2011 archive
On the No Account 0
The Nation:
The problem with accountability here is that the folks who crashed and burned the economy are, as my father would have said, fundamentally no account.
The only account they count is bank account.
Glitz on the Fritz 0
A friend of mine used to say, “The lowest possible level of technology that accomplishes the goal is the proper level of technology.”
Premonitions of the Fall 0
I date the decline of American business to the time when products (and persons) stopped being “products” (and persons) and became “brands.”
Corporate Takeovers 0
And just how is this different from a “leveraged buyout” followed by laying off all the employees, selling the assets off, and running off with the money?
QOTD 0
James Boswell, from the Quotemaster (subscribe here):
I hate mankind, for I think myself one of the best of them, and I know how bad I am.
Herman Cain’t 0
Daniel Ruth takes a look at the Cain-paign:
Click to read the rest.
Worst Persons 0
There is no upside to selling prisoners or “for profit” prisons.
On Trashing Teachers 0
At Science 2.0, Enrico Uva takes a look at teachers and teaching and concludes that much energy is wasted in fixing what ain’t broke.
(1) Improving morale among teachers
(2) improving dismal teacher training
(3) raising hiring standards
(4) and most importantly forming bridges between industry, research and schools.
By scapegoating teachers, politicians divert attention from their failures in supporting and funding (the means by which support is most commonly shown for government services) teachers, even as flocks of administrators, some of whom have no teaching experience and consequently no clues, continue to grow.
Read the whole thing; it’s short.
The Four F’s: America’s Scrap Heap 0
Find ’em, fleece ’em, fire ’em, forget ’em.
Early last year, 75 percent were receiving checks. The figure is now 48 percent — a shift that points to a growing crisis of long-term unemployment. Nearly one-third of America’s 14 million unemployed have had no job for a year or more.
Republican Family Values 0
The gift that keeps on giving.
Everybody Must Get Fracked 0
This should be interesting:
The legal appeal could shake up decision-making across the commonwealth, where the combination of small towns and a big industry make the occurrence of officials holding leases nearly inevitable. Now, in South Fayette’s case, taxpayers are paying solicitor fees on both sides.
Facebook Frolics 0
Judge is Facebook friends with defendant, who is a figure in local politics.
Judge dismisses charges DUI charges, questioning the credibility of the arresting officers.
Should the judge have recused himself?
Dustbiters 0
The FDIC is nibbling its way through the Midwest and West this evening.
Bank no more on these turkeys:
You’d think they’d run out of master of the universe in need of emasterculating.