For days when you find The Globies just aren’t partisan enough, try enduring an issue of the Patriot-Ledger and its flunky sister papers scattered across various towns in the region.
The Patriot-Ledger combines the establishment-backing elitism of the Boring Broadsheet with a dippy, no-questions-asked approach to covering the Bay State’s ruling class.
Today’s edition has a fantastic example, but there’s far more to this than mere media bias, it really points to the brain rot that has infected Massachusetts political life.
SCITUATE — U.S. Sen. Paul G. Kirk urged a group of middle schoolers to make life a learning opportunity.
Kirk, who was appointed on an interim basis to the Senate seat left vacant by the death of Edward M. Kennedy in August, visited the Inly Montessori School on Friday at the invitation of literature teacher Shelley Sommer. She worked for him at the John F. Kennedy Library.
“Whatever you do in life, don’t waste your time,” Kirk told about 40 students from Inly School and the Thacher Montessori School of Milton.
Kirk said he made the visit in hopes of inspiring students to volunteer and do community service work rather than be idle.
Phoebe Knox, an eighth-grader from Scituate, asked Kirk to describe the positives and negatives of being a senator.
Kirk said differences between political parties are disappointing.
“There’s not enough working together,” he said. “Working across the aisle is missing.”
Kirk told students he believes President Barack Obama is committed to a government health-care plan and that he agrees with the government bailouts to stimulate the economy.
Parents and teachers said students learned a lot from the visit.
“It’s an incredible honor that someone of that status would come to this little school,” said Holly Clifford, an Inly School parent.
So what did our children learn from Phony Senator Kirk?
— That success in life isn’t earned, it’s seized through connections to sleazy politicians.
— That “democracy” has outlived its usefulness, leading to a Senate chamber that looks more and more like the House Of Lords.
— That adults in Massachusetts have been conditioned to believe that decision-making is best left to appointed rulers, as we are not intelligent enough to think for ourselves. Accept the burden of a massive government bureaucracy and the hefty bill that comes with it (which will be covered by our children and grandchildren).
A creep like Paul Kirk has absolutely nothing of value to teach our children, can we at least keep him out of local schools?
Good stuff, Brian, except his name is Paul, not Mark.
Regarding: “The Patriot-Ledger combines the establishment-backing elitism of the Boring Broadsheet with a dippy, no-questions-asked approach to covering the Bay State’s ruling class.”
That’s at least one reason why GateHouse Media (The Patriot Ledger’s owner) is in such trouble. Another GateHouse-owned “publication, The Dedham Transcript, refuses to cover the story of one of Dedham’s Selectmen being the subject of at least 11 IRS & MA DOR Liens since 07/07. This guy repeatedly has not withheld Fed Tax & FICA for his “business” yet he’s fit to determine (among other things) local tax policy?
The Dedham Transcript just wants to run safe & puff pieces, then it wonders why it had to reduce its hard copy from a daily to a weekly.
It’s a Montessori School …….Kirk is preaching to the choir.
There is a Senate candidate named Mark Kirk in IL
Chi Tribune:
>>Despite his recent request for help from former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin and renouncing his past support of prominent environmental legislation, Republican U.S. Senate candidate Mark Kirk on Wednesday denied he is moving to the right to try to coalesce support in the Feb. 2 primary election.
Brian: This column is my best argument for why this site need an edit option. Foget the fact you used two different first names for Kirk. The edit option would allow you delete the whole piece.
If Abbie Hoffman and/or Jerry Rubin weren’t dead, I’d swear Senator Kirk could have been one of them dressed in sheep’s clothing. All those radical ideas! Volunteerism, making one’s time valuable, working TOGETHER with others.
Maybe, like drugs, schools should be a “Kirk-free Zone”?
And Cricket I’d ask what your meaning behind the Montessori comment, however I know you’ll live up to your usual “no response”. Responding takes too much effort, and taxes the brain. Knee jerk posts are more your style.
Pirate, do you know what prinicipals the school was founded on? A couple of my friened send their kids to one. Inly’s mission statement in part is :”Our community of learners inspires and nurtures children to become global citizens by embracing the philosophy and methods of Dr. Maria Montessori, in harmony with other compatible and innovative practices”
What’s with all your attacks on people? Are you this much of a jerk in real life too or just tough because you are anonymous?
