Terry Tate

A list of signatories at the SaveDarfur.org website: AFL-CIO Alliance of Baptists American Anti-Slavery Group American Humanist Association American Islamic Forum for Democracy American Jewish Committee American Jewish World Service Americans for Democratic Action Amnesty International USA Anti-Defamation League The Armenian Church of America ASMA Society: American Sufi Muslim Association Association of Humanistic Rabbis Board of Rabbis of Northern California Bread for the World Buddhist Peace Fellowship CAIR: Council on American-Islamic Relations Canadian Aid for Southern Sudan Canadian Council For Reform Judaism CASTS: Canadians Against Slavery and Torture in Sudan Central Conference of American Rabbis Christian Solidarity International Church Alliance for a New Sudan, Institute on Religion and Democracy Church World Service Citizens for Global Solutions Cleveland Diocesan Social Action Office Commission on Social Action of Reform Judaism The Committee for the Defense of Human Rights in Mauritania Conference of Major Superiors of Men Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations Dallas Peace Center Darfur Peace and Development District of Columbia Baptist Convention The Echo Foundation Edah The Episcopal Church, USA Foundation for Ethnic Understanding Freedom Quest International Friends Committee on National Legislation Global Justice Hadassah Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society ICNA: Islamic Circle of North America Interfaith Communities United for Justice and Peace InterFaith Conference of Metropolitan Washington, D.C. Interfaith Council International Crisis Group International Justice Mission IRSA/USCR: Immigration and Refugee Services of America/U.S. Committee for Refugees Islamic Society of North America Jacob Blaustein Institute for the Advancement of Human Rights Jewish Council for Public Affairs Jewish Federation of Greater Houston Jewish Reconstructionist Federation Joan B. Kroc Institute for Peace and Justice Leadership Conference of Women Religious Lutheran World Relief Maryknoll Office for Global Concerns Representatives of the Massaleit Community in Exile MAZON: A Jewish Response To Hunger Medjugorje International Relief Metropolitan Community Churches Moslem Public Affairs Council Muslim American Society Freedom Foundation National Association of Evangelicals National Black Church Initiative National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA National Council of Jewish Women National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha’is of the United States NETWORK: A National Catholic Social Justice Lobby New York Board of Rabbis Pax Christi USA The Peace Company Physicians for Human Rights Progressive Christians Uniting Progressive Jewish Alliance The Rabbinical Assembly The Reconstructionist Rabbinical Association Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism Res Publica Sauti Yetu Center for African Women Society for Humanistic Judaism Sojourners Soka Gakkai International USA Buddhist Association Sudan Campaign Sudan Peace Advocates Network Tikkun Chicago TransAfrica Forum UJA-Federation of New York Union for Reform Judaism Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America Union of the People of Darfur in the U.S. Unitarian Universalist Association Unitarian Universalist Service Committee United Jewish Communities United States Conference of Catholic Bishops United States Holocaust Memorial Museum United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism Ve’ahavta: The Canadian Jewish Humanitarian and Relief Committee Vishwa Hindu Parishad (World Hindu Council) of America Western Sudan Aid Relief in the U.S.A. Western Sudan Association of Pennsylvania Women of Reform Judaism Women’s Commission for Refugee Women and Children Women of Reform Judaism Women's American ORT Yeshiva University

The Wingnut is happy the Blzrul has recognized his vast following. The Wingnut hopes that the Blzrul figures out that the Wingnut is neither threatened, freaked out, conditioned to be suspicious or vindictive by posts by the Blzrul that the Wingnut doesn't like. Can you dig it?

I sort of agree with you, but this is a multi-track discussion. I think what we're calling "sex" education should be a normal part of the curriculum - biology, health and reproduction are not moral issues to me, but knowledge that young adults need. I disagree with making contraceptives available - not actually on a "moral" stance, but as an issue of a government program usurping a parental responsibility - or I guess more accurately, a parent relinquishing their responsibility by consenting to a government program that assumes it. I agree the AO program is a waste of money (colossal being a matter of perspective when considering the budget as a whole). I don't think we need a government program for a lot of things. This is just one example. Of course, there are many examples of programs that many Americans find an acceptable role of government that I would disagree with also.

Does Jerry Gray get enough credit for the D here? Maybe he needs to have a few more years of continued success before he gets recognized for the fine job he does. Gregg W and Dick L were already established DC's with a solid record (though GW's is career is considerably shorter). This is cause to be optimistic about Jerry Gray's future in coaching, and a reason to be happy he's our DC. I'm sure there's other guys GW and DL have worked with in the past who are not as successful. We've all seen the "coaching tree" discussion on head coaching. What about defensive coaching trees?

