Is Department of Ed effort to make all employees at-will the start of WY anti-public worker effort?

On Monday, the AP reported that

"the head of the Wyoming Department of Education wants all new hires to be classified as at-will employees who serve without job protections."

At-will state employees usually are in management positions. Nothing particularly wrong with that. They get bigger salaries and take bigger risks. It's much different to try to classify all of your employees as at-will. That means that anyone can be fired at any time for any reason. State employees would have no job protections once they complete the one-year probation in which you can be fired without cause, If all of us are at-will, we could conceivably be fired any time for any reason by any of our superiors.

If this sort of anti-public worker effort looks familiar, that's because it is. Think Wisconsin. Think Minnesota. Think Florida. In fact, think of all those states that were taken over by Repub Govs and Republican-dominated legislatures in 2010. Some (WI) are heavily union states. Some (FL) are so-called Right to Work states. It doesn't seem to matter. If your state got an infusion of Tea Party politicians in 2010, public workers are under the gun.

Wyoming is a so-called Right to Work state. There is a union for public employees but workers don't have to join. On Sunday in the Casper Star-Tribune, Wyoming Public Employees Association Director Betty Jo Beardsley noted that there are 1,600 union members throughout the state. This represents a minority of those eligible for union membership. Betty Jo did say that she's had a number of new sign-ups from the Dept. of Ed since January, which is when the wacko 2011 Wyoming State Legislature began its session. That began with a battle over tenure for teachers and their Wyoming Education Association union, with 6,500 members. Some Tea Party Republicans had some less than nice things to say about teachers and other public workers. Cooler heads prevailed and the anti-teacher bills were defeated.

Those bills will be back in the Legislature again, courtesy of right-wing anti-public education groups and other outside agitators such as the American Legislative Education Council (ALEC).

The WEA summed up its success against these Know Nothings with excellent ass-kicking videos by Ron Sniffin. Here's how Ron's vid summed it up:


The Education Legislative Session from Ronald Sniffin on Vimeo.

This time around, public workers will be the target. Cindy Hill's attempts to transform at Dept of Ed jobs to at-will status is the opening salvo.

Creative placemaking in downtown Cheyenne

Abby Rowswell

Very encouraging to see the Cheyenne Arts Council add music to the gallery walk held the second Thursday of the month in central Cheyenne. I should say "music and the written word." I was the featured writer at AD&D last month at Clay Paper Scissors. Melodic I was not. But there was some humor.


There will be two venues hosting musical performances at the August 11 art tour. 

First make your way to the Cheyenne Artists Guild at 1701 Morrie Ave (in Holliday Park) for a duet by Harpist David Shaul and Oboist Abby Rowswell. The concert will have two sets. The first from 5-6 p.m. and the second from 7-8 p.m.

Abby Rowswell recently graduated from Mercer University in Macon, Georgia, with a Bachelor of Arts in Music and French. Most recently, she played with the Beijing International Chamber Orchestra while working in China. Music is one of her many passions, including knitting, cooking, and reading good books. 

David Shaul is a Wyoming native who studied pedal harp with Suzanne McDonald. Over the years his range has expanded to include cross-strung, Celtic, Latin, and Asian harps. He has been principal harpist with symphony orchestras in Arizona and California. A virtuoso performer on both folk and pedal harp, Dave does concerts, workshops, and lectures on World harps, pan-Celtic, and Renaissance/Baroque harp music. Dave's harp styles range from Latin to European to Asian. With a Ph.D. in anthropological linguistics from U.C. Berkeley, he speaks two Native American languages.

From 6-8 p.m., enjoy the fiddling fingers of Phil ‘N' The Blanks at Deselms Fine Arts at 300 East 17th Street. 

Phil ‘N’ the Blanks is a family band from Cheyenne. Julee and Dave Kramer (Mom and Dad) have been performing together since high school so when little Phil started fiddling in the 4th grade it was only a short time before he was begging to go gigging too. Since 2005, the band has performed a mix of bluegrass, Celtic, swing and gospel music in a variety of venues throughout Colorado and Wyoming.

This month's music has been provided through the Cheyenne Arts Council

Garden hit by hail? Mine was. Get your fresh produce at the WY Fresh Market

Wyoming Fresh Market is open from 3-6:30 p.m. Tuesdays at the Historic Depot Plaza in Cheyenne.

