Strollerderby : voting

Babble Podcast for January 12, 2009

Brett Singer — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 03:24:00 GMT

Here is the eighth Babble Podcast.

You can either listen right here

or download the MP3 file by clicking here.

On today's episode:

1. Quick news update:
- Barack Obama is a celebrity? How about Bristol Palin?
- Al Franken won – maybe.
- The Jets didn’t make the playoffs, which is worse than the Giants losing to the Eagles. Not much worse. But worse.
2. The Week in Blog
- A six-year-old driving to school alone, extra nipples, and Jett Travolta.
3. Comment of the Week
- Nobody ever claps for parents. Today, we fix that.
4. The Last Word
- The Wii Fit lets me work out in my living room, away from the freaks at the gym.

Notes on this podcast:

Songs parodied:
- The Knack, My Sharona

Songs mangled:
- Led Zeppelin, Immigrant Song

Posts mentioned:

Parents Wait a Decade to Report Missing Child

Six-Year-Old Drives Himself to School After Missing Bus

Mom-to-Be Has Two Vaginas, Two Uteruses

Tripp Palin's Name Explained

Extra Nipples, Anyone?

Yup, This is a Fairy Door

Sasha Obama Brought Something Ugly To School

Update: John Travolta Son's Death Details & Statements

John Travolta's Son Dies

Funeral For Jett Travolta In Ocala

Stuff You Never Thought You'd Say -- Winter Edition

UPDATE: Kid Kissing A Pig - The Musical

Should Homeschooling Parents Be Certified?

Mom Saves Kids From Sinking SUV

More News About Missing Child Adam Herrman

Past Podcasts:

Babble Podcast for December 15, 2008

Babble Podcast for December 8, 2008

Babble Podcast for November 24, 2008

Babble Podcast for November 17, 2008

Kindergartners Vote An Autistic Classmate Out of the Class

JeanneSager — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 15:01:00 GMT

You know that warning, kids can be mean? So can teachers. A Port St. Lucie, Fla. teacher has been suspended without pay for allegedly bringing a five-year-old boy to stand in front of the class and letting his classmates vote him out of the class. And that's not even the worst part. The child in question? He has Asperger's, a form of autism.

Yes reports say Wendy Portillo actually encouraged her students to pick on a kid with disabilities. Alex Barton had been sent to the principal's office twice that day for discipline problems before Portillo allegedly brought him to the front of the class and asked the students to tell him how his behavior had been affecting them. Then she let them vote. Fourteen said bye bye Alex. Two were on his side.

Let's set aside the fact that this kid was in kindergarten and thus at an already immature state of development (he was five for crying out loud). Let's even set aside his Asperger's diagnosis. What kind of teacher disciplines her students by letting the other kids pick on him? I shrink in horror when a waiter gets his ass handed to him by the maitre d' at a restaurant in front of a dining room full of people, and we're talking about two grown adults. Discipline is the teacher's job and the teacher's job alone. While I don't expect an educator to walk out of the class with a child every time he acts up so they can have a private word, more than simple admonishments (sit down please, raise your hand before you speak, etc.) should be done off to the side of the room. Even with the rest of the kids in the room, it should be a teacher-to-student conversation without the "help" of the other kids.

The socialization process requires kids learn what kind of affect their actions have on other kids; I'll grant you that. His autism certainly plays a role here. But even non-autistic kids have a me-centric focus on the world at five. So how do you teach them? Sit them down and talk about it. Give examples of some of the things other children have done that were hurtful. Make it personal - in a personal setting. Don't turn a child into a punching bag for his classmates.

Portillo has been suspended without pay for one year by the school district. I hope she spends that year pursuing another career path.

