Newscoma has the sad news this morning from Memphis: the city has lost a shining star.
We send our deep condolences and all our love to Steve “Left Wing Cracker” Steffens and all of Lauren’s family and friends during this difficult time.
On January 6, 2010,
in Miscellaneous,
by Mary Mancini
On January 4, 2010,
in Liberate Your Radio from The Right,
by Mary Mancini
Sad news from Left Wing Cracker:
as you may know, my Lauren is fighting for her life at St. Francis Hospital, i sit here in the waiting room typing this on Rick Maynard’s laptop. The support you have all given us means more than I can ever say. I will be doing most updates on Twitter and facebook, but when I can, I will post here. Thank you so very much.
Newscoma has more details:
Saturday morning, our friend Lauren had a heart attack. She and Steve Steffens have been together for 20 years. It was bad, my friends. Very bad. She is currently in ICU at St. Francis in Memphis.
Please keep Steve and Lauren in your thoughts and prayers this week. There is much comfort to be had in community.
The Network
- I Have Questions about HYPNOTISM: A HISTORY12 February 2012, 1:17 am
1. How can a book about hypnotism, in which women seem to be orgasming every other page, be so boring? 2. Honestly, did people spend from 1790-1890 making women orgasm in public, but pretending like they didn’t know what they were doing? I swear, if you wrote “A Secret Orgasming Woman History of the 18th [...]...
- The Innkeepers11 February 2012, 12:19 am
Holy shit! I skipped out of work early to catch The Innkeepers and I am now sitting on my couch with the lights on and the tv on but on mute so that I can both have plenty of light and write this post. Downsides: Sometimes the acting is a little too theatrical. The ghosts [...]... - Gun Nuts, Talk to Me Like I’m Stupid10 February 2012, 6:08 pm
Okay, so, in the project I’m working on, there is a bad guy who shoots people. And, as you know, I know next to nothing about guns other than that you point them at things you want to shoot at, don’t point them at things you don’t want to shoot at, always treat them like [...]... - I Bring You Cool Things10 February 2012, 5:47 pm
1. A whole gallery of cursed gems. Man, I secretly want to own a cursed gem. Like the one that’s cool for girls to wear. 2. This is really cool and so many of the women look like my dear friend, B., that it’s kind of disconcerting, but hot damn, that’s a lot of white [...]... - One More Morose Midwestern Post10 February 2012, 2:13 pm
As I think I’ve made clear, I have very mixed feelings about small-town America. I kind of hate the little towns I grew up in. And yet, when I bought a house in Nashville, I moved to the Davidson County suburban equivalent of a small town–a couple of restaurants, two gas stations, a grocery store [...]...
- Morning Coffee – Presenting Your New Republican Overlords – Pre-Legislative Session Edition28 December 2010, 3:53 pm
The upcoming session of the Tennessee General Assembly begins in just 15 days. Between now and then there will likely be a whole bunch of nothing news wise, except for the TNDP Chair election which is about as exciting as watching socks dry in the rain (no offense guys, but seriously). Considering the huge shift from a nearly 50-50 split house to the 64-34-1 Republican super-majority, there’s gonna be a lot of changes coming our way. As Jeff Woods reports in the Nashville City paper, they ... - Morning Coffee – Surrender? No Surrender? Edition20 December 2010, 3:39 pm
In this season of giving, I’ve decided that a current events version of “The Night Before Christmas” is in order. To that end, I offer the following… Twas the week before Christmas and all through the County, Leaders in the east were assessing their bounty, The Legislature won by the right wing with care, In hopes that a Special School District would be there. The schoolchildren enjoying their Christmas break, Awaiting decisions that deciders will make, And I at my comput... - Morning Coffee – Something in the Air Edition2 December 2010, 1:27 pm
I don’t really have a lot to say this morning. I think I said myself out yesterday. Speaking of yesterday, the “sense of the commission” resolution on consolidation passed 6-3-1. Two commissioners weren’t in attendance at the time of the vote. The matter comes up again on Monday. Send your Commissioner an email in support of the resolution. It’s been busy and that business isn’t gonna stop until after the 16th. Then it’s time for the “holiday busy&... - Morning Coffee – Sharpen Your Pitchforks Edition1 December 2010, 1:15 pm
Yeah, I know. You probably thought the pitchfork sharpening season ended with the November 2nd elections. I don’t think you could have been more wrong. We live in a 24/7/365 pitchfork readiness environment now and that’s not going to change until people start feeling more certain about their economic futures. The harsh reality is that, in times like this, people can get Balkanized, in ways that may or may not be in their best interests depending on a whole host of factors, but usuall... - Morning Coffee – Post-Turkey Day Edition29 November 2010, 2:16 pm
Now that the holiday that officially sanctions gluttony is over, we can get down to really important things, like buying stuff for Christmas. Retailers are licking their chops as we speak. Black Friday and Cyber Monday will ultimately give way to “Whoopsie Wednesday” (12/22) and “I can’t find anything I want Friday” (12/24). As someone who used to co-own a retail establishment, I can tell you this is the time of year that I most dreaded and looked forward to. When t...
