The American "education" machine is broken!





Latest Analysis, Commentary and Opinion*
(The title of each article is linked to the complete article)

Thursday, April 8, 2010

‘Is anyone in Washington smarter than a 12th-grader?‘
   Politicians piece by Offsite (4/8/10)

I’m very proud of my daughter Dakota. She is a 17-year-old high school senior who has been home-schooled since birth—literally. She has never seen the inside of a classroom. The results? She has attained perfect SAT test scores, has become a world-class athlete (representing her country at World Cup fencing events) and puts every politician in America to shame with levels of intelligence and common sense rarely seen within the city limits of Washington, D.C.

Nevada gaming revenues jump 13.9 percent in February
   Economics piece by Offsite (4/8/10)

Nevada recorded its first double-digit increase in gaming revenues in almost three years during February.

The Simplest Guide to what the US Government can do that You will Ever Find
   The Republic piece by Kevin Price Kevin Price (4/8/10)

More Americans are aware of the huge problems facing are republic than at any time in recent decades. Our unemployment is approaching Great Depression levels, our deficits are growing annually at a rate similar to what our entire national debt was just a few decades ago, and the government is pumping dollars into our money supply in the trillions of dollars, putting us on pace for hyperinflation. Everyone seems to be aware of what is wrong, but are unaware as to why and, more importantly, how to fix it. That is why I developed this simple guide.

U.S. Treasuries in the ‘Danger Zone’
   Economics piece by Offsite (4/8/10)

This may be the biggest irony ever - but even bond managers reportedly are questioning the wisdom of buying bonds now.

Economy Will Hit Crawl in Second Half of Year
   Economics piece by Offsite (4/8/10)

Pimco co-CEO Mohammed El-Erian says growth in the U.S. economy will continue to appear healthy during the first half of 2010 because markets will bounce back amid the huge fiscal stimulus and inventory rebuilding.

Wednesday, April 7, 2010

Obama Administration Eyes New Taxes, Fees for National Broadband Network
   Internet piece by Offsite (4/7/10)

The Obama administration has a plan to expand online innovation and boost national public safety. And it wants to do it with more taxes and higher fees.

Here Comes the Bull Run in Stocks
   Investments piece by Offsite (4/7/10)

In what may be the most brilliant news for stocks in a long time, star bond fund manager Bill Gross is suggesting that the 30-year bull market in fixed-income securities is ending and a new bull market is emerging in equities.

Emerging Markets to Overtake U.S.
   Economics piece by Offsite (4/7/10)

Emerging markets such as India and China will eventually manage economies that are larger than the United States within a few decades, says New York University economist Nouriel Roubini.

Tuesday, April 6, 2010

The Lullaby of Broadband
   Internet piece by AynRandInstitute: Thomas Bowden (4/6/10)

WASHINGTON—“In a Wall Street Journal op-ed, the CEOs of both Google and Verizon have endorsed that portion of the FCC’s new National Broadband Plan that calls for ‘making high-speed Internet connections available to all Americans,‘ writes Tom Bowden, analyst with the Ayn Rand Center. “Oh, and by the way, the executives agree it should be accomplished with ‘minimal government involvement.‘

Bond Market Bubble to Pop, Catapult Stocks
   Investments piece by Offsite (4/6/10)

Investors’ love affair with bonds appears to be ending, leading many financial advisers to expect a surge in stocks.

Monday, April 5, 2010

Madonna: Sex Selling Hypocrite
   Society piece by Warner Todd Huston (4/5/10)

I guess as a youngster she was busy designing wacky, risque outfits when she should have been learning the definitions of words, but Madonna—the famed “Material Girl”—uttered a whopper recently misusing the word “irony” when she ‘should’ have been using the word “hypocrite”... as in what ‘she’ is.

Economic Momentum Building in Jobs Creation
   Economics piece by Offsite (4/5/10)

Former Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan says the U.S. economy is building momentum and the risk of a double-dip recession has faded significantly.

Judge says threats to confiscate children may be coercion
   Police State piece by Offsite (4/5/10)

An Arizona homeschool family’s constitutional lawsuit against authorities - including sheriff’s deputies, social service workers and even an assistant attorney general - has been advanced by a judge who ruled that a threat to take the family’s children into custody could have been perceived as coercion.

Sunday, April 4, 2010

Overpriced Edukshun Is Threatening Our Economic Future
   EdukShun piece by Malcolm T. Hedges (4/4/10)

College students are rushing into huge debt to finance their “edukshun” at various overpriced skools.