Here are some highlights:

• Farm-Fresh Local Produce, Meats, and Eggs
• Colorado Tree Fruits
• Gourmet Pastas from Denver
• Fresh, Local Baked Goods, Honey, and Jams
• Tortillas, Chips, and Salsas
• Live Plants, Bedding, Perennials, House Plants
• Hand-crafted, Natural Body Care Products
• Local Artisans and Crafts
• Children's Activities and Musicians to be scheduled
• Dinner on the Plaza - BBQ and more
• Info at http://www.wyomingfarmersmarkets.org/ or call Verena Booth at 307-637-8048.

WY Dems wish WI Dems success in recall

Wyoming Democratic Rep. Jim Byrd sends this message:

We should all go to this FB page and post a comment of support for the WI recall effort. Here is the link and BTW tell them you are from Wyoming in your post.

Go to http://www.facebook.com/permalink.phpstory_fbid=10150332526854134&id=629664133#!/media/set/?set=a.10150252932135669.322025.139173095668&type=1¬if_t=like

List of Wyoming legislators with ties to ALEC

Want to know where the wackiest bills will come from in the next session of the Wyoming Legislature? Look no further than the Wyoming legislators with ties to ALEC. Wondering how many of them are in New Orleans this week getting their marching orders from richy-rich right wingers the Koch Brothers, major funders of ALEC. Note that Dem Sen. John Hastert is an ALEC member. And he's a Democrat? Cross-reference these names from the Wyoming House list and the Wyoming Senate list. Lists courtesy of ALEC Exposed at the Center for Media and Democracy.


Wyoming House of Representatives

§  Rep. Peter Illoway (R-42), State Chairman 

§  Rep. Allen Jaggi (R-18)

§  Rep. Lorraine Quarberg (R-28)

§  Rep. Richard L. Cannady (R-06), ALEC Civil Justice Task Force Member

§  Rep. Lisa A. Shepperson (R-58), ALEC Civil Justice Task Force Member

§  Rep. Carl R. Loucks (R-59), ALEC Civil Justice Task Force Member

§  Rep. Dan Zwonitzer (R-43), ALEC Telecommunications and Information Technology Task Force Member

§  Rep. Rosie M. Berger (R-51), ALEC Tax and Fiscal Policy Task Force Member

§  Rep. Charles P. Childers (R-50), ALEC Tax and Fiscal Policy Task Force Member

§  Rep. Bryan K. Pedersen (R-07), ALEC Tax and Fiscal Policy Task Force Member

§  Rep. Tim Stubson (R-56), ALEC Public Safety and Elections Task Force Member

§  Rep. Lorraine K. Quarberg (R-28), ALEC Public Safety and Elections Task Force Member

§  Rep. Thomas E. Lubnau, II (R-31), ALEC International Relations Task Force Member

§  Rep. Kathy Davison (R-20), ALEC Health and Human Services Task Force Member

§  Rep. Thomas Lockhart (R-57), ALEC Energy, Environment and Agriculture Task Force Member

§  Rep. Matt Teeters (R-05), ALEC Energy, Environment and Agriculture Task Force Alternate and Education Task Force Member

§  Rep. John Eklund, Jr. (R-10), ALEC Education Task Force Member

§  Rep. Allen M. Jaggi (R-18), ALEC Education Task Force Member

§  Rep. Pete S. Illoway (R-42), ALEC Commerce, Insurance and Economic Development Task Force Member

§  Rep. Jon A. Botten (R-30), ALEC Commerce, Insurance and Economic Development Task Force Member

§  Rep. Clarence J. Vranish (R-49), ALEC Commerce, Insurance and Economic Development Task Force Member

§  Rep. Sue Wallis (R-52), ALEC Tax and Fiscal Policy Task Force Alternate

§  Rep. Amy L. Edmonds (R-12), ALEC Tax and Fiscal Policy Task Force Alternate

§  Rep. Pat Childers (R-50), ALEC Energy, Environment and Agriculture Task Force Alternate

Wyoming State Senate

§  Sen. Grant Larson (R-17), ALEC Energy, Environment and Agriculture Task Force Member

§  Sen. Bruce Burns (R-21), ALEC Civil Justice Task Force Member

§  Sen. Stan Cooper (R-14), ALEC Telecommunications and Information Technology Task Force Member

§  Sen. Curt E. Meier (R-03), ALEC Telecommunications and Information Technology Task Force Member

