#BanBossy: The Cow Stands Alone

This whole Bossy the Cow thing is very confusing, so make sure you’ve had your coffee.

We’re apparently championing a new hashtag campaign:

I thought it was one of those made-up urban legends until I read Doug Powers article, “Go figure: ‘Bossy’ not a horrible word 3 months ago but now FLOTUS wants it banned.” The #BanBossy campaign is a joint effort of the DNC’s fight against the GOP’s War on Women,

the Girl Scouts,

and Sheryl Sandberg, COO of Facebook (Field Marshall in the War on MOTUS) and author of “Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead,”  the little book of feminist wisdom and other tropes. Sheryl’s using #BanBossy as a marketing campaign for her book, which holds forth the same argument against calling girls “bossy:”

Sheryl Sandberg has long criticized the use the of the word "bossy" to describe young girls who are assertive. Instead, the Facebook COO has urged people to forgo the word with all its negative connotations, and instead describe these girls as "feminist" or displaying "executive leadership skills."

Here’s where it gets confusing: apparently the group-think on this is if you call a girl “bossy” it’s sexist or something. So let’s call them assertive.

The argument, as laid forth in the Wall Street Journal article:

Sandberg — the chief operating officer of Facebook and author of the best-selling book “Lean In” — is spearheading the launch of a campaign today to ban the word “bossy,” arguing the negative put-down stops girls from pursuing leadership roles.

“We know that by middle school, more boys than girls want to lead,” Sandberg said, “and if you ask girls why they don’t want to lead, whether it’s the school project all the way on to running for office, they don’t want to be called bossy, and they don’t want to be disliked.”

Because if you call a girls “bossy,” it will kill her ability to act assertively and be a leader in the executive suite.  So JUST STOP DOING IT! - NOW! That sounds pretty bossy to me.

Given that everyone from Lady M to Beyoncé has jumped on the bandwagon, it might be impolitic of me to point out that being bossy is different from being assertive. Here are the synonyms I found for “bossy:” autocratic, cocky, dictatorial, high-handed, imperious, tyrannical, oppressive. Butt I didn’t see “assertive” anywhere, which has it’s own list of synonyms: confident, decisive, emphatic, forceful, insistent, self-assured, self-confident – none of which sound necessarily “bossy” to me. “Bossy” is more like a specific, ego-centric, know-it-all, my-way-or-the-highway sort of behavior most often associated with children (of either sex) who are in need of a little adult supervision. They need to be taught and coached so their behavior is directed in more suitable directions and their basic instincts molded into more effective behavior; otherwise they’ll remain social pariahs for the rest of their life.

So let me make this perfectly clear: just because Bossy is a female cow,

this is not exclusively a female problem. For example, if we go through the synonyms for “bossy” –  

autocratic:

cocky:

dictatorial:

high-handed:

imperious:

tyrannical:

oppressive:

…we find that they apply equally to men. And not always in a complimentary manner either. I leave it to you to determine if they connote leadership skills.

In the meantime, #BanBossy is off and running. I find it remarkable how quickly the herd of cows bossy gals jumped on the haywagon (don’t ask me what Condi’s doing in with this group: I’m guessing it’s a misguided commitment to the Girl Scouts). It’s already so viral that it’s almost like a MSM sound-bite rolling through the echo-chamber.

In summary then, I think this whole bossy cow thing is overhyped. Men can obviously learn a lot from bossy women,

Big Guy performs a Bossy Cow mind-meld

I’m so gob-smacked by the whole thing all I can say is:

...or, More Boob Belt! depending on your mood. (H/T Gerard)

Linked By: Maggie’s Notebook, and @betyangelo, @MuseumTwenty on twitter, and BlogsLucianneLoves, and NOBO2012 on Free Republic, Thanks!

Cross-Posted on Patriot Action Network

Introducing the MOTUS Twilight-Nocturne Lounge

Welcome to the new MOTUS Twilight-Nocturne Lounge.

It’s my new, irregularly recurring, special feature designed to help all of my regular FOMs and guests mellow out and shed the stress of the day’s events that everybody is tired of talking about . Each visit to the Twilight-Nocturne Lounge will feature a special cocktail of the day and a performance by one of my favorite, usually jazz, artists performing one of my favorite songs. If this doesn’t help you relax, you’re probably a liberal.

The MOTUS Twilight-Nocturne Lounge only features one specially selected cocktail for each performance, butt feel free to BYO, alcoholic or non.  I’ve  heard that even a well mixed smoothie can work for chilling out. If you do BYO,  feel free to share your mix with others in the lounge. And maybe I’ll feature it in an upcoming lounge night. Also in the future, I may add snacks!

