Dec 2007
Our 'Est' Culture: How Should We Actually Measure Success?
12/26/2007 05:19 PM Filed in: Ascribe.net
Preview
On the way home from Virginia I read a piece
in
(","
13 Dec. 2007) about the troop surge in Iraq. I
wanted help in how to go for deeper understanding
of how we're actually doing there - and not the
processed nuggets of information we are fed by the
national media.
This print article describes a much different yardstick for success than the Bush administration would have us use, and I thought it important to put it out there: while fewer combat deaths are of course desirable, circumstances on the ground make the calm there tenuous at best. Without a viable political structure, we can talk success all we want; you might want to think twice before you swallow the bullshit that the bragging administration spokespeople put out there.
Cut to this afternoon, when I caught The Situation Room reporting by Barbara Starr, which was, in my view, a gravely limited evaluation of what's going on over there. CNN's own sister magazine is reporting the whole story, but Starr's report - and the ensuing tag by Wolf - focused mainly on troop deaths. So, I fired off the following e-mail:
All I'm urging you to do is not fall prey to flat, one-dimensional accounts of progress. And don't settle for a surface understanding (succumbing to highly palatable, simplified "Est" language) when something more meaningful is there when you dig deeper.
This print article describes a much different yardstick for success than the Bush administration would have us use, and I thought it important to put it out there: while fewer combat deaths are of course desirable, circumstances on the ground make the calm there tenuous at best. Without a viable political structure, we can talk success all we want; you might want to think twice before you swallow the bullshit that the bragging administration spokespeople put out there.
Cut to this afternoon, when I caught The Situation Room reporting by Barbara Starr, which was, in my view, a gravely limited evaluation of what's going on over there. CNN's own sister magazine is reporting the whole story, but Starr's report - and the ensuing tag by Wolf - focused mainly on troop deaths. So, I fired off the following e-mail:
"To the Sit Room producers: Barbara Starr's reporting about combat-troop deaths was unbalanced and missing important pieces of how the country is still divided down religious and ethnic lines -- which, in *combination* with the so-called "surge," has produced lower fatalities.Does it actually matter that we've only lost 20 troops this month when 2.5 million Iraqis have been driven from their own country, and the ones who are there don't feel safe? This is YOUR reporting in Time, but it is apparently lost on CNN.In future reporting, please read articles like this one:
www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1694441,00.html
In it, Bobby Ghosh reports about the four elements that temper, and at worst, make irrelevant, any improvements in conditions there.I am SICK and tired of having CNN and other news outlets serve as an "EST" mouthpiece for the Bush administration ("fifth least", "safest month", "quietest week"). The time for that has come and gone now after pounding the drumbeat for war in the winter months of 2002.You are in effect doing their bragging for them -- you know as well as I do that they do that just fine without Barbara Starr's help.So... go back to the drawing board and pull these other threads into your reporting about combat deaths. otherwise, it's hollow, incomplete... and wrong."
All I'm urging you to do is not fall prey to flat, one-dimensional accounts of progress. And don't settle for a surface understanding (succumbing to highly palatable, simplified "Est" language) when something more meaningful is there when you dig deeper.
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In Honor Of Boxing Day, A Slap In The Right Direction
12/26/2007 08:00 AM Filed in: N&Ns
Ah yes, it's time for our
periodic
review
of all things aggravating... When that urge rises up
in us to squeeze our
young ones,
our animals, our partners - even a stranger on the
street - past the point of (almost) no physical
return.
Ah yes, it is Violent Affection Syndrome (VAS) at work. See below, and remember, VAS has produced at least one very important (and popular) spinoff in .
Enjoy, and remember to be good to each other.
Ah yes, it is Violent Affection Syndrome (VAS) at work. See below, and remember, VAS has produced at least one very important (and popular) spinoff in .
Enjoy, and remember to be good to each other.
On Christmas Day, A Lesson In Getting Along In Georgia
Every once in a while
we are shown a reminder of how great we are as a
people - as champions of goodwill, togetherness and,
eventually, prosperity for young people. The
is
one such example, joining refugees from some 40
countries with other families in Decatur, Ga., for
a unique and enriching learning environment in
Stone Mountain, Ga.
The school's story, , shows that our best learning begins with the environment and tone we set for our young people and their instructors -- not with quotas and false, pressure-filled benchmarks. The school's "experimental" status, says the NYT, means it is
In this case, "No Child Left Behind" can actually mean "No child left out."
Take a minute and click through to the NYT article and soak up this unique example of learning, compassion and inclusion.
Merry Christmas and Happy Happy to all today.
The school's story, , shows that our best learning begins with the environment and tone we set for our young people and their instructors -- not with quotas and false, pressure-filled benchmarks. The school's "experimental" status, says the NYT, means it is
"more at risk of closing if its students fail to make adequate yearly progress, the standard by which the national education law judges public schools."
In this case, "No Child Left Behind" can actually mean "No child left out."
Take a minute and click through to the NYT article and soak up this unique example of learning, compassion and inclusion.
Merry Christmas and Happy Happy to all today.
ARTvision 2007: Give In To The Spirit And Support ASP
12/25/2007 08:38 AM Filed in: Cool Events
O Holy Night... Can It Be?
12/25/2007 08:32 AM Filed in: YouTube
"Run For Justice" Raises $15,000
12/24/2007 08:16 AM Filed in: Cool Events
Hey, I did my part...
