Apollo wrote on Mar 14, 2008 9:26 PM: Re: Jim Anderman (letter)
Democrat Eliot Spitzer was caught red-handed and in a couple of days he is gone.
Republicans Larry Craig (solicitation in a public restroom) and David Vitter (prostitution) are caught, give tearful apologies alongside their humiliated wives, and almost a year later both are still in the Senate.
Don't Republicans believe in taking personal responsibility?

sdraoul wrote on Mar 14, 2008 11:35 PM:Larry Craig was stupid by pleading guilty to something that wasn't a crime. He never verbally solicited the undercover cop nor did he touch the man. Minnesota is a funny place, they arrest you for non-crimes.

Nonetheless, Craig was stupid.

As for Vitter, he was never caught soliciting or being with or paying a hooker. His phoen number was on a lsit the Washington Madame gave to authorities and reporters, in an effort to beat her pimping rap. Vitter is stupid but he really wasn't caught doing anything criminal and no one could possibly charge him with anything.

Spitzer, on the other hand, was not only stupid, he was arrogant, pompous and is a real hypocrite.

To Apollo's red herring wrote on Mar 15, 2008 12:21 AM:Democrats long ago came to accept philandering politicians and forgive them their transgressions, but Elliot Spitzer's case was different: Mr. Spitzer was a prosecutor who made his reputation going after white collar criminals and prostitution rings: he shut down two of them with great fanfare, exuding a ‘holier than thou’ attitude when announcing publicly their arrests. Beyond that, if he used campaign funds to defray the expense of such a clearly illicit commercial enterprise, transporting his escort across state lines, then he is in violation of federal criminal statutes, the same ones he used to enforce as a prosecutor. Such blatant hypocrisy could only be overlooked by the liberal mind. Neither David Vitter nor Larry Craig were known for prosecuting prostitutes and, like his colleague Barney Frank, at least Larry Craig could look Americans in the eye and say he did not have sex with any young women. Cheers! Conservative-1.

SOLON ... wrote on Mar 15, 2008 12:31 AM:… Phil Epstein (letter today) castigates Sen. Obama for his Christian affiliation. Seems to me almost all war-mongers in our Congress claim to be Christian. Bush boasts that he listens to the voice of God, who led him to start a war that has caused the death of half a million innocent Iraqi children, driven four million Iraqis out of their homes, and led to the rape and torture of so many young men and women in Abu Ghraib. Mr. Bush delivered a rousing defense of his war this past Tuesday, mixing faith and foreign policy as he told a group of Christian broadcasters that his policies in Iraq were based on the belief that freedom was God-given right.
Therefore, Mr. Bush forced the God-given right of freedom by destroying the land, wreaking pestilence and pogroms upon them in God’s name and by his command. The Christian broadcasters erupted in maddening applause. Epstein is right: Something is very immoral about this religion and its teaching.

Sex is NORMAL - wrote on Mar 15, 2008 12:48 AM:-- When will Americans realize that sex of all types is normal, prostitution will always be with us and making it crime is just plain stupid (the only exception is where children are concerned). On the hypocrisy issue, yes he was a hypocrite…that is harder to criminalize than prostitution, otherwise we would have few politicians in congress. The only person that should be concerned with Eliot’s sex life as long as it is between consenting adults are the participants.
If I have a choice of bringing down a person who overpaid for sex with a hooker or a person who started a war costing trillions and destroying the lives of millions…it’s a no brainer. Let’s concentrate on the important things like preserving our constitution, saving the planet and getting out the Iraq.

HYPOCRISY . wrote on Mar 15, 2008 1:07 AM:. Elliot Spitzer’s downfall was his manic hypocrisy. That is a serious crime. That is why so many Congressmen have gone to prison.

Spitzer is a small fry wrote on Mar 15, 2008 1:19 AM:= Spitzer’s behavior is fundamentally just another American sex scandal, based yet again on our absurd and doomed-to-fail, puritanical sexual morality.
Yes, Spitzer must be held to account for breaking the law, but so should the top two criminals in the White House for their much more serious crimes. The laws must be enforced, and for the purpose of justice only. Selective enforcement for political purposes must be banned. Also, the violation of the marriage vow is personal and should not be pursued publicly for any reason. Instead, the family should seek redress for that out of public view.
A president who fails to uphold justice is contributing to the corruption of the society and should be pressured, socially, economically, and politically to change behavior. Mr. Bush not only fails to uphold justice against the Telecom executives who broke the law, but openly seeks to provide them retroactive AMNESTY by changing the law. Worse, Bush-Cheney broke sacrosanct laws and treaties against War Crimes.

