Saturday, April 14, 2018

College Illiteracy is Growing | Intellectual Takeout

College Illiteracy is GrowingCollege Illiteracy is Growing | Intellectual Takeout:
"For a number of years, it was assumed that public education was swimming along, efficiently educating children of all ages. 
More recently, the products coming out of public schools have caused a troubling concern to leap into the minds of adults: are schools dumbing down the content they teach to students?
...The study examined over a thousand higher education professors and administrators in several English-speaking countries such as the U.S., Canada, Australia, and predominantly the U.K.
Judging from the comments of these professors, the students they are seeing come through their classrooms are ill-prepared, unwilling to study, and in need of kid-glove treatment. 
Some of the choice comments from these professors include:
  • “Each year, the entry requirements for undergraduate programmes are reduced, meaning we get a high number of students who are almost illiterate.”
  • “We were told [by managers that] we are not allowed to ‘draw attention to’ those students who turn up to seminars having done no preparation whatsoever because it might deter them from attending future seminars (which they also wouldn’t have been prepared for)….”
  • “Students study to pass exams, no longer to study a discipline.”
  • Few students will read the material on the reading list, [relying] instead solely on lecture handouts or PowerPoint slides….”
When asked if their students were well-prepared academically for university course work, almost half of professors disagreed:
Students Prepared for College
Meanwhile, a majority of professors agreed that today’s students are “intellectually less able” to function in a university than they were in the past:..."
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INSANITY: ‘Women’s March’ organizers irate over shutdown of ‘Backpage’ sex trafficking site – Glenn Beck

INSANITY: ‘Women’s March’ organizers irate over shutdown of ‘Backpage’ sex trafficking site – Glenn Beck:

Image result for flickr commons images Lite candle"Federal agents led a sweeping campaign to finally shut down Backpage, an online prostitution empire, and feminists are outraged — in particular, the Women’s March.
You’d think an organization that claims to be interested in women’s rights would celebrate the recent lawsuit against Backpage, the online brothel, which has perpetuated the subjugation and oppression of countless sex workers and rewarded countless sex traffickers. But then again, they are being led by Linda Sarsour, whose vision of feminism allows female genital mutilation and mandated burkas."


Microsoft Co-Founder Rolls Out World's Biggest Plane - Wingspan Surpas | Frontline Videos | Raw, Uncut, Real Videos From The Frontlines

Microsoft Co-Founder Rolls Out World's Biggest Plane - Wingspan Surpas | Frontline Videos | Raw, Uncut, Real Videos From The Frontlines:
"STRATOLAUNCH.
...Recently Allen unveiled his biggest project yet, which just happens to be the biggest plane ever built, the Stratolaunch.
With a wingspan reaching 385 feet the Stratolaunch exceeds the Spruce Goose’s previous record by 65 feet. 
This massive twin-fuselage jet is designed for the purpose of carrying rockets which will launch satellites into space.
“Over the coming weeks and months, we’ll be actively conducting ground and flight line testing at the Mojave Air and Space Port. This is a first-of-its-kind aircraft, so we’re going to be diligent throughout testing and continue to prioritize the safety of our pilots, crew and staff. Stratolaunch is on track to perform its first launch demonstration as early as 2019.
– Jean Floyd (Stratolaunch Cheif Executive)..."
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AM Fruitcake


History for April 14

Image result for Arnold Joseph Toynbee Quotes
History for April 14 - On-This-Day.com:
Anne Mansfield Sullivan 1866 - "The Miracle Worker", famous for teaching Helen Keller to read, write and speak, Arnold (Joseph) Toynbee 1889 - Historian, author, Frank Serpico 1934
Image result for Anne Mansfield SullivanImage result for Arnold Joseph Toynbee QuotesImage result for Frank Serpico Quotes

Loretta Lynn 1935 - Country singer, first woman to earn the CMA's Entertainer of the Year award, Pete Rose (Peter Edward Rose) 1941 - Baseball player, Anthony Michael Hall 1968 - Actor (Movies:"Sixteen Candles", "The Breakfast Club", TV:"The Dead Zone")
Image result for Loretta LynnImage result for Pete Rose

1828 - The first edition of Noah Webster's dictionary was published under the name "American Dictionary of the English Language."
Image result for "American Dictionary of the English Language."

