Today on my flight I noticed a teacher working one row in front of me in the other isle seat. I am nosy, and instantly noticed he was grading papers from his students that were in letter format made out to him with his vacation as the subject.
Ironically about 4 minutes later, mid-paragraph, he fell asleep.
My ironic point being the state of our education system. It hasn't evolved nearly as quickly as we have. In the last 50 years we have seen monumental changes in farming, chemistry, computer technology, civil science, industrial production, and numerous other facets of existence.
If we were to go back 50 years and tell a computer scientist about our computers. He probably wouldn't beleiev us.
If we were rto go back and tell a mechanical engineer how much more efficient engine have become. He probably wouldn't beleive us.
Why havnt exponential teaching advancements become a social norm in America? I'd like to hear your answer. And I'd like to argue with you about it, if your answer doesn't stem from a lack of economics and capitalism in the education system... Riddle me this batman, can you name a monoply industry or organization that has helped evolve better lifestyles for people?
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Saturday, February 20, 2010
Victim in Seattle tunnel beating was charged in 2 earlier attacks
The noted historian Will Durant said, "In my youth I stressed freedom, and in my old age I stress order. I have made the remarkable discovery that freedom is a product of order."
And here we have a young member of our society who seems to believe her freedom is not to support order, but to sucker punch it.
Original Story Here:
SEATTLE –
A 15-year-old girl whose videotaped beating in the Seattle bus tunnel has drawn a national outcry has herself been charged in two earlier attacks.
The Seattle Times reported Wednesday that Aiesha Steward-Baker was given a deferred sentence last September in King County Juvenile Court after she pleaded guilty to attempted second-degree robbery for hitting a security guard at a Seattle market in January 2009. Court papers say she punched the man in the head after he stopped her friend from shoplifting.
The newspaper also says Steward-Baker is one of two girls charged in a May 23 attack on a 50-year-old woman in suburban Edmonds. Her public defender in that case, Frederick Moll, said Wednesday the girl plans to plead guilty Monday in juvenile court to second-degree robbery. Snohomish County Deputy Prosecutor John Stansell says the second girl in that case has already pleaded guilty to the same charge.
In recent days, Steward-Baker has appeared at a news conference called by another lawyer and on Monday appeared on ABC's "Good Morning America" to discuss the Jan. 28 transit tunnel attack.
And here we have a young member of our society who seems to believe her freedom is not to support order, but to sucker punch it.
Original Story Here:
SEATTLE –
A 15-year-old girl whose videotaped beating in the Seattle bus tunnel has drawn a national outcry has herself been charged in two earlier attacks.
The Seattle Times reported Wednesday that Aiesha Steward-Baker was given a deferred sentence last September in King County Juvenile Court after she pleaded guilty to attempted second-degree robbery for hitting a security guard at a Seattle market in January 2009. Court papers say she punched the man in the head after he stopped her friend from shoplifting.
The newspaper also says Steward-Baker is one of two girls charged in a May 23 attack on a 50-year-old woman in suburban Edmonds. Her public defender in that case, Frederick Moll, said Wednesday the girl plans to plead guilty Monday in juvenile court to second-degree robbery. Snohomish County Deputy Prosecutor John Stansell says the second girl in that case has already pleaded guilty to the same charge.
In recent days, Steward-Baker has appeared at a news conference called by another lawyer and on Monday appeared on ABC's "Good Morning America" to discuss the Jan. 28 transit tunnel attack.
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Do We Miss Bush Yet??? No, Not Yet
A billboard in Minneapolis asks "Miss Me Yet?" with a large picture of George W. Bush...
If you're going to have an opinion, you might as well be strong enough to share it. These people are as bad as the "anonymous" ignorant people that commenter rampantly through the internet. I'm applauding the president for creating bi-partisan talks. We do not know the outcome, therefor we cannot judge the actions. That is all.
-Blair
If you're going to have an opinion, you might as well be strong enough to share it. These people are as bad as the "anonymous" ignorant people that commenter rampantly through the internet. I'm applauding the president for creating bi-partisan talks. We do not know the outcome, therefor we cannot judge the actions. That is all.