The man who got it right .. wrote on Mar 15, 2008 1:37 AM:. QUOTE: “My fellow citizens, at this hour, American and coalition forces are in the early stages of military operations to disarm Iraq, to free its people and to defend the world from grave danger… My fellow citizens, the dangers to our country and the world will be overcome. We will pass through this time of peril and carry on the work of peace. We will defend our freedom. We will bring freedom to others and we will prevail.”
George W. Bush - March 19, 2003. This week we enter the sixth year of the Bush War. Freedom is breaking out all over the Middle East. Thank you, GWB. America loves you for honoring our name, upholding our moral integrity and strengthening our economy.

White Rabbit wrote on Mar 15, 2008 2:03 AM:Elliot Spitzer made a decision to use prostitutes knowing full well if it was discovered he would be in some trouble, at least politically if not legally. He then resigned when it was discovered. His decision also. We should let it go at that. My only concern is that in this war on terror we keep hearing about I would think the Feds would have better things to do with their limited resources. Was he specifically targeted? He PO'd a lot of powerful people as Attorney General.

White Rabbit wrote on Mar 15, 2008 3:52 AM:The headline reads, "We can't let these people run the country"
Daniel Lynch asks, "Who are Clinton supporters besides the Washington insiders?" He answers, "Her supporters are some women, older people who only think of the past, poorly educated and low-income and (white?) blue-collar workers."
Hmmm. Allowing his characterization to stand unchallenged (maybe later), I’m just guessing but I figure that represents about 70% of voters in America. Youngsters who don’t know any better, well off, college-educated folks trying to relieve their guilt and African-Americans make up the other 30%. That’s supposed to be Obama's winning coalition in November?

Alf wrote on Mar 15, 2008 4:03 AM:I have an idea, Brian Berg, why not eliminate all grading and evaluation? Allow anyone and everyone to take any class(es) they want at any college they want and give them their Ph.D. in only 3 weeks. In a pig's eye!! The horrible problem is that we have a complete, systemic erosion of the value, worth and meaning of everything from a high school diploma to a B.A. or B.S. to a Masters to a Ph.D.. "Social promotion", the "dumbing down" of the course material to find the lowest common denominator and make it a "C" (instead of an "F") are evident in the questions and results of the "test" that is given in order to "graduate" high school. Regards, Alf.

Alf wrote on Mar 15, 2008 4:20 AM:The objection in the letter submitted by Shilo Chang and the organization referred to in the letter by Brian Berg have one thing in common - the attitudes of GWB and BAMN. That attitude is one of disregard for rules, values, honor and human decency. GWB wants to use "any trick in the book" (torture) even though it is recognized as illegal and immoral by all civilized nations, including the United States of America, who signed the Geneva Conventions and BAMN wants to so cheapen our colleges as to make anything derived from them to have no credible value. By Any Means Necessary (BAMN) is an organization and attitude that advocates ignoring currently accepted rules and standards. It sounds like the attitude of GWB as it has to do with his treatment of our Constitution, Congress and the American People, doesn't it? Regards, Alf.

Yokozuna wrote on Mar 15, 2008 5:05 AM:How can we lay the despicable actions of Spitzer at the feet of party politics? It doesn't matter if he is a member of a certain political party or not. He is someone who was affected by power and elevated his own ego to the point of thinking he could do what he liked. Not uncommon for many members of humanity. The final example of his arrogance? He would offer to resign if the Feds wouldn't prosecute him for the federal crimes. Gratefully, the Feds told him to stuff it.

White Rabbit wrote on Mar 15, 2008 6:00 AM:If Obama gets the 2,025 delegates required he will be the nominee. If not, he won’t. Pretty simple really. Nowhere in the rules of the Democratic Party does it say that Super Delegates have to base their vote on anything other than their conscience. They can vote on the basis of pledges delegates, popular vote, the will of the people, national polls, what’s best for the party, who can win, momentum, promises, anything.
Beware is right. Daniel Lynch is trying to change the rules in the middle of the game to benefit his own candidate. And the plot thickens.

