NewscomaRural Media, Pop Culture, Politics And Bigfoot

On You Tube, there is a contest regarding Aimee Mann’s Freeway. This is the entry from Laura Carson, who hails from Hooterville. I’ve seen her sing several times and she really is amazing and it appears her entry is a hit on You Tube as well. The winner will get to perform with Mann and the video winner will go up at her website.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bo7_zK1tiig]

I see big things for this kid. She’s really good.

Hooterville has some talent, campers.

Frank has a comprehensive list of media, online and twitter outlets specific to Hurricane Gustav, which at this moment is 466 miles from New Orleans.

It’s a good way to watch what’s going on and it’s a fantastic list.

Updated: RexBlog has a list as well that can assist with streamlining information about Gustav. As does BlogNetNews’ Louisiana and NOLA bloggers.

UPDATED AGAIN: Great article on resources and how social networking might be able to assist during Gustav. Go here.

And: Huffington Post is keeping up with the different stories and updates as is CNN.

UPDATED: Go here to see how you can help by blogging and Twittering.

UPDATED: The Gustav Wiki.

UPDATED: The Sun Times has comprehensive coverage. Good coverage and more from here.

UPDATE: Message from The Red Cross.

UPDATE: Kevin is in my feedreader and he brings us this. Good, comprehensive list.

UPDATE: More from the Bigmouth.

UPDATE: Sharon Cobb has more.

UPDATE: Reba has information on the Red Cross’ efforts in Nashville and in Tennessee.

I’m going to take a moment to talk about VP pick Sarah Palin.

There isn’t any doubt she is a pretty incredible woman (now that I know who she is) with five children, a meteoric rise apparently in Alaska politics and a hard-core conservative.

I’m going to repeat that several times. She is a conservative.

For my right-leaning buddies out there, I realize this is a slam dunk. I’m not a conservative as you know if you read this blog and I’m really not posting this to you guys but more to my brethren who say they will vote for a woman for the sake of that’s she’s female. McCain shrewdly released the information after the eve of an amazing, historic speech from Barack Obama. As a matter of strategy, no one can deny that this was masterful pr move.

It was an amazing display. I’m going to give the McCain camp that one.

On the other hand, why has this entire race become about girl parts?

I wasn’t a Hillary supporter but I respected the experience and the warrior-like strength of Clinton. She honestly set much of the tone for the DNC convention this year and was very much the statesman/woman about the direction of the party. My lack of support for her candidacy had nothing to do with the fact that she is a woman. It had to do with how divisive she has been in the America mainstream over the past 16 years.

But I respect the hell out of her.

With Palin in the mix, I have to say that the whole “experience” thing has been thrown out of the political spin. I’m guessing that McCain knew that when his camp made their choice.

She was the mayor just two years ago of a town that is the about the size of Hooterville Central. Let’s think about that. Let’s also look at what has happened. In Palin’s defense, I’m offended by the VPILF (or whatever it’s called ’cause I’m not linking it) which is so sexist it’s not funny. If anything were to happen to McCain, we would be dealing with a woman, who in her own way, is a game-changer or so the MSM reports but she is still very right wing and has little experience in foreign relations which is a big deal. I am ok about this that she did but that’s basically the only thing I see as she did not do it for gay rights but due to the unconstitutional fall out so let’s get that balanced out. There are also some scandals attached to her (but in all fairness, there is always a scandal attached) but there is one thing bothering me more than anything.

It’s about her being a woman and that being the home run out of the park. Not her experience or belief system but the fact that “Hey, look, it’s a girl.” That’s the selling point that McCain banked on but when did it become a gender race and not a presidential race about issues facing this nation? A weakening economy, a war, a global uncertainty about the United States intentions, the rights of individuals … are these not important things to be discussing?

I resent that a woman is, once again, being used as a gimmick. I don’t like that. Palin, however, knew what she was getting into so there’s that.

