I followed your link but could only find unsubstantiated claims by a friend of a friend of Bush that he had indirectly helped a woman obtain an abortion. The democrats.com article specificly states that it was NOT Bush's child. Where is the link that he had an illegitimate child?
My mother is a school librarian in NY and she has told me how Bush's current plan means that teachers teach tests instead of lessons...
No offense but your mother would have more credibility if she were a teacher as opposed to a librarian. No slight intended - my wife is an elementary teacher and I as well have teaching experience; we both know many librarians.
On the issue of teaching to the test, I do not necessarily see this as a bad thing.
If the test is well written and appropriately evaluates the learning objectives for that grade level, then teachers shouldn't have to spend one extra minute "teaching to the test". In this case the test would merely serve to "spot-check" the students knowledge. If there is a mis-match between the learning objectives for the grade level and the test for that level, then indeed your mother is correct. That is a problem with the way the test is being implemented - not the concept of testing in itself. In that case, I imagine there will be an iterative process by which both standards and test will evolve to produce the best result (one would hope anyway).
Granted, testing does have its limitations. For one thing, some subjects do not lend themselves to standardized testing. However, vocabulary, reading comprehension, and math do lend themselves well to such testing. Secondly, some children don't test well and will test significantly lower than their true ability. I don't think that this is too much of a problem, as in this case the testing could just be viewed as a method of identifying students whose promotion may be warranted under other considerations. Note that the converse is not as true, it is difficult to score significantly higher than your ability level on a standardized test.
Bottom line, if your or your childrens' teachers are "teaching to the test", don't knee-jerk and place blame all on the existance of the testing process.
When you say Trojan points I believe you mean either Earth-Moon Lagrange or Earth-Moon Libration points. The Trojan points are the names of the L-points, specific to the Sun-Jupiter system.
Well said. I can't say that I am totally unbiased, being an independent who normally votes Republican; however, I too am almost dumb-founded with the degree of hate and anger coming from the left.
Considering the fact that the polls historically underestimate the GOP by about 5% (you would think that there would be some sort of feedback loop but it happens every time)... I think Bush has a very good chance of winning in November... and I think that the electoral college tally could even be a blow-out. This doesn't terribly excite me, because I am not Bush's hugest fan. I am very interested to see how the left deals with it,... should it happen.
I suppose you missed my point, which was that I at least provided a source. I don't even have the opportunity to attack the credibility of your accusations since as far as I know, you made them up.
I would be happy to investigate further, looking for sources that are perhaps less biased; however I am unwilling to do so until you put forth some effort into this exchange as well... IOW, I am not going to waste my time if you won't even back-up your original claim.
hmmm.... I have been playing in Simulink with a generic IMU that I modelled for the last couple weeks. I'd be curious if there is anyway I could help out with this...
You asked for citations. I typed into google. I honestly just grabbed the top results and am unfamiliar with the sources themselves. And now you want me to do -more- work verifying the politcal leanings of the sources? Regardless of the political leanings of the sources, isn't it now up to you to refute the charges?
Since this is sort-of on topic, I was curious if anyone who works/worked for the postal service could explain something that happened to me during the last general election.
I am a military memeber and voted absentee from a rather liberal area of California. At the time, I lived in a military housing neighborhood for officers, of about 500-1,000 families or so. Anyway, about a month after the election, my ballot showed up in my mailbox. No postmark, no "incorrect address", no "incorrect postage", no marks of any kind. IICR, the letter was pre-addressed, but at any rate, I remember verifying that I didn't do anything stupid like address it to myself. I spoke with another person who had the exact same thing happen to him in the election.
Can anyone tell me how this could have happened? Until I hear a good explanation, I will cynically cling to my belief that a postal worker intentionally prevented my ballot from being delivered, knowing that the ballots would be slanted heavily Republican...just curious.
You seem to think that what you are describing is -not- sexism. Let me make a small change to your company's hiring policy. Let's say that if the two candidates are exactly equal, then the MAN should always be hired. Would THAT be considered sexism? What is the difference between your company?
grrr, I hate to be an apologist but I don't believe that the UN is the 'knight in shining armour' that you and many people seem to think it is. I personally have issues with the fact that dictatorships, theoocracies and non-parlimentary monarchies now dominate the UN, itself a (somewhat) democratic institution. Can you not conceive of an instance of the UN ever being 'wrong' or 'wrongfully motivated'?