§  Sen. John M. Hastert (D-13), ALEC Public Safety and Elections Task Force Member

§  Sen. Eli D. Bebout (R-26), ALEC Energy, Environment and Agriculture Task Force and International Relations Task Force Member

§  Sen. Leslie Nutting (R-07), ALEC Health and Human Services Task Force Member

§  Sen. Dan Dockstader (R-16), ALEC Health and Human Services Task Force Member

§  Sen. James Anderson (R-02), ALEC Education Task Force Member

§  Sen. Cale Case (R-25), ALEC Telecommunications and Information Technology Task Force Alternate and International Relations Task Force Member

§  Sen. Henry H. Coe (R-18), ALEC Education Task Force Alternate

Dammit, Janet, Jackson Hole isn't a planet but a real place with real people (and the Cheneys)

Planet

Jackson Hole (Ansel Adams photo)

Lander's Bill Sniffin knows Wyoming almost better than anyone in the state. He knows newspapers from the inside as a publisher, editor and columnist. He once ran for governor. These days, he spends much of his time traveling and writing about it.

That's why it was disappointing to read in today's syndicated column that Jackson is the perfect name for Jackson is Planet Jackson Hole, the title of the local alternative online newspaper. This distant planet is famous for only two things: the most expensive real estate in the U.S. and the residence of Dick and Lynne Cheney. You might think that the Cheneys own the richest real estate in the U.S., what with the riches the former Veep reaped from Halliburton, both before, during and after his stint in public office. But the richest spread is owned by Richard Fields of the Coastal casino company. His house and 1,750 acres is worth $175 million and it's for sale.

I went to Planet Jackson Hole to get more info. While Fields and his agent tout the hunting and fishing and scenic properties of the spread, its real value is this: it can be divided up into as many as 35 ranchettes. Now we're talking valuable valley real estate.

Planet Jackson Hole

Mr. Sniffin spends quite a bit of ink praising Lynne Cheney for her service to humanity. She recently received the Louisa Swain Foundation annual award. As far as I can tell, the foundation exists to honor Wyoming women, a worthy goal. In 2010, former First Lady and Democrat Jane Sullivan was presented the award at a ceremony in Casper. This year the award went to Mrs. Cheney.

Lynne Cheney is a strong women -- no doubt about that. But her efforts to support other women is up for debate. She's a powerful Republican who spends more of her time and effort supporting her party's reactionary agenda targeting women's rights, workers' rights, voting rights, immigrant rights, etc. She's a Rightie working hard to abrogate the rights of everyone else. That's one way to be a powerful woman.

Lynne Cheney has worked for years to kill the National Endowment for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Humanities. She was director of the NEH from 1986-1993. Here's how the Swain award wording puts it:

"As chairman of the NEH from 1986 to 1993, she wrote and spoke about the importance of teaching children about the leaders, events and ideas that have shaped our world."

Her P.O.V. has always been colored by her conservative politics. It's telling that she wrote her many books as a fellow at the American Enterprise Institute. I would say that her history is the polar opposite to Howard Zinn's, but that would be giving her too much credit. Zinn actually did research. Mrs. Cheney read AEI policy papers. In her view, our founding fathers could do no wrong and American foreign policy was always noble.

Here's a sample from a Conservative Book Club review for her children's book, America: A Patriotic Primer:

America: A Patriotic Primer will help you impress upon your children what makes our country great. C, for example, is for "the Constitution that binds us together." Mrs. Cheney doesn't let multiculturalist revisionism stop her from pointing out that "the Constitution of the United States has inspired constitution-writers around the world." Likewise, under "F is for Freedom and the Flag that we fly" she includes instructions on how to fold a flag with the proper respect, and how to say the Pledge of Allegiance! H is for Heroes, I for Ideals, P for Patriotism, and V is for Valor! Those are by no means the only elements in this colorful book that will make liberals blanch. G, proclaims Mrs. Cheney, "is for God in whom we trust. Freedom to worship God as they chose brought people to America. Freedom to worship God as we choose sustains our country today." She also includes capsule profiles of America's heroes: J is for Jefferson, L is for Lincoln, M is for Madison, and W is for Washington!

The book passes the conservative litmus test. America good, rest of world bad. Conservatives good, Liberals bad. White culture good, multiculturalism bad. God-fearing Americans good, non-God-fearing Americans bad. And so on.