For my conservative friends, I know this is inspiring. For me, it’s just another objectification at this point of a female but I also know you dig her politics and that’s cool.

But for those left-leaning people who are just voting for McCain because he’s got a woman on the ticket, I can only say, look at her track record and tell me, is this what you want one heartbeat away from the White House?

Going to look at Bigfoot pictures to get the buzzing out of my head.

Next time, I would have the English teachers help the administration with the sign.

Just read the whole thing.

Credit: Barack Obama Flickrstream

The last two nights in Denver have been exhilarating for a couple of reasons. There was an air of unity. We saw history made, things that future generations will study for years to come. We saw raw excitement over the process of government. Hillary Clinton proved herself a master statesman, Bill Clinton put his seal of approval on it (and despite his recent crankiness, he did very well last night) and Joe Biden who was expected to be an attack dog surprised me by showing a very personal side to himself.

Tonight, we will watch, or some of us at least, Barack Obama at Invesco Field where he will accept the nomination (well, he already has) as the Democratic candidate for president. I have a feeling tonight will increase the excitement of the last couple of weeks where Obama buzz has been at a high although it still hasn’t hit the polls yet.

I’m allowing myself the luxury of enjoying the convention, but as soon as the last balloon drops, I want to know Obama’s outline for change.

To say, “Hey, I want some change” is fine and groovy but we need to know exactly how these changes will be outlined and dissected to be manageable for not only our country’s leadership but for the American people.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m riding the wave but I’m also a realist.

This country, or it appears to me, is in much worse shape than let’s say when Bill Clinton took office in 16 years ago. I don’t expect anyone to fix it over night, but I also want to see some specifics.

Every one, I don’t care who you are, has a personal agenda when it comes to voting for their candidate. There are hot button issues that are usually on the surface that will make voters who aren’t going to read the details who will vote for things they care about. George Bush and Karl Rove depended on that and ran all the way to the bank by throwing out controversial buzz words like abortion, illegal immigrants and gay marriage which were weapons of mass distraction against other issues such as a weakening economy, the war in the Middle East and some very sneaky stuff happening in Washington.

The message was to those folks that still may not sit down and read the the actual drafts for political reform on different levels.

I’m going to, but not every one does.

And I do think an awareness is happening in this election year where the Rovian style of dive bomb distraction politics aren’t going to get it this year. That makes me hopeful.

And this is what concerns me for Obama to a degree. He needs to be very detailed in the things he is talking about changing: the economy, healthcare and withdrawal from Iraq.

Let’s enjoy the rest of this week, then let’s see if the change the Obama camp is talking about are reasonable things that can be put into motion to move this country forward.

I’ll write about this historical meeting a bit later, but it was truly an amazing moment to watch.

Sen. Hillary Clinton asked to cut the roll call short saying, “With eyes firmly fixed on the future, and in the spirit of unity with the goal of victory, with faith in our party and our country, let’s declare together with one voice right here, right now that Barack Obama is our candidate and he will be our president,” she said.

Delegates then affirmed Obama as their choice with cheers.

Clinton and Obama were on the ballot at the party convention on Wednesday.

The states announced their votes in alphabetical order. The voting was to continue until a candidate received 2,210 delegates — the threshold needed to secure the nomination.

While most delegates cast their votes for Obama, some were voting for Clinton.

It was truly a very neat thing to watch as Clinton made the nomination and asked for an acclamation vote.

Pretty nifty, watching history being made.

Photo credit CNN

I don’t know if I told you, but Homer turned 40 in May. She’s doing quite well with it although when she referred to having “nose” problems calling it a bat in the cave the other day, I can say we didn’t feel much like we were in our 40s.

We snorted water out of our noses laughing.

When I talk about being in my 40s, I am sometimes reminded that it’s an odd journey we’ve both been on. I wouldn’t have made some of the choices I did purposely, but I guess it was supposed to happen like it was it did. She’s become a softball/basketball mom although she’s more than that. I’m the aging eccentric who lives in town, occasionally pisses people off in Hooterville and occasionally does all right but I’m more than that.