On the specific issue of Iraq, the oil for food program was a scandalousmess. In which Iraq artfully maneuvered create a scism in the security council through kick-backs and bribes to members.
The UN was created as a forum such that memeber coutries could debate issues and policies without resorting to war. I see little of that today... it seems that it has become more an assembly of cabals, voting in blocks to 'legitimize' their actions.
I agree with absolutely everything you have said except the final sentance:
They are adults consenting to relationships (whether short term, or long term) that are worthy of the same level of respect we would afford to all human beings who do not harm others.
Respect is a very subjective thing. Stupid people do not earn my respect simply because they do not hurt anyone. I similarly do not respect wealthy people simply because they may not have harmed anyone. I reserve respect for those who meet a certain standard (and that standard is very personal). I do not respect ignorant people, regardless of race/religion/or sexual orientation. That is because I value intelligence as a desirable human quality. But I also tend to not respect people whose descisions I believe are contrary to my moral standards. That is my right. I use this as the basis for my personal lack of respect for people who have political views that I beleive transgress simple 'differences of interpretation' and are instead in the realm of morals (at least for me) - issues such as abortion (against it) and capital punishment (also against it). I refuse to respect someone who is gay, just because they are 'not harming anyone'. That said I will not withhold respect for them because they are gay. Case in point, I have a lot of respect for one of my best friends for lots of reasons. First of all, he is without a doubt, the most conservative person I know, but more importantly he is extremely intelligent and can defend his conservative positions with more wit and logic than anyone I know. That, to me, is respectable. But that is only the half of it,... the fact that he maintains his strong conservative beliefs, despite his being openly gay also impresses me, given the stigma he receives from the gay community - yet he is resolute. I respect his conviction as well.
I guess my point is this: respect can not be mandated, nor is it universal. Trying to force people to accomodate anything that they find morally reprehensible is just as wrong as being a racist, homophobe, or in my book - ignorant (or more commonly, all of the above.)
Actually, the rally was a private party so technically they can kick out anyone they wish... and if I were a republican, I doubt I would want hecklers at my private party either. I'm not sure it has anything to do with freedom of speech. If it were a public event I would completely agree with you.
Slashdot Mirror
Uh..perhaps you should read the links in the original post.
I followed your link but could only find unsubstantiated claims by a friend of a friend of Bush that he had indirectly helped a woman obtain an abortion. The democrats.com article specificly states that it was NOT Bush's child. Where is the link that he had an illegitimate child?
No offense but your mother would have more credibility if she were a teacher as opposed to a librarian. No slight intended - my wife is an elementary teacher and I as well have teaching experience; we both know many librarians.
On the issue of teaching to the test, I do not necessarily see this as a bad thing.
If the test is well written and appropriately evaluates the learning objectives for that grade level, then teachers shouldn't have to spend one extra minute "teaching to the test". In this case the test would merely serve to "spot-check" the students knowledge. If there is a mis-match between the learning objectives for the grade level and the test for that level, then indeed your mother is correct. That is a problem with the way the test is being implemented - not the concept of testing in itself. In that case, I imagine there will be an iterative process by which both standards and test will evolve to produce the best result (one would hope anyway).
Granted, testing does have its limitations. For one thing, some subjects do not lend themselves to standardized testing. However, vocabulary, reading comprehension, and math do lend themselves well to such testing. Secondly, some children don't test well and will test significantly lower than their true ability. I don't think that this is too much of a problem, as in this case the testing could just be viewed as a method of identifying students whose promotion may be warranted under other considerations. Note that the converse is not as true, it is difficult to score significantly higher than your ability level on a standardized test.
Bottom line, if your or your childrens' teachers are "teaching to the test", don't knee-jerk and place blame all on the existance of the testing process.
If someone driving 25 in a 35 is what really riles you up...then you are probably the ashat we are talking about.
When you say Trojan points I believe you mean either Earth-Moon Lagrange or Earth-Moon Libration points. The Trojan points are the names of the L-points, specific to the Sun-Jupiter system.
Considering the fact that the polls historically underestimate the GOP by about 5% (you would think that there would be some sort of feedback loop but it happens every time)... I think Bush has a very good chance of winning in November... and I think that the electoral college tally could even be a blow-out. This doesn't terribly excite me, because I am not Bush's hugest fan. I am very interested to see how the left deals with it,... should it happen.
sounds like a great idea... call me when photos taste good.