Tea Party people like Lynne Cheney's books. Her bugaboos are also theirs: multiculturalism, immigration, peaceniks, populists, eggheads, etc. Excerpts from her books would be (and probably are) welcome in any Texas Board of Education textbook. 

Mrs. Cheney could be a poster person for the conservatives of 2011. Except for one thing -- she publicly opposes the Defense of Marriage Act constitutional amendment. The Cheneys have a lesbian daughter and their personal knowledge of the LGBT world has caused them to rethink this aspect of the conservative agenda.

Perhaps their views also would change if they came out of their mountain redoubt and mingled with some of the Hispanic service workers at Jackson's many hotels and resorts. Jackson has been a trailblazer in bilingual services for its Spanish-speaking newcomers. The Teton County Public Library offers bilingual services and books and programming. The city and county has worked hard to find affordable housing for service workers. 

Maybe if Dick and Lynne came down from the mountain to talk to some of the 4 million tourists that come to the area each year. Might open their eyes to the hardships faced by ordinary Americans, hardships that will only get worse as the Tea Party Congress continues their assault on wages and unions and the social safety net. Dick and Lynne might learn a lot about ordinary Americans if they spent a summer as a campground host in one of the National Park Service's many fine campgrounds. Well, they're fine now but won't be once Republicans finish their dismantling of government services.

Planet Jackson Hole is a place where real people live. The Cheneys might want to take some time out to meet some of them and hear their stories. It might change their world view. Dick may be too far gone. But Lynne? She was an English major just like me. There must be some liberal arts flexibility remaining in that doctrinaire mind.

Al Simpson interview: Obama smarter than those "trying to hammer him"

Denver Post political editor Curtis Hubbard landed a great interview with former Wyoming Sen. Al Simpson. Some highlights are in today DP with the whole interview appearing on Sunday. Go to http://blogs.denverpost.com/thespot/2011/08/05/simpson-guys-trying-to-hammer-obama-ought-to-give-it-up/35502/

Here's my favorite quote thus far:

This guy (Obama) is a little bit smarter than some of the guys who are trying to hammer him. They ought to give it up.

This one, illustrating the reason that Pres. Obama didn't publicly endorse the Simpson-Bowles commission findings, is pure Big Al:

So along came (Rep. Paul) Ryan (R-Wis.), who’s got guts, too, and Ryan knew, he’d been on the commission, and the biggest extraordinary engine that will eventually just eat up America is Medicare. And it doesn’t matter if you call it Obamacare or Elvis Presleycare or I-don’t-give-a-damn-care. It can’t work. It’s totally on autopilot, so, Ryan said, ‘Well, I know I’m going to get ripped, but I’m going for the jugular, of the mastodon in the kitchen,’ and he got ripped. That’s exactly what would have happened to Obama.

"Obamacare or Elvis Presleycare or I-don’t-give-a-damn-care." Good one, Big Al.

Sitting on the dock of the Potomac, life seems pretty good

I've been in D.C. less than 24 hours and I've seen more sunburned tourist skin than dark suits.

Congress is on vacation, you see. They are back on their home turf staging town meetings. Guys like Tea Party Slim are mad as hell at Congress for agreeing to raise the debt ceiling. They are going to raise Cain at town meetings. Meanwhile, guys like me will be haranguing Congressional reps for being such babies before agreeing to raise the debt ceiling.

These town hall meetings are sure to sparkle with wit and charm.

Watching CNN yesterday in the Dallas-Fort Worth airport, I noticed that the Dow fell 512 points, give or take. That's a big chunk, 512 points. Add that to the losses suffered the day before, the DJIA erased a year's gains in the blink of an eye. The wink of John Boehner's eye.

But in Dupont Circle, the citizenry still spends money. As I sat in a window seat at Kramerbooks Afterwords Cafe and Grill, I watched an unending stream of humanity quaff beer and munch on soft shell crab sandwiches. It's Friday night! Everyone be of good cheer!

A group of Boy Scouts trooped by the Kramerbooks' window. The kids looked pretty healthy. They seemed to be having a good time. In the store, people bought books. Young people partied in the bars and in the streets. They didn't appear overly worried about the fate of our nation.

Sometimes, looks can be deceiving.

UPDATE: While I was writing this, I hadn't yet seen the news that Standard & Poor's had reduced the U.S. credit rating for the first time in history. Its main reason was the recent debt ceiling fight. Thanks Sen. Enzi and Sen. Dr. Barrasso. Next time I'm thinking of putting you two in charge of our country's credit rating, I'll think twice.