- Bills, Bills, Bills10 January 2012, 3:40 pm
At first we started out real cool,(cool) Writing some good laws i ain’t never seen But now your getting comfortable Ain’t telling that truth that you did no more Your slowly makin me read your print Your Bills they all are captioning And now you ask me for my vote (vote) Call me all day [...]... - Five Shopping Days Until Slut-O-Ween27 October 2011, 1:24 am
As I tend to warn people a lot: I was raised Mormon. You might not realize it, but Mormons have a dress code. It’s based on the standard of modesty set by wearing temple garments (those “magic Mormon underwear”), although pre-garment wearing youth are also encouraged to follow it as preparation for being endowed in [...]... - Going Postal10 September 2011, 5:06 pm
I love mail. Real mail, that is, the type made out of paper and delivered to your box by a uniformed, oath-sworn mail carrier. Even before I could explain why I loved mail, I loved it so much that in elementary school I volunteered for the job of collecting it from our box and sorting [...]... - Metro CANDO18 May 2011, 5:36 pm
The Rev. Steven S. Nelson seems to be under the misapprehension that the Metro non-discrimination ordinance dictates to private businesses what they can or cannot do. That’s not true. Private businesses in Tennessee will still be free to fire people for being homosexual or being suspected of being homosexual, according to the religious beliefs of [...]... - Blaming the Victims24 January 2011, 5:50 pm
Why would rape victims not want to pursue prosecution? As I once heard the Assistant DA explain to victim after victim, justice takes years, and often even the victims and prosecutors who do everything right don’t get justice at all. The investigation and trial will be consuming. You’ll have to give up work, you’ll have [...]...
- Original Poetry30 March 2011, 7:59 pm
Inauguration Dayby maria BrewerStretching dreams Pop into realityand breathe deep. The air of now.Grunting, emerging, we blink.Anticipating beauty in the new expectation of fresh wisdom.Layers of caring, and percolating joy, anddeep strength surge and weRush forward to meet the calm:the sprout that pushes through the soil,the Beginning.... - Original Poetry30 March 2011, 1:30 am
To-Do Listby Maria BrewerBe radiantAlways find connectionBurn through limitsRemain out of controlDemand the room to laughHave awe for the infinity that fills creationSanctify the utter void it springs fromTransfigure self, standing on the cusp of both... - 29 March 2011, 3:35 pm
The American Dream is a noble ideal: equality and reward for hard work. Establishing values like fairness, independence, and empowerment, Americans have long sacrificed to better themselves. But in America, we have always dreamed of bringing along our communities: our palaces have been our public schools; our monuments not towering statues unless surrounded by broad public parks and playgrounds; our legacy is ensconced in public libraries, common thoroughfares, and rural electrification projects... - Take a Lunch with Democracy15 March 2011, 1:32 pm
Today is going to be Rally day on the steps of the Tennessee State House downtown. People are coming from all over Tennessee to be heard by their state legislators. And it's going to be live streamed at the website http://march15.info/What's the use of a rally? Well, haven't you heard? This is What Democracy Looks Like.... - Devastation comes in small packages as well...15 March 2011, 7:41 am
Since Friday's disaster in Japan began, we Americans have watched its unfolding. So far away, yet so close at hand; unimaginably vast disaster striking a society so much like our own. Many of the photos are of an unimaginable scale. The stuff of our civilization made wholly uncivil and unrecognizable.Unlike most of the pictures from Japan, this picture of baby and mother being checked for radiation holds a kind of devastation we can't see. I'm not a nuclear power fear-monger, but I am a realist....