-Blair
Monday, February 8, 2010
Today's Joke - Pissing On The IRS
An old guy shows up at the local IRS office for an audit. The IRS agent calls him into the office and isn't surprised to see he's got his attorney with him.
"Well Mr. Jones," he says, "I've summone
d you because we've noted your lifestyle seems to exceed your reported income. How is that?"
d you because we've noted your lifestyle seems to exceed your reported income. How is that?""That's easy," the old guy says, "I'm a very successful gambler."
"I'm not sure that explains it at all Mr. Jones. Just what type gambling do you do?"
"Well," he says, "I'll bet you $1000 right now that I can bite my eye."
The IRS agent smiles, decides Mr. Jones is bluffing and says, "Alright Mr. Jones, let's see you try and make that happened."
The old guy removes his glass eye and clamps down on it with his teeth. The IRS agent's mouth falls open and he looks up to see Mr. Jones attorney nodding. Before he can recover Mr. Jones says, "I'll give you a chance to get even. Bet you double or nothing I can bit my other eye."
Well, the IRS agent knows Mr. Jones walked into the office on his own and isn't blind so he quickly says, "You're on."
Mr. Jones then takes out his false teeth and clamps them down on his other eye. The IRS agent's mouth falls open again as he watches the attorney's widen smile and nodding head.
"Okay, that was easy," says Mr. Jones. "How about something really tough? I'll bet you $6000 that I can stand on one side of your desk and piss into that waste basket on the other side without getting a drop on the top of your desk."
The IRS agent realizing he's $2000 down looks at the attorney who now has his head in his hands, looking down and is shaking his head back and forth. The agent sees that as an indication there's no way this can happen and quickly says, "I'll take that bet."
Jones goes to the end of the desk, unzips and tries as he can, but only sends a stream to the middle.
"Aha," the IRS agent says gleefully, "You didn't get it done and you owe me $6000. Isn't that correct Mr. Attorney?"
The attorney looks up sorrowfully at the agent and says, "Yeah, but he bet me $25,000 before we walked in that he could piss all over your desk and you'd be happy about it!!!!"
Washington Legislature must look beyond this years hurdle
Once again our famous 60 day legislative session begins and, those who consider elected office their calling will hymn and haw, duck and weave and make any other cheeky offering to appear they're representing the public good while ensuring their return to the payroll and power of office. It's an election year folks so watch for the signs. Like, I won't offer a solution (that would mean I'd have to take the criticism for trying) instead, I'm going to redefine the problem and caucus the solution in private.
Thank you Executive Editor Karen Peterson for outlinning the Trib's commitment to add competent staff to monitor the process!!! And, good luck to us the TAXPAYERS.
In response to:
The biggest danger of this year’s legislative session isn’t what lawmakers will consider necessary to close the $2.6 billion budget hole. It’s what they will consider unnecessary.
Tunnel vision is the sure-fire way to get in, get out and get on with campaigning for re-election. But if lawmakers don’t look beyond the current budget crisis, they will have invited future ones.
As it stands now, the state can expect a $7 billion deficit in 2011-2013. If legislators were to adopt Gov. Chris Gregoire’s devastating spending plan – and no one is thinking they will – that deficit would shrink by only about half.
The Legislature cannot simply cut-and-tax itself out of this problem. It must reform its way out.
Thank you Executive Editor Karen Peterson for outlinning the Trib's commitment to add competent staff to monitor the process!!! And, good luck to us the TAXPAYERS.
In response to:
The biggest danger of this year’s legislative session isn’t what lawmakers will consider necessary to close the $2.6 billion budget hole. It’s what they will consider unnecessary.
Tunnel vision is the sure-fire way to get in, get out and get on with campaigning for re-election. But if lawmakers don’t look beyond the current budget crisis, they will have invited future ones.
As it stands now, the state can expect a $7 billion deficit in 2011-2013. If legislators were to adopt Gov. Chris Gregoire’s devastating spending plan – and no one is thinking they will – that deficit would shrink by only about half.