UPDATE: From the New York Times:

“The U.S. government has to come to terms with the painful fact that the good old days when it could just borrow its way out of messes of its own making are finally gone,” China’s official news agency, Xinhua, said in a harshly worded commentary.

Next time we need a loan, better call Don Corleone.

Democratic Party Community Picnic & Friendraiser Aug. 21 in Cheyenne

Democratic Community Picnic & Friendraiser

Sunday, August 21, 2011 4-7 pm

Holliday Park

Fun for the Whole Family!

Good eats! Community organizing! Hijinks!

Matt Damon defends teachers

The Progressive: ALEC, Republicans Beat Up On Kids in Special Ed

To see what's coming Wyoming's way in the form of ALEC-sponsored "education" bills, read this story in The Progressive: ALEC, Republicans Beat Up On Kids in Special Ed

Wyoming Republican legislators will be traveling to the ALEC wingnut conference in August to get their marching orders for the next session. Beating up on special ed kids will be in the mix.

I am the father of two children who benefited from the very comprehensive special education programs offered in public schools in Colorado, Maryland and Wyoming. While not all teachers and administrators were easy to work with, they all had to comply with federal regulations as spelled out in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and other legislation.

It's a different story in private schools. Those schools do not have to comply with IDEA. And some of those schools according to The Progressive, are fly-by-night academies who prey on parents desperate for solutions to their children with learning disabilities and/or behavior problems.

The Fix list is in, and hummingbirdminds is on it

Chris Cilliza at the Washington Post's The Fix recently put out a call for the year's best political blogs in each of the 50 states.

Making the list for Wyoming are Jeremy Pelzer's Wyoming Capitol Journal at the Casper Star-Tribune and hummingbirdminds. Thanks to Larry Kurtz at South Dakota's Interested Party for pointing this out.

Regional prog-blogs making the list are Square State in Colorado, Madville Times in S.D., and Montana Cowgirl in Montana.

Great company for this humble ink-stained electron-drenched wretch.

If you want to see candidates for future best-of lists, go to my right sidebar under WY Progressives and click away.

Rep. Cynthia Lummis votes against further cuts to the NEA

Stunned Wyoming arts advocates passed this along to me so I'm sharing it with you:

House Votes against NEA Funding Cuts; Strong Comeback for Arts Advocacy  

July 29, 2011

From: Thomas L. Birch, Legislative Counsel, National Assembly of State Arts Agencies 

The vote in the House of Representatives on July 28 demonstrated a strong victory for arts advocates intent on gaining legislative support for federal arts funding. The amendment offered by Rep. Tim Walberg (R-MI), a freshman in Congress and a member of the conservative Republican Study Committee (RSC), would have reduced 2012 appropriations for the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) to $125 million from the level of $135 million proposed in the bill approved by the House Appropriations Committee. Walberg sponsored a similar amendment last February to bring 2011 NEA funds down to $125 million. That amendment passed by a vote of 217-209. Yesterday's vote, recorded at 181-240, defeated the Walberg amendment. 

This time around, the voting patterns noticeably shifted. Even some of our champions in Congress were surprised at the size of the winning vote. In February, 22 Republicans joined all but three Democrats in voting against the arts funding cut. This week, all Democrats and 55 Republicans voted together to defeat the move to reduce the NEA funds. Conservative Republicans teamed up with moderates from their own party to carry the vote. Almost half the Republicans voting in support of the NEA's budget and against the Walberg amendment are, like Walberg, freshmen in Congress and RSC members. 

Clearly, forces combined to win that outcome. The advocacy of NASAA's members was strong and engaged. Personal contacts carried the day. Our colleagues in other arts organizations were equally involved through their grass-roots networks. Our bipartisan champions in Congress stood visibly against the proposed funding cut. Rep. Mike Simpson (R-ID), chair of the House Interior Appropriations Subcommittee, had pledged earlier to oppose attempts on the House floor to cut the NEA budget. He was true to his word and his Democratic colleague on the subcommittee, Rep. Jim Moran (D-VA), was eloquent on the floor in defense of federal arts funding. The co-chairs of the Congressional Arts Caucus played major roles during the floor debate. Rep. Louise Slaughter (D-NY) organized floor speeches with her colleagues to speak against the Walberg amendment. Rep. Todd Platts (R-PA) whipped votes against the amendment from among his Republican colleagues. 