- Several anti-LGBT education bills rolled until next week10 February 2012, 6:56 pm
Wednesday was a busy day for education legislation that affects lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or questioning students and their families in Tennessee in the State House Subcommittee on Education and the Senate Education Committee. The following anti-LGBT bills were rolled until next week:HB0229 ("Don't Say G_y" bill): Placed on s/c cal Education Subcommittee for 2/15/2012HB3266 ("Teacher, Don't Preach" bill) Placed on s/c cal Education Subcommittee for 2/15/2012SB0426 (Anti-GSA bill) Place... - Register for TEP's Mardi Gras Gumbo and Bread Pudding Competition in Memphis25 January 2012, 12:04 pm
Tennessee Equality Project is proud to host its 4th Annual Mardi Gras Party on Sunday, Feb. 12, 2012, which includes our second Gumbo Tasting Competition and a new Bread Pudding Contest. The ingredients of Gumbo are as diverse as the LGBT and allied community, and we celebrate this in Mardi Gras style! Participation was so enormous last year that we've moved the competition to a larger space at Spectrum Memphis. Funds raised from the competition will benefit TEP to advance and protect the equali... - I'm angry24 January 2012, 8:51 pm
I'm angry today.I'm agonizing over yet another suicide of a young gay teen in Tennessee. It's the second loss in as many months. Phillip died because he could not escape the endless bullying from his peers. He died because he lived in a world where being gay made him a target. He died scared, hopeless and alone. Will Batts is the Executive Director of the Memphis Gay & Lesbian Community Center.I feel a rage building inside me. This is not the world we want for our kids. This is not... - TEP responds to tragedy in Gordonsville24 January 2012, 5:42 pm
As TEP leaders, members and supporters grieve the loss of Phillip Parker in Gordonsville, Tennessee Equality Project is taking steps to respond to the tragedy. Here's what we are doing:TEP joins the family and friends of Phillip Parker in grieving a senseless loss. TEP has contacted Smith County School Superintendent Roger Lewis and District Principals to advocate for more teacher training and revision of school anti-bullying policy. We are offering TEP Foundation's LGBT diversit... - Gordonsville student endured years of anti-gay bullying before ending his life23 January 2012, 1:27 pm
Late Friday night, Tennessee Equality Project began hearing reports that an 8th grader in Gordonsville in Smith County, Tennessee had completed suicide after enduring years of anti-gay bullying. Ironically, the news arrived as members of TEP's board attended the first Bully-Free Tennessee Conference in neighboring Putnam County with educators, parents and other safe school advocates.Local news confirmed on Saturday that Phillip Parker was the 8th grader who had ended his life.TEP Board members J...
- I’m Done28 April 2011, 2:37 pm
Even though I know I will disappointing millions of fans (like Oprah and the Soaps), I am suspending my blogging activities. Notice how serious and freaked out I look on my daily blog route, while those yoga blankets beckon behind me to open my chakras and forget the world-wide suicide I am witnessing on the [...]... - Trump…what else you got?27 April 2011, 1:38 pm
Filed under: Uncategorized... - An hour with Tina Fey26 April 2011, 11:43 pm
Filed under: Uncategorized... - FOX News Has Spoken. Period. End of Story?26 April 2011, 5:27 pm
“Fox News can confirm the President of the United States is a citizen of the United States”. Shep Smith (click for video) So, Trump, stick that info up there in your hair nest. Filed under: Uncategorized... - Palin’s SPED Plan25 April 2011, 6:24 pm
Despite Sarah Palin’s claims to the contrary, the main stream media has never seriously taken her on from any vantage point other than pop/political icon. The LA Times’ Meghan Daum’s friends wonder why the gloves have never come off with Palin. They demand she “admit the obvious”… …Palin’s rocket ride to political fame says less [...]...
- Thanks to Les Smith for putting me on FOX 13 tonight3 February 2012, 4:59 am
... - Go get some coffee, this will be a long one.1 February 2012, 2:57 am
... - We are going dark today. Here's why.18 January 2012, 6:01 am
... - On This Day..16 January 2012, 3:51 pm
... - I am not fond of Democrat on Democrat violence14 January 2012, 4:34 pm
...