Chuck wrote on Mar 15, 2008 6:35 AM:I see Obama has now denounced pastor's 9/11 comments. Thats quite a change for Hussein. When he first heard those comments he clapped and cheered, but now the media has forced him to lie and disassociate himself with those words

SpitzerIsStupid wrote on Mar 15, 2008 6:37 AM:LOL. Spitzer got what he deserved. He spend years screwing businesses in New York and many lost their jobs because of him. Did he think they were just going to sit back and take it.

Chuck wrote on Mar 15, 2008 6:45 AM:>>The goal was to get the SAT abolished from UC admission requirements>> Of course it is. The public school teachers unions are desperate to get rid of the SAT, exit exams, etc. They'd prefer to their agenda of diversity and perversion than the language arts, math and sciences

Apollo wrote on Mar 15, 2008 7:21 AM: Re: SDRaoul (11:35 p.m.) and RedHerring (12:21 a.m.)
No surprise here. Republican apologists making excuses for Larry Craig and David Vitter.
It was definitely the right thing for Spitzer to step down.
His actions were hypocritical and criminal.
But it is no surprise that Republicans make excuses for their own hypocrites.
Both Larry Craig (giuilty plea) and David Vitter (tearful apology alongside humiliated wife) admitted what they did after years of outspoken moralizing on conservative "social issues."
But many Republicans do not have the integrity to hold themselves to the same standard.
Excuses, excuses, excuses.
Or maybe they just have higher expectations of Democrats.

AVE wrote on Mar 15, 2008 7:24 AM:Your "Most Popular"

"New employment rules aim to crack down on illegal workers (8070)"

story on the front page continues to be a story from Aug. 8th? 8000 page views in 8 months and it's still your most popular? Stop Foisting this upon us each day just to anger the MInute Men types.

Spitze must be a TERRORIST - wrote on Mar 15, 2008 7:50 AM:
-- Spitzer broke the law. Clinton did not break the law, Republican Senator Larry Craig is litigating whether he broke the law, but Spitzer can�t fight it because Big Brother caught him red-handed, thanks to the so-called Patriot Act. Don�t you get it? ... Sex is a crime against our land.

Nick wrote on Mar 15, 2008 8:37 AM:"Alf", old buddy, it's good to see you back. These blogs have been lacking of rational thoughts that support real dialogue.
Cheers, Nick.

OBAMACAN wrote on Mar 15, 2008 8:43 AM:-
Phil Epstein's letter notes that Obama is still a member of the church where a pastor made inflammatory comments.
Obama renounced and rejected those remarks, but understands the generational differences out of which they arose, and the pastor has now retired from both that church and from the Obama campaign.
In the meantime, McCain has neither repudiated nor renounced the endorsement of Jerry Falwell, who blamed 9/11 on the sins of liberals rather than on the religious extremists who committed it, nor has he renounced, repudiated or rejected the endorsement of Rev. John Hagee, who demonstrated incredible bigotry against one of the largest U.S. faith communities by calling the Catholic Church the Great Whore of Babylon in addition to his insenstive anti-gay comments.

Nick wrote on Mar 15, 2008 8:46 AM:Has anyone read the latest headline(not in the NC Times of course)?
"Islamaphobia? Muslim leader say West guilty"
It seems that the Muslim world has created a battle plan to defend its religion from political cartoonists and bigots.
Concerned about what they see as a rise in the defamation of Islam, leaders of the world's Muslim nations are considering taking legal action against those that slight their religion or its sacred symbols. It was a key issue during a two-day summit that ended Friday in this western Africa capital of Dakar, Senegal.
To protect the faith, Muslim nations have created an "observatory" that meets regularly to monitor Islamophobia. It examines lectures and workshops taking place around the world and prints a monthly record of offensive content.
I find this pretty funny, considering how many times a day, in Mosques around the world, Imams spew their hate filled rhetoric about Infidels, Jews and the West. Yep, for sure, Islam is the religion of tolerance and forgiveness. As long as you convert, you won't be killed. Where do I sign up?....LOL.