Here are the 55 Republicans who voted to hold the line on cuts to the NEA, opposing the Walberg amendment. Each of them deserves special thanks. Please let your representatives know how much you appreciate their position in support of the NEA budget and the important role the funding plays in your state. 

Republicans voting against the Walberg amendment:  

--clip--

Rep. Cynthia Lummis, R-Wyoming. 

The House of Representatives plans to continue meeting through the weekend to finish work on the Interior Appropriations Bill—and to produce a plan for raising the debt ceiling—but their work is done on the arts appropriations.  

Many thanks again to all of you for your effective advocacy in turning around an important vote on the way to realizing the best possible budget for the NEA in 2012. Please take a moment to express your thanks to your own representatives who stood up in support of funding for the arts.

Thank you, Rep. Lummis. Don't get to say that very often.

Wyoming August night haiku

Dog nights of summer

So still outside my window

Distant barking dogs

Rural states will be hurt the most with arts cutbacks

Kansas

Wyoming

From today's article, "Arts outposts stung by cuts in state aid," in the New York Times:

...much of America’s artistic activity does not happen in major recital halls and theaters; instead it occurs in places like Lucas [KS], population 407, where the cultural attractions include S. P. Dinsmoor’s Garden of Eden historic folk art site and where smaller arts organizations are highly dependent on state grants. 

This is also true in Wyoming. The big differences between Wyoming and Kansas?

Well, Wyoming has a population of 550,000 while Kansas tips the people scale at 2,853,000 -- about five times the Equality State count.

Kansas is flat while Wyoming is anything but. Wyoming is more white than Kansas -- 91 percent to 83 percent. Way above the 50-state average of 72 percent.

One other thing. Wyoming funds the arts a lot better than does Kansas.

Wyoming Arts Council budget: $2.1 million ($1.3 million from the state legislature)

Kansas Arts Commission budget: zero.

Why the difference. Well, the Know Nothings on the Radical Christian Right have a firmer hold on Kansas than on Wyoming. Yes, we have kooky Tea Party types in our legislature. This most recent legislative session told us that. But we can't hold a candle to Kansas.

As do most states, Kansas has a split personality. You have your city liberals and your rural conservatives. But worse -- the state's southern half is part of the Bible Belt. Not only are they conservative. They're bat-shit crazy as is the case with so many on the literalist Radical Christian Right. Remember the battles over evolution (science) vs. creationism in the curriculum.

No Bible Belt in Wyoming. O.K., we have the LDS influence in southwest Wyoming. The most radical Right of the 2010 GOP gubernatorial candidates was Ron Micheli from Uinta County. He's indicative of the very conservative leanings of the state's LDS population.

Here's an irony for you though. Our neighbor Utah, home of the international LDS conglomerate, has the nation's oldest state arts agency, established in 1899. Wonderful ballet and symphony and arts education programs in the Beehive State. But most of the politics is conservative, even reactionary. State firearm anyone?

Wyoming, as a rule, has a live-and-let-live attitude. Not always -- Judy Shepard, Matt's mom, could attest to that. When conflicts arise over art and the funding of art, the battle can get pretty brutal. The Grand Poobahs of the state's oil and gas industry were none too pleased recently with Chris Drury's public installation at UW. Entitled "What Goes Around Comes Around," it illustrates the link between the burning of coal and forest pine beetle infestations caused by global warming. The controversy over the work began with an incendiary piece in the Casper Star-Tribune, raged around the blogs for a day or two, and then died. Perhaps our state's leaders were away fishing in the Wind Rivers or wrapped up in Cheyenne Frontier Days. The fooferaw died out and now Drury's sculpture is drawing lots of visitors.

The biodegradable piece, part of the UW Art Museum's outdoor sculpture project, was partially funded by a grant from the Wyoming Cultural Trust Fund.

During these crazy times, Wyoming will not be immune from Radical Right attacks on art and arts funding. All gubment programs and all creativity will come under attack from these Know Nothings.

This leaves me with one final question: WTF is wrong with Kansas? With a little editing, this could be a book title.