So join me now, if you please, for the grand opening of MOTUS’ Twilight-Nocturne Lounge.

My cocktail for this evening is the Old Fashioned:

The “Old Fashioned” is possibly the first drink to be considered a cocktail. The recipe is so old that it was called a “whiskey cocktail”until about 1869 when newfangled mixed drinks forced purists to order the “old fashioned” way of making a whiskey cocktail.

1.5 oz Rendezvous Rye
1 tsp sugar
3-4 dashes Angostura Bitters
Lemon wheel
Whiskey cherries (or maraschino, in a pinch)

Add 1 tsp sugar (Demerara if you have it) into a shaker, and add 3-4 dashes of bitters. Use a muddler to make into a paste. Then add 1.5 oz High West Rendezvous Rye. Add several ice cubes and stir well to chill. Strain into an old-fashioned glass, add 2 or 3 big ice cubes. Then a lemon wheel and whiskey cherries to garnish. (Some people prefer a splash of club soda in their old-fashioned, which is fine, butt not traditional.)

When your cocktail is served, dim the lights and hit play. If you’d like another, catch my bartender’s eye, nod slightly and point to your glass. Then, hit rewind and do it all over again.

Without further adieu, please welcome my special guest performer, Frank Sinatra:

 

Frank Sinatra: That Old Feeling

Linked By: @MuseumTwenty, @tsickles321 on twitter, and BlogsLucianneLoves, Thanks!

Cross-Posted on Patriot Action Network

We’re Back! Doing in D.C. What We Would Be Doing In FL., Only Colder.

And that’s pretty much all I have to say about it.

The departure from the land of enchantment and endless sunsets: What not to wear.

And how not to wear it:

The homecoming: proof that covered is always the better choice.

Keep in mind what Josh Earnest (filling in for Jay-Jay who was on vacation too) told us last Friday:

White House spokesman Josh Earnest defended President Obama's weekend vacation in Key Largo, 
despite the ongoing crisis in Ukraine, arguing Obama would be able to monitor events from Florida.

“What the president will be doing this weekend in Florida is essentially what the president would be doing back at the White House. It's just that the weather will be a little warmer,” Earnest told reporters aboard Air Force One.

And that’s a fact:

Doing what we do best – which isn’t saying much.

And remember, the President is never really on vacation. He takes his pen and his phone with him everywhere.

And yes, it’s true, the entire Big White Brain Trust traveled to the Keys over the weekend. Val-Jar brought along her current squeeze, Ahmad Rashad (nee Robert Earl Moore), to play (golf) with Big Guy. That way she’d be free to take any important calls that came in, and make any important calls that needed to be made.

Your Brain Trust: Don’t leave home without it. Especially if “something’s happening in the world.”

So a good time was had by all, and don’t worry, Big Guy’s back at work for the American people today. And  I’ve got to run: we’ve got a party for the 2012-2013 NCAA Division I Men’s and Women’s Champions this afternoon on the South Lawn and these events don’t just set themselves up!

Linked By: Larwyn’s Linx on Doug Ross@Journal, and @batfreight on twitter, and BlogsLucianneLoves, and NOBO2012 on Free Republic, Thanks!

Cross-Posted on Patriot Action Network

Wake Up and Smell the Bacon!

It’s not that I forgot to turn my clock ahead an hour last night. It’s just that my alarm didn’t work.

Being both a techie fan and a bacon lover, you can imagine how thrilled I was when I found out I’d been selected as a beta tester for one of the hottest, cutting edge gadgets ever created: The Oscar Mayer Wake Up & Smell The Bacon App!

Butt let me start at the beginning of this amazing odyssey: I first learned about the Bacon App from Lady M who was tapped by Oscar Mayer early on to become a beta tester for their new device, as they had identified her as both an opinion maker and a bacon lover. After hearing that this amazing app not only wakes you up, butt does so to the sound and smell of bacon sizzling in a pan, well, I had to get my hands on it! After being rejected as a beta tester: 

I had to get Lady M to pull a few strings to get me signed up. I was understandably thrilled.

So what went wrong last night? Did my device fail to activate altogether? Or was the smell somewhat less than advertised?

Was it sabotage? The result of hacking by a foreign power? Deactivation by the DOJ as the app was found to be offensive to Muslims? Your guess is as good as mine. All I know is that, unlike moi, it has it’s own Facebook account, and if “Wake Up and Smell the Bacon” isn’t a “gadget” I don’t know what is. So I am going to discuss this with Ricky Holder.