Image: NYC Schools

Mom Kicked Out of the PTA for Position on Prop 8

Neonatal Nurse Puts Preemie in Her Pocket and Takes Pictures

Boy Tells 'Your Mom' Joke, Boy Goes to Jail

High School Teacher Gets a Little Too Hot With Strip Tease

Woman in Labor Holds Off Delivery Until After Voting for Obama

JeanneSager — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 17:32:00 GMT

Lakisha Smith wasn't going to let a little thing like her water breaking stop her from casting her vote for Barack Obama. The new mother from South Carolina refused to go to the hospital Monday night when her water broke and contractions began.

She made it through the night and even waited on line at the polling station to take part in the voting process. Smith, twenty-seven, then rushed to the hospital where she delivered daughter Keyonna Marie on Tuesday.

My stubborn daughter had to be induced to come into this world, so I don't know anything about the rush to the hospital with a baby on the way. But miss out on a historic moment like this? Not a chance. I'd have tried my darndest to do the same thing!

Image: City of Gainesville

Baby Boy Developed in Mom's Intestine Delivered Via Cesarean

How to Keep Your Kid From Pissing off The McCain Supporters

Do Men Really Have a Pregnancy Fetish?

Five Movies You Shouldn't Watch While Pregnant

Take Your Kids To Vote . . . NOW

They say: Obama Wins

Brett Singer — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 04:11:00 GMT

CNN, The New York Times, and even Fox News have called the Presidential race for Barack Obama. (UPDATE: so has everyone else.)

Amazing to think that it's almost all over after so much campaigning.

Not much to say. I'm still going to watch the news for awhile; I'm like Yogi Berra – it ain't over 'til it's over, y'know? Then again, McCain just conceded. Wow. (Classy speech too, for what it's worth.)

UPDATE: I'm watching Barack's speech now. I can't imagine what must be going through his mind. Think about where he was in 2004. Wow. I know I should have something more articulate to say but "wow" is going to have to do. (It's late.)

My kids don't seem to care that much, which was actually sort of nice in a way. No matter who wins, they get up, go to school, eat lunch, run around, jump on my ribs – a typical day. Eventually I'll talk to them about this election, but not right now.

What about you – how do you feel?

image: me waiting to vote today

McCain's Mom's Morale Super Low

Other Stuff to Vote On Today – Same Sex Marriage, Chicken Cages

McCain Campaign Verbally Abuses an Innocent Child

Obama doesn't say I love you anymore

They say: John McCain is not a maverick

Babble Podcast for November 3, 2008

Republican Candidate Uses Porn-esque Robocall

Jon Stewart says: Ted Stevens is a Cheap Date

N-Word Flies at Palin Rally

Babble Podcast for October 27th, 2008

Babble Talk: The Candidates Health Plans

Joe the racist plumber?

They Say: Obese During Pregnancy? Hatch a Republican!

Sarah Palin Gets Pranked By Canadian Radio Hosts – Video

Which Candidate Has The Best Name?

They say: no one with a uterus should vote for McCain

They say: McCain not thrilled with Palin and she wants to run in 2012

Best political shirt ever - Everyone Poops

109 Year Old Daughter Of Slave Votes For Obama

Other Stuff to Vote On Today – Same Sex Marriage, Chicken Cages

Brett Singer — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 20:15:00 GMT

So the United States is picking a President today. But there are other candidates, and also many ballot measures in play today.

A quick round-up:

ARIZONA:
- Ban same-sex marriage.
- Require that any initiative involving spending or tax hikes be approved by majority of all registered voters, not just those casting ballots.

ARKANSAS:
- Create state lottery.
- Ban unmarried couples from adopting or being foster parents.

CALIFORNIA:
- Ban same-sex marriage.
- Authorize high-speed rail project.
- Require parental notification for a minor's abortion.
- Create 14-member commission to draw state legislative districts.
- Require all utilities to generate 20 percent of their power from renewable energy by 2010.
- Ban cramped metal cages for egg-laying hens.

I think I'm noticing a trend here.

