We are a commune of inquiring, skeptical, politically centrist, capitalist, anglophile, traditionalist New England Yankee humans, humanoids, and animals with many interests beyond and above politics. Each of us has had a high-school education (or GED), but all had ADD so didn't pay attention very well, especially the dogs. Each one of us does "try my best to be just like I am," and none of us enjoys working for others, including for Maggie, from whom we receive neither a nickel nor a dime. Freedom from nags, cranks, government, do-gooders, control-freaks and idiots is all that we ask for.
The practical validity of g as a predictor of educational, economic, and social outcomes is more far-ranging and universal than that of any other known psychological variable. The validity of g is greater the greater the complexity of the task.
When I applied to medical school, they gave us an IQ test and a personality-oriented interview (along with the usual exams we all took).
For every kind of task, g is the best single predictor of performance. Not the only, but the "best single" predictor for performance in all life settings (but diligence, adaptability, social skills, judgement, emotional maturity, integrity, collegiality, ability to delay gratification, sports skills, appearance, and all the rest of individual traits and talents and psychological traits obviously matter too, to varying degrees).
The claimed respect held by an organization of Boycott, Divest and Sanction (BDS) anti-Israel California professors toward academic freedom and open exchange of views is contradicted by their actual activities and speech. On November 6, the electorate of California will vote on whether to increase their taxes, against the threat by Governor Brown that the state’s severe deficits will otherwise have to be made up by cuts to education funding. The letter from California Scholars For Academic Freedom and the facts behind it do not argue for taxpayers increasing their taxes in order to fund abusers and deniers of academic freedom.
Thirty-five of the 134 California Scholars For Academic Freedom (CSAF) wrote to each member of the California State Assembly denouncing their unanimous passing of House Resolution 35. As they say:
HR 35 does not create new law, but it calls upon university administrators to deny First Amendment rights to students and faculty. The Assembly resolution states,”[university] leadership from the top remains an important priority so that no administrator, faculty, or student group can be in any doubt that anti-Semitic activity will not be tolerated in the classroom or on campus, and that no public resources will be allowed to be used for anti-Semitic or any intolerant agitation.”
Common wisdom coming into today’s debate was that Obama needed a win to reverse Romney’s momentum, whereas a tie would have been sufficient for Romney to keep capitalizing on the new campaign dynamic. I think that was right. While I think Romney did a bit better than Obama tonight, neither side can point to an obvious, lopsided victory.
The core dynamic here is that Romney has proven himself to be a perfectly acceptable alternative to Obama. The silly portrayal of Romney in all those negative ads has been exploded. Obama’s inevitability is gone. The underlying state of the country, which is not at all good, has become the issue. All of that is bad for Obama and very good for Romney.
For those following the campaign, the Townhall is mostly repeat of talking points. For those who haven't, the collection of talking points may be informative. The questions come from the 82 uncommitted voters from the NY area chosen by Gallup. Their questions reflect a NY perspective, and did not come across as from an uncommitted voter. If it were a slugfest, it goes by slight points to Obama, but Obama fails to score big, still has no second term agenda, and Romney holds own well. Each's supporters got what they wanted. The undecideds? See the reactions below. -- If it were a snooze, we needed more colorful NY-type characters. Probably the most injurious moment to Obama was when a black man who voted for him in 2008 says he has doubts now. Probaly the other most injurious moments to Obama was the number of NY accents and the slant of their questions, a turn off to most of the rest of the country. A draw or slight edge in points won't get Obama re-elected. -- IMHO,post-Townhall fact-checking will expose more Obama falsehoods, which will impact undecideds.
Instapoll/Focus Groups:Fox-Luntz focus group has many 2008 Obama voters switching to Romney. Obama aggressive. Romney hammers on Obama's failures. Very fact-based. ---- CBS instapoll: Obama 37%, Romney 30%, Tie 33%; 65% say Romney won on economy, 35% Obama ; CNN 48% not persuaded to either, 25% to each, Obama spent 49% of time attacking, much less by Romney, Romney favored 58% on economy, 49% on healthcare, 59% on deficits, 61% say Obama does not offer clear plan for solving country's problems, otherwise the poll details are largely down the middle, overall 46% Obama, 39% Romney but the details lean Romney. That will tell in the post-Townhall fact-checking.
Round One, Jobs: Both promise jobs in the future. Romney has experience creating jobs. Obama has had 4-years not doing so.
Round Two, Energy: Obama says oil imports lowest in 20-years. Doesn't mention depressed economy uses less. Romney points out that all increases in production on private land and despite federal interference and opposition. Obama interrupts Romney repeatedly, showing his inner-Biden. Finally, Romney tells Obama to let him finish speaking. Obama lies and lies.
