Online Learning

Is taking a college class via the Internet as valuable as taking one in a classroom?

Yes, say most College Presidents.

Not so fast, says the general public.

The Pew study results are here.

Rosa's Stuff.

     If you have a few million laying around and want to help Troy University's Rosa Parks Museum beef up it's collection, call Guernsey's auction house in New York and they'll gladly sell you her eyeglasses, her bible, the note she wrote about being raped by a white employer, oh, and her Presidential Medal of Freedom and the Congressional Gold Medal of Honor. And lots more.

     A Washington post story today bemoans the fact that the collection remains locked up, with no access for scholars. The Guernsey's executive I spoke with said the Troy facility was the first place he called when they obtained the court order allowing them to sell the property.

     But Troy doesn't have the money, and nor, apparently does anyone else.

     The Washington Post article linked above doesn't mention Troy, but it does mention ASU in Montgomery, which is probably still smarting from the fact that it was Troy, and not them, that built the museum on the site of the bus stop where Park's famous (sitting) stand took place. Does ASU have the money? Probably not, after all of the millions of dollars of (overdue) construction underway on their campus.

      How much? You name it. $8-Million? $12-Million? $20-Million? Less? More? What price history?

     Somebody will snatch it up at some point, hopefully someone who will allow the scholars...and the public...access.

WWJD?

     Refuse to take the money? Return the ticket? Donate it to a gambling addiction center?

   A Georgia Church is richer after someone put a winning lottery ticket in the collection plate.

   An $80-Thousand winning ticket!

     Amen!

MMMM #160 -- I Have Questions!

It's a mystery to me:

1) Why does NPR have a "Countererrorism Correspondent"? Do they also have a Pro-terrorism correspondent?

2) Why is it legal to advertise alcohol on radio and in newspapers and on billboards in Alabama, but not on TV? Is TV advertising so much more effective it might literally drive people to drink?

3) Will weather forecaster apologize the organizers of the Martin Luther King Memorial Dedication for convincing them to cancel the event over the threat of some pretty serious showers?

(Uh, on second thought, looking at the photo to the right, scratch that one...though George Will said on ABC's This Week: I have a home on South Carolina’s Atlantic Coast. I know that the Atlantic Ocean generates hurricanes, and they can be dangerous and unpredictable. That said, this too must be said: Florence Nightingale said, “Whatever else you can say about hospitals, they shouldn’t make their patients sicker.” And whatever else you want to say about journalism, it shouldn’t subtract from the nation’s understanding and it certainly shouldn’t contribute to the manufacture of synthetic hysteria that is so much a part of modern life. And I think we may have done so with regard to this tropical storm as it now seems to be.)

4) This week's TIME cover proclaims vets from America's twin wars in the Middle East the new "Greatest Generation". Already? How long did it take the media to decide the WWII vets were the first? A few decades? As a vet myself, I appreciate the new veterans' service, but I'm just sayin'...why does the media feel such a need to make broad generalizations like that? Remember TIME's "Is God Dead?" cover?

[The Monday Morning Media Memo is a regular feature of this blog.]

A Not Quite Unexpected Editorial

     You will not be surprised to hear that The Washington Post is editorializing against the Alabama Immigration Bill that goes into effect on Thursday. But read their editorial anyway, as it will be digested by a huge population that will form their opinion about the state from it, right or wrong.

     The Post calls it a "poisonous law".

     A Federal Judge in Birmingham is considering the request of the U.S. Justice Department and civil rights groups to block the law, and that may happen before Thursday.

     Check out the YouTube video of bill sponsor Mickey Hammon describing the "Alabama flavor" they gave the bill, patterned after the Arizona legislation.

Alabama, The Double Dipper

     A new report indicates Alabama is slipping into a recession.

    First off, wouldn't that be BACK into a recession? I mean, what is it we've been in the last 3+ years, if not a recession?