1860 - The first Pony Express rider arrived in San Francisco with mail originating in St. Joseph, MO.
Image result for first Pony Express rider

1865 - U.S. President Abraham Lincoln was assassinated in Ford's Theater by John Wilkes Booth. He actually died early the next morning.
Image result for President Abraham Lincoln was assassinated

1902 - James Cash (J.C.) Penney opened his first retail store in Kemmerer, WY. It was called the Golden Rule Store.
Image result for James Cash (J.C.) Penney opened his first retail store in Kemmerer, WY.

1912 - The Atlantic passenger liner Titanic, on its maiden voyage hit an iceberg and began to sink. 1,517 people lost their lives and more than 700 survived.
Image result for Titanic, on its maiden voyage hit an iceberg and began to sink.

1925 - WGN became the first radio station to broadcast a regular season major league baseball game. The Cubs beat the Pirates 8-2.
Image result for WGN first radio station broadcast major league baseball game.

1939 - The John Steinbeck novel "The Grapes of Wrath" was first published.
Image result for "The Grapes of Wrath" was first published.

1986 - U.S. President Reagan announced the U.S. air raid on military and terrorist related targets in Libya.
See the source image

Friday, April 13, 2018

3 More California Cities Vote to Opt Out of State's Sanctuary Law | Fox News Insider

3 More California Cities Vote to Opt Out of State's Sanctuary Law | Fox News Insider:
Image result for flickr commons images Newport Beach, CA
"The Newport Beach city council voted unanimously earlier this week to challenge California's sanctuary law, joining a dozen other cities that are not interested in complying with the sanctuary policies.
It's the third city in the past two days to take such action, joining about a dozen others in recent weeks. "


The way we were-----Earth Angel - The Penguins

Boob-tube-----Inner Sanctum (1948) [Film Noir] [Mystery]

Detroit People Mover workers tripled salaries with overtime

Detroit People Mover workers tripled salaries with overtime:
"The highest-paid employee of the Detroit People Mover last year was a maintenance worker who earned $174,602 — more than triple base salary — thanks to substantial overtime, according to records obtained by a conservative newsletter.
Michigan Capitol Confidential, the news site of the conservative Mackinac Center for Public Policy think tank, received the salary information through a public records request filed with the Detroit Public Transportation Corp., the agency that runs the People Mover...
Here's what the newsletter found:
  • The highest-earning employee, an "electronic technician II,"  made $174,602 — $117,382 more than the employee's base salary of $57,220. 
  • Three of the four maintenance shift supervisors took home six figures while having an annual base salary of $61,131: one made $105,456; another, $135,395; the third, $161,368.
  • Four people with the title "mechanical technician" also made significantly more than their base salary of $46,404, with two earning six-figure amounts — $111,182 and the other $105,109 — and two just shy of 100,000, making $94,322 and $95,184.
  • Two "system control operators" earned $102,729 and $100,962, while having base salaries of $53,144.
By comparison, the People Mover's general manager made $119,565.
...Alexander said that the agency did not overspend its budget but did spend 16 times more than it earned in revenue from user fares. 
...The People Mover costs $25.4 million to operate, according to National Transit Database.

• Chart: Where Home Buyers Need Deep Pockets | Statista

• Chart: Where Home Buyers Need Deep Pockets | Statista
"For many young people across the United States, the prospect of home ownership is becoming an increasingly distant dream. 
A recent Unison report found that it's more costly than ever to purchase a new home with coastal cities worst affected. 
...It found that prospective buyers would need highest salary in New York where an average home would require a salary of $418,000 today, the least affordable city nationwide. 
...It isn't all negative, however, and it will certainly come as a relief to know that some cities are bucking the trend of high property prices. 
Chicago is a good example with the salary required to purchase a home there just $64,948. 
...At the very opposite end of the scale, Detroit is one of the cheapest major U.S. cities for home-buyers. 
Someone searching for a house or an apartment there would only need a salary of $8,328.
Read all.
Infographic: Where Home Buyers Need Deep Pockets  | Statista