The Legislature cannot simply cut-and-tax itself out of this problem. It must reform its way out.
Forget the statistics
Boy, do I have a problem with statistical data that was gathered from telephone surveys. I have an even greater problem when those survey results are used by the media for sensationlized headlines.
I too have read about this supposed "unemployment" landslide and then read reports based on written information furnished from the business community themselves that the number of jobs added in the last decade were greater (by several percentage points) than the country's population growth.
So, why can't the media do a better job of putting such headlines in perspective? We're getting tired of the stock market emotional slides such panic stories seem to create.
In Response To:
PHILADELPHIA – That rasping noise you hear is the sound of economists around the nation scratching their heads over Friday’s jobs report from the U.S. Department of Labor.
The economy continued to lose jobs – 20,000 last month – while the number of employed people rose by 541,000.
The unemployment rate dropped to 9.7 percent, but the number of jobs lost since the start of the recession was revised upward to 8.4 million from 7.2 million.
Many sectors show increased hiring, but the number of people unemployed for more than 27 weeks rose to an unprecedented 6.3 million and the average period of joblessness lengthened to 30 weeks.
I too have read about this supposed "unemployment" landslide and then read reports based on written information furnished from the business community themselves that the number of jobs added in the last decade were greater (by several percentage points) than the country's population growth.
So, why can't the media do a better job of putting such headlines in perspective? We're getting tired of the stock market emotional slides such panic stories seem to create.
In Response To:
PHILADELPHIA – That rasping noise you hear is the sound of economists around the nation scratching their heads over Friday’s jobs report from the U.S. Department of Labor.
The economy continued to lose jobs – 20,000 last month – while the number of employed people rose by 541,000.
The unemployment rate dropped to 9.7 percent, but the number of jobs lost since the start of the recession was revised upward to 8.4 million from 7.2 million.
Many sectors show increased hiring, but the number of people unemployed for more than 27 weeks rose to an unprecedented 6.3 million and the average period of joblessness lengthened to 30 weeks.
King County judge rules state failing education
The last time I checked, our State Constitution (circ. 1889) mandates that we provide for public education, public safety and, a public infrastructure (that's roads to get the crops to market in case you were wondering).
So, why are we selling liquor, providing support to sports arenas, and subsidizing businesses with tax exemptions??? And, has anyone checked lately to see how much all those big new state government agency buildings all over Olympia cost?
In Response To:
KENT, Wash. –
The state of Washington isn't fully paying for basic public education, a violation of its constitutional duty, a King County judge ruled Thursday in a lawsuit brought by a coalition of school districts, parents and teachers.
The decision from Superior Court Judge John Erlick came after nearly two months of testimony in the case. School districts, community leaders and others participating in the suit said the state was leaving school districts to rely on local levies, donations and PTA fundraisers to educate students.
The state disagreed, saying it does meet its constitutional duty.
So, why are we selling liquor, providing support to sports arenas, and subsidizing businesses with tax exemptions??? And, has anyone checked lately to see how much all those big new state government agency buildings all over Olympia cost?
In Response To:
KENT, Wash. –
The state of Washington isn't fully paying for basic public education, a violation of its constitutional duty, a King County judge ruled Thursday in a lawsuit brought by a coalition of school districts, parents and teachers.
The decision from Superior Court Judge John Erlick came after nearly two months of testimony in the case. School districts, community leaders and others participating in the suit said the state was leaving school districts to rely on local levies, donations and PTA fundraisers to educate students.
The state disagreed, saying it does meet its constitutional duty.
RE: Amending I-960 first step to taxes
Well, there you have it again! Our Legislature wants to protect their right to use their sur-tax method for raising General Funds instead of the direct approach of if it's needed, raise the Sales Tax. Which incidently requires we go to Congress yearly, on bended knee, to obtain credit for the use of our hard-earned money to support local government.
Come on Legislature, aren't you hearing us, your well-worn out tax-payers?