If you like the sound of ridiculous under-titles, Gregg Easterbrook mentioned some funny ones in one of his columns, listing favorites: "Deputy Assistant Deputy Administrator," "Deputy Deputy Assistant Secretary," "Associate Deputy Assistant Secretary" and "Chief of Staff to the Associate Assistant Secretary." There's the actual list in this article.

I answered no. Did you have an answer outside of the political discussion? I mean, you pointed out the big-government republican program failure, the higher pregnancy rates in states that gave their electoral votes to Bush, your displeasure with the manner in which a conservative might frame the argument at a rally, but I didn't see an answer. Just curious.

I thought the discussion was preventing teen pregnancy, not AIDS or the clap. Didn't see anyone deny teens will have sex, though apparently not all of them, since you haven't. Is your personal Abstinence Only program (which I assume is working 100% as far as preventing pregnancy) as a result of a government program, or parents who raised a responsible young adult? There's a place for teaching biology in school, sex education as an extension of that - making condoms available goes beyond what is acceptable to me personally. If a parent finds the best way to teach their child is to assume they will have sex, and make condoms or birth control available, that's their business. And as a parent, it's my business - not the school's - to teach my children how to make the right decisions in their lives. My parents decided to use the Homer Simpson method of raising children in most cases ("Oh well, waddaya gonna do"). We never had the facts of life talk in my house. When I went to school, no one handed out condoms, taught us how to use them, etc. There were lessons in sex education going over the basics of human reproduction, and that was it. So I don't know what it was that made me buy condoms and just figure out how to use them, but it wasn't a government program. I'm not sure what the hell an Abstinence Only program is, but I guess it could describe the method in which I was taught. And when I left the reservation, I somehow figured it out without government intervention at any time.

Well, I haven't read the first three Annual Croisdale Turkey Carcass Awards, but having read the fourth, I can only recommend ending the tradition there.

16-13. And one of the best games I've ever seen. The Bills were getting some payback for the "throwback" from the previous year. You know the one or two hits in each game that are celebrated and played over and over? Well, it was like that on nearly every play. I don't recall any "look at me" dances either - these hits looked like they hurt as much to deal out as they did on the receiving end. The hitting was so hard and so relentless on both sides of the ball, that Dan Patrick, Paul McGuire and Joe Theisman were eventually shocked speechless. How many times have you seen that happen?

Oh, don't let that stop you next time. I happened to be in town at the same time as a class reunion once, and went to the unofficial get-together at a bar (dinner was the next evening). I didn't know too many people, and not many knew me - I only attended the school for my last two years - and only part time, while working a full time job. But it was still hilarious. I met a few old friends, made some new ones, got drunk and laughed a lot. It's the funniest thing to see people years later and how much they changed or stayed exactly the same.

Well, I was in California until a couple months ago. The Wingnut comes from USAF service. I spent my whole career working in units that combined some of the finest grunts, squids and jarheads a guy could ever know. I thought their funniest nickname for AF types was wingnut, so that one stuck with me. I would change to FlaWingnut or just Wingnut, but I don't want to start over.

Now there's a JP we can all root for! Congrats on the beginning of what is going to be the most fun you've ever had.

I left Buffalo over twenty years ago and struck out on my own, but I'll give it a shot by telling you one story. When I turned 16, my friend and I got jobs as prep cooks at Samuels Grande Manor, a large banquet hall/restaurant at the end of our street. One late afternoon/evening, on a day off, the area was caught off guard as a bit of weather turned into a snowstorm that dumped a knee-high pile of the white stuff. As we looked across the street at the banquet hall parking lot, we realized there were about 600-800 guests in their finest evening wear getting ready to depart, and who were just realizing there was a foot more of snow on everything outside since they went in. We grabbed our coats, a broom and a couple shovels and crossed Main street to begin uncovering and shoveling out cars that had no hope of exiting that parking lot without us. Though many tried to pay or tip us, we refused to accept any money. That's what Buffalo is to me. That story is not unique or rare. Everyone who has lived in Buffalo for any length of time has one just like it, if not on the giving end, then the receiving.

Sounding awfully alone there. That only happens to those on the left?

"... and does not appear to be in jeopardy of complying with the league's substance abuse guidelines anytime soon. " Funniest line of the article. I think he was stoned or lighting up right in front of the guy giving the interview.

I think we should get rid of the OT posts telling people to get rid of the OT posts asking us to get rid of OT posts. Now I'm dizzy.