Round Three, Taxes: Romney will not raise taxes on middle class, and will broaden tax base. Obama channels his inner Occupy, and his Big Bird. Romney says Obama takes US on road to Greece. Candy Crowley keeps interrupting, expected.
The admissions officers seem to believe that those planning to attend college view it largely as a signaling device that directs the best and brightest young Americans to the best and highest-paying jobs. It is not primarily about acquiring knowledge ("human capital"), critical learning or leadership skills, or better perceiving the difference between right and wrong, but more about achieving the American Dream of a comfortable, moderately affluent
Frank Rich: The Tea Party Will Win in the End - This is a nation that loathes government and always has. Liberals should not be deluded: The Goldwater revolution will ultimately triumph, regardless of what happens in November.
The Politics of Impatience - For Michael Grunwald, the president’s vision matters more than his results.
That is, jury makes decision before completion of the argument. Whoever came up with this idea? Why not make voting year-round? In my opinion, no early voting. Election Day is Election Day. Show up, or don't vote. Absentee voting only for those overseas. Very simple.
If you're at your vacation place, too bad. If you're a lazy jerk, too bad. Show up on election day with your ID and vote as we have always done. It's an American ritual.
The VFW Magazine for October 2012 has an interesting article about the veterans vote.
Veterans alone make up some 13% of the population and historically they register their opinions at the ballot box. In 2008, they accounted for 15% of all voters, a bloc larger than single men (14%), blacks (13%) or Hispanics (9%).
Active duty troops, though, were less likely to vote. Only 29% of them cast ballots in the 2010 midterm elections, compared to 46% of eligible voters.
According to exit polls, in 2004, Bush led Kerry by 16% among veterans, in 2008 McCain led Obama by 10% among veterans. According to Gallup, in 2012, Romney leads Obama by 24% among veterans.
Wonder why there's been complaints about some localities not energetically following through on getting absentee ballots out to those on active duty? For examples, the Romney campaign today filed suit in Wisconsin to ensure that all absentee military ballots are counted, after at least 30 Wisconsin municipalities failed to send overseas ballots 45 days before the election, which is required under the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voter Act (UOCAVA). In Michigan, there's a similar state suit against 24 townships and cities. Similar lowjinks in Vermont. More here. Democrat voting boards?
This is either endlessly amusing or endlessly pathetic.
Or both.
For the background, you'll want to read the only real-time evolving post I've ever written. Glenn Reynolds liked it so much he gave it a link when the madness was over.
And, of course, as the holiday shopping season advances further and further every year, and more and more people buy their presents at some "Pre-Christmas Summer Close-Out Sale", fewer and fewer people spend their money during December, the actual holiday shopping season.
As such, every year after Christmas, the major chains complain more and more about how holiday sales were "disappointing". Every year, a longer season, and a bigger disappointment.
Now, in a rational world, the retailers would recognize this terrible trend and do something to counter it. Like, oh, actually leaving the holiday shopping season for the holidays.
Despite the loud sighs and eye rolling that usually occurs when shoppers see Christmas decorations in stores parked next to an aisle of Halloween candy, shoppers are taking advantage of the layaway programs, the toy reservation schemes and early discounting as a way to soften the holiday’s blow to the household budget.
If you read my article, you'll recognize 'early discounting' as one of the innumerable, interminable reasons for the disappointing season.
But wait, you cry! That's just one silly article. Surely, the media isn't actually going to fall for such tomfoolery, are they?
New York City has been governed by liberals for generations. Surely if blue policies could produce an egalitarian utopia with a strong middle class, we would see it in New York before we would see it anywhere else. If liberals were good at running cities, people from all over the world would be coming to study New York’s public schools, marveling at the extraordinary success with which unionized teachers were transforming the lives of low income kids. Our transit system would be the envy of the world as well; awestruck visitors from benighted places like Shanghai and Tokyo would come to gaze in amazement at the speed, cleanliness and economy of the New York subways. Small business formation would be booming as the bustling economy of manufacturing start ups created opportunities in the inner cities.
Yet, somehow, this isn’t happening. It’s great mystery.
NYC thrives and is vibrant despite its government, not because it it. It's just lucky enough to be a people-magnet. A magnet for talented and/or ambitious young people from all over the world.
We were driving around blue New England yesterday. We did not see a single Obama bumper sticker or yard sign. We saw one Romney yard sign. They might vote Blue, but the thrill is gone. We even saw a number of Priuses with the factory-installed Obama stickers removed or painted over.
For years, the blogger mom who uses the pseudonym Bookwormroom (to protect her family from liberals in her very blue neighborhood) and I have exchanged emails. The topic is usually about our children, near the same ages. Our private conversations are reflected in her new e-book, "Easy Ways To Teach Kids Hard Things: The fun way to teach your children important life principles." It is only $1.99 on Amazon, so order yours here.
