What would Suzie say? (5x8 - 2/1/12)

Posted at 7:02 AM on February 1, 2012 by Bob Collins (16 Comments)
Filed under: Five by 8

Politics in pink, the mystery of the Postcard Underground, ugly science in Minnesota, the medallion search ends, and it was nine years ago today.

1) POLITICS IN PINK

If there's one word that has become synonymous with the fight against breast cancer, it's "courage." So it was surprising to many that the Susan G. Komen breast cancer charity -- the pink people -- so quickly threw women with the potential of breast cancer under the bus yesterday.

Komen announced it would stop funding breast screening programs run by Planned Parenthood, because the organization is under investigation that it channeled federal funds for abortions. Abortion, of course, is a highly emotional and long-debated issue. Breast cancer is not controversial except when it can be politicized.

"I know that hundreds, even thousands, of people reached out to Komen to request they stop giving to Planned Parenthood. That was constant over the years," said Eric Scheidler, executive director of the Chicago-based Pro-Life Action League, told the Los Angeles Times. "Pro-life people object because Planned Parenthood is the nation's largest abortion chain. Every dollar they take in facilitates their operations."

The noble cause of the Komen Foundation has eroded in recent years as it got tough with organizations that used the word "cure" in fundraisers, or dared to use "pink."

On the Washington Post's "She the People" blog, Melinda Henneberger's commentary considers the politics of two organizations, but says nothing about the question that's going unanswered in the heat of the debate: What about women with breast cancer?

I do have a question, though: Was Komen planning to give that money to some other organization, or to community clinics who'd do the exams?

In the end, they may not have to worry about what to do with the extra cash. Planned Parenthood, which received about $680,000 from Komen last year, according to the Associated Press, has reportedly already raised $250,000 on news of Komen's decision. And it will likely end up recouping its losses quickly.

But Komen, which seemed utterly unprepared for the outcry, may not bounce back quite so fast. In response to the charge that it had given in to bullying, Komen said in a statement to CBS News that "grant-making decisions are not about politics." The PR team that came up with that one may have a future in comedy. Though I guess not at the Daily Show.

The Komen Facebook page is not a happy place...

On NPR's Two-Way blog, one commenter says the action isn't at all surprising:

There are far greater problems with Komen than this. They've co-opted every breast cancer dollar donated yet provide no help to women/men with the support needed when battling cancer. They stay mum on legislation important to breast cancer survivors. Claiming to raise "awareness" isn't enough. Who hasn't heard of breast cancer. Yes they put some money in detection, but nothing for prevention because that would be treading in the murky waters of corporate America and holding them accountable for proven cancer causing agents/chemicals in their products. Komen approves use of their ribbon on products that have a proven link to breast cancer. Taking their grant from Planned Parenthood is just another anti-woman action by a well-funded corporation passing as a charity.
THINK BEFORE YOU PINK

There's one other question nobody seems to be asking: What would Suzie say?

2) SUE WHO?

My colleague, Alana, has presented us with a mystery that only the power of the Internet can solve.

It appears that for the last week or so, at least two postcards a day arrive for the recently retired Gary Eichten, all bearing the mark of the "Postcard Underground."

Today's postcards were from the same person: "Sue."

A Google search reveals no certain answers, although the blog of a woman in New England indicates she once received the postcards. Check the signature on the top card:

There are other websites all reporting the same thing: Postcards show up from someone who obviously is paying attention to the specifics of what's being lauded. And "Sue" is obviously behind them:

Somebody in the InterTubes knows who Sue is. Come forward!

3) UGLY SCIENCE

Many years ago, when Ann Landers was writing her advice column, a teenager wrote to her to ask how she can be more popular and stand out more? "Hang out with the ugly girls," she wrote.

How can Minnesota look proficient in science standards? By hanging out with the ugly states. The state gets a "C" (that's nothing to be proud of) in the State of Science Standards report this week, which looks better than it really is because of the ugly states surrounding us, as shown by this map on Greg Laden's blog...

"The Minnesota science standards are like the frustrating student who does excellent work two days a week but shoddy work on the other three," the report said. "When the standards are 'on,; they are cogent and challenging. But too often they are marred by vague, incorrect, or grade-inappropriate material, or are missing key content entirely."