Yes,PyRate is like that in real life too.
Mean and poisonous, unable to argue a point on its merits,just like the spoiled child it is.
All I see is your invective about how partisan everyone else is, and how he gained the seat improperly. Nothing about whether he is qualified, and what he is or is not doing to earn his keep while he is in Washington. I know NOTHING about Sen. Kirk, and after reading your article, I still know nothing.
As for Gatehouse newspapers, I saw a glimmer of hope when they hired interesting columnists, but then they got rid of them. Their editorials and endorsements are definitely pro-establishment, except and until the establishment politician spits in their face (by denying them access), then the see a glimmer of light. Oh, and they take press releases and reprint them uncritically, and their articles have little sense of history.
Schieffer: You’re right. This “concern” for our children is just a thinly veiled attempt to bash the manner in which Kirk was appointed as interim Senator. And that issue is long dead and buried.
The only way Brian can dig it up is to report on Kirk’s recent visit to a school. Let it go, Brian.
And Cricket, I am pretty much the same in real life as I am here. I have a low tolerance for bull-shit, and uninformed loud mouths. People who jump on the bandwagon, and are unable to articulate little about said bandwagon and when called or questioned on it, their response is typically ad hominem.
If you were able to engage in an intelligent debate, you wouldn’t feel attacked. And, if you think I’m a jerk, that’s fine. I’m not too concerned with your opinion of me.
Pirate, what bandwagon, it’s you who can’t articulate. Give specifics. I explained the Montessori school comment and concept. You are the loudmouth bullshitter here.
Who said I had to debate? Your rules again.
Why don’t you inject yourself in to yet another topic here. Fool.
Cricket: “It’s a Montessori School …….Kirk is preaching to the choir.”
Stating Dr. Montessori’s mission statement does not answer/explain your comment.
“Preaching to the choir” implies his audience (the students) already believed in what he was trying to convey to them.
Your answer, stating Dr. Montessori’s mission statement, explains nothing more than the reason behind speakers like Kirk being chosen.
Is that articulate enough for you?
No, you don’t have to debate me. However I don’t have to cease from noting how you interject yourself into every topic with nothing of intellegence, importance or funny to say.
Serial poster….how many sites do you post on?
Can’t you find another remedial site where you’d fit in better?
Cricket and piratetoby: Is your feud real? If so, your feud is more entertaining than The John and Jeff Show. You both could be the new Clapprood and Whitley (or Mayor Menino and Andy Mose.)
No feud, Pizza. I’m just sick to death of people who flap their jaws for no apparent reason. Who blog on sites with nothing new to add, nothing thought provoking, nothing humourous. And God forbid if you ask them the basis for any of their inate statements, they protest how they’re being attacked, and they don’t have to, or feel like, responding.
And to further deflect their lack of real knowledge on any given issue, they respond with name calling….jerk, fool, etc.
But she keeps coming back. Don’t ask me why. The only possible reason is that she’s a serial blogger. No life, just blogging away.
blah, blah, blah…….
oh yes, a serial blogger. You really are such a dope Pirate.
Cricket: You never disapoint. As I posted you never can answer a simple question (i.e preaching to the choir), instead you come back with a verbal attack on me, deflecting, yet again, the chance to show you have a brain.
And my serial blogger theory was backed up by you, my dear, by admitting to posting here with various screen names.
You’re a friggin’ fruit loop living in cyber space. Get a life.
I had a good laugh a few weeks ago when the Herald said they were thinking about charging for the on-line version. Who would be stupid enough to actually pay money (even with the falling value of the dollar) to read Margie’s and Howie’s tired, old columns?…Brian how about a post on which show is now worse…Jim/Margie or Howie/Sandy.
I remember he had VB before but why does Combover Carr need his “producer” to talk so much on air as a sidekick (i.e., “Sandy?”) Is she there to ensure he doesn’t exceed his daily limit of “moonbat” mentions? All he did today was (no surprise) re-hash what Limbaugh did earlier regarding the fake jobs created/saved claims under the Obama Admin.