Sunday Trivia

The answer to yesterday's question is:
1910.

Today's question is:
Helen of Troy was the impetus for which war, fought between which two forces? Who won?

A Perspective on Climate Change

I always enjoy watching and reading Lord Monckton:

The climate bugaboo, the strangest intellectual aberration of our age, rampages because in the me and now we have cast aside three once-universal forms of learning that gave us perspective: a Classical education, to remind us that in reason and logic there is a difference between true and false; a scientific education, to show us which is which; and a religious education, to teach us why the distinction matters.

With perspective, no one would waste a single second of his own time or a red cent of other people’s money trying, Canute-like, to make “global warming” go away.

Saturday Trivia

The answer to yesterday's question is:
Agana.

Today's question is:
In what year did Thomas Edison's studios produce the first Frankenstein movie?

ROTC To Make A Comeback On Elite Campuses?

What excuse will these schools use now?

In a landmark vote, the Senate on Saturday ended the Clinton-era ban on gays serving openly in the military, marking a major triumph for President Obama, liberals and the gay community.

The final vote to end the Pentagon's 1993 "don't ask, don't tell" policy was 65-31. The bill now goes to the White House for Obama's signature. Obama is expected to sign the bill into law next week, a senior White House aide told Fox News.

(Minor beef--this isn't the Pentagon's policy. This policy is law, passed by Congress and signed by President Clinton. The Pentagon has no choice but to follow the law.)

These universities won't have the DADT policy to kick around anymore. Shall we start our guesses, in the comments section of this post, on their new excuses for not having ROTC programs?

Update: Is my cynicism perhaps not merited, at least in a couple of cases?

The ROTC programs have been absent from a number of Ivy League and other leading campuses since the Vietnam War, and many schools subsequently linked programs' return to open service for gays and lesbians.

Harvard University President Drew Faust today signaled that she would move to restore ROTC to the campus...

A spokesman for Yale University also suggested that change may be coming soon.

"We are aware of the vote and have plans in consideration," said Yale spokesman Thomas Mattia in an email.

A Stanford official declined to comment for the record but noted that the school's Faculty Senate is already reviewing the restoration of ROTC, a process that began last "in part in anticipation of the 'Don't ask Don't tell' issue," and is due to consider a report and recommendation in the next few months.

Emails were not immediately returned today by press officers at Columbia, Dartmouth, Princeton, Brown, Tufts, and the University of Chicago.

As If Violating Your (4th Amendment) Rights and Human Dignity Aren't Enough...

...the TSA procedures aren't really keeping anyone safe!

Iranian-American Farid Seif was screened by Trasport Security Administration officials at Houston airport in Texas. His hand luggage was also X-rayed before he took off on his international flight.

It wasn't until Mr Seif arrived at his hotel several hours later that he realised that he had forgotten to unpack a loaded snub nose Glock pistol from his luggage before he embarked on his journey...

According to ABC, security slip-ups in the U.S. are not rare.

The news network claims experts have confided that 'every year since the September 11 terror attacks, federal agencies have conducted random, covert "red team tests", where undercover agents try to see just how much they can get past security checks at major U.S. airports'.

ABC added that, while the U.S. Department of Homeland Security closely guards those test results, those that have leaked have been 'shocking'.

Undercover TSA agents testing security at a Newark airport terminal on one day in 2006 found that TSA screeners failed to detect concealed bombs and guns 20 out of 22 times, the news network claimed.
And a 2007 government audit revealed that undercover agents were successful slipping simulated explosives and bomb parts through Los Angeles's LAX airport in 50 out of 70 attempts. At Chicago's O'Hare airport, agents made 75 attempts and succeeded in getting through undetected 45 times.

This isn't even a joke anymore. Have we Americans become such sheeple that we're going to continue to allow this to happen? Where are the effing torches and pitchforks?

Two Amazingly Cool Commercials, and One Funny Video

This would be me if I were a counselor at school.


