Posts
Wednesday, October 07, 2009
WORLD Magazine | Hidden pain | Matt Anderson | Sep 26, 09
WORLD Magazine | Hidden pain | Matt Anderson | Sep 26, 09: "I learned early in my career that woman generally don't mention abortions unless specifically asked."
Rebel Interrogators Want Investigation | Nat Hentoff | Cato Institute: Commentary
Rebel Interrogators Want Investigation | Nat Hentoff | Cato Institute: Commentary: "he said he began his investigation 'in part because of expressions of concern by Agency (CIA) employees that the actions in which they were involved, or of which they were aware, would be determined by judicial authorities in the US or abroad to be illegal.'
And strikingly, he added, 'Many expressed to me personally their feelings that what the Agency was doing was fundamentally inconsistent with long established U.S. Government policy and with American values, and was based on strained legal reasoning.' (Washington Post, Aug. 24)."
'During an interview with Jason Leopold of The Public Record (pubrecord.org), Aug. 23, Kleinman said — Mr. President take heed — "I've had the honor of testifying before four committees of Congress and I am always astounded at the profound political partisan politics that surround this issue. I'm a professional interrogator. I have 25 years of experience in this and I don't have any concern whatsoever that an investigation into how we conducted ourselves since 9/11 would in any way undermine our ability to continue gathering intelligence."
Significantly, in this land of the free and home of the brave, Kleinman added: "I have friends in the intelligence community who won't speak up because to do so is almost a career-ender."'
And strikingly, he added, 'Many expressed to me personally their feelings that what the Agency was doing was fundamentally inconsistent with long established U.S. Government policy and with American values, and was based on strained legal reasoning.' (Washington Post, Aug. 24)."
'During an interview with Jason Leopold of The Public Record (pubrecord.org), Aug. 23, Kleinman said — Mr. President take heed — "I've had the honor of testifying before four committees of Congress and I am always astounded at the profound political partisan politics that surround this issue. I'm a professional interrogator. I have 25 years of experience in this and I don't have any concern whatsoever that an investigation into how we conducted ourselves since 9/11 would in any way undermine our ability to continue gathering intelligence."
Significantly, in this land of the free and home of the brave, Kleinman added: "I have friends in the intelligence community who won't speak up because to do so is almost a career-ender."'
The Real School Indoctrination Scandal | Will Wilkinson | Cato Institute: Commentary
The Real School Indoctrination Scandal | Will Wilkinson | Cato Institute: Commentary: "Yet in 30 states, local school boards choose textbooks for their entire school districts. In the remaining 20, state-level boards choose textbooks for an entire state. Because statewide markets in California and Texas are so huge, the best bet for the big textbook publishing companies is to tailor their products to the tastes of textbook adoption committees in one or both states, leaving small-state committees with little influence.
We are a spectacularly diverse society, yet we have somehow settled on a system in which enormous captive populations of students are made to learn the same exact thing from the same boring book. When policy requires that every impressionable young mind in a town, city, or state be exposed to one set of assumptions about ethnicity and gender, one approach to religion, one version of American history, one account of Christopher Columbus, one interpretation of the Civil War or the New Deal, you can bet there will be wrenching conflict. And you can bet that the one-size-fits-all textbooks that emerge from this politicized selection process will fit no one. Mind-numbing blandness is the key to their success."
"The ideological differences that fuel the textbook wars wouldn't be such a big deal if we had an education system in which parents, armed with school vouchers or education tax credits, had the power to choose their kids' curricula by choosing their school. With greater school choice, the K–12 textbook market would come to more closely resemble the college textbook market—a lively, competitive scrum where individual instructors select from a wide array of texts embodying different perspectives and pedagogical assumptions."
"Through trial and error and the test of time, certain texts are recognized for excellence and gain market share, but instructors are never at a loss for alternatives. One might worry that greater school choice could lead to a cacophonous Babel of incompatible, ideological educations. Yet, despite dizzying curricular variety, college-level school choice has not kept graduates of Brigham Young and Brown from working amicably side by side in the same companies."
