California students find Palin contract in trash

By GottaLaff


FlexStraw McEvian sure is picky. First she demands 100 grand for an entree of word salad, and now we find out that she will stomp her four-inch heeled foot and pout if she doesn't get water bottles, bendy straws, multiple luxury hotel rooms, and... well, dare I assume that she insists on a moosehead on every wall?

Sarah Palin will get first-class airfare for two and three rooms at a luxury hotel when she gives a speech in June for a university foundation.

And organizers better not forget to stock her lectern with two water bottles and bendable straws.

If you recall, there's been a little controversy over her screech, er, speech at CSU Stanislaus. Who knew it would involve something she sucks?

Nobody, that's who... until some CSU Stanislaus students dug into some CSU Stanislaus campus trash and discovered the CSU Stanislaus Foundation documents.... the very same documents that were rumored to have been shredded while the campus staff was on furlough (A special thank you to Ahnold for the unpaid time off).

Among other perks, Palin will fly first class — if she flies commercial. If not, "the private aircraft MUST BE a Lear 60 or larger ...," the contract specifies.

Pfft, and they say size doesn't matter. Apparently it does to Wordy McLongJet.

There was nothing in the document that specified the amount of her screeching fee.

The foundation previously denied a request to release details of the contract made by The Associated Press under the California Public Records Act.

Well! Finally that makes sense! Who'd want all those pesky details about D'mandy McDiva to get out? Isn't she just so like one of us, though?

If you recall, Stanislaus U said they had no documents. And by "had no" they meant "Why hasn't trash removal guy been here yet?"

Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going back to my motor home to get a foot massage while my entourage handles the riffraff.

Palin Probe- "Smoking gun" proof that university hiding documents re: speaking fee

By GottaLaff


RunOn McMoneyTalks has another Big Speech coming up. You know how she loves to talk... and talk.. and talk.

But you know what she loves more? Money. And you know what they say about money: It's the root of all word salad:

A state lawmaker claimed Wednesday that he has “smoking gun” proof that educators at CSU Stanislaus are deliberately hiding public documents that reveal how much they agreed to pay Palin for a speech at an upcoming gala fundraiser.

Their alleged stonewalling is so egregious, said state Sen. Leland Yee, D-San Francisco, that he has asked Attorney General Jerry Brown “to investigate this violation of the public trust.”

Imagine that. RunOn's in the middle of another scandal. Who could have seen that coming?

[C]ampus compliance officer Gina Leguria told Californians Aware, “The University has no documents that are responsive to your request.”

That's preposterous. You can quote me.

That’s preposterous, Yee said.

You're welcome.

The lawmaker said he had independently obtained a copy of one university document on the subject – an email sent to everybody on campus to “clear up any confusion and extinguish rumors” about Palin’s speech, as its author, University Vice President Susana Gajic-Bruyea, put it.

Gajic-Bruyea, who is also executive officer of the foundation, wrote that “no tax dollars” would be used to pay Palin.

That's an awfully suspicious claim.

Yee is deeply suspicious about that claim. But in the event, he says that e-mails should obviously have been disclosed in response to the records request.

Wait, didn't they say the university had "no documents"?

“The university’s claim of no documentation was inconceivable, and now there is a smoking gun,” he said in a statement. “What other documents and correspondence are they hiding?”

$chool group'$ rea$on for Palin $peech: It need$ the money

By GottaLaff

Selfy McPayMe wants money, Stanislaus State wants money. Everyone wants money:

Tax records show leaner times for the college foundation now drawing fire for paying Sarah Palin an undisclosed sum to speak at Stanislaus State.

Overall collections by the California State University Stanislaus Foundation fell by more than half over the past decade, tax records show. Fewer contributions, in turn, crimp the foundation's ability to help students and the Turlock-based university. [...]

Now, the non-profit foundation hopes to regain momentum with Palin's June 25 appearance.

I suppose that must mean they think they'll sell out:

One university official said Friday that the $500 -a-head event in the school's 300-seat cafeteria was sold out but that names were being taken for a waiting list...

See? What'd I tell you?

Although, I have my doubts:

[U]niversity spokeswoman Eve Hightower later indicated the event wasn't sold out.

See? What'd I tell you?

I bet there are even a few people who aren't so thrilled Selfy's making an appearance:

Not all buzz, though, is positive. Some, in particular, question the speaking fees Palin has commanded since she quit her job as Alaska governor 18 months before her term expired.

See? What'd I tell you?

The Stanislaus State foundation is not obligated to reveal Selfy's speaking fee, but we're all well aware that she's been getting right around $100,000 for providing an endless supply of nonsensical run-on sentences enhanced by visual aids (read: hand notes).

But hey, it's all worth it if they can add to their coffers. Especially the non-profit ones.

For foundation officials, the controversy could be a price worth paying if it boosts their non-profit coffers.

See? What'd I tell you?

Poll: Big support for student loan change

This was always kind of a no brainer, at least to me, so I still don't get how the R's can try and turn it into more of their "big government takeover" meme.

Washington (CNN) - Nearly two-thirds of Americans say they favor a proposal to increase the amount of money available for college loans by allowing the government to provide those loans directly to students, according to a new poll.