The spirit behind this commercial betrays an amazing wit. And isn't the look on Washington's face as he's driving the car just classic?


Can anyone do it better than Shatner?

It's The Most Wonderful Day of the School Year

OK, the second-most wonderful, as graduation day is always a lot of fun, but still, it's a pretty fun day.

It's great that the kids bring in snacks and make them available to everyone. Someone comes in to deliver a note from the office? Have a cookie or brownie on your way out. And it doesn't matter how much food they bring--it all gets eaten.

And what about the mountains of snacks, homemade and otherwise, they bring for me? I don't recall giving gifts to teachers when I was in high school, and neither do I remember others' doing so (although I'm sure some must have), so I marvel at the kindness of heart and generosity of spirit that made me take two trips to the car after school today, bags loaded with snackies (including a homemade apple pie) and other things. I've already shared with my neighbors, especially since I am still trying to lose weight.

A graduated student who came back to visit today seemed surprised to see me jotting down a list of who brought me what. "Of course I am, so I can write everyone a thank-you note." He seemed relieved that it wasn't to reward people academically! (I don't recall if he ever gave me a gift!) Saw my air force cadet, too, as well as a few others. It sure can be fun watching people grow up.

It's pretty nice getting the next two weeks off, as well.

This, America, Is Who You Voted For

From the Washington Post:

At this point in the Obama presidency, even Democrats must be asking: Is he really this bad at politics? The list of miscalculations grows longer. To pass the stimulus package, the administration predicts 8 percent unemployment - a prediction that became an indictment. It pledges the closing of the Guantanamo Bay prison - without a realistic plan to do so. It sends the president to secure the Chicago Olympics - and comes away empty-handed. It announces a "summer of recovery" - which becomes a source of ridicule. It unveils a Manhattan trial for Khalid Sheik Mohammed - which nearly every New York official promptly turns against. Press secretary Robert Gibbs picks fights with both conservative talk radio hosts and the "professional left" - which uniformly backfire. The president seems to endorse the Ground Zero mosque - before retreating 24 hours later. He suggests that Republicans are "enemies" of Latinos - apparently unable to distinguish between hardball and trash talk.

In some areas - such as education reform or the tax deal - Obama's governing practice is better than his political skills. But these skills matter precisely because political capital is limited. The early pursuit of ambitious health-care reform was a political mistake, as former chief of staff Rahm Emanuel internally argued. But every president has the right to spend his popularity on what he regards as matters of principle. Political risks, taken out of conviction with open eyes, are an admirable element of leadership.

Yet political errors made out of pique or poor planning undermine the possibility of achievement. Rather than being spent, popularity is squandered - something the Obama administration has often done.

Friday Trivia

The answer to yesterday's question is:
Boris and Natasha.

Today's question is:
What is the capital of Guam?

Thursday Trivia

The answer to yesterday's question is:
Rochester, Minnesota.

Today's question is:
Who were the pair of spies in the Rocky and Bullwinkle cartoons?

High School Students and Teacher Evaluations

I found this comment over at Joanne's to be particularly insightful:

The problem with high school level evaluations, that I see, is that most high school students aren’t trusted to walk themselves to lunch off campus. Are we really going to trust them with something that can make or break a teacher’s career? College-level evals are somewhat more justified, because college students are (should be) a self-selected group of marginally more responsible, thoughtful students who aren’t being forced to be there. There’s limited utility in asking a prisoner, even one in a gilded cage, how he likes his confinement. And if you are imprisoning him “for his own good” then you’re undercutting the very idea that he’s competent to make decisions for himself.

Governor-elect Brown and the State Budget

I hope he's serious about this, and isn't just blowing smoke to sound good:

"I'm going to try to get the budget agreements done within about 60 days. I don't think we have a lot of time to waste," he said.

Brown made the remark during a budget forum in Los Angeles, but he demurred when asked by reporters whether his proposal would contain only spending cuts or would include new taxes.

"We'll present a budget on Jan. 10. It will be a very tough budget, but it will be transparent," he said. "We'll lay it out as best I can. We've been living in fantasy land. It is much worse than I thought. I'm shocked."

