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Who Really Posted The Photos?

Driving in to work this morning, I heard Melinda England’s boyfriend, Josh Pinkinton (sp?) in an interview with Hallerin Hilton Hill. According to him, the photos of the Inskip Elementary School teacher weren’t posted on her MySpace page, but on his page. He also claimes that England’s ex-husband is the person who contacted the media with the story, and the facts were subsequently botched by WVLT.

Interesting.

I can understand his wanting to defend her, especially if so many facts of the story were wrong, left out, or confused. Still, I think it may be a mistake to go to the media to try to straighten this out. It was almost dead…just let it die.

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Who Snitched on the Teacher?

Michael Silence has a possible theory…

So do you think an ex is behind this? If so, let’s move on.

Seriously. In fact, let’s move on either way.

If it was an ex, I’ve already addressed what I think about jackasses like him.

Yesterday, I predicted that “nude teacher photos” would be all the craze in 2008. That still may come to fruition, but I bet there won’t be too many partially nude photos surfacing.

There was no doubt a flurry of activity on MySpace last night, with educators across the country making big changes to their profiles.

Lesson learned.

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Naughty Pictures of Knox County Teacher Being Investigated

From the KNS:

School security chief Steve Griffin said this morning that his department scoured the web after they received information Friday relating to photographs of Inskip Elementary School teacher Melinda England.

Get ready for an onslaught of this. I predict that “nude teacher pictures” will be the new “doing it with the teacher” in 2008.

The fact is, lots of people have digital cameras, but not many people have common sense. Really, it’s bad enough to let someone else take and have pictures of you in compromising situations, but to post them yourself?

Forget about whether or not it is inappropriate–is this person smart enough to teach kids?

Some people don’t think it’s a big deal, and maybe they are right. But if you are going to be employed by the public (schools) you have expect that they (the public) are going to judge you by the community’s accepted standards–right or wrong doesn’t come into play.

Maybe people will eventually catch on that you can’t do stuff like this and expect that it is going to be copasetic, because chances are we are pretty far away from parents thinking this is ok.

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County Commission Guilty. Now What?

Now that the KNS trial over Knox County Commission’s violation of Tennessee’s Sunshine Law has been decided, what should we expect next? And no, I’m not referring to whether or not Scott Moore will (be asked to) step down or not, or how the seats will eventually be filled.

I’m more interested in knowing if they media scrutiny of County government is now going to turn back onto the Mayor’s office and the events over there. One thing that became clear to the public, if it wasn’t clear already, is that there are definite factions opposing one another.

If the KNS doesn’t pursue the story vigorously, it could be viewed as support of the argument made by some Commissioners that the New Sentinel is biased towards Mayor Ragsdale. Should we then expect more hard hitting coverage from another angle? From another news outlet? Will it be initiated by the Commissioners damaged by the trial as a sort of counterpunch?

This has potential to get even more interesting.

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Verdict in Sunshine Law–Violations Occurred

From the KNS

Jurors this afternoon said commissioners did violate the Tennessee Open Meetings Act in the way they chose 12 replacements for term-limited officeholders.

Now what? How do we fix it? What is the fall out? Does anyone want to vote for me? 😀

***UPDATE***
From WBIR

Chancellor Fansler announced he will release a written decision based on the findings of the jury. His opinion will offer a remedy.

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Loving The New Smoking Ban

[sarcasm]
Today is such a great day. This new smoking ban is absolutely amazing and has enriched my life in ways I never thought possible.

Water tastes sweeter, the air smells cleaner, and my wallet is fat the sun is shining bright, but not so bright that it is causing unnatural warming–that’s coming from somewhere else.

It’s not that I’ve changed my dining, shopping, or work habits that makes today so great. It’s the fact that thousands of businesses across our great state have been forced to bend to my personal wishes.

Finally, popular opinion has won out over individual property rights, and people no longer have the power to decide what types of otherwise legal activities they will allow on their own property. What a great day for individual liberty!!!

And how lucky are we that we no longer have the right responsibility to choose what business we want to patronize based on their smoking policy. The State made this decision for us. One less thing to worry about. What a relief!
[/sarcasm]

I have to ask again, how will this affect the number of DUI arrests?

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Cigarette Smuggling Surveillance Starts in Tennessee

From the KNS:

Starting today, state Department of Revenue agents will begin stopping Tennessee motorists spotted buying large quantities of cigarettes in border states, then charging them with a crime and, in some cases, seizing their cars.

I can go so many different directions with this one…

Do I make the comparison to the Dukes of Hazzard with revenuers, crooked local authorities, and free wheeling Robin Hood types whose lawless behavior we cheer on?

Do I draw a conclusion that more state authorities in Tennessee are trying to get into pulling people over so they can take advantage of the fringe benefits that have become associated with traffic stops in our state? (That one is for all of you who voted for it in the last poll).

Or do I say nothing, since I don’t consume cigarettes?

First they came for the smokers, and I didn’t speak up because I don’t smoke.

Then they came for the Sunday beer sales, and I didn’t speak up because I’m usually too hung over to drink on Sundays.

And when they came for the people who play home poker games, there was no one who was interested in playing poker on Sundays, the only day I have time to play, left to speak for me.

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A Possible Book Ban?

SomeONE apparently didn’t like a couple of paragraphs of Lee Smith’s “Fair and Tender Ladies”, and wants the book banned from Washington County Schools.

Makes sense. High school kids these days really aren’t prepared for that kind of language, mostly because they’ve been failed by our school systems. Back in my day, we could to hande the “F” word and anything else a book could fire our way because we’d already learned all about that stuff in middle school–on the bus.

Seriously, be glad if your high schooler is reading a book at all. Didn’t book banning go out of style some time in the 70s or 80s? Weren’t all of these kids running around named Holden and Pheobe named so in commemoration of its death?

via Michael Silence

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A Reg’lar Ol’ Nashvillian

GingerSnaps has a pretty interesting post over at MCB about the way famous people are treated in Nashville–basically just like everybody else. I grew up there, and I have to say it’s pretty true. Most people in Nashville just don’t care that much about seeing someone famous. It happens often enough that you become a little desensitized.

I think the only time I ever even acknowledged a famous person was the time I was waiting tables and Grandpa Jones came in. I’m a big Hee Haw fan, so I couldn’t resist saying, “Hey Grandpa, what’s for supper?!”

He didn’t get biscuits and gravy, just a Killian’s Red and some pizza.

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The Untouchable Jimmy Duncan

This week’s Metropulse wonders how Jimmy Duncan remains invincible even though he has voted against his party on several issues such as Iraq, the Patriot Act, and No Child Left Behind.

“I told them that if I could get past the traditional conservative positions against massive foreign aid, deficit spending, and being the policeman to the world, I could maybe side with them.

So basically, conservative East Tennessee loves Jimmy Duncan because he votes like a conservative? Interesting.

That, or it could be the hair.