Since the subject came up, I thought someone might be interested in what is involved in recruiting and training a DoD Arabic linguist. 1. Identify candidates by screening recruits based upon standard aptitude battery tests. 2. Further screen using the Defense Language Aptitude Battery (DLAB). A short introduction of a foreign language - cold - followed by a written test, and a listening and comprehension test. Candidates who pass the test are allowed to select a language-based specialty. 3. Basic military training, time period varies between services. After graduating basic training, a specific target language is selected. If there is more than one language class beginning that still has open slots (usually the case as they try to group classes together), a candidate may have more than one language to choose from. 4. Candidates then attend an English language class for six weeks. Basic little brown book grammar instruction, to cut down on the amount of time spent during target language instruction on basics. (note - I don't believe this is done anymore, but was test case done years ago and dropped.) 5. Basic Language training at the Defense Language Institute, Foreign Language Center (DLI/FLC), Presidio of Monterey, California. Students attend language training Monday through Friday, eight hours a day for the duration of the course. The course length is determined by the language difficulty. The longest courses - Chinese, Korean, Russian, and Arabic are 47 week courses. After school study time depends on the individual, could be 1-2 hours up to 4 hours or more. At the end of the course, the student must demonstrate reading, writing, speaking, listening and comprehension skills at the basic level (level 2). Many students do not last the year for various reasons. The year-long courses have the highest washout rate. It is during this time that the candidates are being investigated for their Top Secret clearance, with access to Sensitive Compartmented Intelligence (TS/SCI). Some are not granted this access, for various reasons, and are reassigned to other specialties, even if language training was successfully completed. They will never work in the intelligence field. 6. After learning the most basic level of the language, the candidates then must complete technical training, which introduces you to the intelligence field. The tools that are used, and how to apply your language skills to the task at hand. This training lasts four months. Failure to grasp this knowledge and apply it at the most basic level causes more candidates to washout. As these skills are somewhat different than the ones used to learn the foreign language, it is sometimes surprising to see which candidates fail and which pass, or struggle to do so. 7. After a year and a half of basic, language, and technical training, the candidate is now ready for his first duty assignment. He is not done training, however. Once arriving at his duty assignment, the candidate is now entered into training at an actual duty position. These duty positions vary in scope and difficulty that require training anywhere from a couple months to a year or more. Candidates can and do make it this far and fail. Not often, but it happens. The candidate is now ready to perform the most basic, entry-level tasks in the intelligence field. It will be some time before the candidate has the necessary skill to be entrusted with the more demanding, sensitive tasks. Some candidates are selected for additional intermediate or advanced language training to increase their skills up to near-native or native, which vary in length from months to another year. If you've read all of this, you can begin to appreciate the difficulty in recruiting, identifying, training, conducting background investigations, pipelining the candidates to units in need, and retaining them.

Your post is well researched, organized and logical - except for that. Remove the emotion, and you have a convincing argument, and good information. I think there's a lot wrong with the efforts to remove any and all references to God from all government property, but there's no place for missionary work in public schools (if that's what was going on). There should be room in the curriculum for the discussion of religion and it's role in our nation's history - uh, perhaps not in elementary school, though.

Yeah, they gave Shark Tale 4&1/2 stars out of 5 - outlandish! Yes, the whole Shark Tale gay theme theory is bogeyman, fundraising type of nonsense. But if you look at the regular movie review section, they had a lot of good to say about that movie, and the reviews seem pretty well balanced. What I object to is your repeated attempts to stereotype all Christians with the most ridiculous, lunatic fringe-type stuff you can find. There's never a shortage of those types of things for any race, religion, etc. Wingnut refers to USAF duty. But personal insults is a great way to further discussion. If your definition of kicking someone around is stereotyping and ridiculing a religion, then I guess we can look forward to a lot more of this type of nonsense.

They gave the two films mentioned, Shark Tale and Shrek 4&1/2 stars out of 5, with their opinions about the morality of them and whether they are appropriate for young children being raised as Christians. Viewers had the nerve to contribute their own reviews, and how they felt about the movies. It's obviously a bunch of narrow-minded censoring bastards just trying to push the old crap about children being affected by what they see and hear. How can we tolerate this type of outrage? If advertisers are willing to support it, it must be good for all of us, and if anyone can't see that, they deserve our scorn.

Springsteen's Thunder Road. And I've been to 32 states and the District of Columbia, so I know what I'm talking about.

It's amazing the nerve of those people. Inciting consumers to make phone calls and write postcards to advertisers of shows they don't like. Bastards.

You're so right to ridicule them. I think my children need to see everything Hollywood makes and markets to them. Where else will they learn about life?

Ha ha ha - hey, wait a minute - who does your left shoe like on Sunday?

Yeah, I'm thinking of way back. Red, white & blue basketball days. I don't even watch it these days. I watch some of the college tournament ball in March, that's about it.