We are a spectacularly diverse society, yet we have somehow settled on a system in which enormous captive populations of students are made to learn the same exact thing from the same boring book. When policy requires that every impressionable young mind in a town, city, or state be exposed to one set of assumptions about ethnicity and gender, one approach to religion, one version of American history, one account of Christopher Columbus, one interpretation of the Civil War or the New Deal, you can bet there will be wrenching conflict. And you can bet that the one-size-fits-all textbooks that emerge from this politicized selection process will fit no one. Mind-numbing blandness is the key to their success."
"The ideological differences that fuel the textbook wars wouldn't be such a big deal if we had an education system in which parents, armed with school vouchers or education tax credits, had the power to choose their kids' curricula by choosing their school. With greater school choice, the K–12 textbook market would come to more closely resemble the college textbook market—a lively, competitive scrum where individual instructors select from a wide array of texts embodying different perspectives and pedagogical assumptions."
"Through trial and error and the test of time, certain texts are recognized for excellence and gain market share, but instructors are never at a loss for alternatives. One might worry that greater school choice could lead to a cacophonous Babel of incompatible, ideological educations. Yet, despite dizzying curricular variety, college-level school choice has not kept graduates of Brigham Young and Brown from working amicably side by side in the same companies."
Obama's Speech to Students Teaches Lesson About Power | Neal McCluskey | Cato Institute: Commentary
Obama's Speech to Students Teaches Lesson About Power | Neal McCluskey | Cato Institute: Commentary: "For decades more and more power has been concentrated in Washington, so reasonable people with legitimate disagreements have had to fight much more – and much harder – over what goes on in DC. The trend has only accelerated over the last couple of years, with bank bailouts, the stimulus, takeovers of Chrysler and GM, and potentially much greater federal involvement in health care."
"Ours, however, is an extremely diverse nation, which has been a huge source of strength for centuries, but also dooms any centralization to conflict."
"To solve the problem, we obviously don't need more centralization, though for several mistaken reasons some liberals and conservatives are demanding just that. No, what we need is the very opposite: school choice. Let parents choose schools that best meet their kids' needs and desires and that share their values. Rather than forcing diverse people to battle over government schools, let them educate their children with the freedom that is supposed to define American life.
If we do that – if we cease forcing people to fight – we can put this ugly speech brawl behind us, and ensure that nothing like it happens again."
"Ours, however, is an extremely diverse nation, which has been a huge source of strength for centuries, but also dooms any centralization to conflict."
"To solve the problem, we obviously don't need more centralization, though for several mistaken reasons some liberals and conservatives are demanding just that. No, what we need is the very opposite: school choice. Let parents choose schools that best meet their kids' needs and desires and that share their values. Rather than forcing diverse people to battle over government schools, let them educate their children with the freedom that is supposed to define American life.
If we do that – if we cease forcing people to fight – we can put this ugly speech brawl behind us, and ensure that nothing like it happens again."
Monday, October 05, 2009
Tracking Your Taxes: U.S. Worker Provision on Military Project Could Bleed Taxpayers - Political News - FOXNews.com
Tracking Your Taxes: U.S. Worker Provision on Military Project Could Bleed Taxpayers - Political News - FOXNews.com: "The five-year project to rebuild the critical military installation in the Pacific will require an estimated 15,000 workers. Normally those workers would be locals or neighboring islanders, but Rep. Neil Abercrombie (D-Hawaii) wants those jobs to go to Americans.
A senior member of the House Armed Services Committee, Abercrombie amended the House version of the 2010 Military Appropriations bill so that 70 percent of those workers would have to be from the U.S."
That means an increase of about $1 million for each extra American to get the work.
A senior member of the House Armed Services Committee, Abercrombie amended the House version of the 2010 Military Appropriations bill so that 70 percent of those workers would have to be from the U.S."
That means an increase of about $1 million for each extra American to get the work.
New York Mom Fights Middle School That Banned Her Bike Rides With Son - Local News | News Articles | National News | US News - FOXNews.com
New York Mom Fights Middle School That Banned Her Bike Rides With Son - Local News | News Articles | National News | US News - FOXNews.com: "A New York mother is fighting back against her school district after administrators and officials told her she and her son didn't have the right to bike to school together — and that his safety, even beyond school walls, was out of her hands."
The district can suggest safe ways of transport but can't prohibit.
