Celebrity Apprentice Mini-caplet: Down to Two

One of the funniest things about this is that I vowed that I wouldn't watch any reality-based programs a long time ago. And now I find myself sucked in to at least two of them that I have to watch on a regular basis.

One of them is "Hell's Kitchen." My stepson was the one who sucked my husband and I into watching it every week. Once that season is done I might do a recap of the entire season.

The other one is "The Apprentice." My husband was the one who got the first season on DVD, and we got so sucked in to watching it that we've seen every season. Hubby downloads the UK version, and we even watched the Martha Stewart version for that one season. So the celebrity editions they've had for the past couple of seasons have been interesting.

If you haven't seen this week's episode, watch it before reading any further.



After watching that, next week is going to be very interesting. What I find funny is that Annie Duke claims to not take anything personally when it comes to Joan Rivers. Maybe not in the boardroom, but she got rather catty after they won.

You can tell Joan is not thrilled with having to compete with her. I don't blame her -- but I would think that she would want to take the chance to vindicate her daughter's firing. Annie is just a snake. But I said that about Piers last season, and he won.

As far as Brande Roderick and Jesse James' firings -- Brande probably deserved to go. The past few weeks the blonde ditziness was starting to show through. Jesse, I think he might have been waiting until the last task to use his "Hollywood" connections, or he might have decided to just keep his private life to himself and try to do this on his own. It's hard to gauge by watching him. But that's basically what killed him, as much as I respect him for keeping his wife out of this.

So we'll see what happens next week -- it's Joan vs. Annie. They haven't announced what the task will be yet, but it should get interesting.

Pushing an Agenda On People

I really try not to talk about topics that might be contentious between me and people I know. Gay marriage is one of those topics because I have friends who are gay (and get along with as long as we don't discuss politics). But I honestly have serious issues about pushing your agenda on people, because it doesn't work to getting people on your side. It just makes people hate you more.

Recently, New Hampshire senate passed a measure to be passed on to the governor to approve gay marriage. Now, for those who live outside of the state, we already allow civil unions in NH -- this was approved last year. So to try to take this step so soon after we already approved civil unions is stupid and just reinforces the idea that an agenda is being pushed on the public.

Well, over the weekend I talked about a story from NowHampshire.com where New Hampshire Democratic Party chairman Ray Buckley allegedly twisted the arm of a few Democrats in the senate by promising them money to fight in their re-election bids from sources outside the state if they voted for gay marriage. If it didn't go through, then the party would work to remove primary First In The Nation status to New Hampshire.

Blackmail much?

Despite BlueHampshire trying to deny the story, HumanEvents.com backs up the idea that outside money is funding this initiative.

How are Democrats able to push their hyperliberal agenda in what otherwise appear to be conservative states such as Colorado and Iowa? Who is behind the sudden rush of laws allowing same sex marriage?

According to Focus on the Family (FOTF), the answer is Tim Gill, a gay multi-millionaire in Denver who has dedicated his time and fortune to filling state legislature after state legislature with Democrats who support same sex marriage. His latest target is New Hampshire, and as of now New Hampshire Governor John Lynch refuses to say whether he will or won’t veto HB436, the pro-same sex marriage bill the state senate passed on April 29, 2009.

Gill has a long history of changing minds and the composition of state legislatures with his nearly unlimited funding ability. According to FOTF: “In the political cycle of 2000, Gill gave $300,000 to political campaigns [throughout the country], followed by $800,000 in 2002. [Then, in 2004,] Gill dumped an astonishing $5 million into races, mostly in Colorado.” In 2006 he “targeted a total of 70 state and local races in a dozen states” using “$15 million of his own money -- on top of millions from his friends.” (FOTF) For his efforts he was successful in 50% of the races in which he was involved.

To show how powerful Gill is, in Iowa he managed to get 9 out of 9 of the candidates he was supporting elected. And he's trying to do the same thing to New Hampshire.

I don't like the idea of people outside of my state coming in and trying to change our policy. We should be who we are, not what others think we should be. Right now Lynch is silent on whether he's going to veto this bill or not. If he wants to get re-elected, I think he will.

