Posted on April 30, 2007 by drblues
It used to be only suckers that thought they could buy public infrastructure like the Brooklyn Bridge. Not so anymore. According to this article in Business Week, private financial giants like Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley and The Carlysle Group are buying up public infrastructure in unprecedented numbers.
In the past year, banks and private investment firms [...]
Filed under: Economics | Tagged: private investment | Leave a Comment »
Posted on April 29, 2007 by drblues
What makes this story so important is its banality. The pattern described in this A.P. article is “business and usual.” Arrogant developers like Bob Holland destroy the environment whenever they feel like it and pay a pathetically small fine when caught. Meanwhile, species like Konanee salmon die a “death by a thousand cuts.”
COEUR D’ALENE, Idaho [...]
Filed under: Environment | Tagged: Lake Pend Oreille, polluter, Idaho Fish and Game | 2 Comments »
Posted on April 28, 2007 by drblues
Albertson College MAT Intern, Allison Brooks
I decided to take a break from all the depressing national news and report on something positive today. The Idaho Stateman had an article this morning about a student research conference at Albertson College in Caldwell. The original research presented by these students was inspiring.
According to the article by Statesman [...]
Filed under: Education | Tagged: Albertson College, MAT, Student Research | Leave a Comment »
Posted on April 24, 2007 by drblues
When Knight Ridder (the newspaper chain that owned the Idaho Statesman) was swallowed by McClatchy, most people didn’t realize what they had lost. Now, thanks to Bill Moyers, who has returned to PBS with Bill Moyers Journal, we can begin to understand how Knight Ridder news service differed from most of the rest of the [...]
Filed under: Media, Politics | Tagged: Add new tag, Bill Moyers, Buying the War, PBS | Leave a Comment »
Posted on April 23, 2007 by drblues
By this time, almost everyone has seen this video of John McCain. Moveon.org is even using it in a political ad. Why then, am I posting it here? Not because I think posting it will convince anyone that McCain is too intemperate to be President.
No, as reprehensible as the “bomb, bomb [...]
Filed under: Music, Politics | Tagged: Barbara Ann, Iran, McCain | Leave a Comment »
Posted on April 22, 2007 by drblues
I have always loved this “Pogo” cartoon by Walt Kelly. If fact, I have a signed and framed 3′ by 2′ poster hanging in my office. As today is Earth Day 37, I have been thinking about whether the enemy is, in fact, us.
I don’t think so. I think the enemy consists of those giant [...]
Filed under: Environment | Tagged: corporate polluters, Earth Day, Pogo | Leave a Comment »
Posted on April 22, 2007 by drblues
Bush and Ed. Sec. Spellings kiss
The Bush Administration scandals are so extensive and are erupting so fast it is impossible to keep up with them. In today’s New York Times, columnist Frank Rich points out the problem,
Washington is still having trouble confronting the big picture of the Bush White House. Its dense web of deceit [...]
Filed under: Education, Politics | Tagged: Bush Crimes, Reading First, Education Dept, Spellings | Leave a Comment »
Posted on April 21, 2007 by drblues
According to a survey by Congress.Org, Idaho’s Congressional delegation ranks last in political power. Craig, Crapo, Simpson and Sali were ranked last based upon tenure, committee assignments, indirect influence and legislation passed. Larry Sabato, director of the University of Virginia’s Center for Politics, describes the Idaho delegation as a “poverty zone.”
“To their credit, they believe [...]
Filed under: Politics | Tagged: Add new tag, Congress, Craig, Crapo, Idaho Delegation, Sali, Simpson | 1 Comment »
Posted on April 20, 2007 by drblues
Anytime Bush is allowed to speak in public, we are given a chance to hear his “Deep Thoughts.” Here are a few from Thursday’s “talk on terrorism” in Ohio.
“Politics comes and goes, but your principles don’t. And everybody wants to be loved – not everybody. … You never heard anybody say, ‘I want to be [...]
Filed under: Education, Politics | Tagged: Bush's Stupidity, NCLB, Testing | Leave a Comment »
Posted on April 19, 2007 by drblues
According to a study recently released and discussed in the current issue of Education Week, teachers have quite different perspectives about their students compared with school administrators. The study of 4,700 teachers and 267 principals and assistant principals in 12 school districts was conducted by the Council of Urban Boards of Education.
The most interesting finding [...]
Filed under: Education | Tagged: Education, student achievement | Leave a Comment »