House concerts catching on in Cheyenne

Casper musicians Amy Gieske and Cory McDaniel perform at a Cheyenne house concert Sunday evening. Cheyenne organizers snagged the duo on their way back to Casper from a fund-raiser for Habitat for Humanity in Albany County. House concerts are nothing new but catching on in Wyoming as a grassroots way to hear live music in an intimate setting.  Photo by Linda Coatney.

Putting Wyoming in charge of health insurance will work as well as putting Wyoming in charge of energy policy

From the New York Times:

The Obama administration will soon take over the review of health insurance rates in 10 states where it says state officials do not adequately regulate premiums for insurance sold to individuals or small businesses.

Wyoming, of course, is one of these states. Here's a quote on the subject from Sen. Dr. Barrasso:

Senator John Barrasso, Republican of Wyoming, complained that federal officials were stripping states of the freedom to run their health insurance markets. 

“In Wyoming, state leaders have chosen to let the free market work,” Mr. Barrasso said, “ The president and his administration have no idea what is best for the people of Wyoming. The people of Wyoming know what works for our state better than any Washington bureaucrat.”

Imagine putting our Know Nothing, gubment-hating, Republican-dominated state legislature in charge of our health insurance choices? Sheer suicide. And Dr Barrasso knows this. Seems like he is suggesting assisted suicide for all Wyoming residents. More than suggesting it -- he's advocating it. Maybe this is better (with a nod to Rep. Alan Grayson during the Congressional health care debates): Hurry up and die, Wyomingites. Hurry up and die. 

FMI: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/26/health/policy/26health.html?_r=1&nl=todaysheadlines&emc=tha23

Congressional Republicans just want to watch the world burn

From Meg Lanker . I know that Sen. Dr. Barrasso is in here somewhere with all these OWGs from the GOP.

Little nukes on the prairie: how our Air Force missileers are being trained

A slide from a PowerPoint presentation for nuclear missile officers cites St. Augustine's Just War Theory to teach missile officers about the morals and ethics of launching nuclear weapons. Image: United States Air Force. Re-posted from truthout.

Very interesting set of blog posts today for those of us who are neighbors to the many nuke missile silos that dot the Wyoming prairie.

The U.S. Air Force has pulled a missileer training course that enlists former Nazi Party member (and one of the architects of the U.S. space program) Wernher von Braun as a moral authority and leans heavily on the Bible (and St. Augustine) to justify throwing nukes at our neighbors.

Truthout broke the story and now notes today that the USAF has pulled the Powerpoint program. I was first alerted to the story by problembear at 4&20 blackbirds. This is appropriate since Montana and North Dakota and Wyoming are home to the majority of U.S. land-based nukes.

First read problembear, and then move on to truthout's original piece and today's follow-up.

And then go read The Confessions of St. Augustine (I read it in the eighth grade to little effect) and see what he has to say about throw weights and MAD and nuclear winter.

UPDATE: Read problembear's post and then spend time reading the incendiary comments. Yowzir!

ANOTHER UPDATE: Satirist Tom Lehrer's take on Wernher von Braun' opportunistic politics at http://youtu.be/TjDEsGZLbio

Do Leftie bloggers really hate Christians or their un-Christian attitudes?

Seems that I will always have material for weekend blogging as long as the local Radical Christian Right is on the job.

Harlan Edmonds wrote an op-ed in today's Wyoming Tribune-Eagle. Mr. Edmonds has hit those pages before -- and hit them hard -- with screeds against abortion, Liberals, immigrants, RINOs -- you name it.

I don't mind screeds as I sometimes engage in those same tactics. But shouldn't they make sense or present some solid evidence for the Average Joe (or Mike) to latch onto.

His target is "Tough Enough to Wear Pink" day held Thursday at Cheyenne Frontier Days. On that day, burly dudes in pink wrestle steers and ride bucking broncos. In Thursday's parade, Gov. Matt Mead wore pink, as did Secretary of State Max Maxfield. Members of the CFD committee wore pink. This was a statement advocating increased funding for breast cancer research for all those women in our lives faced with the disease. The CFD's charity of choice on this issue is the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Foundations. Christian Right activists contend that some of the money donated to Komen MAY end up being donated to Planned Parenthood which MIGHT use it to counsel poor women to have abortions.

In the name of Christian purity, Mr. Edmonds and Mr. Wall contend that not a penny of our money should go to a wonderful charity which saves lives and will some day help to find a cure for women afflicted with breast cancer. They may be our wives or daughters or co-workers or someone we don't even know.

How very un-Christian of you Christian gentlemen.