The report criticizes the state, for example, for teaching that "glass conducts heat well" (it doesn't). It doesn't pull its punches:

Though a minor issue, the standards are occasionally marred by an inappropriate focus on local beliefs. Fifth graders, for example, are told that science is "influenced by local traditions and beliefs," a truism that is a poor substitute for the reality that the scientific process aims to negate and overcome such influences in its pursuit of universal knowledge and understanding. The fascination with local traditions extends into high school, where students are asked to consider how "Native American understanding of ecology" has contributed to scientific ideas. No guidance is given as to what may be involved here, nor are any examples provided. The tendency to blur the distinction between scientific and traditional wisdom is not helpful to the students' development of a clear understanding of science.

(H/T: Ben Chorn)

Here, kids, let me give you a little of what you should be getting:

4) THE SEARCH IS OVER

Return to your homes, people! The Pioneer Press winter carnival medallion was found overnight in Arden Hills. There's no word yet whether the winner of the $10,000 was one of the people who put their lives on hold every night or a casual searcher.

5) IT WAS NINE YEARS AGO TODAY

As the shuttle Columbia mission progressed, engineers expressed concern that the shuttle might have been damaged on lift-off. But managers dismissed their concerns. It was a textbook lesson for businesses everywhere.

Bonus I: I've always thought professional sports athletes could provide the rest of the world with a lesson on how to put the "game" behind and just be normal. On Sunday night, after the Lakers beat the Wolves, Minnesota star Ricky Rubio was chatting in the hallway of Target Center with fellow Spaniard, Laker Pau Gasol, when Kobe Bryant, who had just buried the local NBA team, stopped by for some trash talk about the upcoming Olympics.

Bonus II: Another Super Bowl ad has been released:

TODAY'S QUESTION
There's been a great deal of concern this campaign season about super PACs, which have changed the political landscape with their unlimited spending for and against candidates. There is talk of a constitutional amendment to allow greater regulation of such groups. What changes would you like to see in campaign finance laws?

WHAT WE'RE DOING

Midmorning (9-11 a.m.) - First hour: President Obama unveiled his plan to control the ever-rising costs of higher education last week at the University of Michigan. His decision to focus attention at the cost of college was universally welcomed by the higher ed community. But his plan to tie federal funding to the ability of a college or university to keep costs low has drawn mixed reviews from the higher ed community.

Second hour:In his new book, writer Henry Alford sets about on a mission: to restore our appreciation, and practice of good manners. He joins Midmorning to provide some insight on how to behave properly.

Midday (11 a.m. - 1 p.m.) - First hour: Songwriting. Co-host is Jeremy Messersmith. Guests: Haley Bonar and Toki Wright.

Second hour: An Intelligence Squared debate: Should the UN admit Palestine as a full member state?

Talk of the Nation (1-3 p.m.) - First hour: Political Junkie Ken Rudin joins Neal Conan for a recap of the week in politics, plus Gov. Christine Gregoire on gay marriage in Washington state.

Second hour: Pitching your idea to investors. Plus, reparations for Japanese-Americansvinterned in the U.S. during World War II.

All Things Considered (3-6:30 p.m.) - The author of "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" found plenty of first-hand inspiration for his novel. Ken Kesey wrote it while working at a psychiatric facility. His debut book became an acclaimed film and changed the way many people think about mental health institutions. It's the 50th anniversary of this classic American novel.

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Comments (16)

What? KS and LA did better in Science then MN?
And CA was the only state to get their highest score?

While I can see that CA might be deserving of the highest score, but KS? Isn't the answer to all of their science questions "God did it." ?

Posted by Jon | February 1, 2012 7:31 AM

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As the spokesperson for a local health charity, the American Lung Association in Minnesota, I would like to point out that not all charities operate the same.

More than 80 cents of every dollar donated to our organization goes directly into local reseach and programs. We do operate support groups and services for people with lung disease.

Like most health charities, we do some fundraising events, such as the Fight For Air Stair Climb and the Fight For Air Walk. We don't spend much on advertising for these events, or on administrative overhead.

BTW, if any NewsCut reader wants to join my stair climb team (ahem, Bob), I'm the captain of the Clean Air Climbers. Our event is Sat., Feb. 25 at the Accenture Tower in downtown Mpls.
See details at FightForAirClimb.org

Posted by Bob Moffitt | February 1, 2012 7:50 AM

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I have always disliked the Komen organization for siphoning off dollars from people with good hearts, but not putting that money to work in positive ways. Other people I know with breast cancer (even writing that phrase makes me sad) also dislike the organization. The "pinkification" and commodification of breast cancer makes us sick. But I respected the intentions of the folks who believed the organization was doing something positive. Now, not only has the Komen organization removed funding from breast cancer screening for poor women (although the amount was relatively small when you compare it to the compensation for their CEO) they have also betrayed the trust of those who invested time and energy into their events. I hope more people realize that their donation dollars to support breast cancer research, screening or prevention are better spent elsewhere.

