my first question is, what do you think of when you think racist?
and on to the article which caught my eye: Why are white people so touchy about being called racist?
The author says,
more often than not, genuinely good (white) people (are) stuck in the belief that racists are exotic monsters, who are nonetheless resentful of conceding the privilege of being able to control the public consensus on race
What do you think?
I am not a fan of this. But perhaps there is something that I do not understand about it.
Full Article
The district is paying $678 per device — higher than tablets available in stores — but the computers will be preloaded with educational software. The price does not include a wireless keyboard, which may be necessary for older students.
I am perhaps looking at the glass half full, but with the students being able to take the machines home, the possibility for them to be stolen or broken seems to be high, especially in the underpriviledged neighborhoods they are supposed to be serving.
I also can’t help but think, “Couldn’t they have bough at least 6 brand new text books(or perhaps have funded open source text books for every student? and then bought something more economical and flexible such as kiosks and monitors for a 3rd of the price)?.
Even if you are going to go with tablets, is there not a more economical way to go that will prevent lock in?
How many adults have dropped their ipads and made them inoperable, and we are talking about children here… if they break, or lose the 3 free replacements (we are talking about kids) then are they then unable to participate? You can share books, but can you realistically share an ipad?
I understand that the world is moving towards something more electronic, but with the money crunch that education is always in, wouldn’t something more durable, and affordable be in order? Is there not a better way to reduce the technology gap in these children’s lives (a more technolgy based curriculum such as programming and development)? Books are not sexy anymore, but the reality is that they don’t require electricity or apps.
As I read through the Congressional Update Emails that I receive regularly, there was a passage on the “Health Care Mandate” from the July 9th email that struck my attention, and I wanted to share. Please keep in mind that the following passage comes directly from the Congressional Update Email. These are not my words, thoughts, or opinions. I wanted to share this to hopefully begin a healthy discourse on the issue(s) at hand. Feel free to let me know what you think!
Howdy Texans!
Delaying Employer Health Care Mandate
Late in the day on July 2, the Obama Administration announced it will delay the requirement, under the Affordable Care Act, that all employers with more than 50 employees provide health care coverage to their workers until after the 2014 elections. The president’s health care law is such a “train wreck” and so detrimental to our nation’s job creators that the administration is now delaying implementation of one of its central components. This delay proves that the administration has come to realize the draconian effects the law will have on job creators and the American public. The administration’s delay, as implementation begins to unfold, reaffirms the fact that president’s health care law will harm employers, raise health care costs, and as a result, destroy jobs. Furthermore, it appears that the administration’s decision was at least partially driven by politics as it delayed the start of this component until after the mid-term Congressional elections, presumably to avoid potential election year losses.
Since first being elected to Congress in 2010, I have voted over three dozen times to repeal, dismantle and defund the president’s health care law. Delaying implementation of this bureaucrat-controlled, budget-busting, job-destroying law will not solve the underlying problems of this ill-conceived move toward government-controlled health care. I, along with my fellow House Conservatives, remain committed to repealing and replacing the president’s health care law with legislation that will focus on private-sector solutions with inputs from patients, health care providers, and health insurance providers. Hardworking American families deserve commonsense health care reforms that strengthen the doctor-patient relationship and give them a say in their health care.
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What do you think?
In the past few weeks minorities voter rights have been crippled and school loan interest rates have been doubled. All because governmental representatives didn’t think it was important enough to stop. but is it their fault, really? no. if you elect ambivalent assholes, or do nothing to stop them, then are they really at fault for being themselves? no.
so for every 1000 dollars you borrow, you owe what 1120? is it really better now that the government has taken over school loans? especially when they’ve done nothing to make sure the opportunity to repair them is present?
we have a generation of people and lawmakers who feel as they are insulated from the impact of what happens to other people. A whole generation of kids who think they deserve everything that they want, and this is reflected in the callous way in which things are being dealt with.