Suzon’s book blog

I have found that that site works much better for book lists. I will still use this blog for news and photos, but check out Goodreads http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/  for my book lists. I will start now listing there my read books and their ratings.

The Christian Science Monitor seems to be the only one with guts.

Check out their story:

Byline:  PAUL LACHINE
Headline:  Media myths about the Jena 6
Byline:  Craig Franklin
Date: 10/24/2007
Jena, La. -  By now, almost everyone in America has heard of Jena, La., because
they've all heard the story of the "Jena 6." White students hanging
nooses barely punished, a schoolyard fight, excessive punishment for
the six black attackers, racist local officials, public outrage and
protests – the outside media made sure everyone knew the basics.
               
There's just one problem: The media got most of the basics wrong. In
fact, I have never before witnessed such a disgrace in professional
journalism. Myths replaced facts, and journalists abdicated their
solemn duty to investigate every claim because they were seduced by a
powerfully appealing but false narrative of racial injustice.
               
I should know. I live in Jena. My wife has taught at Jena High School
for many years. And most important, I am probably the only reporter
who has covered these events from the very beginning.
               
The reason the Jena cases have been propelled into the world
spotlight is two-fold: First, because local officials did not speak
publicly early on about the true events of the past year, the media
simply formed their stories based on one-side's statements – the Jena
6. Second, the media were downright lazy in their efforts to find the
truth. Often, they simply reported what they'd read on blogs, which
expressed only one side of the issue.
               
The real story of Jena and the Jena 6 is quite different from what
the national media presented. It's time to set the record straight.
               
Myth 1: The Whites-Only Tree. There has never been a "whites-only"
tree at Jena High School. Students of all races sat underneath this
tree. When a student asked during an assembly at the start of school
last year if anyone could sit under the tree, it evoked laughter from
everyone present – blacks and whites. As reported by students in the
assembly, the question was asked to make a joke and to drag out the
assembly and avoid class.
               
Myth 2: Nooses a Signal to Black Students. An investigation by school
officials, police, and an FBI agent revealed the true motivation
behind the placing of two nooses in the tree the day after the
assembly. According to the expulsion committee, the crudely
constructed nooses were not aimed at black students. Instead, they
were understood to be a prank by three white students aimed at their
fellow white friends, members of the school rodeo team. (The students
apparently got the idea from watching episodes of "Lonesome Dove.")
The committee further concluded that the three young teens had no
knowledge that nooses symbolize the terrible legacy of the lynchings
of countless blacks in American history. When informed of this
history by school officials, they became visibly remorseful because
they had many black friends. Another myth concerns their punishment,
which was not a three-day suspension, but rather nine days at an
alternative facility followed by two weeks of in-school suspension,
Saturday detentions, attendance at Discipline Court, and evaluation
by licensed mental-health professionals. The students who hung the
nooses have not publicly come forward to give their version of events.
               
Myth 3: Nooses Were a Hate Crime. Although many believe the three
white students should have been prosecuted for a hate crime for
hanging the nooses, the incident did not meet the legal criteria for
a federal hate crime. It also did not meet the standard for
Louisiana's hate-crime statute, and though widely condemned by all
officials, there was no crime to charge the youths with.
               
Myth 4: DA's Threat to Black Students. When District Attorney Reed
Walters spoke to Jena High students at an assembly in September, he
did not tell black students that he could make their life miserable
with "the stroke of a pen." Instead, according to Walters, "two or
three girls, white girls, were chit-chatting on their cellphones or
playing with their cellphones right in the middle of my dissertation.
I got a little irritated at them and said, 'Pay attention to me. I am
right now having to deal with an aggravated rape case where I've got
to decide whether the death penalty applies or not.' I said, 'Look, I
can be your best friend or your worst enemy. With the stroke of a pen
I can make your life miserable so I want you to call me before you do
something stupid.'"
               
Mr. Walters had been called to the assembly by police, who had been
at the school earlier that day dealing with some students who were
causing disturbances. Teachers and students have confirmed Walters's
version of events.
               
Myth 5: The Fair Barn Party Incident. On Dec. 1, 2006, a private
party – not an all-white party as reported – was held at the local
community center called the Fair Barn. Robert Bailey Jr., soon to be
one of the Jena 6, came to the party with others seeking admittance.
               
When they were denied entrance by the renter of the facility, a white
male named Justin Sloan (not a Jena High student) at the party
attacked Bailey and hit him in the face with his fist. This is
reported in witness statements to police, including the victim,
Robert Bailey, Jr.
               
Months later, Bailey contended he was hit in the head with a beer
bottle and required stitches. No medical records show this ever
occurred. Mr. Sloan was prosecuted for simple battery, which
according to Louisiana law, is the proper charge for hitting someone
with a fist.
               
