Urban Artifact: Manhattan Avenue

Mister Heather and I (being the effete and over-educated snobs we are) cannot grasp the rampant anti-intellectualism in this country. On the one hand, you have the first black president of the Harvard Law Review. Who taught constitutional law at the University of Chicago Law School. Despite hardships— and Obama had aplenty. He is an outsider. On the other, you have Rumsfeld in lipstick:

In 1982, Palin enrolled at Hawaii Pacific College but left after her first semester. From there she transferred to North Idaho College, where she spent two semesters as a general studies major. From that community college she then transferred to the much larger University of Idaho for two semesters. During this time Palin won the Miss Wasilla Pageant beauty contest then finished third (second runner-up) in the Miss Alaska pageant, at which she won a college scholarship and the “Miss Congeniality” award. She then left the University of Idaho and attended Matanuska-Susitna College in Alaska for one term. The next year she returned to the University of Idaho where she spent three semesters completing her Bachelor of Science degree in communications-journalism, graduating in 1987.

In 1988, she worked as a sports reporter for KTUU-TV in Anchorage, Alaska, and for the Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman as a sports reporter. She also helped in her husband’s commercial fishing family business. — Wikipedia.

For this lack-luster curricula clita Palin is lauded as being “All-American”. What does this say about us as a country?

I graduated from college in four years. Magna cum laude. I got a scholarship alright: $500 per semester for two semesters. That’s what a being smart (as opposed to beautiful) nets a woman with a 3.7 GPA. In Texas. Had I known being a bimbo would net me better career prospects perhaps I would have spent my “scholarship” money on a nose job (and getting my M.R.S. degree). But I didn’t. So I will continue…

That Communications degree (and pageant experience) is serving Sarah well. Or is the electorate much more idiotic than I imagined? Someone clearly likes her “down-home” talk. I (being the intellectual “community organizer” that I am) took her rhetoric as being backwoods demagoguery* meets June Cleaver (with a nuclear arsenal and “GOD” on her side). But am I simply being arrogant?

I found this discarded piece of homework on Manhattan Avenue. It got me to a thinkin’

How long did it take you to read the book? Why? I didn’t take me long because I saw the movie.

I would haved killed all the bad guys… It wes about 4 kids go into a majical world and fight a for the good side.

The good news: I suspect this kid’s mother helped him with his homework.
The bad news: This kid’s mother helped him with his homework.

With a public education system (and parental apathy) like this who needs Al Qaeda? We’re doing a damned good job of destroying ourselves. By taking pride in our ignorance, entitlement and sloth.

We’re not creating citizens, we’re creating cannon fodder.

But that’s jest me smart talkin’.

Miss Heather

*Demagogy (also demagoguery) (Ancient Greek δημαγωγία, from δῆμος dÄ“mos “people” and ἄγειν agein “to lead”) refers to a political strategy for obtaining and gaining political power by appealing to the popular prejudices, emotions, fears and expectations of the public — typically via impassioned rhetoric and propaganda, and often using nationalist or populist themes. — Wikipedia

Terrorist states are seeking nuclear weapons without delay … he (Barack Obama) wants to meet them without preconditions.

We are so proud of the many Alaskans who are serving in the military to keep us safe and our country free their service has been an incredible personal sacrifice. Our National Guard men and women who return to rural Alaska are seen as role models for our youth.

— Sarah Palin