hilarious, so of course it wasn't broadcast

(wonkette)

Happy Thanksgiving Week!

UPDATE: this may also be helpful.

11/18/78: Jonestown, 30 years later

Today is the 30th anniversary of the Massacre/Suicide at Jonestown. As a kid hooked on the evening news (I tracked Spacelab obsessively and am still a coulrophobe because of Gacy) I became transfixed by the horror of those famous overhead shots of the compound:

I didn't completely believe the tiny specks of color were people. Later, because of news radio and my parents' "full disclosure" policy, I heard how parents killed their children, how those those terrified or courageous enough to run were gunned down. I was both fascinated and horrified, a combination I still feel when thinking about Jonestown.

Of course, The Peoples Temple, the formal name of Jim Jones' religious group, didn't start out as a nutty suicide cult. Most of the people who joined the Peoples Temple were attracted to Jones' religo-political message of peace and equality. Eventually as his ego expanded with congregation, Jim Jones completely infantilized his followers, stripping them of all agency, addressing them as "my children." The most striking record of that day is the recording (transcript here) of Jones ordering his members to "lay down." In his drugged-out monotone he sounds like tired father putting kids to bed. Those little dots of color were, by and large, incredibly idealistic people caught up in a whirlwind of charisma and religious fervor.

It is easy to treat Jonestown as nothing more than one of history's little freak shows, until you read this Sunday's Post article about Virginia's Calvary Temple, or listen to a piece of one of Calvary Pastor Scott's Sermons:

Jonestown is a completely human story, about how in our modern world, people can feel so alienated that they will take unthinkable measures in order to feel a sense of being wanted or belonging. Stanley Nelson's Jonestown: The Life and Death of Peoples Temple does a superior job of telling that version of this horrific story. If you are, like me, sickly entranced by this sad anniversary, I can recommend no better:

Ayers on the Record

Bill Ayers on Good Morning America today discussing how much fun it will be to terrorist around with the POTUS.

Is the Culture of Mean Over?

It's worth asking with the defeat of McCain's uber-negative campaign and then this. Is anyone shocked that one of the poor nutjobs that American Idol makes the first chunk of their season mocking actually offed themselves? Treating talentless people mentally unbalanced enough to think their qualified for pop stardom as our gawk-worthy sideshow just because they plopped themselves in front of a camera is pretty gross. I am not above it, I long thought that the only decent portion of the program was the initial parade of freaks, I just think its worth stepping back a bit and thinking about what it says about us. Really. Follow the link and watch the video. It's shameless.
(Ted's Take)

Stella and Bob on Caps TV!

Here we are, on the ice for the Hockey Fights Cancer ceremony on 10/18 in honor of our late/great mom, Janet, a die hard Caps fan. It was a great experience, not just because I got to touch Shaone Morrison- We met a really cool group of fans, one of whom is battling IBC, the same kind of cancer mom had- if you aren't familiar with Inflammatory Breast Cancer, please take a moment to check out this list of symptoms. Unlike most breast cancers, IBC is not detectable as a lump and can often be diagnosed as a rash by misinformed doctors.

Anyway, check us out on the teevee!!

Cindy McCain = Cheaty McCheater?

According to the Enquirer, Cindy McCain was sucking face with some pony tailed bro at a Moody Blues concert. You can read all the details here.

and now for something completely different

I have found a project for all my new free time.

I am actually.

Proud to be an American, that is. Last night was a good night. There is a lot of blue on this map where red used to be. The challenge is to make sure it is even bluer in 2012.

The hard work begins today, those of us that supported Obama must continue to dedicate time and energy to our politics. The extraordinary thing about this election is in the numbers. At this moment Americans are more excited and involved than they ever have been. We must maintain that momentum. If you have been volunteering (or now wish you had been) for the campaign, keep it up (or start). Find a cause that needs your time and energy and give it. There are dogs at shelters that would love a walk, older folks in homes who could do with a visit, DC school kids who need help with their math homework. You don't have to resort to grand gestures, just take a walk and pickup the trash that lame-o litterbugs have scattered around your streets, plug someone's parking meter when it only has a minute or two left, talk to strangers, SMILE, get off your ass and offer someone a seat. Our country is only as good as each one of us. If we decided to go from door knockers, phone bankers and voters to a bunch of lazy self-centered apathetic couch potatoes we will get what we deserve.

Today we have the rebuttal for all those BS "how much of a difference can i make?" cop outs. So look around you, see the problem and fix it. Let's work to earn our best hopes for ... and man, this is so sweet to say ... PRESIDENT-ELECT BARACK HUSSEIN OBAMA.

yes.
we.
can.