Barbara Curtis's Blog, page 33

World Journalism Institute - first day

Busy here in Asheville at the World Journalism Institute.

 yesterdayBeautiful drive down yesterday with mountains and fall colors. Great to meet Marvin and Susan Olasky and be the beneficiary of their teaching.

My classmates are great - diverse backgrounds and occupations but all united in wanting to learn journalism skills.

I've already learned so much - including how to use google docs!

We are busy critiquing each other's work - a process I love. Reminds me of when I took yoga classes and the instructor would come by and gently touch one spot and my body would correct itself automatically. Not a perfect analogy, because sometimes the criticism is brutal and setting it right is painstaking, but the epiphany once you've learned how to overcome your weakness is phenomenal.



So grateful for Tripp and Matt holding down the fort so I can take advantage of this wonderful opportunity. So excited about the future.

Settling down in my motel room to eat my leftovers from last night and watch the debate. Missing my blogging and facebooking, but eager to return better than ever.

Obama Comedy Central: 4 deaths "not optimal"

Shameful behavior on Comedy Central tonight. And we're all supposed to act like this is normal. At least the UK is reporting it the way it is. Go there to see the stupid j*****s grin on his silly face. I am SO sick of this puerile behavior. God, please give us a grown-up man in the White House.

'If four Americans get killed, it's not OPTIMAL': Obama's extraordinary response to security fiasco after Benghazi massacre

By

PUBLISHED:

16:44 EST, 18 October 2012


|

UPDATED:

17:25 EST, 18 October 2012

President Barack Obama, during an
interview to be shown on Comedy Central, has responded to a question
about his administration's communications after the Benghazi attack, by
saying: 'If four Americans get killed, it's not optimal.'

Obama was speaking to Jon Stewart of The Daily Show for a programme to be broadcast tonight.

Stewart,
a liberal whose audience of young voters is prized by the Obama
campaign, asked the president about his handling of the aftermath of the
Benghazi attack.

Not optimal: President Barack Obama, pictured
left, discussed the killing of four men in Benghazi while speaking to
Jon Stewart, right, on The Daily Show

Ambassador Chris Stevens, diplomat
Sean
Smith and former U.S. Navy SEALs Glen Doherty and Ty Woods were killed
by terrorists on the 11th anniversary of 9/11 - an attack that the
White House initially blamed on a spontaneous protest about an
anti-Islam movie made in California.

Stewart asked: 'Is part of the investigation helping the communication between these divisions? 

'Not just what happened in Benghazi, but what happened within.

 

Killed: Ambassador Chris Stevens, left and diplomat Sean Smith were among those killed in the attack on Benghazi

Heroic: Former Navy SEALs Tyrone Woods, right, and Glen Doherty, left, were also killed in the mortar attack

'Because I would say, even you would
admit, it was not the optimal response, at least to the American people,
as far as all of us being on the same page.'

Obama responded: 'Here's what I'll say. If four Americans get killed, it's not optimal.'

Read more at the UK Daily Mail

TV Ad: Obama the party president - time for adults

Reagan Recovery/Obama Recovery visual aid

Dinesh D'Souza responds to World charges

Frankly, I am happy to know a hero may still be worthy of his status. I'm also shocked - for if this is true, it's quite a blow as World has exceptionally high journalistic standards (in preparation for my course next week, I've actually read Olasky's journalism guide and World's very thick Policy Manual).

I am suspending all comment and fully ready to apologize for my part in spreading this as soon as I know more. In fact, I will apologize now and let you know whatever I am able to learn in the days ahead.

'2016: Obama's America' filmmaker -- I am not having an affair

Editor's note: In September, author/director Dinesh D'Souza's movie "2016: Obama's America," became the second highest grossing political documentary of all time. On October 16th, on the day of the film's release on DVD, an Evangelical Christian publication, World magazine, published a story which raised questions about D'Souza's marriage and subsequent engagement. D'Souza responds below:

A recent article in World magazine gives the false impression that I, a married man, had an affair with a woman Denise Joseph at a Christian conference in Charlotte, N.C. The article alleges that I shared a hotel room with her and introduced her as my fiancé. Finally it states that I filed for divorce only on the day I was confronted about my conduct by intrepid reporter Warren Smith. Here are the facts:

1. My wife Dixie and I have been separated for two years. Dixie approached me and demanded this [a separation] before I came to King's College to become its president in late August 2010. I informed the chairman of the college about this at the time. I also informed the reporter who wrote the World article, Warren Smith, but he deliberately left it out of his piece, even though it is entirely relevant to the context.