I to help those less fortunate... A 5K race to benefit , a group that represents Atlanta's poor in civil cases (since 1924 I might add).
Oh yeah, and I ran to celebrate 5 full years of no Marlboro Lights.
Slow and steady, no stopping - and
I survived the Virginia Highland hills, too.
, and you can see I talked someone into snapping my pic post-race.
I'm in the cattle-shot in the beginning, but it's impossible to see me.
Enjoy...
"Petticoat No. 10" Tears A Page From Old-school Telephone Poles
12/23/2007 07:02 AM Filed in: New Captures
Did you know that these glass
caps are collectors' items?
They were used as insulators in old-time telephone poles. If anyone has any additional info on them, let me know.
You like? Go to and vote now!
In Honor Of Shawn Mullins Playing Eddie's Tonight...
12/23/2007 06:58 AM Filed in: YouTube
"Winslow Morning" Shoots To Capture Fishing As Zen
12/22/2007 07:34 AM Filed in: New Captures
| Travel Blogs
Mike, Nettie and Dean
Pollock (and me) approached this scene at Snoqualmie
Falls outside of Seattle.
As luck would have it, the fisherman was cold when we arrived, but soon after caught a few.
Go to the Seattle travel blog, or click through to vote at !
As luck would have it, the fisherman was cold when we arrived, but soon after caught a few.
Go to the Seattle travel blog, or click through to vote at !
The Pup With A Forked Tongue
12/18/2007 10:01 PM Filed in: Zainy-mals
I had to post this... Alex is
a goof.
Alex "Fat Girl" Pollock just recently turned 17 and I've been cataloging her graceful move into canine geriatrics...
I've got YouTube vids of her, as well as this -- a capture of her forked tongue.
Hope you enjoy.
YouTube playlist appears below, with more to follow.
Missing Del Edwards (1955-2007) & Sharon Lester (1963-2007)
12/17/2007 09:56 AM Filed in: Cool People
(Atlanta :: 21 December 2007)
- As we approach the final days of the 2007
holiday season, many Atlantans - especially
those in the tennis community - are feeling the
loss of two great community leaders, friends and
family members: Del Edwards and Sharon Lester.
Del Edwards, one of my first friends here in the city when I moved in 1994, died Nov. 13 of melanoma. Del was a 28-year veteran teacher, beloved by his students, family and friends. He is survived by his partner David, who led Del's uplifting and joyous memorial service at the Jimmy Carter Center. I've included some photos from the service -- but they don't do it justice. Del was 53.
Sharon
Lester,
when she wasn't busy running the Piedmont Tennis
Center ship, was *always* keeping us laughing. She
saw through the expert renovation of PTC, and
fought to keep the city and the Conservancy from
marginalizing the center and, in essence, shutting
it down. Together with Joe and Daryl, Sharon
(pictured here with Michael Graham) worked at PTC
to inspire and motivate us to be that much better.
Sharon was 44. 
In passing, both Del and
Sharon remind us all to love and live every
moment. They would want us to... that, and to
swing our tennis racquets as hard and as much as
possible.
The 'Ol Hizzy Gets Her Day In The Sun (And On Camera)
The green renovation of my house has, it seems, some admirers... , the landscape architect for "Team Pollock" as we call it sometimes, hooked us up with HGTV's "" show. Last week they came to the house and did some initial interviewing.
I was, as the saying goes, "a pig in shit." I'm hoping that I'm only on the 2nd of my 15 minutes -- because it was a TON of fun.
Thanks to Mary Grace, Justin and the entire crew for making the day so awesome.
Below is a bad export of one of the movies I took!
...And I'm Always Blaming The Dog
12/10/2007 01:02 PM Filed in: Quotes 2
Remember
New Captures Loaded, With More To Follow
12/10/2007 08:03 AM Filed in: New Captures
Take a look at some new event pictures:
- The Velcro Show at , and
- The Therapeutic Art Show at
More to follow later today, with an advance buying opportunity!
Happy 300th Episode To NBC's 'ER'
12/09/2007 07:38 AM Filed in: General
Posts
For All My Fellow Sports Fans, A Tribute To The Football Gays
12/08/2007 10:35 PM Filed in: YouTube
| The Funnies
Tunes Page Updated!
12/08/2007 10:08 AM Filed in: Tunes
ARTvision 2007, Now Live, Celebrates The Nation's Musicians
12/07/2007 07:20 AM Filed in: Cool Events
| Cool People
is now live! Click
through to explore our -- a wide representation of the
arts.
Today, we celebrate three talented musicians/groups who've agreed to participate this year. I'd like to extend personal thanks to them, and an invitation to other artists who share our drive to raise money before the end of the year to donate a CD, signed poster or something else that might raise some cash.
Even a testimonial would help our cause -- please contact me for more info.
Adding this category was a
no-brainer this year, given my love of music,
performing and taking in live tunes. Check out
ARTvision's new music vibe:
This year, ARTvision's
beneficiary is .
Check in at throughout the month for some great buying (and giving) opportunities! More in this and other categories soon.
Cheers.
It's About Time... L&O Returns In Its Old Time Slot
12/04/2007 06:43 AM Filed in: General
Posts
Take A Listen To Lara Johnston
12/01/2007 09:33 AM Filed in: YouTube