I would be happy to investigate further, looking for sources that are perhaps less biased; however I am unwilling to do so until you put forth some effort into this exchange as well... IOW, I am not going to waste my time if you won't even back-up your original claim.
"In a row?"
hmmm.... I have been playing in Simulink with a generic IMU that I modelled for the last couple weeks. I'd be curious if there is anyway I could help out with this...
As an aside, how do you have suh intimate knowledge of the APG? Just curious...
You asked for citations. I typed into google. I honestly just grabbed the top results and am unfamiliar with the sources themselves. And now you want me to do -more- work verifying the politcal leanings of the sources? Regardless of the political leanings of the sources, isn't it now up to you to refute the charges?
I am a military memeber and voted absentee from a rather liberal area of California. At the time, I lived in a military housing neighborhood for officers, of about 500-1,000 families or so. Anyway, about a month after the election, my ballot showed up in my mailbox. No postmark, no "incorrect address", no "incorrect postage", no marks of any kind. IICR, the letter was pre-addressed, but at any rate, I remember verifying that I didn't do anything stupid like address it to myself. I spoke with another person who had the exact same thing happen to him in the election.
Can anyone tell me how this could have happened? Until I hear a good explanation, I will cynically cling to my belief that a postal worker intentionally prevented my ballot from being delivered, knowing that the ballots would be slanted heavily Republican...just curious.
Nixon vs. Kennedy
Getting Illegal Immigrants to vote
more
Double-voting Snowbirds
more of same from 2000
You seem to think that what you are describing is -not- sexism. Let me make a small change to your company's hiring policy. Let's say that if the two candidates are exactly equal, then the MAN should always be hired. Would THAT be considered sexism? What is the difference between your company?
Butis all this on-line activity just a gateway activity to the harder stuff like becoming a Slashdot troll?
On the specific issue of Iraq, the oil for food program was a scandalousmess. In which Iraq artfully maneuvered create a scism in the security council through kick-backs and bribes to members.
The UN was created as a forum such that memeber coutries could debate issues and policies without resorting to war. I see little of that today... it seems that it has become more an assembly of cabals, voting in blocks to 'legitimize' their actions.
woops...
Actually, I downloaded it at work in about 20 minutes and burned a cd for all my friends.
Dude, that is so, like, last week. Try Service pack 2.
Somebody stop this man!
They are adults consenting to relationships (whether short term, or long term) that are worthy of the same level of respect we would afford to all human beings who do not harm others.
Respect is a very subjective thing. Stupid people do not earn my respect simply because they do not hurt anyone. I similarly do not respect wealthy people simply because they may not have harmed anyone. I reserve respect for those who meet a certain standard (and that standard is very personal). I do not respect ignorant people, regardless of race/religion/or sexual orientation. That is because I value intelligence as a desirable human quality. But I also tend to not respect people whose descisions I believe are contrary to my moral standards. That is my right. I use this as the basis for my personal lack of respect for people who have political views that I beleive transgress simple 'differences of interpretation' and are instead in the realm of morals (at least for me) - issues such as abortion (against it) and capital punishment (also against it). I refuse to respect someone who is gay, just because they are 'not harming anyone'. That said I will not withhold respect for them because they are gay. Case in point, I have a lot of respect for one of my best friends for lots of reasons. First of all, he is without a doubt, the most conservative person I know, but more importantly he is extremely intelligent and can defend his conservative positions with more wit and logic than anyone I know. That, to me, is respectable. But that is only the half of it,... the fact that he maintains his strong conservative beliefs, despite his being openly gay also impresses me, given the stigma he receives from the gay community - yet he is resolute. I respect his conviction as well.
I guess my point is this: respect can not be mandated, nor is it universal. Trying to force people to accomodate anything that they find morally reprehensible is just as wrong as being a racist, homophobe, or in my book - ignorant (or more commonly, all of the above.)
From the parent:
and if I were a republican, I doubt I would want hecklers at my private party either
Two words: beowolf cluster.
Actually, the rally was a private party so technically they can kick out anyone they wish... and if I were a republican, I doubt I would want hecklers at my private party either. I'm not sure it has anything to do with freedom of speech. If it were a public event I would completely agree with you.