(h/t Granite Grok)

So Which Is It?

Blue Hampshire is making an interesting claim regarding a story that was on the Now! Hampshire website earlier this week regarding some possible arm twisting by NH Democratic Party chairman Ray Buckley regarding the Senate vote on gay marraige this week.

So, why the "phoney news?" It is an effort by Republicans to make it look like "outside forces" are interfering with NH's internal affairs and telling senators what to do - using threats to get them to pass the "San Francisco agenda". They also are making Raymond the focus of the attacks. In addition to Hynes' "news story", a release on the NH GOP web site said Raymond was "secretly passing same sex marriage". They also ran a press release about the alleged "Buckley-Lynch Same Sex Marriage Feud". I think we all know why they are obsessing with Raymond - he is openly gay, so the Republicans are attacking him. They just can't believe that New Hampshire is rejecting their brand of hatred and fear, so it must be outside forces and those wicked you know whats.

Insiduous disgusting homophobic bigotry at work, utilizing conveniently unnamed Democratic sources and a website posing as a news site, pushing the Republican message.

Okay, I give up. I'm a homophobic bigot for opposing gay marriage. Even though I feel that the civil unions are a better compromise of the two -- it keeps "marriage" for a man and a woman, yet allows gays to have the same rights as heterosexual couples. What I don't understand is why they are trying to push this through over a year after civil unions are passed.

Anyway, considering that the vote was slated to die in committee, and the fact that the governor may veto this bill, I'm more likely going to believe that something happened behind the scenes on this one, especially if Buckley is involved. Granted, it might not have been as extreme as taking away New Hampshire's First in the Nation status, but someone made a deal somewhere along the line. And like I said, Buckley has a dog in this fight. I wouldn't put it pass him to ensure that this went through.

Next SAU 18 Meeting Agenda

Notice of Meeting
SAU 18 School Board
Paul Smith Elementary – Multi-Purpose Room
May 7, 2009
7:00 PM

Agenda

Salute to the Flag
Approval of Minutes of April 2, 2009
Public Participation (Statements/questions from the public pertaining to the meeting
Agenda)
Recognitions (Recognition of individuals and organizations)
Business
1. Approval, Authorization for SAU 18 to Serve as Fiscal Agents for Grants Including
Authorization of the Superintendent, Assistant Superintendent and Business
Administrator to sign OMB Forms.
2. Discussion, Communication of SAU School Board meetings and agendas.
3. Discussion, Policies for the SAU School Board – subcommittee reporting at board meetings
4. Approval, Emergency Plans
5. Discussion, Superintendent Evaluation and April 2, 2009 Petition.
Adjournment

I'm planning on attending this meeting. That last item should be interesting, considering the possibility that the petition might end up being voided.

Mark Your Calendars

May 4 is International Respect For Chickens Day.

An animal rights group is recognizing the month of May as 'International Respect for Chickens Month,' with May 4 designated as 'International Respect for Chickens Day.' United Poultry Concerns launched the effort in 2005 to "celebrate chickens and protest against the bleakness of their lives in farming operations."

Make sure to eat a chicken wing or breast in celebration!

For those wondering, United Poultry Concerns is an animal rights group specifically aimed at chickens and other domestic fowl. The president, Karen Davis, is apparently so crazy about her chickens that they sleep in the house with her.

Fashion Industry Finally Catching Up

Stores like Target and Forever 21 are finally offering more stylish clothes for plus-size teens.

Forever 21's line, Faith 21, will have sizes ranging from XL-2X, while Target's Pure Energy line will go up to a size 30.

It's about time, said several shoppers scouring the crowded racks of a Forever 21 branch in downtown Manhattan, New York, one recent afternoon.

"I would love to be able to shop in one store with my friends that are all different sizes," said one young petite college student, who was eyeing the $2.50 tank tops. "I think it's great that they're expanding."

Another shopper, a full-figured teen in a stylish baby doll dress, was also excited. "I tried on something earlier that was totally cute and it did not fit my breast size, which is really frustrating, because I liked it."