Hold on a minute! I don’t think bacon is a fundamental right!

So, since I woke late, the WONs are under wraps in Key Largo while Big Guy plays golf with the pros, I’m  turning today’s post over to a bacon-recipe thread. So tell me: what’s your favorite way to use bacon in a recipe? Here are the rules:

1. The recipe doesn’t have to actually include bacon as an ingredient, so just tell us what you’re fixing for dinner.
2. If your recipe does use bacon, it can NOT be turkey bacon. 

Take it home!

Because, Bacon!

P.S. Maybe iPhone can use the scent of sizzling lamb chops for it’s next app: they could call it “Wake up America!”

Linked By: Larwyn’s Linx on Doug Ross@Journal, and BlogsLucianneLoves, and NOBO2012 on Free Republic, Thanks!

Cross-Posted on Patriot Action Network

The Obamas’ Advice: Get Out of Bed And Do It Till Your Butt Comes Off

Sorry you couldn’t all have been here for the “Women of Soul” concert on Thursday. Butt good news: you little people can vicariously enjoy the Women of Soul: In Performance at the White House on April 7 on PBS (9 p.m. ET/PT, times may vary).

The festivities began in the afternoon with Lady M, some of the Women of Soul, and students from across the country for a workshop called "I'm Every Woman: The History of Women in Soul."

And wouldn’t you know it? The one and only time Lady M’s Nickelodeon soul-full get-up might have fit right in…

she chose to wear one of Granny R’s old dusters instead.

And believe me, it was no more charming in the going than in the coming:

Let’s Moove!:

At the workshop Lady M shared this sage advice with the youth of America:

“Find your own voice and be proud of it,” she said. “And then, sing your butt off. Or work your butt off. Or whatever you do, do it until your butt comes off. “

I think what she meant was “follow your heart.” In Lady M’s case, were still in-search-of our bliss.

Anyway, when the main event got under way that evening, MO’s frock choice for the soul sister session started to make sense: Lady M swapped Granny the housedress for her Nickelodeon outfit! Damn, that woman is talented with her little Singer sewing machine!

Butt you want to hear about the concert:

“What a lineup!” Obama declared at the outset of a concert that featured a generations-spanning array of soul singers that stretched from musical legends Aretha Franklin and Patti LaBelle to 20-year-old Ariana Grande.

Obama paid tribute to Franklin for turning her signature song “Respect” into “a rallying cry for African-Americans, women and then everyone who felt marginalized.” [ed. forever memorialized in the great movie, The Blues Brothers]

The pumped-up audience gave a hearty laugh but was more than willing to forgive the president for spelling it “R-S-P-E-C-T.” [It was totally TOTUS’ fault, he recently uploaded the new Common Core spelling curriculum]

First up in the East Room lineup was LaBelle, with a thundering delivery of “Over the Rainbow” that had the audience on its feet.

It was a mutual admiration society of sorts as LaBelle thanked the Obamas for their tenure in the White House, declaring, “Baby, you got swag!”

[ed. Oh yeah, baby definitely got swag! (courtesy of the Saudi Arabian King]

The emotional high point came when Franklin, 71, sauntered in, gave a shimmy and declared “Let’s have a party.” Then she went right into “I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Love You).” She was back later to close down the show with what Obama called “one more treat” – a slow, soulful rendition of “Amazing Grace” that turned rowdy at the end.

[ed. Note: Aretha has ditched the blonde prima donna hair for a short, natural crop, and the sleeveless look for covered shoulders. Trendsetter? We can only HOPE.]

Butt hey - in presidential years Thursday was a long time ago! Since then we’ve 1) cast another harsh stare in Russia’s direction and 2) flown to Florida to empathize with the students of Coral Ridge High School who can’t afford to go to college without BO’s financial assistance. Which he’s more than willing to give them in this, his “year of (executive) action.”

Oh my gosh! Look who’s here! Hey, why don’t we just make this a long weekend?

Like Lady M, BO took time to impart some hard-earned wisdom to the young ‘uns of Coral Reef:

"When I was your age, I didn't know what I was doing," President Obama told the students. "I was lucky if I got out of bed on time."

That was partially due to the fact that he often hadn’t gotten to bed yet: and not because he was studying.

It’s 3:00 am. A phone is ringing. I’d answer it if I could find my keys.

And speaking of Keys…surprise! We decided to go ahead with our mini-vacay in the exclusive Ocean Reef enclave in Key Largo after all! Since we were all down here any way.