Myth 6: The "Gotta-Go" Grocery Incident. On Dec. 2, 2006, Bailey and
two other black Jena High students were involved in an altercation at
this local convenience store, stemming from the incident that
occurred the night before. The three were accused by police of
jumping a white man as he entered the store and stealing a shotgun
from him. The two parties gave conflicting statements to police.
However, two unrelated eye witnesses of the event gave statements
that corresponded with that of the white male.
               
Myth 7: The Schoolyard Fight. The event on Dec. 4, 2006 was
consistently labeled a "schoolyard fight." But witnesses described
something much more horrific. Several black students, including those
now known as the Jena 6, barricaded an exit to the school's gym as
they lay in wait for Justin Barker to exit. (It remains unclear why
Mr. Barker was specifically targeted.)
               
When Barker tried to leave through another exit, court testimony
indicates, he was hit from behind by Mychal Bell. Multiple witnesses
confirmed that Barker was immediately knocked unconscious and lay on
the floor defenseless as several other black students joined together
to kick and stomp him, with most of the blows striking his head.
Police speculate that the motivation for the attack was related to
the racially charged fights that had occurred during the previous
weekend.
               
Myth 8: The Attack Is Linked to the Nooses. Nowhere in any of the
evidence, including statements by witnesses and defendants, is there
any reference to the noose incident that occurred three months prior.
This was confirmed by the United States attorney for the Western
District of Louisiana, Donald Washington, on numerous occasions.
               
Myth 9: Mychal Bell's All-White Jury. While it is true that Mychal
Bell was convicted as an adult by an all-white jury in June (a
conviction that was later overturned with his case sent to juvenile
court), the jury selection process was completely legal and withstood
an investigation by the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division.
Court officials insist that several black residents were summoned for
jury duty, but did not appear.
               
Myth 10: Jena 6 as Model Youth. While some members were simply caught
up in the moment, others had criminal records. Bell had at least four
prior violent-crime arrests before the December attack, and was on
probation during most of this year.
               
Myth 11: Jena Is One of the Most Racist Towns in America. Actually,
Jena is a wonderful place to live for both whites and blacks. The
media's distortion and outright lies concerning the case have given
this rural Louisiana town a label it doesn't deserve.
               
Myth 12: Two Levels of Justice. Outside protesters were convinced
that the prosecution of the Jena 6 was proof of a racially biased
system of justice. But the US Justice Department's investigation
found no evidence to support such a claim. In fact, the percentage of
blacks and whites prosecuted matches the parish's population
statistics.
               
These are just 12 of many myths that are portrayed as fact in the
media concerning the Jena cases. (A more thorough review of all
events can be found at www.thejenatimes.net – click on Chronological
Order of Events.)
               
As with the Duke Lacrosse case, the truth about Jena will eventually
be known. But the town of Jena isn't expecting any apologies from the
media. They will probably never admit their error and have already
moved on to the next "big" story. Meanwhile in Jena, residents are
getting back to their regular routines, where friends are friends
regardless of race. Just as it has been all along.
               
• Craig Franklin is assistant editor of The Jena Times.
               

           
(c) Copyright 2007 The Christian Science Monitor.  All rights reserved.

 

 

The speech class I teach for reticent communicators was based on one developed at Penn State. That course, and others adapted from it are described in last Sunday's Education section. It is EXACTLY like the one that I teach.

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/04/education/edlife/reticence.html

 

 

Next to motherhood, it is the most rewarding thing I have done.

   I've been waiting for the YMCA to offer a danced based fitness class, and now they have.

this is the most fun I have had in a group exercise class.From the web site: https://www.zumba.com/index.cfm

"Zumba combines high energy and motivating music with unique moves and combinations that allow the Zumba participants to dance away their worries. It is based on the principle that a workout should be "FUN AND EASY TO DO" allowing Zumba participants to stick to the Zumba Fitness program and achieve long-term health benefits. Zumba is a “feel-happy” workout that is great for both the body and the mind.

ZUMBA is a fusion of Latin and International music - dance themes that create a dynamic, exciting, effective fitness system! The routines feature aerobic/fitness interval training with a combination of fast and slow rhythms that tone and sculpt the body. Zumba utilizes the principles of fitness interval training and resistance training to maximize caloric output, fat burning and total body toning. It is a mixture of body sculpting movements with easy to follow dance steps."

 Previously, my favorite class, also danced based, was Nia, which is "new agey."http://www.nianow.com/

 

 

This summer my 90 year old dad wanted to visit the towns in So. La. where our family lived: Port Sulphur in Plaquemines Parish, and Chauvin  and Houma in Terrebonne Parish.He also wanted to leave my mother's ashes on her mother's grave in Covington in St. Tammany Parish.