2. I met Denise three months ago. We are not and have not been having an affair. Nor did we share a hotel room in Charlotte. Smith did not even ask me about this. Instead, Smith apparently deployed conference organizer Alex McFarland to call and raise the issue with me.

Read more at FoxNews

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2012/1...

Precious Moments Nativity Set - 50% off at Amazon

Browsing children's Nativity sets, I cam across this incredible deal and thought someone out there might be looking for this.

Nativity Sets for Children

I know we haven't even started talking about Thanksgiving, but I've noticed some orders for children's nativity sets and thought some of you might want to plan ahead - as these often run out or become more expensive as Christmas approaches.

Have you ever thought how wonderful it would be for your kids to have their own nativity set to play with? Keep in mind that - as Maria Montessori taught long ago - children learn with their hands and their senses. A nativity set that they can touch and manipulate and unite with their imagination will provide the basis for the abstract concepts of the incarnation of Christ when they are older.

Here are a few worth considering:

Crowley debate bias for Obama

CURL: Crowley skews hard for Obama in disastrous presidential debate

Joseph Curl/October 17, 2012

HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. -- Another debate, another debacle for America's media.

In the runup to the second presidential debate, CNN's Candy Crowley
declared that she would not just be a "fly on the wall" as she played
the tiny role of moderator, that she would step in whenever she chose
to say, "Hey, wait a second, what about X, Y, Z?"

And boy did she, cutting off Republican Mitt Romney repeatedly and often throwing the floor to President Obama with an open "let me give the president a chance here."

More, she alone decided the topics for the debate, picking questions from the 80 so-called "undecided" voters chosen by the Gallup polling organization. Her selections were tailor-made for Mr. Obama -- Mitt Romney's tax plan, women's rights and contraception, outsourcing, immigration, the Libya debacle (which gave Mr. Obama to finally say that the buck stops with him, not, as Hillary Clinton said, with her).

She
even chose this question, directed to both men: "I do attribute much
of America's economic and international problems to the failings and
missteps of the Bush administration.
Since both of you are Republicans, I fear the return to the policies
of those years should you win this election. What is the biggest
difference between you and George W. Bush, and how do you differentiate yourself from George W. Bush?"

Ms. Crowley, who called Mr. Romney's selection of Rep. Paul Ryan
as running mate a "ticket death wish," asserted her unilateral power
at the outset, telling the audience before the cameras went on that she
planned to "give the debate direction and ensure the candidates give
answers to the questions."

After both candidates answered Question One, she blurted: "Let me get a more immediate answer" -- whatever that means. But when Mr. Romney sought to correct falsehoods told by the president, she cut him off: "We have all these folks here." In the end, Mr. Obama would get 9 percent more time.

Read more at the Washington Times

Five new giveaways - drawings 10/29

Just posted 5 new giveaways - drawings to be held 10/29.

No comments here. Just click on my giveaway link in the left sidebar and leave a comment for any or all that you would like a chance to win!

World Journalism Institute next week

I am gearing up for a special opportunity I have next week - to attend the World Journalism Institute Mid-Career Course 2012.  I am so looking forward to spending a week in Asheville, NC and learning from Marvin and Susan Olasky.  I am feeling humbled and very, very quiet- inclined to speak little and listen well. I am going with an open heart to learn all God might want to teach me, in the hands of teachers I trust.

I will be driving down Sunday (7 hours) and leaving the following Friday at noon.  Then, because I need to be in Rochester, New York the next evening to see Ben (#3 son) in Eastman's production of The Rape of Lucretia (yes, I know it's not the most pleasant opera).  That's a 13 hour drive, so I will have to spend the night somewhere on the way up.  I just couldn't work out flights - plus I'd need to rent a car in NC.

While I am pretty much back to normal as far as my broken leg goes, I am still under treatment for the blood clot - which means 2 Lovenox shots/day (ugh!) - and all this sitting is not that great. So I would appreciate your prayers for my health and safety.

I will be blogging/facebooking in the evenings.  Am really excited about seeing Asheville as a tourist too and going to the Basilica of Saint Lawrence and enjoying the fall colors driving through the Blue Ridge Mountains. I am so grateful that Tripp and Matt (#2 son) are enabling me to make this trip by being here for the boys!