I find one of my favorite stores to shop (when I have the money) is Lane Bryant, primarily because they have some great clothes in my size. I'm quite realistic in that I know that even if I were to lose the weight, I would never get below a size 12 because I'm a tall girl.

However, some feel that offering plus-size clothing encourages obesity.

"Yeah, as capitalists they have the right to address a growing marketplace and it's a smart business decision," said MeMe Roth, president of the organization National Action Against Obesity.

"However, when you look at the human cost, what we're doing is we're on the Titanic and rather than forcing our children into the lifeboat, we're telling them to join the band. Worrying about fashion rather than worrying about the food is a horrible message that we're sending these kids," Roth said.

Roth is a well-known anti-obesity advocate. She has...issues.

Here are a few reasons why Roth is a nut.

-- "When I look at Jordin, I see diabetes, heart disease, I see high cholesterol ... She’s the vision of unhealth." -- Roth on American Idol contestant Jordin Sparks

-- An appearance by Roth on "The Daily Show" from October 2007

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-- Roth wants Santa to be thin.

-- Arrested in her hometown after attacking a table of ice cream toppings at her local YMCA.

-- Criticized Redbook for running an issue featuring a story on body acceptance.

-- Has called for boycotts in the past of Girl Scout Cookies.

This is just a small sampling of the looniness of those who try to tell us what to eat. Don't we have the right to be fat in this country, anymore?

You Know that $400/$800 tax credit that Obama promised?

Well, not so much.

The tax credit is supposed to provide up to $400 to individuals and $800 to married couples as part of the massive economic recovery package enacted in February. Most workers started receiving the credit through small increases in their paychecks in the past month.

But new tax withholding tables issued by the IRS could cause millions of taxpayers to get hundreds of dollars more than they are entitled to under the credit, money that will have to be repaid at tax time.

At-risk taxpayers include a broad swath of the public: married couples in which both spouses work; workers with more than one job; retirees who have federal income taxes withheld from their pension payments and Social Security recipients with jobs that provide taxable income.

The Internal Revenue Service acknowledges problems with the withholding tables but has done little to warn average taxpayers.

"They need to get the Goodyear blimp out there on this," said Tom Ochsenschlager, vice president of taxation for the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants.

Consider this a public service announcement.

I'm Going To Have To Start Attending Franklin School Board Meetings

This is just the breakdown of what's been happening in recent weeks. But I know that the parents of Franklin are not happy that the school is in the District in Need of Improvement category.

First of all, the proposed graduation requirements for Franklin High School were voted down amidst parent and student complaints.

Then there was the petition to remove the chairman of the Franklin school board, the principal and the superintendent.

Initial story here.

The petition is presented.

The petiton may have been voided after being left on the desk of the superintendent of schools after copies were made for distribution.

Basically, from skimming the stories, there are several issues involved with this petition. Since the last one was brought up, I'll address that one quickly -- what happened was that a staff member went to make copies and found that the Jennie D. Blake school was locked. So she went to the SAU office. When she made the copies, she elft the original petition and a copy on the desk of the superintendent of schools. The SAU has to look at their legal options to see if the petition is valid.

Another issue brought up in this whole thing is that someone might have made some phone calls on the taxpayers' dime to get people out to the SAU meeting. After the intial report in The Citizen on the petition, someone started to make phone calls to parents to get them to go to the meeting in support of the superintendent, principal and school board chair. Members of the SAU board, parents, and the City Council are not happy about this possibility, and is currently under investigation.

And also an effort to remove the chair of the Franklin school board without a petition, which failed.

Keep in mind, this is the school district that I live in. Christopher and a kid to be named later are going to have to eventually go to these schools. I would like to see these issues fixed before I have to put him in there.

NH Dems Had Arm Twisted?

For those that don't know, New Hampshire is "thisclose" to having gay marriage in the state legalized by the local legislation. We already have civil unions legalized, so I don't know why we need to legalize gay marriage, too.

Anyway, it's been reported that Gov. John Lynch -- a Democrat -- is planning on vetoing the measure when it comes to his desk, which may make New Hampshire Democratic Party chairman Ray Buckley's efforts in vain:

According to Democratic State House sources, Buckley told undecided Democrats they had to support the gay marriage bill despite a legislative committee’s recommendation that they kill it because otherwise the DNC’s Rules Committee would punish the Granite State by revoking New Hampshire’s key primary slot.

