A. :)
"They took all the trees and put them in a tree museum Then they charged the people a dollar 'n a half just to see 'em. Don't it always seem to go that you don't know what you've got till it's gone? They paved paradise and put up a parking lot."