statism

Dorner manhunt: LAPD officers opened fire on mother, daughter

"In their pursuit of a fugitive ex-cop, at least seven officers opened fire on what turned out to be a mother and daughter delivering newspapers on a quiet residential street, law enforcement sources told The Times. It was 'a tragic misinterpretation' by officers working under 'incredible tension,' LAPD Chief Charlie Beck said Friday in an interview with The Times. Margie Carranza, 47, and her mother, Emma Hernandez, 71, were the victims." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingDorner manhunt: LAPD officers opened fire on mother, daughter

School districts pay dearly for bonds

"Napa is one of at least 1,350 school districts and government agencies across the nation that have turned to a controversial form of borrowing called capital appreciation bonds to finance major projects, a California Watch analysis shows. Relying on these bonds has allowed districts to borrow billions of dollars while postponing payments, in some cases for decades. This form of borrowing has created billions of dollars in debt for taxpayers and hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue for financial advisers and underwriters. Voters are usually unaware of the bonds' high interest. At least one state, Michigan, has banned their use." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingSchool districts pay dearly for bonds

Growing number of educators boycott standardized tests

"Since 2002, standardized tests have taken on more significance as federal mandates, beginning with the No Child Left Behind law, pushed schools to give annual tests and report the results publicly. The Obama administration has upped tests' importance by rewarding states whose schools tie student test scores to teacher evaluations. But the decision by a group of Seattle teachers to boycott a standardized test this winter could spill out to other cities as a decade of frustration over testing simmers. Since then, teachers at two more Seattle schools have said they'll sit out the test, with the approval of leading academics and both major U.S. teachers unions." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingGrowing number of educators boycott standardized tests

How California’s Online Education Pilot Will End College As We Know It

"Today, the largest university system in the world, the California State University system, announced a pilot for $150 lower-division online courses at one of its campuses — a move that spells the end of higher education as we know it. Lower-division courses are the financial backbone of many part-time faculty and departments (especially the humanities). As someone who has taught large courses at a University of California, I can assure readers that my job could have easily been automated. Most of college–the expansive campuses and large lecture halls–will crumble into ghost towns as budget-strapped schools herd students online." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingHow California’s Online Education Pilot Will End College As We Know It

Idaho lawmaker’s bill forces students to pass ‘Atlas Shrugged’ test to graduate

"The chairman of the Idaho Senate’s Education Committee says that he introduced a bill to require all students to read Ayn Rand’s 'Atlas Shrugged' because the book 'made my son a Republican.' State Sen. John Goedde (R) introduced the bill in committee on Tuesday to mandate that each student pass a test on the novel before they are able to graduate from high school, according to The Spokesman-Review." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingIdaho lawmaker’s bill forces students to pass ‘Atlas Shrugged’ test to graduate

The government has your baby’s DNA

"Newborn babies in the United States are routinely screened for a panel of genetic diseases. Since the testing is mandated by the government, it's often done without the parents' consent. In many states, such as Florida, where Isabel was born, babies' DNA is stored indefinitely. Many parents don't realize their baby's DNA is being stored in a government lab, but sometimes when they find out, as the Browns did, they take action. Parents in Texas, and Minnesota have filed lawsuits, and these parents' concerns are sparking a new debate about whether it's appropriate for a baby's genetic blueprint to be in the government's possession." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingThe government has your baby’s DNA

Massachusetts bans vehicles at 4 p.m.; offenders face fine up to $500, 1 year in jail

"Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick has declared a state of emergency for blizzard that could bring near 3 feet of snow. Patrick signed an executive order banning all vehicles from roadways starting at 4 p.m. today. Ban applies to all roadways, including highways and secondary roads. Any one caught driving after 4 p.m. faces up to one year in jail and $500 fine." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingMassachusetts bans vehicles at 4 p.m.; offenders face fine up to $500, 1 year in jail

Amish leader sentenced to 15 years for beard-cutting ‘hate crimes’

"The leader of an Amish cult — who allegedly ordered followers to forcibly cut the beards and hair of those who criticized his leadership — was sentenced to 15 years in prison. The 67-year-old Samuel Mullet Sr. was convicted not just of assault but of hate crimes, as prosecutors said the victims’ right to religious expression was violated. The sentence sat between what the government asked for — life in prison — and what the defense sought, which was at most two years. Fifteen others implicated in the crimes were sentenced to between one and seven years in prison." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingAmish leader sentenced to 15 years for beard-cutting ‘hate crimes’

Arizona Politician Parodied By Fake Twitter Accounts Pushes Bill To Make Online Impersonation A Felony

"Arizona State Representative Michelle Ugenti has proposed a bill that would make it a class 5 felony to impersonate someone online 'with the intent to harm, defraud, intimidate or threaten.' That last part, obviously, limits the purely parodical accounts, but the definitions of those words could be quite broad, and the risk of an overly broad interpretation is quite real. Considering that class 5 felonies in Arizona come with a 'presumptive sentence of a year and a half imprisonment,' you would hope that the definitions here would be a lot clearer." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingArizona Politician Parodied By Fake Twitter Accounts Pushes Bill To Make Online Impersonation A Felony

Investing In a World of Make Believe

"In recent years, a high degree of economic, financial, and political uncertainty has resulted in acute volatility in stocks, real estate, commodities and precious metals. I believe that another aggravating factor has been the increasing skepticism through which the investing public views government statistics and statements. To make prudent decisions, investors need to know key economic indicators such as economic growth, inflation rates, unemployment levels and the real cost and value of money. For the past 20 years or so, the key assumptions behind the calculation of these figures have been distorted in favor of government image." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingInvesting In a World of Make Believe