...

When some Senators objected that voting in favor of the legislation might jeopardize their reelection campaigns Buckley retorted that he would be able to deliver plenty of money to help them defend their seats.

Our sources tell NowHampshire.com that the Senators in attendance took Buckley’s remarks to mean he would be able to deliver out-of-state money from gay rights groups.

You know that if he were to go through with this, the Republicans would have a field day. We've already had two recent Republican wins in the past couple of weeks in special elections. Buckley's just guaranteeing that there will be more.

Incidentally, it should be pointed out that Buckley himself is openly gay, so he has a personal dog in this fight. But he seems to ignore the fact that a majority of Americans still feel that a marriage should be defined as being between a man and a woman only, and forcing it down the throats of the public, especially here in NH, does not help the cause -- it just makes people resent him and what he's trying to do.

Top 10 Worst Movies Starring Big Stars?

To me, a list like this is subjective. What's worst to you is not so bad to me.

According to Fox News, these are the top 10 worst movies starring huge stars.

Basic Instinct 2
Battlefield Earth
Catwoman
Gigli
From Justin to Kelly
The Postman
Stop! Or My Mom Will Shoot!
Striptease
Supergeniuses: Baby Geniuses 2
Waterworld

Now, going over this list, I haven't seen a lot of these films for very good reasons. "Battlefield Earth" I did see on DVD just because I wanted to see for myself how bad a film could be, and just couldn't get over the fact that someone actually paid money to get this movie made. (We were spared a sequel when this film tanked in the most horrendous fashion.)

"Waterworld" I did see, and honestly, I don't think it was as bad as people make it out to be. It's no Oscar contender, but it's a fun little movie to watch when you're bored.

One movie I'm surprised isn't on the list, not necessarily because I think it's bad but because of how it got raked over the coals when it was released -- "Hudson Hawk" starring Bruce Willis. Like I said, I liked this film -- it was funny, quirky, and had some great action scenes. I think when people went in to see it they were expecting an action film and instead got a comedy.

I'm also surprised that "Ishtar" isn't on the list, either. Never saw that one, but is considered the be-all, end-all of bad movies starring big stars.

If you come across this post, give me your opinion on movies starring big stars that you thought were turkeys in the comments.

"Celebrity Apprentice" -- Random Firings This Season Or Justified?

For those who follow the show, I have a question that we can discuss -- do you think Trump's reasoning for firings this season have been fair or just kind of random?

When he fired Khloe Kardashian over her DUI (he found out from her later that the reason why she wasn't on the last task was because she had to go back to Los Angeles for a DUI class), I thought that was kind of random because she really didn't do anything wrong in the task, and she's working on fixing what she did wrong. Tionne Watkins (T-Boz from the group TLC) was fired because she came into the board room to support the project manager thinking that Trump wouldn't fire her, but he saw it as her "pulling a Bradford" and promptly did.

This week is probably the ultimate in randomly firing someone. If you havne't watched it on hulu.com yet this week, watch it first before going further.



Saw it? Good.

What the *&#%?

Melissa Rivers was fired this week after guest judge Jim Cramer passed a note to Trump, they had a whispering conversation back and forth, and Trump chose her to be fired. Now, admittedly, Melissa didn't do much on the task, but she wasn't given much to do by project manager Brande Roderick, who should have been the one who got fired. Because she was essentially thrown under the bus by her teammates, her mother Joan Rivers decided to quit the game.

Does anyone think that someone will convince Joan to come back to the game to make an attempt to beat Annie at her own game?

Anyway, after watching the past couple of weeks, I think that Melissa's concerns were justified. Last week started the "high school" mentality of Brande and poker player Annie Duke, which got even Joan mad because she had the feeling that after having dinner with Annie that she was going to say something about Brande to get her fired, but didn't.

Although I don't know if I would have thrown the hissy fit that Melissa did over it, I would have been as equally mad. Does anyone think that Trump finds out who the lowers are, then throws a dart at a dartboard to figure out who's going home?