     While the experts fight, all you have to do is drive around for an hour and look at all of the houses that are STILL on the market. (Their agents say all they have to do is drop their price and, like magic, the houses will sell! So much for all those real estate agents selling The American Dream and pointing out what a great investment it is to buy a home!)    

     And during your drive, note the closed down retail and businesses. Ans  you might want to talk with the 10% of the workforce without a job too.

     Is Alabama going into a recession? Heck, we never left it!

Civil Rights & Wrongs

     Montgomery officials announced today that present and future police and fire personnel will be required to attend an eight hour class on the city's racial history.

     The city's segregationist past means interactions between cops and firefighters and citizens, especially African-American citizens, carry some heavy baggage.

   

     The fact that the press conference comes the week the Martin Luther King Memorial opens in D.C. is appropriate, given his own "interactions" with the police here.

     While the Todd Road incident, the beating of the freedom riders at the Montgomery Greyhound station,  and Rosa Parks arrest were major events in the development of the mistrust between cops and people, there must be many thousands of smaller, more subtle, and maybe even more hurtful incidents that occurred, the stories passed down in families. 

     The class was developed by the Troy University Rosa Parks Museum. 

Driven to Distraction

     In both Georgia and Alabama, drivers distracted by cell-phones have caused deaths, though the Georgia case is a touch more complicated that just the phone, and in Alabama it was the driver and her infant son who died.

     But really...is there anyone who still doubts how dangerous phones and driving are?

     Oh, and there's the UAB study earlier this month that found that listening to music while crossing the street is more dangerous than just talking on the phone while doing so.

     Hey, it's all distraction. Our lives have become so multi-tasked that doing just one thing at a time seems positively slothful.

     Put down the cell phone and put your hands on the wheel and your eyes and ears on the traffic.

    When you are walking next to huge metal machines that can crush you, pay attention.

    And when you're watching me on TV, stop that clothes folding! (-:

Dedication Postponed!

     The Sunday dedication of the MLK Monument in D.C. is being postponed and will be scheduled for sometime in coming weeks.

     A wise move, even though it will cause turmoil for all of those people with travel plans.

Irene

     The big storm keeps heading for Washington D.C.,..and for Sunday Morning's MLK memorial dedication. USA Today reports the U.S. Park Service is keeping a close eye on the situation, but has not made any decision about disrupting the ceremony.

     Organizers put the best face on it during the week, talking about the forces that tried to disrupt the Civil Rights movement itself, but today there was talk of at least delaying the dedication till Sunday afternoon, if need be.

     Where's Jerry Falwell making grand pronouncements that God sent the storm because he is displeased with King? Although the earthquake damaged the Washington Memorial AND The National Cathedral, so....mixed messages from above?

The Newsday: 8.23.11

     An earthquake * on the East Coast at the same time that population is facing the first major hurricane in years, AND The Tripoli Battle continues...so what story does Tim feature?

     The humanoid robot on the ISS, that's what. He's been "activated", but they wisely have not installed his legs yet. I kinda hope that haven't hooked him into the control systems of the station yet either.

     Just in case.

     That's him on the left. The other guy is the I,Robot from the movie, the one that went nuts way after HAL in the other movie went off the deep end.

     Meanwhile in Alabama, the fight over immigration will be court tomorrow, a week before it goes into effect.

    

     And hats off to the Mobis Company in Alabama for donating $11,000 worth of  school supplies to Montgomery's Public  Catoma Elementary today.     

     I wish the state would raise enough money to provide those supplies, but nice to see a corporate citizen step up to the plate in its stead.

[*Late in the day comes a report that some workers in the RSA tower in Downtown Montgomery felt the quake!]

Furby Attack!

     Governor Robert Bentley gathered with a few of  his furry friends on the Capitol lawn in Montgomery today to promote next Friday's "Wear Your Colors" day. Who knew there were so many? It was about 100 degrees in the sun for the 9:30 event and I was still in makeup and suit and tie....only imagining what the mascots felt like! Fortunately, none fell out.