- Knox County Sheriff, Baumgartner, Henry Granju & the Local Pill Trade12 February 2012, 6:00 pm
Kudos to Knoxville News Sentinel reporter Jamie Satterfield on her truly excellent piece of investigative reporting today uncovering for the... read more...... - The Big Year12 February 2012, 4:45 pm
I didn't think it would be possible to make a fun and entertaining movie about bird watching, but The Big Year mostly pulls it off. And I gu... read more...... - Duncan Doubles Down on Nonsense Claims12 February 2012, 2:47 pm
If you check the letters section of the News Sentinel, you'll see that Congressman Duncan has attempted to reply to my column, but really fa... read more...... - Whitney Houston, RIP12 February 2012, 11:27 am
Whitney Houston was 48 years old. The award winning singer was discovered dead at the Beverly Hilton hotel. She was visiting in preparation ... read more...... - Snowflakes!11 February 2012, 1:03 pm
It's 36 degrees and that's predicted to be the high temperature for the day. Winds are pretty strong. Kroger's in Maryville was packed yeste... read more......
- Hate That For Ya11 February 2012, 3:09 pm
Update: Unfortunately, Lynn seems to have taken down this note from her Facebook page...more unfortunately, I did not print a copy before she did. While its difficult for me to feign a large amount of sympathy for Rep. Susan Lynn, I find her story detailing the underhanded and spiteful nature of Mae Beavers' campaign tactics to be thoroughly enjoyable and so may you. Its quite lengthy, so I'll just give you the gist. Basically, Mae Beavers "loaned" 50,000 to a newspaper editor during the ... - Is That a Republican Under That Robe, Or Are You Just Happy To Be Running8 February 2012, 12:09 am
Michael Cass done drummed him up a story on Nashville defense lawyer Jack Byrd's voting history as a Republican. Byrd is one of two challengers, along with Rachel Bell, hoping to debench the recently appointed Judge Mike Jameson. Byrd is running as a Democrat in the Democratic primary. His records show he's voted in four GOP primaries and two county primaries (of which Republicans rarely ever post candidates), but he's telling Cass that he is in fact of the Democratic persuasion. N... - The Catholic Vote7 February 2012, 6:34 pm
I've had MSNBC on this morning in the background and they keep coming back to the Obama Administration's decision to say that employees of religious affiliated are accorded the same health care protections as those in the secular workforce. The assumption is that, somehow, people who might normally vote for a pro-choice Democrat, a prospect which some in the Catholic leadership say will put your immortal soul in peril, will now rally around a Republican all because some Catholic affiliated... - If You Leave It, They Will Come7 February 2012, 6:33 pm
The decision by Sen. Joe Haynes not to seek re-election has resulted in many politicians both current and past to jut their fingers up skyward to get a sense of where the political winds may be blowing. On the Republican side, it appears that Dickerson will have a challenger, either in the form of David Hall, who defeated the establishment backed Jeff Hartline in the 2010 Republican Congressional primary. Or Eric Crafton, our xenophobic former Councilman from Bellevue who seems to have ru... - Its Halftime America6 February 2012, 7:47 pm
"I've seen a lot of tough eras, a lot of downturns in my life, times where we didn't understand each other...it seems that we've lost our heart at times. The fog of division, discord and blame made it hard to see what lies ahead. But after those trials, we all rallied around what was right, and acted as one." -Clint Eastwood Whether intended or not, this is an implicit endorsement of President Obama who took a chance on America's industry when it needed it, while Republicans like Mitt R...
