October 18, 2010

Thanks, Mr. Eastwood for making my day

Eastwood on Eastwood: His 5 — er, 6_ favorites

Yes, the sooner we get out of Afghanistan the better

Push on Talks With Taliban Confirmed by NATO Officials

“Talibaning” is good if the purpose is to let Afghans worry for themselves, without any further delay.

Corporate greed: an oxymoron

Banks Shared Clients’ Profits, but Not Losses
Corporation is greed

October 14, 2010

Our kids lose again

Washington Schools Chancellor to Resign It appears that while Ms. Rhee was successful, she may have used an “iron-fist” to achieve her goals. Neglecting the Base. As a long term educator, I realize that, after decades of neglect, reform comes slow. Education involves the co-operation of three key stakeholders: students/parents, teachers and administrators. Unless all these parties are on the same page, reform will not succeed.

Who said science is boring?

Female fish dance for love

October 13, 2010

Band-aid soultion: New rules but old regulators

White House Lifts Ban on Deepwater Drilling
There are rules and then there are regulators. I have wondered if the BP oil “gush” was the problem of inadequate rules or incompetent/corrupt/uncaring/compromised regulators. I believe it is the latter. How could we, in the first place, have let an oil company drill miles(s) into the ocean without any contingency plans? If that is the regulatory climate, will a few additional rules change anything? For example, remember the S & L (Saving and Loans), Enron, and then, the latest the Wall Street scandals, which have operated basically like reverse-socialism: transferring wealth from the “poor” to the “rich”. We need a defender of socialism, like Robinhood. Will the Democrats (I have given up on the Republicans) ever really fight for social justice and equity?

What do you think?

October 12, 2010

Democrats’ worst nightmare: wishy-washy Obama

Obama Message in Flux as Election Day Nears

When we enthusiastically voted in Mr. Obama as President, we expected the same clarity of massage and honesty in his office actions. There is some evidence that his White House may have suppressed the truth of the magnitude of the BP oil spill during the early days. Report Slams Administration for Underestimating Gulf Spill

October 11, 2010

Our priorities have gone topsy-turvy

California Teachers Paying for Their Own Supplies and More

Ah, what we desperately need now…

Microsoft Unveils New Windows Phones

Just wondering: Any of these phones made here in the US?

October 7, 2010

What is a rare literary talent worth here in these United States?

$35,000/year- one time only

“Mr. Merwin, [who was appointed poet laureate of the United States in June 2010] has won just about every major award an American poet can . . . ”
What does this say about us, as a society, where a top hedge fund manager, who earns a $ 1 billion a year (a conservative estimate), is worth 28571.4 times more than our poet laureate.