A CNN/Opinion Research Corporation survey released Wednesday indicates that 64 percent of respondents favor the proposal and 34 percent opposed it.

The measure is part of a package of fixes that were added by House Democrats to the Senate health care reform bill that was passed by the House on Sunday and signed into law by President Obama Tuesday. The fixes still need to be passed the Senate and then returned to the House for final approval.

The student loan measure, which is a priority for Obama, would end the practice of having private banks offer student loans backed by the government.

(snip)

The survey also indicates, to a degree, some rare bipartisan support, with a vast majority of Democrats, a solid majority of Independents, and a slight majority of Republicans favoring the proposal.

"There is still a big partisan gap, 82 percent of Democrats support the change, compared to 52 percent of Republicans," adds Holland. "Nonetheless, a majority of both parties have a positive view of the proposal. We haven't seen that very often in recent polls."

Videos- Complete President Obama at Pennsylvania Town Hall, Greeting BCS Champions Alabama

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Video- President Obama on Strengthening America's Historically Black Colleges and Universities

Video- Drumline in the White House: Raw Footage

Got me moving.

An 8 person drumline from Virginia State University plays in the Cross Hall of the White House before an event honoring Historically Black Colleges and Universities. February 26, 2010.

VIDEO: Students rap a Journalist's Oath; Fox missed this class

By GottaLaff

Dear ClusterFox, Take lessons from these students, if that's even possible:

A group project performed for an ethics course at Columbia University's Graduate School of Journalism.

The assignment was to come up with a journalist's oath.

Never mind what I said at the top, Fox would just accuse them of indoctrination.

Note: The fun doesn't start until about 45 seconds in.

H/t: Hippie_Cyndi

Obama to announce education help for unemployed

Seems like common sense to me.

WASHINGTON (CNN) — New unemployment numbers are due out Friday and president Barack Obama will use the opportunity to announce new steps to help unemployed Americans.

The target of the rules will be people out of work who want to go back to school. Rules now create a catch 22: In most cases, if you are receiving unemployment compensation you have to be actively looking for a job. If you want to get more education or training, you have to give up unemployment benefits. But if you return to school you don't qualify for federal education grants since, in most cases, your qualification is based on your previous year's income.

The president is scheduled to outline a plan under which the Department of Education will send colleges legal guidance encouraging them to increase financial aid packages for the unemployed so they can enroll in educational and training programs, while keeping their unemployment benefits.

Obama's a model for black college dress guidelines: 'People might not want to see your underwear.'

By GottaLaff

(click on images to enlarge)

President Obama has been such a force for good in so many ways. Now he's even having an effect on underwearitude:

When candidate Barack Obama told MTV viewers in November that "brothers should pull up their pants," Kent Williams Jr. was thinking the same thing.

Williams, the student body president at North Carolina Central University, was weary of seeing young men show up in class wearing do-rags, pajama bottoms or pants drooping over their rear ends.

So the historically black college will soon distribute information cards that he proposed, using students as models, to illustrate the right -- and wrong -- ways to dress on campus and professionally. "Don'ts" include droopy pants, do-rags, gold chains and other totems of hip-hop culture.

Students at some historically black colleges say they began rebelling against such crimes of fashion long before Obama spoke up. But they also say Obama's fashion sense on the campaign trail -- and now as President Obama -- has made it easier to persuade other young African Americans to trade street sloppy for business cool.

Referring to sagging pants, Obama told the MTV audience on Nov. 2: "You are walking by your mother, your grandmother -- your underwear is showing. Come on. . . . Some people might not want to see your underwear. I'm one of them."

Williams said he was heartened by Obama's comments. "We're all looking to him for guidance," the senior said this month. [...]

[B]ecause Obama has provided "the visibility of an alternative image of black masculinity," Neal said, the trend toward sharp dressing has accelerated. [...]

As Obama came to national attention, Davis said, she noticed young men dressing better. "They're thinking, 'Maybe we don't have to look like we're a product of where we come from. We can look better,' " she said.

As for First Lady Michelle:

Jasmine Bell, 20, a junior, cited Obama's wife, Michelle, as a role model for young black women.

"I look up to her -- she's awesome," Bell said. "Barack and Michelle Obama give us all the inspiration to go out and carry ourselves with respect." [...]

Marcus Donovan Waters, a North Carolina Central senior dressed in a bulky coat and baggy pants (worn well above his hips), said the dress cards would not impinge on students' freedom of expression. He said he is preparing a campus fashion show of styles that can be adapted to individual tastes but are still respectful.

The Obamas are all about R-E-S-P-E-C-T. We as a nation had nearly forgotten what that felt like.

Big Man On Campus: College Papers Back Obama -- By 79 to 1

By GottaLaff

Now if those infamous youthy college procrastinators will get themselves to the polls, that would be something:

The Obama campaign leads in newspaper endorsements from dailies and weeklies, based on our tally so far (see separate story). The Democratic ticket has an even more impressive lead when it comes to college newspapers — 79 to 1, according to our own list and UWIRE’s Presidential Endorsement Scorecard.

You can see the entire list here.