Saturday morning, a good time to reflect on life, living, and more
Normally on a Saturday I am inclined to offer some reflections on teaching, but I saw students only one day this week - three days spent with my wife at the hospital and one day when the schools were closed (and I also spent chunks of time at the hospital). Then perhaps I might be inclined to reflect upon political events, of which clearly there were several of importance this week, or to offer my
OCT 16
Leaves on the Current - procedure done, and now we wait
Today she finished her autologous stem cell transplant. After two days of a chemo slam to wipe out the cancer cells (and in the process her immune system) today at Noon she got back her own stem cells. First she received several prophylactic medicines as a precaution - anti-nausea, diuretic, and some stuff to suppress any possible allergic reaction to the preservatives used to protect her stem c
Washington Post endorses Northam for VA Lt Gov
which is no surprise, given how crazy E. W. Jackson, the Republican nominee, is. The Post endorsement is not unexpected. But it is powerful. The relevant text can be found here at the Northam campaign website. Two paragraphs are key: In the race for lieutenant governor, a sober, low-key and well-respected Democratic state senator, Ralph S. Northam of Norfolk, is pitted against E.W. Jackson of Ch
What Bill Gates really thinks of Common Core State Standards
can be seen in this brief video clip, from when he addressed the National Council of State Legislators in 2009 Please note: he is thinking less from the standpoint of what is good for the individual students than what is good for the vendors Ask yourself, where is the focus on the individual child? And note the key words from the remarks by Gates: a large uniform base of customers our students s
OCT 15
Breaking - Virginia Inspector General finds Cucinelli's office broke the law
As you can read in this story, Virginia's state inspector general has found that Ken Cuccinelli's office used taxpayer funds to improperly help two out-of-state energy companies in their fight against Southwest Virginia landowners. In the report issued Tuesday to the Attorney General's Office, Inspector General Michael F. A. Morehart wrote that the assistant attorney general "inappropriately
House Republicans will not go along with the Senate
not without a fight the following is from a breaking news email from Politico: House Republicans will move their own debt ceiling and government funding bill, GOP leaders announced in a closed meeting Tuesday. The bill will delay Obamacare's medical device tax for two years, install income verification for Obamacare subsidies and have language to cancel health insurance subsidies for members of Co
OCT 14
The impact of sequester upon USDA - real people, real problems
let's consider just one department, the U S Dept of Agriculture, where the Secretary Tom Vilsack has done what he can to try to keep programs going. Let's start with the school lunch program: at the end of the month the schools will be relying on their own resources to fund the lunch and breakfast programs with the understanding that when and if the budget gets funded they will be reimbursed for
Krugman on fire again
So you have this neighbor who has been making your life hell. First he tied you up with a spurious lawsuit; you’re both suffering from huge legal bills. Then he threatened bodily harm to your family. Now, however, he says he’s willing to compromise: He’ll call off the lawsuit, which is to his advantage as well as yours. But in return you must give him your car. Oh, and he’ll stop threatening your
OCT 13
Stiglitz argues that "Inequality is a Choice"
not by those at the bottom of the inverted pyramid of income, but of policies of governments. In this Opinionator blog piece from the New York Times, the Nobel economic laureate takes us through the numbers. He is exploring the work of World Bank economist Branko Milanovic and others, and starts with the development of the industrial revolution to provide historical context. Consider this paragrap
Leaves is now in the hospital
preparing for the procedures that will make up her autologous stem cell transplant. The hospital asked us to check in between 9 and 10 this morning, and she has been in her room since just around 10. In preparation for the start of the heavy chemo tomorrow, she is hooked up to an IV and receiving anti-nausea meds as a precaution. She will also regularly be rinsing her mouth with a normal saline so