November 1, 2016

Capitalism vs Communism

If you ever need to demonstrate that capitalism is superior to communism, consider this.
The Soviet Union engage in espionage against the US for decades.
It took the Russian mafia only a few years to run a candidate for US president.

September 11, 2016

Enjoy The Silence Music Video top of World Trade Center

August 27, 2016

Judge's ruling is a blow to Florida's third-grade testing rules

Source: Tampa Bay Times

A Leon County circuit court judge has come down in favor of families challenging Florida's third-grade retention practices, ruling that school districts ignored the children's right to alternative forms of promotion and the state Department of Education allowed that to happen.

A group of parents from six counties, including Hernando and Pasco, challenged the state law that requires third-graders to pass a state reading test or be held back a year. They also alleged that officials weren't properly following the law anyway.

The law offers alternative ways for third-graders to be promoted, including a portfolio of their work over the school year. But the parents alleged that their school districts, on the state's advice, denied their children that opportunity.

"From what I have seen and understand of the ruling at this point, I couldn't be happier," said Michelle Rhea, an Orange County parent who is the lead plaintiff in the lawsuit. "Feels great to have such a big victory against such an overwhelming system."


Read more: http://www.tampabay.com/news/education/testing/judges-ruling-is-a-blow-to-floridas-third-grade-testing-rules/2291158

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I think this is wonderful news, supporting the rights of parents who have become concerned about the dramatic increases is high stakes standardized testing.

June 1, 2016

The thing that bothered me the most

with the social media specialists, was the race thing. That was all just so disingenuous.

March 2, 2016

Primary story from friend in Tennessee

Woman behind me at polling place: I don't know what to put here.
Pollster: you just need to circle democrat or republican to get the right ballot
Woman behind me: but I don't know!
Pollster: well, you know who you are voting for, right?
Woman: Yes! TRUMP! But is he a democrat or republican?
Pollster: he's a republican. Check republican if you want to have the ballot with Trump.
Woman: oh, he IS? Ok. I didn't know.

February 18, 2016

The problem I see

Is gerrymandering.

When Bush was in the white house the republicans took over many state legislatures. The districting was based on the 2000 census and the GOP used that in many states to gerry mander districts for the House. And to gerry mander districts for the state legislatures. There are many districts that are so republican that there are always going to be republicans elected to the house in those districts.

Through primaries, republicans have been running to out-nut each other, to prove who is the most "true conservative." Because only the extreme vote in the primaries, they get a nominee in those gerrymandered district who is extremely right. Then when the general comes more people come out and vote for whoever the republican is. So the House moves right, and there isn't a lot we can do about it right now in my view.

For the senate, a state like California or New York gets two senators each, a state like Idaho or Alabama gets two each. So even though the entire US population may prefer center-left over all, the small states with smaller and more rural populations get equal numbers of senators. I'm not saying that is a bad thing, but it makes it more likely for republicans to get voted in by those small states.

We can win the presidency if we get the vote out, but we aren't going to win congress.

Now here is the thing, if we don't get the vote out and win the Presidency, then we have an increasingly crazy, right-wing legislature from the gerrymandering and a right wing President that won't veto them. I think it is a worse scenario than during the Bush years because the people who get elected to the legislature from the GOP have become even more extreme. I find that really scary.

I hate to think that grid-lock is the best we can do, but it is sure better than a GOP-led executive and legislative branch and a who knows what judicial.

We have got to get the vote out. I am not saying that we can't win congressional seats, I think we can, but I think it is going to be harder to take majorities with the gerrymandering.

That's just my opinion and I may be wrong.

January 27, 2016

mass shooting not at Seattle aiport

1 dead five wounded shooter still on loose

is this true? Any confirmation?

ETA - OK, this was not at the airport but at a homeless camp near the airport. I am sorry for posting too fast before confirmed.

http://komonews.com/news/local/at-least-five-people-wounded-in-south-seattle-shooting

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SEATTLE -- At least five people were injured in a Tuesday night shooting near an infamous Seattle homeless camp.

The shooting happened sometime before 7:30 p.m. in the area of 1500 Airport Way South, which is near the foot of a well-known homeless camp called, according to a source within the Seattle Police Department.

At least five people were shot, according to the source.

Dozens of police officers, SWAT teams and sharp shooters are combing the area to find at least two suspects, the source said. Police have not released a description of the suspects.