Several states are voting on ballot measures to "ban same-sex marriage." Personally, I find this bizarre. Isn't it already banned? Are people that freaked out at the possibility of two men or two women marrying each other that they need to put it on double secret probation? (For the record, I think if gay people are crazy enough to want to be married, it's fine. Go for it.)

Looking at the article on MiamiHerald.com, it looks like the to-do of an insane person. Authorize slot machine gambling, check. Allow state's first casino, check. Ban abortion and dog racing, check. Ban cramped metal cages for egg-laying hens, check. (Those are all from different states, not the same one.) That's not to say that all of the measures are insane, it's just funny to think about them out of context. "Let's see, today...Prohibit mandatory union membership and mandatory union dues, authorize slot-machine gambling, and make English the official language of government proceedings. Got it." Busy day.

Sources: Miami Herald, MTV

Read more:

Obama doesn't say I love you anymore

They say: John McCain is not a maverick

Babble Podcast for November 3, 2008

Republican Candidate Uses Porn-esque Robocall

Jon Stewart says: Ted Stevens is a Cheap Date

N-Word Flies at Palin Rally

Babble Podcast for October 27th, 2008

Babble Talk: The Candidates Health Plans

Joe the racist plumber?

Sarah Palin Gets Pranked By Canadian Radio Hosts – Video

Which Candidate Has The Best Name?

They say: no one with a uterus should vote for McCain

They say: McCain not thrilled with Palin and she wants to run in 2012

Best political shirt ever - Everyone Poops

109 Year Old Daughter Of Slave Votes For Obama

Brett Singer — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 19:45:00 GMT

The line to vote for President and other stuff today might be kind of long. If you get cranky, here's an inspiring story to keep you a little bit sane.

From the Austin American Statesman:

Amanda Jones, 109, the daughter of a man born into slavery, has lived a life long enough to touch three centuries. And after voting consistently as a Democrat for 70 years, she has voted early for the country's first black presidential nominee.
…
Jones' father herded sheep as a slave until he was 12, according to the family, and once he was freed, he was a farmer who raised cows, hogs and turkeys on land he owned. Her mother was born right after the Emancipation Proclamation was signed, Joyce Jones said. The family owned more than 100 acres of land in Cedar Creek at one point, she said.
Amanda Jones' father urged her to exercise her right to vote, despite discriminatory practices at the polls and poll taxes meant to keep black and poor people from voting. Those practices were outlawed for federal elections with the 24th Amendment in 1964, but not for state and local races in Texas until 1966.

First of all, the fact that anyone lived to be 109 is cool. More importantly, though, is her story. I can't imagine what it must have felt like for Amanda to cast her vote in this Presidential election.

Source/Image: Statesman.com

Read more:

Other Stuff to Vote On Today – Same Sex Marriage, Chicken Cages

Obama doesn't say I love you anymore

They say: John McCain is not a maverick

Babble Podcast for November 3, 2008

Republican Candidate Uses Porn-esque Robocall

Jon Stewart says: Ted Stevens is a Cheap Date

N-Word Flies at Palin Rally

Babble Podcast for October 27th, 2008

Babble Talk: The Candidates Health Plans

Joe the racist plumber?

Sarah Palin Gets Pranked By Canadian Radio Hosts – Video

Which Candidate Has The Best Name?

They say: no one with a uterus should vote for McCain

They say: McCain not thrilled with Palin and she wants to run in 2012

Best political shirt ever - Everyone Poops

Obama Casts His Vote with His Kids

SunnyChanel — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 15:22:00 GMT

This morning, in Chicago, Barack Obama took his family to the polls to vote, I’d assume, for himself. After what they are calling a ‘two year marathon to the white house’, it all culminates to this one very important day. Obama, along with wife Michelle, brought his daughters Malia and Sasha to the polls. You can see a video of the Obamas casting their vote here.