"'The existing policy is worded in such a way that it may lead one to believe that we're prohibiting biking to school,' said Saratoga Springs superintendent Janice White.
The one-sentence clause in the school board handbook looks clear enough:
'The riding of bicycles by elementary pupils to and from school is prohibited.'"
What a typical bureaucrat -- Implying that something simple was misunderstood.
The district can suggest safe ways of transport but can't prohibit.
"'The existing policy is worded in such a way that it may lead one to believe that we're prohibiting biking to school,' said Saratoga Springs superintendent Janice White.
The one-sentence clause in the school board handbook looks clear enough:
'The riding of bicycles by elementary pupils to and from school is prohibited.'"
What a typical bureaucrat -- Implying that something simple was misunderstood.
Billions in U.S. Aid Never Reached Pakistan Army - International News | News of the World | Middle East News | Europe News - FOXNews.com
Billions in U.S. Aid Never Reached Pakistan Army - International News | News of the World | Middle East News | Europe News - FOXNews.com: "ISLAMABAD, Pakistan�—� The United States has long suspected that much of the billions of dollars it has sent Pakistan to battle militants has been diverted to the domestic economy and other causes, such as fighting India.
Now the scope and longevity of the misuse is becoming clear: Between 2002 and 2008, while Al Qaeda regrouped, only $500 million of the $6.6 billion in American aid actually made it to the Pakistani military, two army generals tell The Associated Press."
Now the scope and longevity of the misuse is becoming clear: Between 2002 and 2008, while Al Qaeda regrouped, only $500 million of the $6.6 billion in American aid actually made it to the Pakistani military, two army generals tell The Associated Press."
IG Report Finds Paulsen, Bernanke Misled Public on Bank Rescues - Political News - FOXNews.com
IG Report Finds Paulsen, Bernanke Misled Public on Bank Rescues - Political News - FOXNews.com: "Barofsky said that the fact that Citigroup Inc. and Bank of America Corp. soon required billions in additional assistance highlighted the inaccuracy of that claim and raised questions about the whole effort. In addition, Merrill Lynch, which was also in the original nine, was in the process of being acquired by Bank of America because of its weakening financial position.
'Statements that are less than careful or forthright -- like those made in this case -- may ultimately undermine the public's understanding and support,' the report said. 'This loss of public support could damage the government's credibility and have long-term unintended consequences that actually hamper the government's ability to respond to crises.'"
"But Assistant Treasury Secretary Herbert Allison Jr., who now heads the bailout program for the government, said that any critique of the announcements made a year ago should take into consideration the unprecedented circumstances facing financial regulators at the time."
I guess it is ok to make incorrect statements if the circumstances warrant.
'Statements that are less than careful or forthright -- like those made in this case -- may ultimately undermine the public's understanding and support,' the report said. 'This loss of public support could damage the government's credibility and have long-term unintended consequences that actually hamper the government's ability to respond to crises.'"
"But Assistant Treasury Secretary Herbert Allison Jr., who now heads the bailout program for the government, said that any critique of the announcements made a year ago should take into consideration the unprecedented circumstances facing financial regulators at the time."
I guess it is ok to make incorrect statements if the circumstances warrant.
Friday, October 02, 2009
The price of universal broadband | Signal Strength - CNET News
The price of universal broadband | Signal Strength - CNET News: "While it would only take about $20 billion to blanket the country with broadband service with speeds between 768Kbps to 3Mbps service, the FCC has questioned whether those speeds will be enough. Instead, it is recommending more aggressive network build-outs that would increase the speed of these networks to about 100Mbps or faster. This will likely push the price tag of the entire network expansion to more than $350 billion."
Support for Abortion Rights Declines Under Obama - Political News - FOXNews.com
Support for Abortion Rights Declines Under Obama - Political News - FOXNews.com: "Popular support for abortion rights has dropped seven points in the past year due in part to the election of a pro-choice Democratic president, the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life said Thursday."
Maybe people use the current president as a reference point. i.e. People answer if they are pro-life or pro-choice in comparison to the current president.
Maybe people use the current president as a reference point. i.e. People answer if they are pro-life or pro-choice in comparison to the current president.
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