But that's not the point, is it? Mr.. Edmonds will believe what he believes and logic will not shake him. He spends most of his column with ad hominem attacks local Christian minister and fellow Leftie blogger Rodger McDaniel. Mr. Edmonds says that the Rev. McDaniel "managed to squeeze more anti-Christian bigotry into a single WTE piece recently than Mullah Omar could fit in a four-hour fatwa."

I always like it when Christian fundamentalists try to equate Lefties with Muslim fundamentalists. As we all know, Fundies of all stripes believe in the same basic philosophy -- literalism. This is one of the reasons that some of my fellow Leftie bloggers label the American Christian Right "the American Taliban."

And I just did the same thing. Oops!

Lefties have learned a few things during the past 40 yars or so. Literalism is a dead end, whether it applies to the Bible or to The Communist Manifesto, the Koran or Mao's Little Red Book, the Book of Mormon or The Port Huron Statement. Living your life by the tenets of one little book penned by humans (and possibly inspired by God) eventually backs you into a corner.

It's also un-democratic (small "d"). The humanist principles upon which America was founded call upon citizens to continue to continually think and grow. Fundies, by nature, reach a dead end in their personal growth. All they are left with is a striving toward the End Times and eternal salvation. The hell with society. The hell with my fellow man and human. The hell with cancer cures and global arming solutions and universal health care.

In the end, they are anti-life.

In its efforts to aid humankind, CFD advocates life over death. I have a feeling that there are a few Christians within the CFD leadership ranks. And you can't swing a cat at a rodeo without knocking down a Christian cowboy or cowgirl. I know because I tried that last year and burly security guards wearing pink threw me out of the rodeo grounds.

SECURITY GUARD: "We don't cotton to your kind around here."
ME: "Leftie bloggers?"
SECURITY GUARD: "No, guys who swing cats."

I left, chastened.

Another thing I've noticed about fundamentalists, whether they be Mullah Omar or Harlan Edmonds -- they have no sense of humor.

I strive for humor and sometimes succeed. Maybe that's why I was inspired to wear pink fairy wings during my turn as emcee Thursday evening at the Atlas Theatre's old-fashioned melodrama. The pink wings looked great with my cowboy duds. "Tough enough to wear pink fairy wings!"

Take that, you close-minded fundies.

UPLIFT hosts big yard/parking lot sale Aug. 6 in Cheyenne

On Saturday, Aug. 6, 8 a.m.-noon., UPLIFT of Wyoming is holding its Cheyenne Yard Sale in the parking lot of the Oregon Trail Bank on the corner of College Drive and Lincolnway. Lots of goods for sale. Prizes, and a car wash too. This is UPLIFT"s big fund-raiser for 2011. I've been a board member of this very active non-profit organization since 1998. UPLIFT's mission: "Encouraging success and stability for children and youth with or at risk of emotional, behavioral, learning, developmental, or physical disorders at home, school and in the community." A tall order, considering the huge needs in this very rural state of 97,000 square miles. UPLIFT has offices statewide and, in the past six months, its small staff has assisted 576 youth in 21 counties. Those are kids that would fall through the cracks if it wasn't for UPLIFT services funded by state and federal government agencies and donations from good people like you. A true public-private partnership. Come to this yard/parking lot sale or donate online at http://www.upliftwy.org.

America's own Taliban -- Al Jazeera English

We have some of these strange people in Wyoming. They advocate the destruction of Native American religious artifacts. Go to America's own Taliban - Opinion - Al Jazeera English

Don't be a Know Nothing -- Read!

From Shelf Awareness:

For Banned Books Week, which will be held September 24-October 1 this year, readers, booksellers and librarians around the world can participate by posting videos of themselves reading from their favorite banned books on a special YouTube channel. Excerpts may be up to two minutes long, and people who talk about battles defending banned or challenged books make speak for up to three minutes. 

The American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression is encouraging booksellers to film their customers as part of this effort and will provide instruction on how to create the videos. Booksellers can send the videos to ABBFE, which will edit them, add store names and logos and post them. The videos will be tagged so that stores can put them on their websites, blogs, Facebook pages and Twitter accounts. 

ABFFE is also helping booksellers participate in more traditional ways: its Banned Books Week handbook offers tips on promotions, including making displays, as well as listing posters that can be downloaded and reproduced at copy shops. The American Library Association has promotional information, too.