Jerry Brown, Andrew Cuomo use pardons to circumvent immigration laws, prevent deportations - Washington Times

Jerry Brown, Andrew Cuomo use pardons to circumvent immigration laws, prevent deportations - Washington Times:

Image result for flickr commons images Gov. Jerry Brown"Dan Cadman, a fellow at the Center for Immigration Studies, said veteran cases are tricky, and leniency might be appropriate in some instances, but an honorable discharge shouldn’t be the only bar to cross.
“I have a lot of unanswered questions in this particular case,” he said.
In general, he said, granting pardons to help people escape immigration consequences “seems to me an egregious misuse of the pardon authority.”"

Report: Many state pension systems have huge funding gaps

Report: Many state pension systems have huge funding gaps
See the source imageCHERRY HILL, N.J. (AP) — A public employee pension crisis for state governments has deepened to a record level even after nearly nine years of economic recovery for the nation, according to a study released Thursday, leaving many states vulnerable if the economy hits a downturn.
The massive unfunded pension liabilities are becoming a real problem not just for public-sector retirees and workers concerned about their future but also for everyone else.
As states try to prop up their pension funds, it means less money is available for core government services such as education, public safety and parks.
The annual report from the Pew Charitable Trusts finds that public worker pension funds with heavy state government involvement owed retirees and current workers $4 trillion as of 2016.
They had about $2.6 trillion in assets, creating a gap of about one-third, or a record $1.4 trillion.
While the study looks only at pension funds with major state-government involvement, systems run by cities, counties, school districts and other local entities have had similar problems..."
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For Each Gallon Of Water Michigan’s People Use, 288 Gallons Fall From The Sky [Michigan Capitol Confidential]

For Each Gallon Of Water Michigan’s People Use, 288 Gallons Fall From The Sky [Michigan Capitol Confidential]:
"For every gallon of water consumed by Michigan’s residents and businesses, 288 gallons fall upon the state as rain, in an average year.
Image result for nestle Evart Township protestsSince almost all of Michigan lies within the Great Lakes watershed, much of that rainfall makes its way into the lakes.
From there it will eventually flow down the St. Lawrence River and into the Atlantic Ocean, or else evaporate into the atmosphere, to be replenished by new rainfalls.
According to the state, in 2015 about 187.7 billion gallons of water was used by Michigan’s people in their homes, farms, factories, businesses and electric power plants.
That seems like a tremendous amount of water, but it appears much less so when compared to the amount of precipitation that falls on Michigan in an average year: 54.2 trillion gallons.
Here’s how those numbers look together:
     187,700,000,000
54,200,000,000,000
...Nestle is now permitted to use up to 73 million gallons a year at its facility in Evart Township in Osceola County.
The township gets an average 32.73 inches of annual rainfall, which drops a total of 20.5 billion gallons of water upon it in a typical year."

Lunch video-----Why Do People In Old Movies Talk Weird?

Noon-toon


The Census and Immigration: Ask the Question | The Heritage Foundation

The Census and Immigration: Ask the Question | The Heritage Foundation:

Image result for free clip Question Mark"“Galling,” pronounced The New York Times in an editorial titled “The Trump Administration Sabotages The Census.” Along with many other critics, the Times insists that the question will lead to a vast undercounting of the immigrant population.
Such a prospect alarms opponents such as the editors at The Washington Post, who at least admit their concern is more about political power: “Whether by design or incompetence, the Trump administration is threatening to rig the count against Democrats.”
Or maybe — just maybe — the administration is trying to get a better handle on how many non-citizens we have in our country. "


Amazon's Alexa could soon be eavesdropping on your conversations - ITV News

See the source imageAmazon's Alexa could soon be eavesdropping on your conversations - ITV News:
"Soon, your Amazon Echo device could be listening in on your conversations in a bid to personalise advertising to your needs.
Amazon are currently chasing a patent that will allow them to bank the things you say even when you're not speaking directly to your device.
These so-called "sniffer algorithms" could learn all of your likes and dislikes, and use them to target adverts with products Amazon thinks you would like.
...Amazon insists it is committed to user privacy, adding that the patent request in the US does not represent their current development plans.
"We take privacy seriously and have built multiple layers of privacy into our Echo devices," an Amazon spokesman said.

