Remember high school; remember biology? For me, it was boring but I took the class, studied for the test, and cut up those slimy frogs nonetheless. Bunsen burners, beakers of smelly stuff and gazing out the window on a sunny spring day. I kept one eye on the clock and the other between the window and whatever project we were working on.
High school freshmen in New Jersey got a pass on their biology exams earlier this month. State education officials have decided not to require high school seniors to pass a biology test in order to graduate — for now. Better yet, for those graduating in 2014. That is when the requirement is supposed to kick in. The reason why the requirement is being tabled is that last year, almost half the students taking the test failed it.
New Jersey education officials have decided not to require high school students to pass a biology test to graduate — at least not yet… But when almost half the students who took the test last year failed, it raised concerns, according to The Record of Bergen County… State officials say it will be required again after the test is revised. [....]
This is a little unsettling for me. In my opinion, it is not necessarily the test that needs to be revised but the course itself. And perhaps how it is being taught. Suppose there is some young doctor in the making sitting in one of those biology classes, or veterinarian, or scientist of some kind. This sounds like dummy down to me. Hopefully, education officials will take a broad look at their biology course, the teaching methodology, the availability of tools and field trips and find a way to engage students so that they are successful. Besides, even if you don’t want to be a doctor, the discipline of the course in and of itself can be a wonderful learning tool.
This is one brave woman who does what she can to try and “delay” the gunman from shooting her colleagues or anyone else in the room. While many in this country strive to protect their Second Amendment rights, between the violence we witness everyday with guns and the rising sale of guns to Mexican drug lords along our southern border states, clearly our gun laws need an overhaul. They just don’t work.
The other day, I decided to go walking at the mall at noon instead of at 7:00 a.m. As I passed Gilly Hicks, I was shocked by how the store workers were dressed; or not. The whole scene definitely took you out of the mall and into a red light district somewhere.
The young man was wearing jeans with the zipper partly open and set so low below his waist that there was barely anything left not to see. The young woman was clad in a bikini (in December with neither sea nor sand near by). Both were barefoot. They stood just inside the doorway of the store, leaning on the wall “chatting” to each other. From inside, one could hear the song made famous by Patti LaBelle and the Blue Belles, beckoning you in, “Voulez-vous coucher avec moi ce soir?” The store is so dimly lit, you need a flash light to go in. A sickening sweet odor fills the air and wafts out to you as you pass by. It is not a leap to ask is this a clothing store or a brothel?
Just for heck of it, I went to Gilly Hicks’ web site and this picture is on their home page. I covered the young man’s bottom, which is bare in the original. I realize that this is a different age and I’m just an old fart, but common on, this is unreal. If those pants are for sale, WHERE ARE THEY?
There. I’ve said it. You heard it first right from the number one GroundHog. The guy whose colleagues gave him the boot not too many years ago is desperately trying to reinvent himself, yet again, so that he can run for President.
Gingrich has made no formal announcement but he is out there everyday hinting at a run. What is amazing is after his criticism of Sarah Palin, he has obviously taken a page from her book to raise money. Instead of a reality television show, Gingrich is selling holiday stuff like this cute little snow globe.
Although, I wonder who his marketing person is. I’m not sure I’d want to see my head delivered up on a pile of snow as way to raise money or endear people to my candidacy — or “possible” candidacy. But then again, maybe this is a smart tactic. Maybe there are some folks who would want to see Gingrich’s head on a pile of snow.
According to Salon, Gingrich is hawing his stuff for just about any holiday that has come up, including Veteran’s Day, Pearl Harbor and now Christmas. I wonder if he has any plans for Kwanza?
Daily Kos is as progressive as any other standing left and forward media group out there. So, when Daily Kos publicly states that the President’s tax deal is a good thing, we need to do what the author of this article did — read what is in the tax deal:
Working families will not lose their tax cut. A typical working family faced a tax increase of over $3,000 on January 1st. The framework agreement includes a mutually agreed upon solution to the impasse over taxes by extending the 2001/2003 income tax rates for two years and reforming the AMT to ensure that an additional 21 million households will not be hit with a tax increase.
$56 billion for unemployment insurance extension. According to the Council of Economic Advisers, passing this provision will create 600,000 jobs in 2011 alone.
$120 billion payroll tax cut for working families
$40 billion in tax cuts for our hardest hit families and students
100% expensing for businesses next year
Child Tax Credit: The $1,000 child tax credit will be extended for two years with the $3,000 refundability threshold established in the Recovery Act. This extension will ensure an ongoing tax cut to 10.5 million lower income families with 18 million children.