Today, I will cast my own vote (and no there won’t be video) and I will also share the moment with my own daughter. Although she is not yet three, I want to instill, early on, the importance of voting. Growing up, I went to every voting day with my parents and couldn’t wait to turn eighteen to vote for the very first time. So take your kids to the polls, teach them about the process and to participate in our powerful right to vote. No matter if your candidate wins or loses, at least you can tell your kids that you were part of that decision and someday, they will be too.

Pic: Huffington Post

Take Your Kids To Vote . . . NOW

JeanneSager — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 17:53:00 GMT

I appreciated the sentiment behind GeekDad's column this weekend, urging everyone to take their kids to the polls if they're old enough. But I've got to ask, what's old enough?

My daughter was just shy of the five-month mark the first time she entered a voting booth. If I'm really pushing it, I could say it was the second time. I was nine months pregnant when I cast my ballot on the local race for board of education candidates.

Growing up, my brother and I accompanied one parent or the other, and sometimes both, to votes on the school district budget, the presidency, the town council, the library budget, you name it. If it was nearing nine o'clock when my dad finally got home from his busy job as owner of his own contracting business, he'd ask one of us to jump in the car and race over to the school to throw his two cents in on the people vying to decide the direction of the school district. If Dad was busy, Mom never bothered to call a sitter so she could go pick the next town supervisor. She took us with her.

When I wasn't able to vote in my first presidential election after turning eighteen because of a move to Virginia too close to election day, I wasn't just a little miffed. I was depressed for days. It had been so ingrained in me that this was part of my duty, part of my right, that I was ready to storm the statehouse to get the rules changed for people like me, the people without a polling place. I put that credit firmly on the shoulders of my parents, who taught me how to pull the plush curtains closed and let me help pull down each individual lever. This was my birthright. It's what I'd been doing for 18 years, only now I should have been doing it for real.

They might have been quiet about their choices, but they were never shy about their expectations. If there's a vote going on and you're eligible, you walk in, sign your name in the record book, and you walk with your head up to the voting booth.

Want your kids to do that one day? Show them how . . . now.

Image: Kids Voting USA

Babble Talk: The Babies Tell Us Who Will Be Their Next President

Want Free Ben & Jerry's? Go Vote

Should Autistic Parents be Thanking Denis Leary for Inflammatory Comments?

Want Free Ben & Jerry's? Go Vote

JeanneSager — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 16:27:00 GMT

If the future of our country, state of our economy, healthcare situation . . . aren't good enough reasons to vote on Nov. 4, I've got one that's (almost) as good. Ben & Jerry's is handing out a free scoop of ice cream to everyone who votes.

What's the catch?

There is none. But it does have its benefits (that stretch beyond your belly). Want to show your kids that voting is worth it? You can talk to them all you want about poverty, war, campaign finance reform. But show them there's free ice cream in it for them? Dude, I'm so totally there. Maybe it's a cheap shot, but, hey, if it works. . .

They don't even care if you care who you vote for; as long as you do it. So when you're done picking the next president, get yourself (and the kids) over to a Ben & Jerry's scoop shop with your "I voted" sticker or a snapshot of yourself in front of the ballot box. The promotion runs from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., so even late voters can get creamed.

Just save me some Phish Food.

Image: JunkFoodBlog

Family Keeps Dead Mother in the Freezer For More Than a Year

Mother's Milk - Good Enough for Ben, but What About Jerry?

What's Worse, Getting Fat or Getting Pregnant?

They Say: Parents Don't Know Kids are Too Fat or Too Thin

Just in Time for Halloween: How to Make Your Own Slime!

They say: no one with a uterus should vote for McCain

Brett Singer — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 21:30:00 GMT

The actual title of this post over at the blog A Little Pregnant is "Why no one with a uterus should vote for John McCain." Despite the fact that I am someone who is without a uterus, I still felt that this argument needed to be shared with Babble readers.