MMMM # 159 - Words Have Meaning

     Three times in recent days I've come across careless word usage in news stories.

     One was the use of the word "invaluable" when the writer intended to say that the object being described had little value...not tremendous value.

     The other was in a story about the Bingo Bribery trial here in Montgomery. The writer was addressing State Senator Scott Beason (R-Gardendale) using the word "aborigines" to describe black patrons of bingo establishments. Ironically, it was the hidden recording devise device Beason himself was wearing that captured his comment and made it public in the trial.

     Anyway, the reporter described  his use of the word as being an "unfortunate" comment. That wasn't a quote from someone else, it was the reporter's direct writing. Was the Senator's use of the word really "unfortunate"? That implies that he intended to use some other word but came up with aborigine instead by mistake, no?

     Finally there was the use of the word inflammable to indicate something that would not burn easily. English can be tricky. Flammable and inflammable mean the same thing. So do ravel and unravel.

     Regular readers have seen my regular "Literally Watch" reports, indicating the misuse of that often-misused word.

[The Monday Morning Media Memo is a regular feature of this blog.]

    

Immigration Law Exception

     Alabama's Immigration Law  includes a fairly significant exception.....it will... 

"...not apply to casual domestic labor performed within a household..."

     We wouldn't want to disturb "The Help", would we?

Who wrote that exemption in, and why?

Middle Class Jobs

     I know Governor Bentley was at the Southern Governors Association meeting, but not sure if he stayed long enough to attend this presentation about jobs.

     It implies that Southern States are emphasising four-year degree programs too much, while "middle-class" jobs are the ones needing filling...and they can pay very well indeed.

     Alabama's unemployment rate hit 10% last month, double was it was three years ago.

     Remember, he promised not to accept a salary till full-employment is achieved. At this rate, Governor Bentley will have to start paying the state, instead of collecting a salary.

Shades of Sarah Palin!

"There are very few [Russian] people who have stood on the beach in Alaska," he said. "Seemingly you can stretch out your hand and touch Mother Russia."

   The quote is from a story suggesting an underground rail connection between Alaska and Russia. I'm not sure I would trust an official who uses the words beach and Alaska in the same breath.

    Talk of a bridge or tunnel there has been around for many decades...but perhaps now--- with the world economy in tatters----might not the best time to dust off the plans??

[Thanks to Jay finder of stories, for, er, finding this story!]

Priest Assaulted

     A Nigerian-born Roman Catholic priest assigned to St. Paul's Cathedral in Birmingham is in critical condition after he was assaulted.

     The church is releasing precious few details other than to say "another individual" was involved.

     The Birmingham News has the story on al.com. As usual, the anonymous comments after the story are unmentionable. Talk Radio at its worst in print. When will the newspapers require real names be used?

     Ironically, a documentary about the August 11, 1921 murder of another priest at St. Paul's is in production.

[UPDATE: The News reports he was apparently beaten by the husband of a woman he was having an affair with, and he may be paralyzed from the beating.]

Do You Know This Girl?

     According to a Washington Post story, her identity may be a clue to the name of a person who's ashes were found at Arlington National Cemetery.

[UPDATE: President for Editorial Decisions Jay sends a link to the solution. Thanks Jay!]

Worst Case Scenerio

     One of my "go-to" questions in interviews is the worst case scenario.     

    It works especially well with museum curators or head librarians.

     If a terrible event were to occur and you only had a few moments to gather up items to save, which few would you run out of the building with?

     A chief Smithsonian curator I interviewed many years ago answered that he might grab Thomas Jefferson's folding writing desk, or Michael Jackson's single glove.

     Turns out there is actually a Wold War III list for some of the nation's treasures, according to a story in today's Washington Post.

    It's an interesting exercise for folks to conduct at home too. If you could only get out with what you could carry (presuming all living things are saved) what would you take?