 

So my he and my brother flew from Cocoa Beach, Fl, and met me at the N.O. airport. From there we drove down to Port Sulphur. This is how Wikipeia describes it:

"Port Sulphur got its name from the Freeport Sulfur Company in the early 1900's, when it set up drilling, refinery and shipping operations there. The site is a valuable one because of its proximity to the Gulf of Mexico, its docking site along the Mississippi River and the surrounding natural resources. Port Sulphur was a company town in every sense of the word. Today, the same buildings are present, although in the 1990's Freeport shut down operations, as the price of sulfur dropped too low due mainly to the by-product of sulfur obtained in petroleum production. With the closing of Freeport (McMoran) Sulfur, the town has been seeking another economic identity.

The town is 8 feet above sea level and had not flooded during Hurricanes Betsy and Camille. Nevertheless, in Hurricane Katrina in 2005, the federal levees failed and around 22' of water engulfed the town. In the months following Katrina, many residents moved back to Port Sulphur to begin rebuilding."

My father spent his entire career working for Freeport Sulfur Co., and started his career there, with us all living in company housing.This is what it looks like now.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We found the spot where our house used to be and where the hospital where we were born used to be. The town is now mostly FEMA trailers and vacant house slabs.

 

We then drove on to Houma, where my aunt and cousins live.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I drove by my old high school, Terrebonne High, 

and all the houses I lived in.

 

We drove down the bayou to Chauvin, where I started first grade.

The school is still there: Boudreaux Canal Elementary.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We found the house we lived in after we moved from Port Sulphur.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In Houma we went cajun dancing at the bar where my cousin works.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We had a seafood boil pig out at my cousin's house--crawfish, crab, and shrimp.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We also went out dancing to a middle-aged sixties band.

 

 

 

 

 

Cousin once removed Sara.

 

 

 

 

After Houma the three of us went to the cemetary in Covington.

 

 

 

 

 

My maternal grandmother.

 

 

 

 

 

 

From there we went to our hotel in the French Quarter in New Orleans.I found geocaches in Pirate's Alley and next to the Cabildo, and other places in the Quarter, and ate oysters 3 times.

 

We finished up with beignets at Cafe du Monde.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Excellent trip!

Out of the 30+ books I've read this summer, the last 2 were the ones I've enjoyed the most. The first was recommended by daughter # 1, and the second by daughter # 2. Thanks girls!

 

So much fun to read.           

Here are some Cullowhee/Sylva news items that may be of interest:

 

A Smokey Mtn. High graduate releases her first CD.

http://www.thesylvaherald.com/2007/082307/html/local_singer-songwriter_angi_w.html

 

 

 

There is a downtown Sylva cam: http://camthesylvaherald.com

 

 

Rowell riding more than 10,000 miles to benefit charity

By Justin Goble

Bicycling a long distance can sometimes be challenging, but Cullowhee’s A.J. Rowell is used to the task.

An avid rider, Rowell has taken many cycling trips throughout the years. In the summer of 2005, he completed a 70-day, 4,800-mile trip across the United States’ northern rim. This summer, however, Rowell is undertaking a much larger journey: a 10,000-mile trek that will cover a good deal of Canada and United States.

Rowell’s journey, which started late last week, begins in Prudhoe Bay, Alaska, and will cover 13 states, three provinces, and 22 National Parks before ending in his hometown. The trip is expected to last six months.

The expedition, called “Why I Ride,” serves one purpose – to help those in need.

http://www.thesylvaherald.com/2007/060707/html/rowell_riding_more_than_10_000.html

 

 

This happened in May. Somehow I never got around to writing about it............

 

I got a message that there was something suspicious in my annual mammogram, also in the re-take. I had a biopsy, which indicated cancer, more specifically a DCIS--ductal carcinoma in situ.  http://www.breastcancer.org/dcis_ductal_carcinoma_in_situ.html

So, in between trips this summer I had a lumpectomy/lymp node removal. The surgery was outpatient, and was a piece of cake, really. I didn't even need the pain pills. The healing of the underarm incision was problematic, however. It took all summer to heal and involved an infection and 2 courses of anti-biotics, with their attendant side effects.

I will not have to have chemotherapy, since it was "stage zero," but I am seeing the radiologist next week to see what I will have to do in that regard.

 

All in all, not a terrible experience. Head lice was worse.

OK, I finally did it. I went to a real beauty shop, one that takes appointments, and asked for a drip dry , no "product" hair style.

This is what I got.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Second major summer event was Geowoodstock 5, in Raleigh, NC

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Memorial day weekend North Carolina Geocachers hosted the 5th annual national/international geocaching gathering, GEOWOODSTOCK 5.

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.aspx?guid=7fcc0bec-2c2b-4552-bf58-985df4e6a21d

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In addition to searching for geocaches in Durham, Raleigh, and Chapel Hill, we enjoyed visiting places in Chapel Hil that we emjoyed visiting when Camille was in school there, especially A Southern Season gourmet gift shop.

 

http://www.southernseason.com/