Here is the opening salvo of the strongly but calmly worded argument against the Republican vice-Presidential candidate:

Senator John McCain, Republican candidate for president, on late-term abortions, and whether they should remain legal when the health of the mother is at stake:

"Health for the mother." You know, that's been stretched by the pro-abortion movement in America to mean almost anything. That's the extreme pro-abortion position, quote, "health."

For purposes of my argument, it doesn't matter how you feel about abortion. Forget your own feelings about abortion. My own are rather liberal, offputtingly so to many people, so forget those, too. Forget your disappointment, if you feel it as I do, in hearing Senator Obama use the anti-choice movement's buzzwords, "partial-birth abortion," without busting out an angry McCainish sneer.

Focus instead on the air quotes McCain used, the belittling wiggle of his fingers as he summarily dismissed women facing what's possibly the ultimate lose-lose situation: your baby or your life.

Here is the video the author is referring to:

This line is also worth quoting:

Not only is John McCain saying we shouldn't have the right to terminate a pregnancy in the event that our lives are at stake, he's telling us he's skeptical that that happens at all.

We know better.

Actually, the whole thing is worth reading, and its not that long. Go check it out.

Source: alittlepregnant.com

They say: McCain not thrilled with Palin and she wants to run in 2012

Best political shirt ever - Everyone Poops

A photo that has nothing to do with the news

They say: John McCain is not a maverick

How much is Sarah Palin worth?

Obama not sure how long he's been married

The Kids Have Voted! Who Won The Scholastic Presidential Election Poll?

SunnyChanel — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 14:00:00 GMT

Yup, it’s official. The kids have made their voice heard and decided who they think should be the leader of the free world. On Tuesday, the Scholastic Presidential Election Poll results were announced. And the kids, they know a thing or two. Since 1940, the participants of the poll have been right every election except twice (In 1948 Truman won over Dewey and in 1960 Kennedy won over Nixon). Who did they pick? Barack Obama. Obama got 57 percent of the vote, and John McCain got 39 percent.

The poll was conducted across the country with pert near 250,000 kids from first to twelve grade voting via a paper ballot of from Scholastic’s website. Who was voted for besides the two main contenders? Why people like Stephen Colbert, Miley Cyrus and any or all of the Jonas Brothers.

For more info and to see the breakdown of votes in the key swing states, click here.

And check out Poltical Bullying in Elementary Schools here.

Via: Scholastic's website

Palin Urges Voters Not to Forget the "Right to Life"

Hannah Tennant-Moore — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 20:00:00 GMT

Desperate times call for desperate measures. No one knows this better than the McCain campaign, which is attempting to make abortion a key issue in this year’s election, yet again. Yawn.

As Sarah Palin told Pennsylvania voters, “In times like these with wars and financial crisis, I know that it may be easy to forget even as deep and abiding a concern as the right to life, and it seems that our opponent kind of hopes you will forget that.”

Actually, I’m pretty sure he’s just more focused on the “wars and financial crisis”—as, apparently, are the American people. As Slate’s Melinda Henneberger points out, even people who have been single issue, anti-choice voters in the past have decided that the economy, the environment, and health care matter more than Roe v. Wade this time around.

Photo: Jim Young/Reuters

Baby Pictures: The Best Part of this Election

So – who ya voting for?

Brett Singer — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 13:00:00 GMT

So. The conventions are over. Speeches have been spoken, mud has been slung, and nominations have been made.

I have a theory. I think that the country is very much divided this year, almost 50-50. I'm not saying I'm the next Amazing Kreskin here, this is what most of the polls show.

Still, I'd like to see if I'm right, albeit in a completely unscientific way.

In the comments, let us know for whom you plan to vote, even if you are undecided. This isn't an attempt to find out anyone's specific political leanings, so please feel free to post your candidate of choice anonymously. Up to you if you want to say why. If we get enough responses, I'll tally up the "votes" and see what the results are. My guess? 50-50, or something close.

So – who ya voting for?

image: some blog

Palin for aerial wolf hunting

Was Trig Palin drugged?