MMMM # 158 -- Advertising & Race

     Race is a topic usually best left out of advertising, unless it is a product or service geared toward a specific race. There are any number of failed campaigns to prove it. 
    I'm always surprised to see TV ads that show lots of customers in an establishment... and every one is white.

     A Washington Post column  last Sunday discussed the topic, including a recent campaign by the "Summer's Eve" line of products for women that caused great controversy.

     But closer to (my) home, a relatively new restaurant is being criticised for the new advertising signs it posted recently:

     It's obviously the drawing of the black woman that has some people upset... even though it is a black owned establishment (where I've had wonderful meals, by the way).

     The characterization of black slave (or freed slave) women like that goes back to Aunt Jemima, who started as a racial stereotype and was transformed over the decades as various actresses were hired to portray the fictional character.

That Aunt Jemima link is to the company's self written "history"...there are numerous books and websites that explore the more controvertial aspects of the brand.

    

[PLUS:  having nothing to do with the race and advertising story, CNN recently tried to get comment on a report out of Syria:

CNN cannot independently verify the account. The Syrian government could not immediately be reached for comment.

     You know it's a tough news day when an entire government can't be reached.

[The Monday Morning Media Memo is a regular feature of this blog.]

90th Anniversary

     Andrew Lennox, Jr. would have been 99 years old this year. He was Father's brother, and I would have grown up knowing him as my Uncle.

     But Andrew died 90 years ago yesterday, just nine years old, days after his brother James and his sister Catherine also died of what the New York Times described as a "mysterious ailment",

     I blogged about the deaths in The Bronx a year ago, on the 89th anniversary, and you can read the details in that posting.

Immigration Law Question

     The N.Y. Times has entered the fray over Alabama's Immigration law, adding to the International pressure against the law that goes into effect in two weeks.

     The Times story in today's paper focuses on religious (and agricultural) opposition to the bill, which has been wide and diverse. So here's the question. From a political standpoint, why in the world is the Republican majority in the legislature, and the Republican Governor, going up against religion in the Bible Belt?

Makes no political sense at all. And Bentley is a deacon is his Tuscaloosa church too.

NOTE: Congressman Mo Brooks, R-Huntsville, is quoted in Sunday's Bham News: 

 

"Depending on whether you support illegal conduct or support amnesty for all illegal aliens, if that's your belief system then yes, Alabama has a black eye. If you believe in law and order and understand the threat posed to America by illegal aliens, then Alabama is seen as a white knight helping to lead the charge for truth and justice."

     The Representative's gray printer cartridge must have run out.

Alabama's Volunteer School Systems

     If you have children in Alabama Public Schools, chances you are already sending toilet paper to school with them because the constantly cut budgets don't allow enough money to buy any.

    The picture below is of Bear Elementary, where some parents and Alabama Power volunteers cleaned up the grounds to get them ready for the kids return on Monday. They certainly didn't have the resources or time to repaint the very bare wood on the window frames of the 1959 building.

 

     Here's what retiring State School Superintendent Joe Morton said about the state of Alabama's schools as he prepared to leave:

"If we cut the programs that got us from 48th up to 25th, we will wake up back in 48th," Morton said. "The economy of this state depends on education rankings going up, not down."

     Achievement is the bottom line for educational success, but isn't providing enough tax money to maintain the buildings and supply toilet paper part of it too?

B-i-n-g-o-n-e?

     So what now? That's perhaps the most common question across the Alabama capitol after the BINGO Bribery jury returned not a single guilty verdict from the 120+ counts against the nine defendants. Not one.

     The judge himself had already thrown out some of the counts, and the jury dismantled all but 33 of the rest.

     On Friday three people attending the conference of Black Mayors in Birmingham called on President Obama to order the Justice Department to toss the remaining counts and let this dog die. No, that's not an exact quote, but it does express the feeling.