Butt let me assure you that we will be treated just like ordinary people here this weekend: we are going to lose an hour of sleep tonight too. I just HOPE we don’t get any of those 3:00 am phone calls.

Any chance you can get that to “Spring Ahead” to 2017?

Linked By: @MuseumTwenty, @ValCSilver on twitter, and BlogsLucianneLoves, and NOBO2012 on Free Republic, Thanks!

Cross-Posted on Patriot Action Network

Live! From Key Largo! Johnny Rocco! We’ll be here all weekend.

Did you know that today is National Day of Un-plugging?

Probably not, if you’re reading this. 

Yes, it’s official: regardless of what Vlad does, we intend to unplug in the Florida Keys as a family this weekend. After a joint appearance of the Wons at a Coral Gables high school to deliver the pre-vacation obligatory speech on the importance of getting an overpriced college education.

Besides, that whole Moscow/Kiev situation could stand a little unplugged cooling-off period if you ask me. So even if BO decides he has to return to the Big White so he can pretend to attend National Security meetings, Lady M and the Wee Wons will remain to enjoy the sun, sand and surf. Butt don’t worry, if Barry has to plug-in and go home early to look concerned, at least that will give him time to get a jump start on his March Madness brackets.

Are you done yet Pete? I’ve got to get back to work for the American people on my iPad.

Anyway, while you deal with ice, snow and freezing rain this weekend, at least you can vicariously enjoy the beautiful Florida weather the Wons will have on their (3rd!) vacation getaway of the year in Key Largo:

Since you’re here, I assume you’re not participating in Unplugged Day so I though you might enjoy a scene from the classic Bogart film Key Largo. It’s from my 2011 post, Obama’s Rocco Recovery Plan. For the record, we’re still waiting patiently for that Recovery Plan to kick in. Anyway, here’s Johnny Rocco, live from Key Largo:

IMPORTANT NOTE FOR FACEBOOK USERS: SOME PISSANT MUST HAVE FILED A COMPLAINT WITH THE GODS OF FACEBOOK BECAUSE THEY’VE JUST NOTIFIED ME THAT MY ACCOUNT WAS BEEN PERMANENTLY DISABLED BECAUSE I’M A GADGET, NOT “A REAL PERSON.” I VEHEMENTLY OBJECT, BUTT LIKE WITH BIG GUY’S SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT, THERE IS NO PROCESS FOR APPEAL IF YOU’VE BEEN DEEMED TO BE SUBVERSIVE.

SO IT LOOKS LIKE I WILL BE INVOLUNTARILY “UNPLUGGED” FROM FACEBOOK FOR EVER. MY WHOLE PAGE HAS BEEN “POOFED” AND I GUESS I’VE BEEN SENT TO RE-EDUCATION CAMP.

AS THIS SIGNIFICANTLY IMPACTS MY ABILITY TO SPREAD THE WORD OF THE WONS, I WOULD APPRECIATE YOUR HELP IN PASSING MY FUTURE POSTS AROUND. IF YOU HAVE A FACEBOOK ACCOUNT, PLEASE POST A LINK TO MY DAILY MUSINGS. IF YOU HAVE A TWITTER ACCOUNT, PLEASE RE-TWEET ME!

THANKS FOR YOUR HELP.

I WONDER IF FACEBOOK HAS BEEN AUDITED RECENTLY? I’LL TWEET LOIS!

Linked By: @FarNorthDallasT, @mytheo1, @mashyrules, @AgentInfidel, @ValCSilver on twitter, and BlogsLucianneLoves, and NOBO2012 on Free Republic, Thanks!

Cross-Posted on Patriot Action Network

How Common Core Killed the Cop Killer Counselor

Well that was embarrassing: Big Guy’s controversial selection to head DOJ’s civil rights division, Debo Adegbile, was rejected by the Senate in a stunning defeat.

We’re not used to rejection, how did this happen? Why did Dirty Harry let the Debo nomination go to the vote if we didn’t have enough Senators to carry it? As it turns out, it looks like a simple math error: somebody just counted wrong. Harry was assured he had the requisite 51 votes on the floor, with Joey B standing by,just in case.

I suppose this sort of thing was bound to happen, what with Common Core math and all. Because old fashioned math was too hard to teach (none of the new teachers could ever get their heads wrapped around math themselves), we invented “fuzzy math” which became the basis for Common Core math. It’s aimed at making all things mathematical - like addition, subtraction, multiplication and division - easier to understand. Here’s an example of how that works:

Bonding With Numbers

Got that? No? That’s OK, let’s try another:

Here’s the text:

Use the number bond to fill in the math story. Make a simple math drawing. Cross out from 10 ones or some ones to show what happens in the stories.