From Bookie's introduction to the e-book:
[I]t will share a life philosophy that I’ve applied to my parenting, one that has resulted in my having children who respect me and who frequently tell me that their friends think I’m the coolest parent around (and that’s not because I’m a pushover)....
After struggling for too many years to be the perfect parent, I gave up and settled for being a pretty darn good parent. My philosophy is that, whether I am sharing my values with my children, helping them with their school work, or generally giving them tips about navigating their way through the world, if I hew to a few basic principles, rather than following dozens, or even hundreds, of modern parenting rules, parenting is less work and more fun. Happily, once I stopped trying so hard to control every aspect of my children’s lives, and started focusing more attention on overarching principles, not only did parenting get easier, my children also became nicer people....
They will also be more self-sufficient and, with luck, have a strong moral compass and analytical abilities that enable them to deal with many of the difficult situations life places in their paths....
They’re not perfect – far from it – but I can honestly say that they are good people in the areas that count. On any issue, even if their judgment is immature, their moral instincts are spot on. My kids are also good students, which is a testament not only to their discipline and intelligence but (as they will freely concede) to the practical tips and insights I’ve given them over the years.
The foundation I’ve put in place is what informs my children’s decision-making, both practical and moral. I’ve actually put my theories into practice and seen them work.
Bookie sees the results with her kids, and I see them with mine. This works for moms and dads.
I had more good recent links on the topic, but I lost them in cyberspace. The governments of the world, and the UN, seem to be on a big censorship kick these days. While we can assume that governments love censorship to protect themselves, it seems to me that the latest excuse is fear of Muslim barbarianism.
Muslims deeply offend my Christian, Jewish, and Buddhist friends daily. Let them, as long as it is just hateful and crazy words. Good manners cannot be made illegal: we'd all end up in trouble for talking with food in our mouths.
Governments always make an excuse to exert control and power over their citizens. For their own good, of course.
The challenge to American education is to provide a useful education to the large number of Americans who are unlikely to benefit from a college education or from high school courses aimed at preparing students for college. The need is for a different curriculum and for a greater investment in these children’s preschool environment. We should recognize that we have different populations with different schooling needs and that curricula and teaching methods should be revised accordingly.
"Investment in the preschool environment"? What does that mean? It's been proven many times that Head Start accomplishes nothing other than to employ expensive babysitters on the taxpayers' dime.
I'm not sure whether I agree with all of the judge's thoughts, but definitely with some of them. It reminds me of those hospital ratings that came out a few years ago. NYC's Memorial Sloan-Kettering came out at the bottom. Too much morbidity and mortality. Of course, it is the world's pre-eminent cancer center for research and care.
Do they "care" at Sloan-Kettering? They sure do. Wonderful people, doing God's work. I know. They have world expert teams for every kind of cancer.
It's still Fall Planting Season in the temperate zone. Most of these laurels will not thrive above Zone 7 unless in a shaltered location.
Lots of plants are called "laurel" without being real members of the Lauraceae family. Bay Laurel and Avocado are true laurels.
Our eastern Mountain Laurel, the state plant of CT which grows in dense, impenetrable 20' high thickets on our hills, is not a true laurel. Neither are the Cherry Laurels, which are (strangely) in the family Rosaceae, genus Prunus - same genus as roses, apples, and cherries. (Seems anything can get called "laurel" if it has glossy oval evergreen leaves.)
The Cherry Laurels (Prunus laurocerasus) appear in several forms, subspecies, or cultivars in the US, and few are native to the US. Here are a few of them. I like them for the lush, tropical evergreen appearance, and the birds like them for winter cover and for spring nesting.
Like hybrid Rhodadendrons, Zone 6 is pushing their limit unless they are sheltered, next to a warm building, or near salt water. The southern US is really a better place for them, but I like experimenting. Although they are considered semi-shade or filtered light plants, up here they seem to enjoy plenty of sun.
I have three varieties: the big, upright, fast-growing "Skip" Laurels ('Schipkaensis') which make a great tall (10-15' hedge), a few small hedges of Otto Luyken English Laurel, and a couple of handsome Portuguese Laurels, a compact, slow-growing rounded type with nice red stems. The latter two were produced by Monrovia.
Wonderful plants, all things considered, and a much better bet than trying to make the very picky Mountain Laurel and hybrid Rhodys happy in this neck of the woods. Mountain Laurel, like Blueberry, only grows well where it feels like growing. If they don't like the conditions, they just die, slowly.
Photos: Above: small row of Otto Luykens in from the of the wall, and some tall Skips behind. Left: A Portuguese Laurel, about 5' high.
ADMISSIONS OFFICER: 
It's actually about general intelligence, aka "g," of which IQ is a standard measure. 
Commenter at Ace's 
*Yet Another In An Endless String Of