In Response To:
Senate Democrats took a first step Wednesday toward raising taxes by introducing a bill to amend voter-approved Initiative 960 to temporarily get rid of its requirement for a two-thirds vote for tax increases.
In the House, Finance Committee chairman Ross Hunter introduced a separate measure that would raise or protect up to $363 million in revenue in the next year by eliminating a series of tax exemptions. He said his measure can’t be passed without changes to I-960.
Hunter’s tax plan includes provisions to undo the effects of a court ruling in the Dot Foods case that affects supplies for door-to-door sales as well as provisions to tax out-of-state companies that do a certain amount of business in the state. Others would tax airplane ownership and close a sales-tax exemption for out-of-state residents such as Oregonians who shop here. Others would affect mortgage deductions, tax debts and foreclosures.
Come on Legislature, aren't you hearing us, your well-worn out tax-payers?
In Response To:
Senate Democrats took a first step Wednesday toward raising taxes by introducing a bill to amend voter-approved Initiative 960 to temporarily get rid of its requirement for a two-thirds vote for tax increases.
In the House, Finance Committee chairman Ross Hunter introduced a separate measure that would raise or protect up to $363 million in revenue in the next year by eliminating a series of tax exemptions. He said his measure can’t be passed without changes to I-960.
Hunter’s tax plan includes provisions to undo the effects of a court ruling in the Dot Foods case that affects supplies for door-to-door sales as well as provisions to tax out-of-state companies that do a certain amount of business in the state. Others would tax airplane ownership and close a sales-tax exemption for out-of-state residents such as Oregonians who shop here. Others would affect mortgage deductions, tax debts and foreclosures.
Wall Streeters lack shame, intelligence
This needs to be spread through the news wire.
In Response To:
It’s not the dollar amounts themselves in the current debate over pay for Wall Street and banking-industry executives that people find so galling and that threaten to turn even the most hidebound laissez-faire capitalist into a pitchfork-waving, tar-and-feather-preparing populist.
OK, maybe it is a little bit. But by now we’re almost numb to inflated salaries with no connection to talent or performance, paid to bench-riding professional athletes or hack singers and actors or corporate chief executive officers who wreck their companies. We understand that people with the most dangerous, most essential or least pleasant jobs are also often the least compensated. Life is unfair. We get that.
And it’s not the element of greed evident in the complaints that Wall Streeters should not be subject to pay caps, limits or taxes on excessive compensation. We’re all greedheads – the question is a matter of degree. Greed is omnipresent. We get that too.
In Response To:
It’s not the dollar amounts themselves in the current debate over pay for Wall Street and banking-industry executives that people find so galling and that threaten to turn even the most hidebound laissez-faire capitalist into a pitchfork-waving, tar-and-feather-preparing populist.
OK, maybe it is a little bit. But by now we’re almost numb to inflated salaries with no connection to talent or performance, paid to bench-riding professional athletes or hack singers and actors or corporate chief executive officers who wreck their companies. We understand that people with the most dangerous, most essential or least pleasant jobs are also often the least compensated. Life is unfair. We get that.
And it’s not the element of greed evident in the complaints that Wall Streeters should not be subject to pay caps, limits or taxes on excessive compensation. We’re all greedheads – the question is a matter of degree. Greed is omnipresent. We get that too.
Bigger role for big money in U.S. politics
I don't have a problem with unrestricted corporate donations to political campaigns. If you read the data compiled by those who track such donations you'll see most corporate donors hedge their bets by contributing amounts to both parties. And, the bulk of it goes to the party having the majority voice at that particular time.
What I don't abide are the appointment calendars of those elected officials that meet with the donors afterwards and find out what strings are attached in order to get further donations. But, if most politicians weren't so obsequious about campaign coffers and paid more attention to their moral compass, then excessive donations wouldn't be a problem, would they?
In Response To:
So corporations and unions are short on opportunities to sway elections? Radio and television aren’t saturated enough with vicious hit jobs on the candidates they oppose?
Such is the logic of the U.S. Supreme Court, which shook decades of once-settled law Thursday by striking down crucial limits on corporate “campaign speech” – i.e., campaign spending.