Ron wrote on Mar 15, 2008 8:51 AM:My first thought regarding Dawn Reyes letter today is: We can afford right now to pay teachers more. I'll refer you to my post: Ron {Mar 14} @
10:21 AM for the details of that, but we have the money right now to, at least, pay teachers a minimum of $100K a year, and probably a little more than that. The question is, why don't we?
Good teachers are good for students, and they should be paid not only a higher wage, but merit pay.
The problem is how the money is budgeted, and spent. Good Teachers and students are not the priority, maintaining the educational "system" is paramount.
Let me address what John Van Doorn said. He says: "Here's a direct order for the governor, and I mean it: Do not cut the education budget. Triple it. Quadruple it."
That's all warm and fuzzy thinking, the real question is: Where is that money going to come from?
I constantly find this kind of highfalutin pie-n-the-sky chatter as being just that, mindless hoity-toity bloviating by those who want to give the appearance of caring for "the Children." But, when the rubber meets the road, you can't find em.
It's truly a simplton's game to make statements like Mr. Van Doorn did; "Triple it. Quadruple it."
Anybody can say it, but they are not serious about doing it, when it counts.
Not to mention what a 3 fold or 4 fold increase in education spending would actually do to the parent's of those school age children, when they are facing a 3 or 4 fold tax increase to fund as Mr. Van Doorn says. Talk about having no quality time with their kid's, and then the tax strapping of those families with a huge tax burden.
Like I said yesterday, we are not properly prioritizing our budget's.
And finally, if you look at the pink slip notices going out, primarily instructional aides are getting cut.
I once knew a teacher, who used the instructional aide to teach his class, so he could do union stuff.

Too little, too late wrote on Mar 15, 2008 8:57 AM:Mrs. Armendariz, I remember your community forum, was it your son who was beaten? If you hand delivered evidence to the DA's ofc and they did not act upon it, what is missing? Was the perpetrator a relative of law enforcement? It is important to know why the DA's ofc would ignore your pleas for justice. Any explanation would help... Thank you.

Vista Granny wrote on Mar 15, 2008 9:23 AM:Apparently Spitzer spent $5,000 for one night, more or less. Even if he is a billionaire, me thinks that's excessive for what may be considered "normal sex". What I don't understand are these wives who stand numbly in front of cameras while their hubbies confess. But then, perhaps there was a pre-marital contract or something of that sort. Otherwise, take a few million, dump the guy and find someone else - or even better - just live a happy single life.

SOLON ... wrote on Mar 15, 2008 9:33 AM:… Spitzer got what he deserved. Bush-Cheney did not. They deserve a trial for WAR CRIME before the international court in the Hague. Do these two think we are just going to sit back and take it.

Ron wrote on Mar 15, 2008 9:33 AM:I said I would not speak to Client No. 9 again, but between Jim Anderman's letter today, the defense of Eliot Spitzer all this week by liberals in the media, and some posts today, I think I will add my two cents to this discussion.
What appears to be left behind in this discussion is proportionality.
Within law, the principle of proportional justice is used to describe the idea that the punishment of a certain crime should be in proportion to the severity of the crime itself. Thus, equating the crimes Larry Craig or David Vitter with that of Eliot Spitzer is ridiculous on it's face. Certainly, they are all equal in hypocrisy, but not legally. Due to Eliot Spitzer's wiring of money across state lines, and human trafficking, his punishment should proportionaly be greater, legally speaking.
While the ethics of one particular politician are left to the voters of his office, or a miserable excuse for an Ethics Committee, I think we can all agree one's violation has far exceeded the other, by degree. Whether the hypocrisy is enough to vault one from office, and leave others, is left to the voter to decide, ultimately. But to address all violations as equal, lex talionis, or an eye for an eye, is patently unreasonable.
But one thing has been missed in this discussion, and all discussions I've seen, and it is this:
Here is a guy who single handedly shut down one, or several other prostitution rings. And no one has ever asked, why did he do it? Did he do it because it was his job as State Attorney General, as he is charged to do? Or is it something else? ...

SOLON ... wrote on Mar 15, 2008 9:38 AM:… What Spitzer did to his wife and family is despicable, but is it really necessary that the entire country be involved in the man’s sex life? One’s sexual proclivities have far less to do with a leader’s capacity than does arrogance, ignorance and greed -- and worst of all corruption. America keeps experiencing sex scandals in large part because we continue to embrace an unrealistic and even unhealthy code of sexual morality. Fundamentally, we like to pretend that humans aren’t actually sexual beings except when they’re in bed with their heterosexual spouse. And therein lies the source of twisted mores.
Personally, I think that letting campaign contributions influence legislation is a larger crime than hooking up with a prostitute for a couple of hours of hanky-panky. But what do I know? Obviously not much, as the first guy can get a public building named after him, while the other guy is humiliated and made to stand before a judge for having sex.