He sounds realistic; I hope that lasts. I'm sorry for being cynical, but I've been burned plenty of times on this.

He continued, regarding education:

"This is really a huge challenge, unprecedented in my lifetime," Brown told hundreds of educators, union representatives and parents who had gathered at UCLA. "I can't promise you there won't be more cuts, because there will be."

As much as I don't want a pay cut or furlough days or larger classes--or any of the other things that happen when education funding gets cut, even though the further away from the classroom you go, the less the cuts are--I can't see how to balance California's budget while leaving half the state's budget off (education) off the table.

Count on the education lobby, though, to disagree. Fortunately, there was a realistic response to their crap:

Educators responded by calling for an end to cuts, asking for greater discretion at the local level as to how dwindling dollars are spent, urging the state to seek more federal funding and requesting legislation that would allow them to increase local property taxes with 55% of the vote rather than the current requirement of two-thirds.

"We can't take any more cuts. You really need to look elsewhere," said Bernie Rhinerson, the chief district relations officer at the San Diego Unified School District. "We are at the cliff."

State Treasurer Bill Lockyer grew visibly frustrated by some of the comments about increasing funding of programs, such as online education.

"Anyone who thinks we get by that without everyone getting hit probably should live in Mendocino County," he said, referring to the region known for marijuana growing. "There are going to be cuts."

But wait, there's more:

"So far, I've heard good ideas about how to spend more money. Great. It ain't there. It's time to make cuts, I believe deep cuts," Lockyer said. "I'd do the 25% across the board and just say those who wanted less government, you're going to get your wish. In other communities that are willing to put something on the ballot to make up that difference, they're going to have a higher service level."

Educators appeared shaken by Lockyer's remarks.

"There is no more meat on this bone to carve, the only thing left is amputation," said David Sanchez, president of the California Teachers' Assn. "If we do what Mr. Grinch wants us to do, the possibility of shutting down schools is a reality. Is that really what we want to do?"

Lockyer later clarified that he had not been making a policy recommendation, but rather analyzing what would happen unless voters sanction increased spending.

I won't vote for a cent of increased taxes until there are genuine budget cuts. There are entire departments of our state government that could be shut down or consolidated with others--let's start there before we try to get more money from me to waste elsewhere.

I wish Brown well. I hope he lives up to his own rhetoric. The EIA says the following, though, pointing out the sheer idiocy/hypocrisy/partisan nature of the CTA:

Remember those halcyon days of yesteryear – by which I mean October 2010 – when the California Teachers Association was spending $3.6 million to help elect Jerry Brown as governor of the state? The union said things about him like:

“Whitman’s plan calls for cutting the state budget by $15 billion, which could equate to another $7 billion in cuts to already beleaguered schools. Brown has made a commitment to protect schools.”

$15 billion! Shocking! Thanks heavens we elected Brown!

At least until this morning’s newspapers hit the stands.

San Francisco Chronicle – “Jerry Brown warns educators to brace for more cuts”

Bloomberg – “California Teachers Fear `Amputations’ as Brown Seeks to Cut $28 Billion”

Some think this is a ploy – describing cuts so drastic that the public will beg for a tax increase (on others, of course) in order to avoid them. Maybe. But I think CTA is going to learn that Jerry Brown is not Gray.

Wednesday Trivia

The answer to yesterday's question is:
Nazi Germany. Erich Hartmann had 352 confirmed kills, all on the Russian front.

Today's question is:
The Mayo Clinic organization is headquartered in which city?

California and Race To The Top

The following was posted on an emaillist of which I am a member, and I've received permission from the author to repost it here:

State Democrats need to take some of the blame for pushing through acceptance of RTTT in California. Pressure on unions is a good thing, but it's hard to see what we gained by agreeing to drop the standards. We got no money from RTTT, and now the administration is going to be lucky to get $500 million for the next round (down from $4 billion) from the incoming Congress. That's $500 million for the whole country. That means Ca. will never get a dime for dropping the standards and committing to writing new ones, along with paying for new textbooks and staff development. Brown should act quickly to extricate the state from RTTT. If he doesn't, it means textbook companies, test writers and research institutes looking for a killing are prominent among his advisers, although it's hard to see what sources could fund their windfall.