Earned Income Tax Credit: The Recovery Act included an expansion of the EITC worth, on average, $600 in additional assistance to families with 3 or more children. It also helped working married families by reducing the marriage penalty in the EITC. Continuing this tax cut for two years will benefit 6.5 million working parents with 15 million children.
American Opportunity Tax Credit: The Recovery Act included a new, partially refundable tax credit of up to $2,500 to help students and their families cover the cost of college tuition. This deal fully extends AOTC for two years, ensuring that more than 8 million students will continue to receive this tax benefit to help them afford college.
A 2-year extension of the R&D tax credit and other tax incentives to support business expansion.
In the midst of the battles in Washington, the wars, and shorter lines at Starbucks, we cannot fix anything if we don’t fix our education system. Listen to Geoffrey Canada. He’s on to something.
The Senate may vote as soon as this evening on whether to repeal “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” the policy that prohibits gays and lesbians from serving openly in the military. The time is now to end this discriminatory practice once and for all.
Contact your senators now @ 202-224-3121.
This is an issue that disproportionately affects our generation. As many as 80% of those discharged under DADT have been younger than 26 years old – often brave, rank-and-file soldiers who find themselves on the front lines of combat.
My life has been full with fortune from the great mentors that I have had and continue to have along this great journey. Watch this video and be inspired to thank a teacher.
When does the concept of freedom of speech, the public’s right to know, anti-censorship, etc., turn into something negative? When the person or persons exercising their rights adversely impact others to no fault of their own for such injury or potential injury. That’s my take. What’s yours?
Hackers claimed Wednesday to have taken down MasterCard’s website in retaliation for the company’s decision to cut off services to WikiLeaks.
“WE ARE GLAD TO TELL YOU THAT http://www.mastercard.com/ is DOWN AND IT’S CONFIRMED!,” anti-censorship group Anonymous said in a post to its Twitter site for an initiative it has dubbed Operation Payback.
Attempts to load the MasterCard site Wednesday morning were unsuccessful. A spokesman for the company told msnbc.com that the it did not have any information or comment at this stage.[MSNBC]
As a parent to a military guy, whenever my son was off to the great war, I used to wear his spare ID tag to keep him close to my heart and prays. One day, I was toying with the tag and happen to glance down at the inscription. That’s when I saw his social security number on it and immediately thought, “not cool.”
What if I lost the tag? What if the clasp on the chain came undone and the tag fell off? I removed the tag and put it away safely out of sight and protected from being lost. Apparently, someone at the military has come to a similar conclusion and the ID tags will no longer carry service members’ social security numbers effective May 2010.
According to a recent report, usage of service members’ social security numbers are at even greater risk than being inscribed on the ID tags.
At bases and outposts at home and around the world, military personnel continue to use their Social Security numbers as personal identifiers in dozens of everyday settings, from filling out health forms to checking out basketballs at the gym. Thousands of soldiers in Iraq even stencil the last four digits onto their laundry bags.
All of this is putting members of the military at heightened risk for identity theft.
That is the conclusion of a scathing new report written by an Army intelligence officer turned West Point professor, Lt. Col. Gregory Conti. The report concludes that the military needs to rid itself of a practice that has been widespread since the 1960s. [....]
There is always going to be some idiot who will conduct him or herself in a stupid way that ends up adversely impacting those around them. Lasange goes far beyond that point. His actions have caused our State Department to seriously consider reshuffling certain diplomats’ and military officers’ to ensure their safety after the Wikileaks publicly posting diplomat cables. At a recent press conference, US attorney general Holder stated that:
“The lives of people who work for the American people have been put at risk. The American people themselves have been put at risk by these actions that I believe are arrogant, misguided and ultimately not helpful in any way. We are doing everything that we can.” … Asked if he might mount a prosecution under the Espionage Act, Holder said: “That is certainly something that might play a role, but there are other statutes, other tools at our disposal.” [....]
With a potential $3.67 billion deficit looming over us, its hard to be hopeful about Connecticut’s future. But hopeful we are that Governor-Elect Dan Malloy can right the rudder on our ship and prevent us from sinking.
That hope was best expressed this past Saturday by AFSCME President Roberta Price:
“He’s been sort of a light, a bright day for state employees,” said Roberta Price, president of AFSCME Local 610, an administrative and clerical unit. “He’s willing to work with us. He’s willing to listen to us.”[....]
Another sign of hope was seen on Sunday when Pratt & Whitney machinists union members overwhelmingly ratified their contract that has been in negotiations since April 2009. We should not rush to celebration as this, in my opinion, is a mixed bag of hope and concern.