TO chuck .. wrote on Mar 15, 2008 9:46 AM:- - Who is this Hussein (6:35 AM) of whom you speak? I guess you seek to poke fun at a good Christian man, kind of like calling that other good Christian guy ‘DUBYA”. Yeah, DUBYA DONE IT! He will go down in history books as DUBYA, the DUMB.

Ron wrote on Mar 15, 2008 9:47 AM:Right you are, John Gilson!
A 21st century Sprinter? Hardly, this is a 19th century choo-cho. Hard to believe that technology from the 19th century would have over $100 million in cost over runs, but .. hey.. it's gummint. What can I say?
According to the NCT today, we are experiencing a "bump" in ridership. Goodie!
On Monday, about 7,087 people rode the train, followed by 7,294 Wednesday.
According to projections, Transit authorities expect about 11,600 people will ride the Sprinter daily by the end of the year. Again, I say.. Yipee!
But don't get too excited.
The district's budget estimates that passenger fares will pay 26 cents of every dollar it takes to run the Sprinter. With State and federal grants, largely backed by sales tax collections, pay most of the Sprinter's operating cost.
And that's what's hard to swallow. They knew going in, that the ridership would only pay a pitance of the total cost.
Time for another toast! glug-glug...

Ron wrote on Mar 15, 2008 10:18 AM:Stunning, isn't it.. Brian Berg. Everyone's a victim, and it's never.. never their fault. Let's forget for a second, that going to a UC school is a difficult task. It's expensive, the requirements are higher, so the commitment level of the student must be equally as high.
So, let's focus on what BAMN said was the key reason for abolishing SAT from UC admission requirements. They say: "institutional racism."
Now, I don't know about you, but this is a real head scratcher for me. I mean... how is a math problem racist?
How is reading, writing, and comprehending English well, racist?
It can only remotely be considered "racist" if you mentally unstable. Or you just plain hate America. You hate anglo-American history, which is where this stuff comes from. You live in America, your applying for an American university, you probably plan to work in America, but you don't want to be tested to what you know about the tools needed to be successful in America? Perhaps you should consider the university of Cairo, or Istanbul, or Pyongyang?
Lastly, let me say this. For all the education funding we pay as a Nation, and the affirmative action programs, I think we still do have a right to expect that those who, through our collective good graces, attend those publically financed schools, should, at a minimum be qualified to attend and be successful.

Reardon wrote on Mar 15, 2008 10:24 AM:Ron: Let me tell you where the money will come from to pay teachers a MINIMUM of $100,000 a year they deserve (if they are willing to give up tenure.) 1.) Abolish school-oriented sports, and sell off the HUGE real estate devoted to ball fields and school stadiums. (Fly a private plane over schools, as I have done many times, and look at the amount of land devoted to academics, and the amount devoted to various sports! Land is the single most expensive cost in California) 2.) End all "transportation" to and from school, except on a pre-paid monthly pass situation 3) End all non-academic school activities, i.e. band, P.E. (sell off the gyms). (Here I would make an exception for "Speech and Debate, only.) 4.) Reduce the administrative staff to the ratio of the average of the private schools in the County 5) End all printed school book materials, and rely on only CD/DVD textbooks 6) Abolish all school libraries except for CD/DVD/On-line reference material 7) Build all schools as multi-story structures with a single plan without architects, to diminish land use and building costs 8) I could go on ...

Ron wrote on Mar 15, 2008 10:29 AM:Don't be hating.. Robert Gonzalez.
Funny how people think this is the very first time we've had to adjust to larger retailers. Back in the 50-60's "the Supermarket" run out Ma & Pa stores, in droves. But it cut down on car trips & improved efficiency.
As to his statement: "...a Supercenter creates no appreciable tax revenues (i.e. nontaxable food items)..."
What are you suggesting, taxing food?
Of course it will increase the sale tax revenue to the city, people will shop at Wal-Mart for more than just food.
And besides, the City of Vista already has a higher sales tax rate than most other cities, they have the revenue, from you.
As for traffic, one trip. Yeah, I'll probably be a little more congested around the Wal-Mart area, but you do have Target just across the street, which also just enlarged itself. Why no comment about them? Hmmm...
Oh, yes.. they also have food. ...