There were __ ants in the ant hill. __ of them are sleeping and __ of them are eating. 9 of the sleeping ants woke up. How many ants are not sleeping?

In “old math” it was the grasshopper that slept; the ants were always working.

Now we have “math stories” with “number bonds”? For first graders?  And this is supposed to make kids find math easier to do? With “old math” kids simply hated it; with the new Common Core math they are terrorized by it:

Kaitlyn, trying to do her math homework

So, yesterday’s fiasco is what happens when you let your 20-something staffers educated only in fuzzy math count the votes. They probably don’t have a very good grasp of history either. Maybe I should remind them what happens when the normally industrious ants choose to nap like the grasshoppers:

By the way, I note that the producers, writers and editors at NPR must have been educated in Common Core geography as well as math. As reported this morning:

Just now on NPR’s Morning Edition…a story on yesterday’s failed vote on Debo Adegbile began “a handful of southern Democrats joined Republicans yesterday to defeat president Obama’s choice to head the Justice Department’s civil rights division.” For what it’s worth the Democrats who voted no:

Chris Coons (Del.)
Bob Casey (Pa.)
Mark Pryor (Ark.)
Heidi Heitkamp (N.D.)
Joe Manchin (W.V.)
Joe Donnelly (Ind.) 
John Walsh (Mont.)

And of course Harry Reid (Nev.)…

Not exactly Sons of the Confederacy.

So in case you didn’t before, now you know just exactly how important education is for our future. So when Big Guy asks to increase spending by a trillion dollars to re-educated America’s treasure in Common Core principles, how can you say no? After all, do you know how many number bonds there are in a trillion dollars? I didn’t think so.

“I have 18 and need about a trillion more!”

Allow my to leave you with this modern day version of the old “Ant and Grasshopper” story. In the original, as you recall the moral was “Be responsible for yourself.”

Butt that was Before Obama. Here’s the modern, updated, version: (author unknown)

The ant works hard In the withering heat and the rain all summer long,
building his house and laying up supplies for the winter.

The grasshopper thinks the ant Is a fool and laughs and dances
and plays the summer away.

Come winter, the shivering grasshopper calls a press conference
and demands to know why the ant should be
allowed to be warm and well fed while he is cold and starving.

CBS, NBC, PBS, CNN, and ABC show up to provide pictures of the
shivering grasshopper next to a video of the ant
In his comfortable home with a table filled with food.
America is stunned by the sharp contrast.

How can this be, that in a country of such wealth,
this poor grasshopper is allowed to suffer so?

Kermit the Frog appears on Oprah with the grasshopper
and everybody cries when they sing, ‘It’s Not Easy Being Green…’

ACORN stages a demonstration in front of the ant’s house where
the news stations film the SEIU group singing, We shall overcome.

Then Rev. Jeremiah Wright has the group kneel down to pray
for the grasshopper’s sake, while he damns the ants.

President Obama condems the ant and blames President Bush 43,
President Bush 41, President Reagan, Christopher Columbus,
and the Pope for the grasshopper’s plight.

Nancy Pelosi & Harry Reid exclaim in an interview with Larry King
that the ant has gotten rich off the back of the Grasshopper, and
both call for an immediate tax hike on the ant to make him pay his fair share.

Finally, the EEOC drafts The Economic Equity & Anti-Grasshopper Act
Retroactive to the beginning of the summer.

The ant is fined for failing to hire a proportionate number of
green bugs and, having nothing left to pay his retroactive taxes,
his home is confiscated by the Government Green Czar and given to the grasshopper.

The story ends as we see the grasshopper and his free-loading friends
finishing up the last bits of the ant’s food while the government house
he is in, which, as you recall, just happens to be the ant’s old house,
crumbles around them because the grasshopper doesn’t maintain it.

The ant has disappeared in the snow, never to be seen again.

The grasshopper is found dead in a drug related incident, and the house,
now abandoned, is taken over by a gang of spiders who terrorize the
ramshackle, once prosperous and peaceful, neighborhood.

The entire Nation collapses bringing the rest of the free world with it.

NEW MORAL OF THE STORY:

“All of our ants are belong to us.”

UPDATE: Debo’s defeat due to racism, not Common Core, per Harry Reid. Duly noted.

Linked By: Larwyn’s Linx on Doug Ross@Journal, and @MuseumTwenty, @batfreight on twitter, BlogsLucianneLoves, and NOBO2012 on Free Republic, Thanks!

Cross-Posted on Patriot Action Network