Recession Spurs Student Lending in U.S.: Equifax
   EdukShun piece by Offsite (4/4/10)

(Reuters) - Even as U.S. consumers try to pay down debt, students have taken out an unprecedented number of loans, with negative long-term implications for the housing and auto markets.

China Seeking ‘Asian Alliance’
   Asia piece by Offsite (4/4/10)

A March 11, 2010 online New York Times article by Martin Fackler was titled, “In Japan, U.S. Losing Diplomatic Ground to China.“ Originally, the article was published in the New York Times on Jan. 23, 2010.

Competence Needed for Public Defenders
   Law piece by Offsite (4/4/10)

If you were charged with a crime, would you rather be rich and guilty or poor and innocent?

Internet link case to go before Supreme Court
   Internet piece by Offsite (4/4/10)

Can posting a link to someone else’s website constitute defamation?

Saturday, April 3, 2010

Our Warrior Class
   Military piece by Alan Caruba (4/3/10)

I come from a generation, just as several before it, that was drafted into military service. The Draft, conscription, goes back to the days of the Civil War and, before that, it was understood that able-bodied men would serve in militias.

Dollar Poised to Soar, Walk All Over Euro
   Dollar piece by Offsite (4/3/10)

Positive U.S. economic fundamentals, especially compared to the situation in Europe and Japan, give the dollar more room to soar, experts say.

‘Overvalued’ Stocks Could Fall 30 Percent
   Investments piece by Offsite (4/3/10)

Despite a sluggish economic recovery, U.S. stock prices have surged more than 75 percent from the lows of last March.

U.S. May Spark China Trade War
   Foreign Policy piece by Offsite (4/3/10)

The U.S. government may spark a trade war with China if it calls the Asian giant a “currency manipulator” in an upcoming report, says New York University economist Nouriel Roubini.

U.S. Economy Faces Severe Risks
   Economics piece by Offsite (4/3/10)

Award-winning journalist Arnaud de Borchgrave says the U.S. economy is endangered by a variety of risks while the nation continues to borrow billions from China to maintain a high standard of living and bondholders are flirting with default.

Friday, April 2, 2010

NSA Wiretaps Illegal, Rules Federal Judge
   National Security piece by Jim Kouri (4/2/10)

On Wednesday, a federal judge ruled that federal agents failed to obtain a search warrant and therefore illegally wiretapped the phone conversations of an Islamic charity and two American lawyers.

Mayan, Mahdi or Messianic - Don’t Ask the History Channel
   Disaster piece by Rev Bresciani (4/2/10)

Television is inundated with dark portents of the planet’s future. In a sweeping smorgasbord of choices we are warned of asteroids, nuclear war, worldwide epidemics and a Pandora’s Box of wild possibilities about the end of the world. Confused yet? Is judgment day an equal opportunity employer?

The Dandelion’s Revenge
   Health piece by Guest: Michael R. Shannon (4/2/10)

As I sneezed, snorted, hacked, blew and dripped my way through the sermon last Sunday, I pondered - as I fumbled for more tissue - where exactly does pollen fit into God’s plan?

Thursday, April 1, 2010

A Matter of Heart
   Health Care piece by Thomas D. Segel (4/1/10)

Harlingen, Texas, April 1, 2010:  Our newspapers, televisions, radios and the Internet have continued to provide us with assorted non-stop negative and positive narrative on healthcare for months.  It has been examined from various political vantage points; it has been given humanistic spin; it has been sliced and diced.  There is little about healthcare or health insurance reform that has not been examined.

Teachers union pushes for larger class sizes taught by bad teachers
   Unions piece by GoldwaterInstitute: Matthew Ladner (4/1/10)

During a special session last year, the Arizona Legislature passed a budget provision which said in the event of layoffs, school districts could not use years of service as the only factor for determining which teachers to let go. The Arizona Education Association—the teachers union—is trying to overturn the measure by filing a lawsuit on technical grounds. The union also is opposing a similar measure before the Legislature this year.

Judge says seizing ‘Million Dollar Bill’ tracts illegal
   Police State piece by Offsite (4/1/10)

A federal judge has ruled the seizure of thousands of Gospel tracts from a Texas ministry by U.S. Secret Service agents not only was illegal, it violated Fourth Amendment protections against an overbearing and intrusive government.