Government Targets American Bloggers As Enemy Propagandists - "Recent scientific polls that show around 84% don't believe the government's explanation behind 9/11 and others confirming the fact that support for the war in Iraq is at an all time low have led the Bush administration to sharpen their knives against the new breed of perceived "enemy propagandists," bloggers, journalists and online activists who dissent against the "war on terror.""
Rove foresees GOP victory - "White House political strategist Karl Rove yesterday confidently predicted that the Republican Party would hold the House and the Senate in next month's elections, dismissing fallout from the sex scandal involving former Rep. Mark Foley." -- Because he knows something that we all do not.
Border-fence bill awaits signing - "The White House is pleading with Congress to send over the bill authorizing 700 miles of fence on the U.S.-Mexico border so the president can sign it immediately, but Republican leaders on Capitol Hill want to wait until closer to the election and to have a public signing ceremony."
9/11 - ALL THE PROOF YOU NEED! - "Before you read this article, conduct this test. Try to purchase some stock, or some futures, a mutual fund or some put options, without providing your identity. Go ahead and try it! See if you get anywhere. Find out what happens when you tell the investment firm that you want to make a huge investment anonymously. It can't be done. Then ask yourself this question: How could someone have placed anonymous put options on American Airlines and United Airlines just prior to the attacks of 9/11? Then ask yourself why no one has investigated this suspicious deal. Ask yourself why there has been no attempt by the US government to identify the person who anticipated huge profits from a disaster that was yet to occur."
Bush Sets Defense As Space Priority - "President Bush has signed a new National Space Policy that rejects future arms-control agreements that might limit U.S. flexibility in space and asserts a right to deny access to space to anyone "hostile to U.S. interests." The document, the first full revision of overall space policy in 10 years, emphasizes security issues, encourages private enterprise in space, and characterizes the role of U.S. space diplomacy largely in terms of persuading other nations to support U.S. policy." -- But what is U.S. policy is bad for other nations?
Web could be terror training camp: Chertoff - "Disaffected people living in the United States may develop radical ideologies and potentially violent skills over the Internet and that could present the next major U.S. security threat, U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff said on Monday."
FBI director wants ISPs to track users - ""Terrorists coordinate their plans cloaked in the anonymity of the Internet, as do violent sexual predators prowling chat rooms," Mueller said in a speech at the International Association of Chiefs of Police conference in Boston."
As Talk Radio Wavers, Bush Moves to Firm Up Support - "On an overcast Friday morning last month, White House aides ushered an influential group of conservative radio hosts into the Oval Office for a private audience with the president. ... The meeting, which was not announced on the president’s public schedule, was part of an intensive Republican Party campaign to reclaim and re-energize a crucial army of supporters that is not as likely to walk in lockstep with the White House as it has in the past."
"Values" voters fade as factor in U.S. campaign - "Just 2 percent of those surveyed cited either abortion or same-sex marriage as a top concern."
Building a Better Voting Machine - "It's been six years since the Florida presidential fiasco launched a flurry of spending around the country to replace antiquated punch-card and lever voting machines with expensive new electronic touch-screen machines. Yet new controversies over the security of e-voting machines continue to crop up, making it clear that the new machines are just as problematic as the ones they replaced. Why can't the voting machine companies get it right?" -- The companies are connected to the Republican party.
Judge Revokes Lay's Conviction - "A federal judge in Houston yesterday wiped away the fraud and conspiracy conviction of Kenneth L. Lay, the Enron Corp. founder who died of heart disease in July, bowing to decades of legal precedent but frustrating government attempts to seize nearly $44 million from his family."
Europe Moves To Kill The Internet - "The latest move to kill off online freedom and the spread of information comes in the form of proposed EU legislation that would prevent users from uploading any form of video, whether that be a hard hitting political documentary film or your friends goofing around with diet coke and Mentos. ... Personal websites would have to be licensed as a “television-like service”. Once again the reasoning behind such legislation is said to be in order to set minimum standards on areas such as hate speech and the protection of children." -- Ah, that over used excuse: it's all for protecting the children.
Universal sues video-sharing websites - "Universal Music, the world’s largest record company, has launched the established media industry’s first legal action against user-generated internet sites in the wake of its distribution deal last week with YouTube, the most popular video-sharing website."
For Math Students, Self-Esteem Might Not Equal High Scores - "It is difficult to get through a day in an American school without hearing maxims such as these: "To succeed, you must believe in yourself," and "To teach, you must relate the subject to the lives of students." But the Brookings Institution is reporting today that countries such as the United States that embrace self-esteem, joy and real-world relevance in learning mathematics are lagging behind others that don't promote all that self-regard."
Britain ready to perform first full face transplant - "The pioneering operation is the ultimate aim of leading plastic surgeons worldwide - to replace an entire disfigured face with a dead person's face."
Stunning new revelations: Marilyn Monroe murdered - "She says her mother never told her the name, because she was desperately afraid for her family. "Only Mother knew, and she never confided in Joe or anyone else. He kept asking her, 'Won't you tell me now, Lee?' And she just said, 'No, I want my family to live.'"
Not playing around: Scientists say video games can reshape education - "Scientists call it the next great discovery, a way to captivate students so much they will spend hours learning on their own. It's the new vision of video games. ... The theory is that games teach skills that employers want: analytical thinking, team building, multitasking and problem-solving under duress. Unlike humans, the games never lose patience. And they are second nature to many kids. The idea might stun those who consider games to be the symbol of teenage sloth. Yet this is not about virtual football or skateboarding. Games would have to be created and evaluated with the goal of raising achievement, said federation president Henry Kelly."
School bans tag, other chase games - "Officials at an elementary school south of Boston have banned kids from playing tag, touch football and any other unsupervised chase game during recess for fear they'll get hurt and hold the school liable. ... "I think that it's unfortunate that kids' lives are micromanaged and there are social skills they'll never develop on their own," said Debbie Laferriere, who has two children at Willett, about 40 miles south of Boston. "Playing tag is just part of being a kid.""
Quote of the Day
"I only ask for information."
~ Charles Dickens
2 comments:
Regarding For Math Students, Self-Esteem Might Not Equal High Scores, excellent article. I find it hilarious how folks feel the need to coddle the fragile egos of kids who haven't earned the right to even have an ego. Back in my day, high self-esteem meant not getting a beating for being a dumbass that particular day (har har). We'll see how good these kids feel about themselves when they grow up and can't find a job because the jobs corresponding to their limited abilities are offered to cheaper, move efficient workers overseas.
It'll be like Rocky IV, except Rocky will get the shit kicked out of him, and there will be no sililoquy at the end allowing him to recover his shattered ego (and financial future).
But so long as everyone feels ok about themselves, I guess it's ok.
I completely agree with you. I don't believe in coddling. Self-esteem is gained from finding success through difficulty.
I, too, thought it was an excellent article.
Post a Comment