Ben Tre, Vietnam after U.S. raid in 1968.
“WE HAD TO DESTROY THE VILLAGE IN ORDER TO SAVE IT.”
(Common Dreams)
This “idiotic” statement of a U.S. Army Major to explain the bombing of the Ben Tre hamlet during the Vietnam war seems to be the “thinking” as well behind the current “education reform” movement directed to destroying public education in order to “save it.” What is “lost” in the current rush to privatization symbolized by charter school development is the actual education of the nation’s children; what is “saved” is the windfall of profits to those who have invested in private schools. The essence of the “business plan” for this movement is greater profit through cost reduction: the replacement of higher wage experienced teachers by new hires at lower wages and the promotion of an “accountability” model that makes teaching within the range of capabilities of inexperienced teachers who are yet capable of putting children through the rote memorization drills essential to the judgment of schools and students as “successful” ones. All one has to do is turn-around and viola! a new and more profitable school system.
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BARACK OBAMA SLEEP-WALKED HIS WAY THROUGH THE SIXTH SUMMIT OF THE AMERICAS IN CARTAGENA, COLOMBIA IN MID-APRIL
(Counterpunch)
This is the view of Robert Sandals in observing a newly-risen attitude of intransigence among even the closest allies of the U.S. in Latin America such as Colombia iteself. Well might he have dozed through a session in which the demand for de-criminalization of narcotics and ending the drug war ran afoul of U.S. intention of intensifying that war. U.S. instance with the support only of Canada on admission of Cuba to the Summit likewise put the U.S. at odds with most of the summiteers.
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“ADJUNCT” FACULTY MEMBERS ARE THE UNTOUCHABLE ELEMENT IN THE ACADEMIC CASTE SYSTEM IN NORTH AMERICAN COLLEGES AND UNIVERITITES.
(Dissident Voice)
With a corporatized faculty 70% of whom are in some variation of an adjunct or temporary position they are forced to do the dirty work of the academe with lower payer and less desirable working conditions including lack of job security. A New Faculty Movement at Vancouver Community College has achieved a great deal toward “normalizing” the employment situation of adjuncts and the movement is catching on in Washington state and across the continent.
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PERKS OF THE JOB: HARRIS COUNTY CONSTABLES IN HOUSTON RAKE IN EXTRA DOLLARS FOR DELIVERING EVICTION NOTICES.
(Houston Chronicle)
Although the delivery of landlord’s eviction notices is supposed to be “part of the job” of a constable those in Houston (but not other Texas cities like Dallas and San Antonio) are adding thousands of dollars per year to their $120k per year in fees for delivering these notices. The practice is now under investigation.
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IN SARASOTA FL ICONIC “UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER” STATUE GOES INTO A HORIZONTAL EMBRACE ON THE GRASS.
(Miami New Times)
‘The popular (and controversial) V-J statue of a soldier kissing a nurse in ecstasy for the end of WWII is struck by the car of a woman who had a seizure and lost control. The statue landed in the grass. Officials—oblivious to local “hatred” for the statue—expect to have it back in its vertical lovemaking position by VJ Day in August.
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Quote of the day…
We entered this crisis with a strong banking system and strong public financial structure. During the crisis when many countries were asking for fiscal stimulus programs.… We followed a very different route. We did just the opposite. We announced fiscal consolidation program. And we overperformed.
Deputy Prime Minister Ali Babacan attempting to explain why the Turkish economy is booming while those in Europe and America are floundering.
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Our Public School System is under attack. Learn more. If we don’t fight back Public Schools will be a thing of the past.
sure, the slavemasters r scared to tears about the ediucating process when a black AMERICAN can become smart enough to call the shots from the “white” house.
The exact same amount of money spent on private corporate “schools” should be spent on every single child in the public school system in America. The fact that we let public school funding be done through things like property taxes worsens inequity and harms society. A child born in poverty is worth just as much as a wealthy child.