- I Am Donating A Blog Post To Steve Ross8 February 2012, 2:01 pm
The word blogger is an interesting one. People writing on platforms about what they want, be it about knitting, kittens with their heads stuck in bread or politics, the blogging world has changed the way media works to a certain degree. And unfortunately, we forget the countless unpaid hours that people with passion put in [...]... - The Clint Eastwood Commercial7 February 2012, 7:24 pm
It was an ad, you know. The one with Clint Eastwood where Americans weren’t called lazy. Where he talked about resilience and honor and rebuilding. I found myself with my mouth hanging wide-open and tears in my eyes because the things he said where the things my grandfather used to say all the time. I [...]... - Getting Past Guns, God And Gays Legislation4 February 2012, 5:17 pm
Well, as expected, our general assembly has gone into session and it’s back to Guns, Gods and Gays. The key is that there are some pretty decent bills out there but they are being drowned out in the infernal noise of the GOP throwing molotov cocktails into the media mainstream and owning the headlines. For [...]... - John ‘Glad’ Castellaw In The 8th?1 February 2012, 3:05 pm
As races gear up around the state and being that I am a District 8 native, I am curious on how this race will play out. Joe Lance has a round up at Tennessee Ticketon recent media coverage and there are a few names that have been thrown around on the GOP side but not [...]... - Knoxville Business Denies Senator Service30 January 2012, 1:23 pm
Last night information went viral very quickly about a restaurant in Knoxville that asked Sen. Stacey Campfield to leave their establishment. Owner Martha Boggs who owns the Bistro at the Bijou asked the controversial politician to leave to make the point that any discrimination of anyone is painful and she went as far as to [...]...
- A Note On The First Amendment18 August 2010, 5:06 am
(Yes, yes, I realize that I haven't written anything in over two weeks. I promise that I will get back into a regular schedule of posting once I get myself back on a regular schedule. There will also likely be some content changes around here come the fall, stay tuned for that.)This seems like an obvious point to me, but I guess it's not to Dr." Laura and her defenders:Dr. Laura Schlessinger announced Tuesday night that she would end her radio show following her N-word rant last week."My contr... - Shame On The Anti-Defamation League30 July 2010, 8:36 pm
The Anti-Defamation League was founded in 1913 to "fight anti-Semitism and all forms of bigotry, defend democratic ideals and protect civil rights for all.” Unless, apparently, if its the democratic and civil rights of people they don't like:We regard freedom of religion as a cornerstone of the American democracy, and that freedom must include the right of all Americans – Christian, Jewish, Muslim, and other faiths – to build community centers and houses of worship.We categorically reject... - The Tennessee Goobernatorial Race29 July 2010, 4:22 pm
(Note: I'm starting a movement to make #goobernatorial the official hashtag of the Tennessee governor's race. Please consider using it whenever you tweet about the campaign, REGARDLESS of which candidate you're talking about)Tennessee tends to not make national headlines unless something bad has happened, and I guess it was only a matter of time before the Colbert Report picked up on our goobernatorial race, a campaign tailor-made for late-night comedy shows:The Colbert ReportMon - Thurs 11:30p... - The Question Of Legitimacy, Deferred23 July 2010, 10:02 pm
Last week, I wrote about the proposed Israeli conversion bill that amounted to delegitimizing Reform and Conservative Judaism. Last night, it was announced that Prime Minister Netanyahu struck a deal to delay the bill for six months until an alternative plan can be worked out.Acting on instructions from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Cabinet Secretary Zvi Hauser reached an agreement with Israel Reform and Masorti (traditional) Jewish movements, persuading them to drop a petition to the High... - A Question Of Legitimacy16 July 2010, 12:21 am
Several months ago, Peter Beinart wrote a profound article in the New York Review of Books on the failures of the American Jewish establishment. The main "failure" he recognized is the failure to recognize how many rifts there are among Jews right now--between Israelis and the Diaspora, between secular Jews and the Orthodox, and between younger liberal American Jews and the more conservative establishment.The article set off a furious debate and discussion here in the U.S., although anyone who ...