We were talking about outside drama earlier this week and how we didn’t like it too much. It happens around us on occasion but we are just as happy as we can be without it. We bond over small things like what’s going on and she can seriously make me laugh harder than anyone else can.

In our 40s, we have outgrown some of the woo-hoo stuff that went on when we were kids. I don’t know why people get so hung up on birthdays and age. We could care less although it hits us that we are aging. We hope gracefully.

I still act 13-years-old at times. Other times, I’m the most competent person in a crisis you would ever meet. Homer is the same way.

We are both liberal in our politics. She goes to church, me not so much. I like politics more than she does but she pays attention and studies it like she’s going to be graded. She likes romantic comedies, me not so much. She adores ice cream, I’m not crazy about it except a couple of times a year. I love pickles. She does too.

We are strong at times, fragile at others.

We try to be good women, sometimes we fail.

The issue is that it is good to connect with someone who can see your failures and appreciate your strengths, even when we are blinded by emotion, misery or ecstasy. It’s good to have that bond, if not with a sibling, with someone.

I’ve thought about a lot of things today as I’ve sat at home, watching history being made nursing this crud I’ve had, and on thing I’m fortunate to have is a connection with many people.

But one of the best is Homer.

Sort of like a love letter to my sister at 40. She’ll punch me in the arm when she gets here later.

Count on it.

I have been preaching this for months.

From the Dallas Morning News:

And rural voters have been key — in helping former President Bill Clinton offset slippage in the suburbs and President Bush make up for declining urban support.

Former Virginia Gov. Douglas Wilder, who made history as the nation’s first elected black governor, said that the rural vote is key to an Obama victory and that he must campaign aggressively there.

“I told him, ‘Go to the sticks,’.” said Mr. Wilder, now the mayor of Richmond. “People there want to see you, touch you, hear you.”

And then there is this:

.S. Rep. Chet Edwards of Waco said Mr. Obama should highlight his opposition to the privatization of Social Security and his plan not to tax seniors earning less than $50,000.

“I think he can make real inroads in rural America,” Mr. Edwards said.

On Monday, Obama surrogates talked jobs, health care and rural highways at a meeting of the Democratic National Convention’s rural caucus.

The Obama rural platform includes promoting recruitment of doctors to rural areas, restricting the sale of methamphetamine ingredients, boosting incentives for ethanol and biodiesel production and use, and requiring country of origin labels on imported meat.

I realize that Barack Obama and John McCain are not going to come to Hooterville but they should go to some rural areas that are being impacted by higher gas and food costs as well as 26 manufacturing plants shutting down in the past 7 years. (Umm, that’s Hooterville and much of West Tennessee. Whoops.)

Working class folks could care less about words but are ready and need action.

I can tell you that the first thing folks here would bring up is NAFTA. It’s a hot-button issue here.

I have been talking about rural communities since I began this blog nearly three years ago. I will do the awful and link to myself. And Rep. John Tanner needs to be paying attention too. If you have money, things are rosy so how are you going to know what’s going on unless you go out to where average, real people are. People with money do not understand people without, and thus we head back to the Sneetches with the haves and have nots. Rural issues are somewhat tied into class issues, but I guess that happens everywhere.

A coffee shop, a tavern or other places that aren’t media events is what I’d say. Talk to the people serving low-income people who have nowhere else to turn.

Currently, I say to both political candidates and to our local ones as well, there are some things you don’t know that are happening. We are experiencing crimes of necessity (that’s the word local law enforcement uses where food from freezers is being stolen but not $5000 tractors. It’s happening quite a bit), gas pump drive offs, shoplifting of food and empty parking lots that used to have bustling businesses.

This is one of irritations with the political process right now. Rural voters in the south are so stereotyped by the media that it’s appalling. And politicians take their cue from MSM.