Palin family online - real or fake?

McCain, Palin oppose teen pregnancy aid and sex education

Sarah Palin, Sportscaster

Shawn Johnson, Democrat? (UPDATE: Now with video)

Elizabeth Edwards slammed for keeping hubby's affair a secret

Beau Biden almost made me cry

Political Nanny: Obama Talks to Bill O'Reilly

Political Nanny: Sarah Palin Punches Hard

Political Nanny: McCain's No Pitbull in Lipstick

Teaching Abstinence Doesn’t Work: Palin’s Preggo Kid.

Cyber Mom Versus Hockey Mom: Dooce Sounds Off

Palin's Children: The Best Part of the RNC

Xtina and Max Rock the Vote

Brett Singer — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 21:04:00 GMT

Remember Rock the Vote? How it was supposed to be a game-changer, bringing all these young people to the polls? And then George W. Bush got elected two times in a row?

Well, that hasn't stopped celebrities from using their fame to get us to the polls. Christina Aguilera literally wraps her son Max in the American flag and sings about those Purple Mountains Majesty.

I'm a big fan of voting, and I agree with Rock The Vote's mission. I just wonder how much it really does. I mean, is someone going to say, "Well, Xtina told me I should Rock The Vote. Well, dammit, I'm going to!"?

I guess every little bit helps. Here's the video. It's way better than Puffy's "Vote or Die" campaign.

image: RockTheVote

When Cynthia called Cindy

Mrs. And Mrs. DeGeneres, and a male perspective on the name game

Christie Brinkley's Ex Paid Off His 18-year-old mistress

Denise Richards still trying to prove she's insane

Photos from Nicole Kidman's Nursery

When Celebrities Say Stupid Stuff

Christina Aguilera Rocks Vote and Baby

Hasselbeck and Her Super Tuesday Foibles

Madeline Holler — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 23:36:00 GMT

Poor Elisabeth Hasselbeck suffered the worst of all indignities when she went to vote this morning. After her babyweight management morning run, she zipped into her designated polling place, was escorted to her district and asked her name and address. So far, so good.

However, her name was not on the list.

So they handed her a paper ballot. She grabbed it -- clock ticking -- and went to a corner to vote. Behold! It was a Democratic ballot. As if!

She describes the shock (!) the horror (!) of everybody else in the room when she returned to get a Republican ballot. Seems poll workers had to do a bit of scrambling to come up with one.

Elisabeth, it's tough out their for an Upper West Side Republican.

For more campaign musings, check out Political Nanny's election scrapbook -- we have candidate baby pictures!

Linda Hirshman Pisses Me Off Yet Again

Sarah, Goon Squad Sarah — Tue, 30 Jan 2007 02:01:00 GMT

This time Hirshman is saying that Stay-at-home-mom's have to ask their husbands how to vote! In her article on Washingtonpost.com she called "We've Come a Long Way, Maybe" she says that in her small poll of Washington D.C. SAHMs she learned that people vote like their fathers do, or read the Style section of the paper and ask their husbands what the rest of the news is and she insinuates that we don't care about or understand policy. Grrrrrrrrr. Hey Linda! I'm a SAHM. I live near D.C. I happen to have a college degree in political science. I also have the amazing abilities that including reading, watching the news and forming my own opinions.

I thought the Mommy Wars were over. Why is this woman out there trying to make other mothers look stupid? Is she still pissed because I don't work out of an office? Is this because I don't have to wear pantyhose? Choosing to stay home with your children does not make one apolitical or unthinking.

As with most of Linda Hirshman's writings, I find this offensive as a woman and as a mother. I'm guessing that the article was meant to illustrate that people won't vote for Hillary Clinton just because she is a woman (which may or may not be true) but I think she just set the feminists back another couple of years.

(Thanks to this fabulous post by Pundit Mom where I first found out about this outrage.)