     What's ironic in that Obama's Senate-confirmed nominee for U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Alabama will be sworn in on Thursday. George Beck is a Democrat. Will he decide to go back to court with the hand left behind and further attempt to prosecute the seven who still have counts against them?

     You say I'm dragging politics into it? All but one of the public officials indicted were Democrats, and the one who wasn't a Democrat was ejected from the GOP because she had supported Democrat Bobby Bright. The woman who was running the  prosecutor's office was Republican-appointed (though Leura Canary did say she recused herself. Or was it the prosecution of Don Siegelman she recused herself from? Or both?)

  

There were those secretly recorded Statehouse conversations by three GOP Legislators, and the extraordinary announcement to the Democratic Legislative leadership about the FBI probe into the House-approved Bingo legislation, a bill that then died in the State Senate.

     It was born of politics and perhaps should die of it too.

     But what of the three who plead guilty and testified against the other nine? Their testimony didn't accomplish much.

    Will they still serve however many years in prison was in their deal? They did testify that they had paid bribes. But to whom?

[NOTE: 8-14-11 The Birmingham News today has an excellent analysis of the verdicts and the question of a retrial on the counts the jury was hung on.]

Obit

     I was sorry to hear and then report on-air the death of  lawyer Tom Radney, a longtime fervent Alabama Democrat for whom the state Democratic Party's "Radney Rule" is named. He was a former State Senator and was a delegate to a half dozen DNC conventions. He ran for Lieutenant Governor once.

     His funeral will be tomorrow in Alexander City.

     His family sent our a new released early Monday morning that included the photo below, a nice shot that caught his spirit.

     It is actually a photo I took of him last year during an interview. If I may say so, it is easily the best photo of him that shows up in a quick Google image search, and I was honored the family sent it out. Go easily, Tom. RIP!

[UPDATE: Jay points out a nice column about the former Senator by Al Benn, in Tuesday's Montgomery Advertiser..]

   

CLIMATE Change(s)

     A liberal environmental group, The Natural Resources Defense Council, is out with an interactive map that shows what the group believes would occur in each state because of climate change. 

     They suggest the impact on Alabama would be wide ranging:

* Air Pollution: Smog, Smoke and Pollen

* Extreme Heat: More Intense Hot Days and Heat Waves

* Infectious Diseases: Dengue Fever, West Nile Virus, and Lyme Disease
* Drought: Threats to Water and Food Security

* Flooding: Devastating Floods and Heavy Rains

    You can check out your state by following this link.

    Be it man-made or natural, I think there is general agreement that the planet's climate is changing. Now we can either adapt or try to stop the change, both huge tasks.

Cold Obama and Hot Tattoos.

It is just too HOT to spend a lot of of time even writing! But a couple of notes of interest...In The NY Times. a lengthy analysis of President Obama that addresses the central question: why has he been less than expected? The opinion piece is titled "What Happened to Obama's Passion?" Indeed.

     Meanwhile here in Alabama we debate the important things. Like tattoos. Good or bad.

     Really.

     Read the furor started by a Press-Register article about it. Geeze. Chill out folks. There are extremes in everything, like model Rick Genest (left), who has tattooed virtually all of his skeleton on his skin. As long as the boys and girls don't go that far, can we take a deep breath and let it go?

     (Note: Click the link with the model's name only if you want to see more of his real Illustrated Man body.)

Out largest county may file the biggest bankruptcy in history this week. The stock market has fallen off the cliff, young American men and women are trying not to be the the last one to die for Hamid Karzai, and we're angry about tats?

MMMM # 157 Six Simple Steps To a Media Hoax!

 

     Last week's "news" hoax---the supposed report that found Internet Explorer users are dumber than those using other browsers--- might not have gone as far as it did back when there were editors on duty for almost everything.

     Now that the newspapers have laid off, or outright fired, so many people, and now that there are a billion rogue websites (like this one) that provide "news", anything goes when it comes to folks jumping on a story.