Wilder got it right.

One thing about rural citizens though. If the candidates came, they need to listen and not talk.

Then they will get a real view of what it’s like and then their words will have substance for people barely making it.

Thanks for listening.

The government is beginning to make me wonder if all those years my grandfather hid money in old jackets that were in the back of the closet wasn’t a bad idea.

This is terrifying.

Today the IRS chose to empty one of my bank accounts. Any funds I put in that account go straight to Uncle Sam. I apologize to anyone whose checks bounce (Knox County Schools) because of this but I have no control over my government that is so desperate to fund an illegal war that it is willing to starve a 7 person household and threaten to put them on the streets. And all of this over not filing taxes for one year that I didn’t make any money and another year that I barely made enough money to sustain myself.

For the record, they overdrew my account by $102 dollars.

I know best wishes to the McCaughan family won’t help, but I do want them to know that I’m glad they shared this story.

The government really doesn’t care about the little guy, does it. Feeding one’s family isn’t important? This is outrageous. Couldn’t they have tried to work something out.

Kids need milk, dammit.

This is much scarier than zombies, my friends.

You can learn a lot in convenience stores if you listen. Yes, I’m a notorious eavesdropper who likes to hear what folks have to say.

A couple of days ago, I heard a woman talking to a cashier who she probably knew (it’s Hoots) and they were talking about the woman’s husband telling their child some things that obviously disturbed her. I was waiting patiently behind her ready to buy a Monster as I like them and began my secret hobby of eavesdropping.

“She told “insert name I’ve forgotten here” that she wasn’t coloring inside the lines and that she can’t do that,” she said talking about a coloring book I’m assuming. “I told her what she had done was fine. She didn’t have to color inside the lines. I was really mad at him. When he said ‘you can’t’ her eyes just welled up. Why does he have to be so strict about things?”

The cashier nodded and said “Sometimes men don’t get it.”

So I piped in and said because I’m that way, “Every time anyone, male or female because it’s not that at all, says you can’t to your daughter, tell her she can.”

They looked at me like I had just poured gasoline on myself and was fixing to light a cigarette.

The young mother said after an awkward pause, “That’s a good idea” and the cashier just nodded.

She paid for her purchases and moved to the side where I bought my Monster and began to stagger out the door (remember, walking pneumonia girl here who didn’t know she had that at this point.)

As I was leaving, the cashier whispered “she’s that newspaper lady.”

The young mother said something but I didn’t hear it as the door shut.

I shouldn’t have piped in, but for everyone, male or female, that is told they can’t needs to know that they can.

For every time I’ve been told that I couldn’t by people I felt were in authority (parents, teachers, mentors) I felt that sting that others didn’t feel I was capable of being involved or handling a situation. We are human, we crash and burn sometimes and other times we succeed.

Yet, if we are told we can’t or we are doing it wrong, then why even try?

I have two nieces. I try to tell them they can do or be anything they want to be even if I don’t agree with it. Even if I know they are going to fail.

Because, like in the picture below, sometimes beautiful and bizarre things come from letting children’s imagination take over.

If you tell someone they can’t, then they won’t.

Same things go in business. If you treat your employees as disobedient children, then you lose them. If you treat your friends this way, you lose them.

I’m not a parent. I’m an aunt. I want the nieces to know that they, indeed, can. I want them to have the tools to know that if they want something or they build something, they need to try. They may fail, but those are life’s lessons.

The picture was taken at a local park last week. It made me laugh when the boy who built it said, “Do you like Happy Cow?”

I told him I did.

“Want me to build another one?” he asked.

I said yes.

He smiled walking away, arranging his toy with fantastic things only he could see.

Tell kids they can.

I want to go to Blogher.

I don’t know if I will be able to, but I want to.

My pal, Ivy, is speaking there. She announced it last night on Twitter.

Feeling a bit land-locked in Hoots today, forgive me.

That is all.