I supported the goals of No Child Left Behind--still do--but to be honest, I'm still fuzzy on the major components of RttT. Oh, and for those of you who were sure that the purpose of NCLB was to end public education--why, after 4 years of Democratic control of the Congress and 2 years of Democratic control of both the Congress and the White House, is NCLB still the law of the land? Could it be that your extremist viewpoints have been shown to be not so realistic? I'll accept your admission of wrongitude now.

Let's Put The TSA In Charge Of Health Care

The porno scanners might be easily duped:

Yet Leon Kaufman and Joseph W. Carlson, two physics professors at the University of California, San Francisco offer a stark conclusion: They can be easily duped, according to a recent paper published in the Journal of Transportation Security.

"It is very likely that a large (15–20 cm in diameter), irregularly-shaped, cm-thick pancake with beveled edges, taped to the abdomen, would be invisible to this technology -- ironically because of its large volume, since it is easily confused with normal anatomy," the researchers said in the paper. Kaufman and Carlson conclude that some types of foreign objects can be reliable detected only if they are packed outside the sides of the body, and some well hidden items would be impossible to see even with the scanner.

"It is also easy to see that an object such as a wire or a box-cutter blade, taped to the side of the body, or even a small gun in the same location, will be invisible," the paper notes.

Experts have already highlighted that such machines are unable to detect hidden plastic explosives. The authors of the new paper expand on these limitations -- and it couldn’t come at a worse time, as families prepare for holiday travel plans.

Of course, the TSA has an answer for this:

The TSA maintains that the machines remain an integral part of their security arsenal, telling FoxNews.com that it trusts the controversial machines. “Advanced imaging technology is a proven, highly-effective tool that safely detects both metallic and non-metallic items concealed on the body that could be used to threaten the security of airplanes,” a TSA spokesman told FoxNews.com.

And how "safe" and/or "secure" do you feel about privacy?

These privacy considerations came to the forefront of the conversation last month when online tech site Gizmodo leaked 100 TSA scans to the public.

Huh. I thought the images weren't saved.

These people are idiots, and if you sheeple do not stand up and fight this violation at every opportunity, you deserve the tyranny your silence encourages.

Can You Believe That This Case Went To Court?

Some people must think they're above the rules. Fortunately, most are not:

A dental student was dismissed from dental school permanently for cheating. He brought an Article 78 proceeding against his school, NYU, challenging this. Surprise, surprise, he lost.

Crying Wolf

I've heard this so many times that, just like the villagers, I don't believe it when Peter calls out anymore:

The teaching profession in California is facing a gloomy future, according to a report released Tuesday by the Center for the Future of Teaching and Learning.

Massive cuts to education over the past three years have made it difficult for teachers to meet rising expectations and have hurt the state's ability to recruit and prepare new teachers, the report found...

The Center for the Future of Teaching and Learning has also called attention to a projected teacher shortage, which the group says will happen when the economy recovers. Far fewer college graduates are entering teacher credentialing programs at the same time a wave baby boomer teacher retirements is anticipated to hit in the next few years.

I'll believe this so-called shortage exists when I see it. The same was being trumpeted when I first started teaching over 13 years ago--and the doomsday scenario was to happen within a decade!

Tuesday Trivia

The answer to yesterday's question is:
Amanda and Sarek.

Today's question is:
In what country's air service did the best ace of all time (credited with the most kills) serve?

What Does The NEA Really Believe?

Hear and see it for yourself here, straight from the mouth of the NEA's vice president.

Wow.

Monday Trivia

The answer to yesterday's question is:
United Airlines.

Today's question is:
What were Mr. Spock's parents' names?