- I've Moved20 May 2011, 1:59 am
Visit me at my new home at WordPress .... southernbeale.wordpress.com.Thanks!... - I Already Hate WordPress19 May 2011, 7:03 pm
Blogger got buggered again yesterday and I'm so over it. Had to do a bunch of crap to my cookies to be able to access my dashboard. So I've started setting up a new home at WordPress but I can tell you all, I already hate it. Despise it. It's completely illogical, totally not Mac friendly. This was created by people who use PCs, I can already tell with their instructions to "right click" this and that. I hate it. I can't get my freaking blogroll set up, and frankly at this point it may never hap... - Americans Live Within Their Means & Other Wingnut Fantasies18 May 2011, 4:13 pm
Of all the tired, old bromides which have worked their way into our discourse, the old “American families have to live within a budget, and so should the federal government” meme is one of the most annoying. It's annoying because it's so easily debunked; the very people spouting this bullshit are the ones riding mountains of credit card debt, for crying out loud!I’ve written about this before but my first response is always: No! No we don’t! Since when? American consumer debt, which does... - How Dare Those Uppity Plebes Forget Their Place18 May 2011, 12:13 pm
When I first read Felix Salmon’s “Ben Stein's Top 10 Lines About DSK” I thought these were humorous “summaries” of Steins’ column defending Dominique Strauss-Kahn.They were not. They were direct quotes. And oh my God. Without further ado:Was Riker's Island really the place to put him on the allegations of one human being? Hadn't he earned slightly better treatment than that? No, he has not. Justice wears a blindfold.If he is such a womanizer and violent guy with women, why didn't he ... - I’ll Take Things It Shouldn’t Take 30 Years To Do, Alex17 May 2011, 4:18 pm
Waaaaay back in 1990 a law was passed that required the Dept. of Defense to get its books in order so we can do a full financial audit, and yet even though their deadline isn’t until 2017 it seems they won’t be making that deadline. That would be 27 years to do a financial audit of the Pentagon.And they can’t do it.Whew. Okie dokie, well thank goodness we have a bipartisan group of Senators who have a little problem with that :“Based on the findings of today’s FIAR Plan, it appears unl...
- Bridges v. Walls – Annexation Edition5 February 2012, 10:12 pm
This week’s big story locally has been the fight between the State legislature and the City of Memphis over the Gray’s creek annexation area. The two biggest issues revolve around A) a city’s right to annex area to expand its borders, and B) the desires of the residents of that area to remain autonomous. There’s [...]... - Why Would Anyone Want to Teach in Tennessee?2 February 2012, 7:27 pm
Track HB 740 here This is a question I keep asking myself as bill after bill slides right through the state legislature. Last year it was the right to have a seat at the table when negotiating salary, class sizes, and all sorts of other things. This year its tenure and perhaps most egregious, payment [...]... - $15,000,000 For Fewer Than 900 People a Year1 February 2012, 2:23 am
For as long as I can remember, Republicans have been kicking and screaming about the “DEATH TAX”, also known as the inheritance or estate tax. The estate tax is one of those taxes you hear about a lot, but probably won’t ever have to pay, unless your family is fabulously wealthy. Even then, there are [...]... - Restoring Faith29 January 2012, 10:36 pm
No one said it would be quick, easy, cheap, or without some bad press, but that doesn’t mean all the news is bad. What am I talking about? The growing number of investigations concerning divisions of the City of Memphis government. Over the two years since Mayor AC Wharton assumed the Mayor’s office we’ve seen [...]... - Compromise and Discourse in Redistricting18 January 2012, 1:06 pm
If you’ve been watching the news or reading the newspaper, you’ve probably seen a story or 12 about redistricting. Federal, State and Local levels of government are in the process of doing that very thing here in Tennessee. The photo to the left is House Minority Leader Craig Fitzhugh and Caucus Chair Mike Turner. Both [...]...
- Mad Libs18 June 2010, 2:15 pm
Dear TNDP, I’m not alone in saying it, but this is a problem. (That’s seven months, and many “Chip Forrester is Outraged on a Friday” pressers ago.) We know you know better. How about acting on it? Is…... - He’s So Excited! He’s So Scared!28 May 2010, 4:43 pm
I didn’t watch the Tea Party-hosted Republican gubernatorial debate, not only because I had other plans but because I figure such a thing would be as substantive as a pageant. While nobody emerged wearing a sash and tiara, ... - Just the Facts, Ma’am25 May 2010, 6:20 am
Last night the state House voted to commend Arizona on its upcoming centennial (in 2012) as well as for passing controversial legislation which many argue encourages racial profiling. Here’s the breakdown of how your state Democrats voted. …... - Liberal Blogger Afternoon on the Hill12 May 2010, 4:55 am
Everyone’s favorite Aunt B. did a great job summing up the Liberal Blogger Afternoon on the Hill at Tiny Cat Pants and at Pith. She fails to mention, however, the great restraint both she and I exercised in…... - Sandbagging the MetroCenter Levee4 May 2010, 5:30 am
Approximately 200 Nashvillians sandbagged the levee at MetroCenter today – despite MNPD officers explicitly saying we were entering the neighborhood “at our own risk,” and that if the levee went out we’d likely go out with it – with some…...
Recent Comments