Do you have a problem with being called "bitter?" Apparently Hillary Clinton does; to her, bitterness is a negative quality. This is typical of her Republican-lite behavior: Americans don't want change but control, not renewal but reconfirmation, not empowerment but protection. Let's be frank: this is a pathetic slap in the face, not to Obama but to Americans. The message? We're not human/smart/aware enough to be angry when we, our future, and our country are devalued.

Because poetry is political, too. Below find a poem by one of my favorite artists: Lauryn Hill. Feel free to share favorites of your own. And remember: "Our humanity may have gotten us into this, but only our humanity can get us out."

In the last few weeks I've contacted several major media sites. These include CNN, Apple's iTunes, the New York Times... All of these media sites have online content.

None of these sites are willing to subtitle or caption their content. Heck, even Netflix, who grabs their online movies straight from DVD, won't do so much as include the English subtitle track.

This means 2 million deaf and hard-of-hearing people are effectively excluded from online discourse, when the internet is supposed to be the Great Equalizer. As a teacher, I feel they also exclude the millions of children, deaf and hearing, who would benefit from online captioning.

How does No Child Left Behind affect the Deaf community? The No Child Left Behind program has been receiving heavy criticism here at DailyKos lately. Decided to point out a few things about how this program affects Deaf and disabled people in America.

Because even Democratic actors-turned-politicians are better.

Sunday, October 29th will go down in history as the day the Gallaudet Board of Trustees terminated the President-Designate of Gallaudet University and accepted two demands of four of the many hundreds of protestors who joined the ranks of Gallaudet's faculty, staff, students and alumni and marched on the nation's capitol 4,000 strong. This has been a long protest, about civil rights, shared governance, and fiduciary duties. Not to mention Earth Juice. Join us as we review what just happened...

4,000 March on the Capitol. 82, 83, and now 89% of faculty vote no confidence. The Board of Trustees gets threatened. And now, yesterday the University used "heavy construction equipment" to clear away inconvenient protestors. How did it get this far? What's going to happen next? An update...

In 2004 money earmarked to support Deaf people's theatre programs around the United States mysteriously vanished. Nobody knows why. Nobody knows who's responsible - or maybe they're just not talking. A group of Deaf artists in New York came together to make a video encouraging people to contact their senators. Their message? INVESTIGATE and REINSTATE.

Tomorrow thousands of Deaf people will march to the Capitol in DC. On Friday October 13th 135 Gallaudet Faculty, Staff, Students and Alumni were arrested at the gates of the University. On Monday October 16th 82% of Gallaudet teachers issued a vote of "No Confidence" in the Administration. Yet the Senators involved, including John McCain, have no interest. The media reports the protest is simply about the Administration being "not Deaf enough." How did it get this far? Join me below the fold as I share links to two histories - and my theories...

Friday, October 13th, 2006: 135 teachers, faculty students and alumni of Gallaudet University were arrested in a protest. Gallaudet University is the only University for Deaf people in the world. The protest continues - at the front gates of the University, and almost a thousand strong as concerned alumni fly in and teachers and faculty gain the courage to join the protest. The protest is about many things now, as injustice has piled upon injustice, but it began with the selection of a 9th President who many felt was not appropriate for the position due to a personal history of the College as Director of Pre-College National Mission Programs and then Provost. How did it get this far? I will try my best to explain, using links to blogs and news articles, the journey from April, 2006 to today - although you could say the journey really began in 1988.

135 protestors were arrested at Gallaudet University last night while contesting the selection of a new President they claim is out of touch with modern deaf studies and education theory. Teachers, faculty, staff and students at both the University and its satellite secondary school were arrested in two waves. Supporters of the administration cite other causes for the protest, such as people thinking the new President is "Not Deaf Enough;" protestors charge this is avoiding the issues they bring up, which include a biased search process and historical administrative problems.

There have been some blogs on the Internet about the FCC covertly sending exemptions to stations and corporationsso they don't have to put closed captioning on certain television programming. Up 'till now this seems to have been mainly religious programming. Now from the Virginia Young Democrats:

I'm concerned that the blurring of the line between the internet and telephone companies has already begun.

I work in social services. I won't say where or with who; I can't. I'm legally bound not to. Most of us are, by virtue of contracts with our employers and with our clients. But I'm mad, and I need to say something. I think more of us would say something if we weren't bound by contract, if we weren't so damned tired.

A while back it was common knowledge the housing bubble was going to burst - but then it didn't. Recently my realtor friends have been telling me things are tough at work. My mother says there's no more business in mortgaging. Anyone have any updates on the housing market?

The other day on another diary I had a short discussion with a man who believed that we should hold off on the "gay marriage issue" until the political climate was more appropriate. Democrats would lose more than they gained by pursuing this issue now.

That's when I had my idea: a modest proposal for politicians to demonstrate support without having to actually say "I support these people."

Get divorced.

Well, went into the office today, and no, things didn't go totally insane. Some clients had to pay high amounts for their meds, but we are working on alternatives. In the meantime, I want to thank all who commented on my `Are Part D diary yesterday. I had written it in a fit of anger and didn't expect such a great response. As a way to return the favor I have sifted through all the comments from yesterday and below I have posted corrections or additional info to each section of my diary from yesterday. I have also compiled links and, at the very bottom, put some new questions and concerns. I still think - even more - this program was designed with a pretty specific agenda. It does not seem to help our government and it does not seem to help Americans. It makes the lives of poor people, already barely livable, even more difficult. I got some personal emails after my diary which just made me so FRUSTRATED... It also doesn't seem to get any play from Dems, fighting or otherwise, and from the comments I saw many people felt it wasn't addressed here. Well, addressed or undressed, follow me below the fold for more...

Tomorrow I need to go into the office. Tomorrow Medicare Part D, the Revenge of the Sith or that Stunningly Unimpressive Shark in the Fourth Jaws Movie, will take effect. And I'm a little bit scared. I hope I don't need to be. Maybe a better word is apprehensive. So, can we look at this, and see why I'm apprehensive? And maybe the community here can assuage my fears. UPDATE: sequel diary posted here.