    I do not believe that I have ever been caught up in one, but I can tell you how to create the perfect hoax news story, one that will get quick attention by at least some of the MSM and lots of the rest of us.

1) The "story" must re-enforce existing beliefs (or, better yet, prejudices) in some way. ("Hell, I always knew those IE people were idiots!")

2) Include at least two of the following: sex, government waste, studies with obvious results, a threat to readers/viewers of some kind. (i.e. Government rresearchers find sex on Reality-TV shows is making women less amorous!)

3) Include a local connection...."the research was conducted by a Montgomery Alabama marketing company."...without being so specific that it can be checked.

4) It must arrive in reporter/editor in-boxes at the worst possible time for them to fact-check....close to airtime for a broadcaster (but not too close!), near "publication" time for the print media, and always on or near a weekend or, better yet, a holiday weekend. That accomplishes two things: a scarcity of news and making it hard to check because people who would normally comment on the story are not at work.

5) Make the story as detailed as possible. Most people think you should keep lies simple, but the reality is that they are more believable if they are filled with rich detail. Include links that lead nowhere. They'll presume there is something wrong with their machine.

6) Buy a disposable phone and leave a convincing sounding voice mail message ("Our offices are closed for the weekend, but we do check this voice mail, so please leave a message and we'll get back with you as quickly as possible! We apologize to those of you calling about such an such...that news release was not supposed to go out till Monday. But again, we'll try to get back with you." )

I am NOT suggesting anyone actually try to pull off a hoax, which might violate the law, just pointing out it is easier now than ever.

[The Monday Morning Media Memo is a regular feature of this blog.]

RED LETTER DAY!

___________________________________

250 --  comments about U.S. loses AAA credit rating from S&P (update)

137 --  comments about Countdown to Football: 27 Days -- Slumping traditional powers hope to bounce back

_________________________________________________________________________

There were more al.com comments about a major news story than about the countdown to college football.

     The Wall Street Journal includes a thought-provoking column this morning that suggests there would be less of a shortage of black women marrying black men, if more black women were open to marrying white men.

     The article is well worth the read, especially the discussion of some of the reasons black women do not want to marry white men.

[The article from the about to be released book ""Is Marriage for White People?: How the African American Marriage Decline Affects Everyone" by Ralph Richard Banks.]

Fear of Flying?

     I have no fear of flying, but I can imagine how terrifying this experience would be for people who do. It's a concept plane developed by Airbus. Here's the story, and thanks to Editor in Chief Jay, who has no fears at all,  and thanks to my friend Jerry in Birmingham for finding it for us! (Sorry Jay! You do such a good job I kinda assumed it came from you!)

Google x 2

     Two Google stories of interest....first, the most intricate Google Home Page logo ever...in honor of what would have been Lucille Ball's 100th Birthday. It's a working TV with multiple channels and an on-off switch. Cool!

     Then there's the story of the cars that produce the maps for Google Earth. I didn't know they are, for all intents, robot driven. The reason that's become a news story is that one was involved in an accident. An accident that happened during the time a human driver was at the wheel. When the robots are driving, the cars have a perfect driving record.

Beauty unnoticed.....

When a thing of beauty becomes commonplace,

it loses

 the very thing

that gave it status.

     This Night Blooming Cereus burst open last Midnight, and closed with sunrise, unnoticed on the deck. By day's end, she'll shrivel away to nothing.

     There are four other blooms readying for their one-night display, and in all that embarrassment of visual and olfactory delight, she came and went alone.

     I'll take better note the next few nights.

Throwing The Book at The EPA!

     The parent company of Alabama Power has sent a 200 page comment to the EPA about upcoming regulation changes, saying the cost of following the new regs will be at least $13-Billion, so reports the NY Times.

     If they would just harness the energy that went into producing that 200 page letter, they could maybe reduce rates! I'll bet that's more words than the U.S. Constitution.

[Note: the picture above is a TVA environmental disaster, the coal ash spill.]