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Written by Steven T. Fricke
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Friday, 18 June 2010 18:51 |
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The United States has one of the lowest funded public media systems in the developed world.
The federal government allots only $1.43 per person each year to maintain the system, compared to more than 70 times that amount spent per citizen by the United Kingdom or over 80 times that amount in Denmark.
The Public Broadcasting Act was passed over four decades ago. It led to the creation of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, PBS, and NPR. But today, only 20 percent of the operation of public media is actually underwritten by the federal government through the CPB, forcing public media outlets to increasingly rely on corporate underwriters for support.
To make matters worse, the 20 percent of funds that come from the federal government are controlled by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. The CPB is run by political appointees who have abused their position to inject partisan politics into grantmaking.
Famously, during the Bush administration a friend of Karl Rove chaired the CPB. Kenneth Tomlinson was eventually fired from his position, but not before filling the organization's ranks with rightwing operatives and hiring a former RNC head as CEO.
Tell Congress to fully fund NPR and PBS >
Now more than ever, we need a vibrant public media. Corporate media fails to produce the truth-telling journalism we need to help citizens and politicians make decisions crucial to the safeguarding of our democracy.
Lapdog corporate journalism was a major factor in the U.S. invasion of Iraq, which was justified by reports of what we now know to be nonexistent weapons of mass destruction. FOX News has succeeded in de-educating the public about the science behind the threat of climate change. On every front, propaganda carries the day and endangers the existence of an informed citizenry that is the foundation of a functional democracy.
We need to save our public media system. Click here to add your name to our petition telling Congress to fully fund a public media system that is free from political interference.
Thank you for working for a better world. |
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Last Updated on Friday, 18 June 2010 19:04 |
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Written by Steven T. Fricke
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Sunday, 01 November 2009 14:56 |
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Well, Halloween has come and gone. It was a great Halloween this year! It started with my Huskers getting back on track and winning again with an anemic, but successful win against Baylor.This was a game that could have been ugly. Robert Griffin III, who was a QB promising a very good year for Baylor tore his ACL early in the year. Still, regardless of the reason for the win, a W is a W. This was also the game that we in North Texas Nebraskans worked very hard on. We sent 100 soldiers from Fort Hood to the game. I can't wait to hear how that went! I am inspired to move this to being a yearly thing, and to extend this to other states.
Now, on to the evening. For the second time I used the prosthetic makeup I bought from Scream Team and made myself up as Cornelius fom Planet of the Apes (Yes the original, not from Tim Burton's "re-imagining"). Chelsea stayed home with me this year and handed out candy. She was dressed as a zombie and had a graet time. I hope to get a picture of her up here soon. She looked great. She was stunned at how fun it was to stay home. She thought it was going to be boring, but she had a great time. There is very little else in this world that can bring joy to a parent than having a great time with one of their children.
So, today I am off to work at Kroger. I did get stung by the time change, but it only means I got up earlier than I should have. I am still not thrilled with Bush's silly extention of that, but it is just something I will have to deal with.
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Last Updated on Sunday, 01 November 2009 15:47 |
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Written by Steven T. Fricke
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Friday, 11 June 2010 19:33 |
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“One school leaving a conference does not break up a conference, Two schools leaving a conference does not break up a conference. Six schools leaving a conference breaks up a conference.”
- Dr. Tom Osborne -
I need to get this out there. Nebraska is going to the Big 10. No surprise there. I am in the heart of the area that matters: Dallas/Fort Worth Texas. Here we have the BigXII conference headquarters in Irving. In my home town we have the BigXII conference contracted to play the conference championship here in my hometown of Arlington until 2013 in the uber-cool Dallas Cowboys stadium.
All that aside, I need to say this: I know that we (Nebraska) are the whipping boys for the breakup of the BigXII as we know it. Here, the fans in Texas are being... ummm... unpleasant about this. So to the UT fans I want to say "Can I get a second?". Surely you know how important having a second can be. No, my tongue is NOT planted firmly in cheek, it is wagging out there in front of God and everybody.
Let's consider some things. Should we stay in a conference that yields lower revenue for our team just because it makes Texas fans happy? That is ludicrous. We need to do what is best for our school and I am sorry if that hurts your dainty feelings.
As far as traditions go... We had them. The Big 8 was like a comfy warm blanket for us, but you were left with a ghost of a conference and you joined US. that destroyed our Thanksgiving game with OU and severed our rivalry. You took that rivalry and made the Texas/OU game (Again... played here in Dallas/Fort Worth), and made that an annual event. So our traditions mean as much to you as yours do to us. Pound sand.
Also, nobody is saying anyone has to go anywhere. Our board of regents voted on what they believe is the est thing for our school. If you think that us leaving signals the end of the BigXII then you are acknowledging that we are a MUCH better team than you give us credit for. If not that, then the BigXII is a horrible conference for us because a mediocre team leaving means that you think the conference is worthless. You can't have it both ways. Either we carry the weight of the conference on our backs, or we suck. Make up your mind.
Lastly, I just want to point out that we are being the whipping boy but Colorado was the first to leave. Not us. So if you want to blame somebody for starting the fall of the much ballyhooed dominoes, we are second in line and falling just like you.
There. I feel better. Man, it is amazing how good you feel with the other team will just give you a second!
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Last Updated on Monday, 14 June 2010 18:33 |
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Written by Steven T. Fricke
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Friday, 30 October 2009 18:13 |
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Cheney endorsed Hutchison and Palin endorsed Perry in the Texas gubernatorial election. So, that makes the choice much easier for me. Looks like Tom Schieffer is one step closer to my vote. Kinky... I would love to, but the last time I saw you in the debate it frightened me. Still, I am all for shaking things up, so keep going!
Of course, Republicans Larry Kilgore and Debra Medina have gotten completely lost in this so far, as has Democrat Hank Gilbert... And Libertarians Jeff Daiell, Kenneth Griffin and Steve Nichols... Wow... and also Independent Fran Cavanaugh.
We have seen our fair share of interesting campaigns in Texas, and have had some VERY bad governors. So how in the world do I make sure we don't get fooled again? I don't.
It boils down to this. I will make an informed decision. Sometimes that comes from peripheral resources. Such as endorsements. In this case, it confirmed what I really already knew. There is no way I will vote for Hutchison or Perry. I don't agree with their leadership on most every front, and Perry is, IMHO, starting to tinker on the edge of clinical insanity.
So, I will continue to listen, read and investigate. In the end, my candidate of choice will be the person I think best represents the Texas I want to see. It may be a person who I already know has no chance of winning, but that won't stop my vote from being counted. After, Dewey beat Truman... Right?
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Last Updated on Friday, 30 October 2009 18:28 |
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This is my website. There are many others like it, but this one is mine. My website is my best friend. It is my life. I must master it as I must master my life. Without me, my website is useless. Without my website, I am useless. I must blog my website true. I must blog straighter than my enemy, who is trying to frag me. I must hack him before he hacks me. I will. Before God I swear this creed: my website and myself are defenders of the Internet, we are the masters of our enemy, we are the saviors of my life. So be it, until all their base are belong to us. Amen.
