Downeast Schoolhouse

The lowest, listed

admin — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 00:00:58 +0000

The “persistently lowest-achieving schools,” according to the MDOE.

Houlton Junior-Senior High School Deer Isle-Stonington High School Governor James B. Longley Elementary School, Lewiston Riverton Elementary School, Portland Sumner Memorial High School, Sullivan Carrabec High School, North Anson Hodgdon High School Lake Region High School, Naples Livermore Falls High School Madison Area High School

from this 3/10/10 BDN article.

…and the worst shall be first…

admin — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 23:00:28 +0000

…in line for all that “free” federal money. See “State lists ‘lowest-achieving’ schools“, BDN, 3/10/10

Now let’s talk about inversion, perversion, and subduction* (my new favorite word).

The federal government makes money available for “failing” schools. States compete for the money, putting forward their sub-standard candidates. If sucessful, they get the federal money.

So, the feds have incentivized [...]

Public Pension Funds Double Down…

admin — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 00:00:01 +0000

… and start behaving crazy!

Here’s the pattern: Many public pension funds were mismatched on funds (not enough) and liabilities (lots and lots). Then came the fiscal crisis, market downturn, real estate crash, etc. and they were so far behind that, had they been private entities, they would have been put into receivership.

Now they’re trying to [...]

A Disturbance in the Force (Sudden Subduction)

admin — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 23:00:18 +0000

The days are shorter now, and we wobble more.

Sudden subduction of the Nazca plate carried large amounts of mass closer to the center of the Earth — which, conceptually but on a vastly different scale, works like spinning skaters bringing their arms closer to their bodies, says Richard Gross, a geophysicist at NASA’s Jet Propulsion [...]

All Out of Proportion

admin — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 11:00:45 +0000

It’s hard to believe that consolidation is working as intended. Be sure to read Paul Stearns’ piece — Consolidation penalties are a shameful response — in the BDN.

In another context, some truths:

I wish I could say I found it surprising, but it seem to me to be of a piece with too many other brutalities [...]

Thoughts on Federal Money

admin — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 13:00:15 +0000

Weekend reading:

I got a-plenty of friends who’ve taken all they could get and were honest in figurin’ they had it comin’ to them. They’ve paid taxes for years and seen other people take the benefits. Now at least they’re gettin’ a little of it back. That’s the whole point, though, that’s what’s wrong. There was [...]

Snide*ness Alert!

admin — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 23:00:24 +0000

It’s entirely possible that the press didn’t get this right, and by error, selection, or omission, end up misrepresenting this exchange.

But I doubt it.

The news that Maine had signed on to the pilot program came as a surprise for some, including Maine Education Association President Chris Galgay. “For the last couple of hours, I have [...]

Who Knew? The Shadow Knew!

admin — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 10:46:59 +0000

Dozens of public high schools in eight states will introduce a program next year allowing 10th graders who pass a battery of tests to get a diploma two years early and immediately enroll in community college.

Students who pass but aspire to attend a selective college may continue with college preparatory courses in their junior and [...]

You Smell!

admin — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 23:00:50 +0000

Click on picture to link to more indescribable dogginess!

Be True to Your School (dateline: Washington)

admin — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 13:00:43 +0000

You just know that this is going to make some people — younger people and older people — unhappy.

We really can’t have people just working without being paid!

The thought of her students taking to the road to get to school prompted Karen Kenna, principal of Cardinal Forest Elementary in Springfield, to issue a call for [...]

Now the Backlash: Public Sector Under the Microscope

admin — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 23:00:52 +0000

We all know unemployment is high, approximately 10% nationally.

And you’ve probably heard that public-sector employment and unionization (as a percentage of all unionized workers) and compensation have grown significantly in the last decade.

And in many cases, the public sector is — so far — recession proof.

While private-sector workers in the capital [Albany, NY] region have, [...]

The Return of Bread Blogging

admin — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 23:00:39 +0000

Left: Buttermilk; Right: Light Wheat

Slap-Happy!

admin — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 23:00:30 +0000

Today’s Slappy Meme: Every Violent Act in 2010 Superbowl Ads

No Wonder They’re Half-Dazed!

admin — Sat, 30 Jan 2010 11:00:15 +0000

The average young American now spends practically every waking minute — except for the time in school — using a smart phone, computer, television or other electronic device, according to a new study from the Kaiser Family Foundation.

Those ages 8 to 18 spend more than seven and a half hours a day with such devices, [...]

BANG, BANG, BANG

admin — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 11:00:57 +0000

A little vignette from another place on this beautiful earth, North Korea:

Children learn a ditty called “Shoot the Yankee Bastards” in music class. One verse goes:

Our enemies are the American bastards Who are trying to take over our beautiful fatherland. With guns that I make with my own hands I will shoot them. BANG, [...]