The court’s five-member conservative majority overturned major precedents, a key provision of the McCain-Feingold campaign finance reform bill, and much of a 63-year-old law that barred companies and unions from raiding their general treasuries to mount media blitzes for or against specific candidates.
What I don't abide are the appointment calendars of those elected officials that meet with the donors afterwards and find out what strings are attached in order to get further donations. But, if most politicians weren't so obsequious about campaign coffers and paid more attention to their moral compass, then excessive donations wouldn't be a problem, would they?
In Response To:
So corporations and unions are short on opportunities to sway elections? Radio and television aren’t saturated enough with vicious hit jobs on the candidates they oppose?
Such is the logic of the U.S. Supreme Court, which shook decades of once-settled law Thursday by striking down crucial limits on corporate “campaign speech” – i.e., campaign spending.
The court’s five-member conservative majority overturned major precedents, a key provision of the McCain-Feingold campaign finance reform bill, and much of a 63-year-old law that barred companies and unions from raiding their general treasuries to mount media blitzes for or against specific candidates.
BUDGET: Credit Democrats for the state we’re in
I cannot fathom a more expressive statement of naivety than to blame any perceived error of government on an organized political party. That's a little like blaming our national obesity problem on the people who manufacture sugar.
In response to this:
A budget crisis? This is a budget crisis of their own making. Gov. Chris Gregoire and her liberal friends and their extreme liberal ways of running state government have brought the state to this point.
I will give Gregoire credit for one thing; she beat President Obama for out-of-control spending. With spending exceeding all tax revenue projections, what hope did this state have of not running a deficit?
What about the last federal government bailout? Did Gregoire rein in spending? No, she used it to continue running the state as if next year, all would be OK.
Gregoire has now shown her true nature: spend, spend, spend, spend and spend. And what happened to her pledge of no new taxes?
In response to this:
A budget crisis? This is a budget crisis of their own making. Gov. Chris Gregoire and her liberal friends and their extreme liberal ways of running state government have brought the state to this point.
I will give Gregoire credit for one thing; she beat President Obama for out-of-control spending. With spending exceeding all tax revenue projections, what hope did this state have of not running a deficit?
What about the last federal government bailout? Did Gregoire rein in spending? No, she used it to continue running the state as if next year, all would be OK.
Gregoire has now shown her true nature: spend, spend, spend, spend and spend. And what happened to her pledge of no new taxes?
CHARLES KRAUTHAMMER: Naiveté dangerous when dealing with terrorists
Thrall also translates to: ...a state of servitude or submission in, or to his emotions. Truely Dr. Krauthammer has become absorbed in thinking the President is trying to manipulate the government for a personal anti-capitalist agenda rather than having a highly principled desire to see it's role restored as international scion for justice and ingenious social order.
Original Article here on the tribune :
WASHINGTON – On Wednesday, Nigerian would-be bomber Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab was indicted by a Michigan grand jury for attempted murder and sundry other criminal charges. The previous day, the State Department announced that his visa had been revoked. The system worked.
Well, it did for Abdulmutallab. What he lost in flying privileges he gained in Miranda rights. He was singing quite freely when seized after trying to bring down Northwest Flight 253 over Detroit. But the Obama administration decided to give him a lawyer and the right to remain silent. We are now forced to purchase information from this attempted terrorist in the coin of leniency. Absurdly, Abdulmutallab is now in control.
Original Article here on the tribune :
WASHINGTON – On Wednesday, Nigerian would-be bomber Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab was indicted by a Michigan grand jury for attempted murder and sundry other criminal charges. The previous day, the State Department announced that his visa had been revoked. The system worked.
Well, it did for Abdulmutallab. What he lost in flying privileges he gained in Miranda rights. He was singing quite freely when seized after trying to bring down Northwest Flight 253 over Detroit. But the Obama administration decided to give him a lawyer and the right to remain silent. We are now forced to purchase information from this attempted terrorist in the coin of leniency. Absurdly, Abdulmutallab is now in control.
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