Posted by Joanna | February 1, 2012 8:43 AM

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I consider the Komen foundation now to be a brand management compan...oops. Not a company. "Non-profit."

Posted by Tyler | February 1, 2012 8:45 AM

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#3) Maybe I'm one of those who didn't get it in science, but I thought I detected an anomaly in how Force is calculated. When determining mass, shouldn't the actual size of the mass be calculated, as opposed to the weight of the mass? When "Deke" is measured at 70k, isn't that already the force of earth's gravitational pull on "Deke's" mass?

BTW, I think I'll try this on my wife.

Posted by bob from WA | February 1, 2012 9:45 AM

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If anyone wants an idea of how to help our kids with science, I recommend looking up some videos of Neil deGrasse Tyson... This might be a good one to start with
He has a great outlook on the bleak future of science in America. Especially by comparing America to other countries with scientific activities (papers and such).
*Spoiler- the outlook for science in North America isn't good.

Posted by BenCh | February 1, 2012 9:46 AM

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@bob fromWA-

Force is equal to mass times acceleration (F=ma).
When you refer to weight, that is equal to your mass times the gravitational pull of the Earth (9.8 m/s2). Since both objects are under the same acceleration (towards Earth) it won't change (they would both be proportional). At least that is why I think they used weight (easier for the public to understand).

Posted by BenCh | February 1, 2012 9:51 AM

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I really dislike the Komen organization and make an effort to avoid buying pink-washed products. The problem is I have a hard time saying no to sponsoring friends and co-workers doing a walk or race in honor of their mom/sister/best-friend. Komen has you on the hook knowing that you'll have a hard time turning down or having this debate with a well-meaning person you care about.

(My one pink exception is Amy's Blend coffee from Caribou, which I continue to buy because it's their best roast. Caribou corporate people out there in Brooklyn Center - Please find a better organization to support in honor of Amy! Please also consider not tying sales of product to your donation.)

Posted by Alison | February 1, 2012 9:54 AM

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Jon, I think this was an evaluation of the state standards and not an evaluation of the knowledge attained by students in each state. If that was done, CA would definitely not be the top state. In fact looking at the nation's report card it is interesting to note that CA is one of the lowest in student achievement at all grade levels for science.

Posted by The Big Dog | February 1, 2012 10:15 AM

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#3) Ugly Science - The 'C' grade applies to the state standards, not the performance of the teachers/students. The two are probably related, though. The folks in Saint Paul that are working on the education agenda should take this to heart as they are the ones that need to do better.

Posted by kennedy | February 1, 2012 10:25 AM

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Kennedy, I don't think the relationship you are looking for exists, The only states that score higher than MN in science at 4th grade and 8th grade are MT and ND, both of which receive a grade of "F" for their science standards. The only other states with higher science scores are ME and NH at grade 4. They both receive a grade of "D" for their science standards.

Posted by The Big Dog | February 1, 2012 10:41 AM

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And now for something completely different.

Love the VW ads.

Posted by Bonnie | February 1, 2012 11:10 AM

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My first stupid question of the day: Why do states have different standards for science education when there is a federal Department of Education?

Does the States' Rights doctrine permit provincial ignorance?

It's not as though scientific facts ( when established through the rigorous scientific method ) are a matter of opinion.

What would Adam and Eve think of all this?

Posted by Jim Shapiro | February 1, 2012 11:16 AM

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No one's answered this yet: Who's Sue? I really want to find out now, so I'll be at my computer after work, searching.

Posted by Cara | February 1, 2012 11:33 AM

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"What would Adam and Eve think of all this?

Posted by Jim Shapiro | February 1, 2012 11:16 AM"

jim, I think after that bite out of the apple they got distracted by other things...

Posted by This is NOT lucy | February 1, 2012 11:47 AM

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I love it that the VW ad followed the tips from that animated guide on to how to make an ad that was posted here a few days ago. As directed, they included animals and Star Wars, even though there is no connection between their product and the movie. Sheer brilliance.

Posted by Jeff | February 1, 2012 1:27 PM

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