HR 669 -- Another Endangered Species Act?

Well, this could kill my husband and I's plans for getting a snake in a few months.

Bethany Stockman of Laconia Pet Center said while she supports efforts to curb invasive species the proposed Non-native Wildlife Invasion Prevention Act isn't the way to accomplish that goal and if passed as now proposed could wipe out small businesses that depend upon the pet trade.

The proposed federal legislative, Stockman believes, would blacklist many non-native animals, reptiles and small mammals that are now common pets in the U.S. including parakeets, and guinea pigs.

The legislation is being sponsored by a representative from Guam whose local bird population has been decimated by non-native snakes, according to Stockman.

"It all comes down to responsible husbandry," said Stockman, noting python snakes have taken a foothold in Florida and are posing a threat to small dogs and cats.

She believes the state of Florida not the federal government should decide whether pythons are causing too many problems and need to be regulated.

I can understand the need to prevent invasive animals from entering the environment -- Austrailia knows all too well the effects of that. But from what I have read, this bill would kill another industry, and thus sink the economy even further. And in New Hampshire, we can't keep native animals as pets.

The bill, HR 669, is currently in committee. Go to nohr669.com (Citizen article has the bill number and web address wrong) for details on what you can do to help make sure this bill doesn't get passed.

Kids Perform Rap Songs At School, One Gets Suspended

Union Leader reports, you decide.

MANCHESTER – Two Manchester Central Student Council members, including the president, have been removed from the council and one suspended after a performance of rap and hip-hop songs at a school talent show last week.

Central Student Council President Cory Sinotte and Student Council Sergeant-At-Arms Jeff Slark were dismissed from their duties -- with Sinotte also receiving a one-day suspension -- by Central Principal John Rist, after the duo used a guitar and piano to perform cover versions of a series of rap and hip-hop songs containing the word "skeet," a hip-hop term for coitus interruptus.

Sinotte and Slark contend the medley featured only the "clean" version of the songs, as designated by the Recording Industry Association of America's (RIAA) Parental Advisory Logo (PAL) standard, a voluntary rating system which allows songs to be sold in two versions, "clean" or "explicit."

Slark was dismissed from his council duties on Friday.

Sinotte said he met with Rist Thursday, and was told that the decision to dismiss and suspend him was final.

Sinotte and Slark told the Union Leader that they made sure to use the "clean" version of the song that is played on the radio in their performance so they wouldn't get in trouble.

Here's the thing about the story that makes these administration officials sound either like hypocrites or completely out of touch.

[Sinotte] said the song, "Get Low" by Lil' Jon and the East Side Boyz, has been played at multiple school dances, including the Music Department semiformal, as well as at least two pep rallies and an assembly over the last four years, without any complaints from school officials.

When my parents moved us from Brattleboro, Vermont (now well known for its naked people in the parking lots during the summer) to Manchester, I went to West High School for the last quarter of my freshman year before eventually finishing out high school at Memorial. When I came in during that quarter, I found myself wondering why kids in the school were wearing shirts with a circle and the letter Z in the middle. I found out when I picked up an edition of the school paper it was becasue of something that had just happened at the school before I got there -- the Student Council President, during an assembly, used the term "ballsy." In further protest, someone had put a dummy in one of the trees wearing the same t-shirt while I was in English class.

The backlash is already starting -- one of the student council members resigned in protest, and the entire student council has written and signed a letter to the school board protesting the decision.

Expect dummies in trees wearing "skeet" t-shirts in the future.

No Matter What They Do, Disney Can Never Get It Right...

At least in the eyes of some folks who want to bring race into everything.

Disney is going to be releasing a movie with their first black princess, "The Princess and the Frog."



The trailer looks cute. Now they've already made some changes to the story before going into production -- the main character was originally named Manny, but was changed to Tiana because some thought Manny sounded too close to "Mammie," and her occupation has changed from chambermaid to debutante. So, Disney has tried to avoid any type of controversy with this film.

Then this came up.