4 in 10 millennials don't know 6 million Jews were killed in Holocaust, study shows - CBS News

4 in 10 millennials don't know 6 million Jews were killed in Holocaust, study shows - CBS News
See the source imageNEW YORK -- More than one-fifth of millennials in the U.S. -- 22 percent -- haven't heard of, or aren't sure if they've heard of, the Holocaust, according to a study published Thursday, on Israel's Holocaust Remembrance Day. 
The study, which was commissioned by The Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany and conducted by Schoen Consulting, also found that 11 percent of U.S. adults overall haven't heard of the Holocaust or aren't sure if they did.
Additionally, 41 percent of millennials believe two million Jews or fewer were killed during the Holocaust, the study found. 
Six million Jews were killed in World War II by Nazi Germany and its accomplices. Two-thirds of millennials could not identify in the survey what Auschwitz was..."
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#1 This day 1961-----The Marcels - Blue Moon

The Mass Shooting You'll Never Hear About - Bearing Arms

The Mass Shooting You'll Never Hear About - Bearing Arms
See the source image"Imagine, if you will, what the news would have looked like if all the authorities who had seen the red flags had acted prior to the mass shooting at Marjorie Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. 
What would the political landscape look like today?
Well, we don’t have to imagine. 
We don’t have to imagine because we have a real-life example.
Gardena police found several guns and a cache of ammunition at the home of a high school student who threatened campus violence in two social media posts this week, authorities said.
The investigation began Thursday when police received a call regarding a threat to Serra High School, according to the Gardena Police Department. Investigators identified a student who posted a threatening message earlier this week.
The teen posted a more specific threat Thursday, saying that violence would take place on campus. Detectives arrested the teen, who was not named, on suspicion of making criminal threats and possessing a firearm as a juvenile.
In other words, the teen made a threat, the police acted, and no one is dead.
That’s what should have happened in Parkland, but didn’t
In Gardena — a mass shooting no one will ever hear about because it was prevented — the efficiency of the local authorities saved countless lives. 
Why? 
Because they acted.
While the anti-gun left is focused like a laser on guns, there were numerous failures that led to Parkland. 
By now, most of us have heard about them. 
At every level, it seems, the shooter was given a pass by supposed adults who didn’t do their jobs. 
...Use the system in place. 
Use it correctly. 
Making threats is a crime. 
It’s grounds for investigating further and, if necessary, arresting someone for more than making a threat. 
Use that to end these horrible tragedies.
Don’t punish people who had nothing to do with it."
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Nation’s "Report Card" Shows Federal Intervention Has Not Helped Students | The Heritage Foundation

Nation’s "Report Card" Shows Federal Intervention Has Not Helped Students | The Heritage Foundation:

Image result for free clip art School"Yet more than half a century after Johnson signed Elementary and Secondary Education Act into law, and 38 years after the Department of Education became operational, it has become clear that federal intervention in K-12 education has failed to achieve its primary goal: reducing gaps in academic outcomes between disadvantaged students and their more advantaged peers.
On Tuesday, the National Center for Education Statistics at the Department of Education released the highly anticipated results of the 2017 National Assessment of Educational Progress, often referred to as the nation’s “report card,” underscoring that point"

Marathon Pundit: Harvey pension debacle could be first of many in Illinois

Image result for pension disasterMarathon Pundit: Harvey pension debacle could be first of many in Illinois:
"Later this week Harvey, Illinois will lay off half of its police officers and firefighters because the corrupt south suburb of Chicago has been shorting its pension funds for years.
More may be coming.
From WTTW Chicago:
This could just be the first shoe to drop.

The city of North Chicago is being penalized as well. And according to an analysis by Amanda Kass, a researcher at the University of Chicago, there are 74 police or fire pension funds in towns across the state that are as similarly underfunded as Harvey (you can download that list of funds here). ..
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