The prince that Tiana eventually falls in love with is of Spanish descent. Some are reading this as "white," and so are making a big deal over this.

From Times Online:

The controversy has intensified after it was revealed that the film would be set in New Orleans and that Tiana would find love with a white prince — well, almost. His skin has been described as olive-toned and he will be voiced by Bruno Campos, a Brazilian actor.

“What? No black prince? What’s up with this?” blogged James Collier on Acting White, an anti-racism website, in a posting typical of the general disbelief among the film’s most vocal black critics. “Perhaps Disney doesn’t want the future mothers of dwindling white America being imprinted so early in their lives with the notion of a black suitor.”

Another blogger, Angela Helm, attracted nearly 3,000 comments on the Black Voices website when she complained that “even though there is a real-life black man in the highest office in the land with a black wife, Disney obviously doesn’t think a black man is worthy of the title of prince”.

Well, the author seemed to take a part of the post by Collier out of context and make him sound angrier than he actually is about it. This is what Collier actually said in his post. (The bold sections are what was quoted in the Times article)

All the controversy, however, has not been handled. It seems that the Prince himself is a white-looking guy, with the hint of Spanish in his accent. What? No black prince? What’s up with this?

You can bet there’s going to be a whole lot of yammering from all sides as we near the release date. Black folks will be crying that Disney does not think black-on-black love is marketable to little white girls, or their parents. On the other hand, some white folks will be saying that Disney is trying to push interracial ideas into the head of little white girls (and boys), as part of some PC conspiracy for them to feel bad about their whiteness. I’m leaning towards yammer no. 1, since Disney has historically come down on the side of marginalizing blacks.

On a slightly darker vector, it may be interesting to consider that little white girls associating with Tiana, in Disney’s view, might not swallow the Princess or themselves swooning over a handsome black prince. Or perhaps Disney does not want the future mothers of dwindling white America being imprinted so early in their lives with the notion of a black suitor. Disney may not want to take the blame for an up-tick in interracial marriages in about 15 or 20 years.

When you read the whole blog, ActingWhite.com actually explores the topic of why blacks underachieve, and why doing the right thing is considered "acting white."

But back to this film. Disney is in a "damned if you do, damned if you don't" situation. If they made the prince black, then Disney might not make as much money because they might potentially alienate their white audiences -- not necessarily because of racism, but because movies that have completely black casts don't make as much money because they are aimed at a strictly black audience. But by making him Spanish, they might have alienated the black audience because of the perception that black women would only find a "white" prince attractive. This could be why it took so long for Disney to have a black princess. But in a nice change of pace, Tiana will have a mother (voiced by Oprah Winfrey).

Personally, the whole controversy is stupid. All it does is perpetuate the idea that race matters. And it doesn't. The kids don't care about race, it's the adults that are making a bigger deal of this. It's only when we can really look beyond race that we can truly end racism.

Freed Pirate Hostage to Rush Limbaugh: Stop the Hate Speech!

So what got this guy so irate?

In commenting on the rescue of Capt. Richard Phillips by the Navy Seals who shot and killed the three Somali pirates who were holding him captive, Limbaugh generated controversy when he called the pirates "black teenagers."

"There you have it, three teenagers shot on the high seas at the order of President Obama," said Limbaugh according to a transcript of an April 14 broadcast on his Web site.

"Just imagine the hue and cry had a Republican president ordered the shooting of black teenagers on the high seas," Limbaugh said.

Murphy said Limbaugh's remarks were unacceptable.

"It feels great to be home," Murphy said. "With the exception of Rush Limbaugh who is trying to make this into a race issue. It's disgusting."

"The president did the right thing. It's a war. It's about good versus evil. And what you (Limbaugh) said is evil, that is hate speech. I won't tolerate it," Murphy said.

They're gunning for Rush for making a very valid point. But for some reason, it's bad to say that these pirates were black teenagers in order to make that point.

Look at the state of the MSM right now. They're falling all over Obama while maligning anyone who has any conservative point of view. If this happened on Bush's watch, damn right they would have criticized him (even though it was the right thing to do). But Bush wouldn't have handled it the way that Obama did -- his reaction would have been quicker.