Ron wrote on Mar 15, 2008 10:37 AM:I hear ya, Phil Epstein. Obama is STILL a member of this church, and has been a member for some 20 years. Hard to believe he never heard his good minister say anything during those 20 years, as we have heard in the last few days.
The honorable Mr. Obama will not escape this, unscathed.

OBAMACAN wrote on Mar 15, 2008 10:59 AM:-
Ron at 10:37 seems surprised that Obama had not heard the specific remarks of this pastor in 20+ years.
It has been explained to anyone paying attention.
This was a church, not a political center.
Those with ulterior motives had to scour videos over the pastor's 30+ years as a minister to find a few clips where he got carried away on non-religious tangents.
Obama has said that the pastor is usually more positive, conciliatory, and focused on religious themes of personal salvation, redemption and improvement which is what he went to the church for in the first place.
Obama said he understands and appreciates the difficult struggles of an earlier generation that forged some bitterness.
But Obama is from a later generation who inherited the gifts of the earlier struggle, without the bitterness, and that he repudiates the bitterness.
Obama understands that conciliation is now the path to bringing people together into one America.

Chris to to Chris wrote on Mar 15, 2008 11:27 AM:Concerning your blog for yesterday. I never said that we killed millions of Iraqis. I said that millions have suffered. It is on record that at least four million are displaced. So learn to read. It is being said that over a million were killed during the war. Now understand that does not mean that our troops killed over a million with our ordinance. More people die from the results of war like famine, lack of medial care, dirty water and exposure than die by gunshots or bombs. Also all this ethnic cleansing that has gone on is the result of our invasion so we are responsable for those deaths as well. Quite frankly I get tired of all this nonsense about left wing popaganda when the fact is that you don't want to hear it so out comes all this nonsense about left wing propaganda.

John wrote on Mar 15, 2008 1:02 PM:The open letter to Clinton/Obama in today's NCT was righteous! It's about time Americans start demanding answers. Who give s hoot about Spitzer? He's busted and the country should move on to the issues that have a real impact on our lives. Thank you Mr. and Mrs. Fischer for putting your money where your mouth is and paying to have your views in the public forum. I hope everyone read it and that it facilitate a greater dicussion about our country's future.

John wrote on Mar 15, 2008 1:10 PM:I think Obama's pastor probably hit too many nails on the head. America is floundering, too many of us voted idiots into office this last 8 years, and the chickens have come home to roost. We have a government that cannot govern, can't tell the truth, can't figure out how to win the fight they started or how to pay for it, and have put us deep deep in debt. I'm not proud of my country at this time. The people that are proud of America during the last decade are simply delusional. Go build your utopia in the middle east and don't let the door hit you on the way out.

2 Ron wrote on Mar 15, 2008 1:14 PM:You seem to be expert on all subjects and have the superior opinion every time. Are you actually perfect or just compensating for your inadequacies?

PE Teacher wrote on Mar 15, 2008 1:50 PM:To Reardon...you say:"End all non-academic school activities, i.e. band, P.E." What a dumb idea, have you seen all the fat, lazy people that will suck our healthcare systems dry? ... Without creative and healthy outlets in the educational arena, many would not seek them out, and as the Roman poet & satirist Juvenal is noted for saying "A healthy mind in a healthy body" do some research, if you can, and see what it has to show for people who are physically active and/or musically gifted, and how it benefits them academically! I do agree with you on one point, the sports should be moved into a private sector...that would save lots of money!

Privatize Special Ed. wrote on Mar 15, 2008 2:05 PM:If Special Education programs were cut from the public schools, and made a private service, that would save soooo many millions of dollars...where else but the USA do we educate the special ed kids to prepare them "academically" for their unacademic life to come after school is over? Sorry that this is not PC, but it is TRUE! What a waste of tax dollars!

esteban wrote on Mar 15, 2008 2:25 PM:Folks, do not worry about the poor spouses of cheating politicians. They marry them knowing full well there will be other woman. These guys cheat BECAUSE THEY CAN! how does the saying go....It's good to be the king. ...

Reardon wrote on Mar 15, 2008 2:28 PM:To P.E. Teacher: Music teachers have an ad running, telling us that music helps students with math -- and I do not doubt that is true, just as I do not question your analysis of P.E. -- but it is a question of priority in both time and money. There is a paucity of each. If our academic standing was challenging Massachusetts, I would agree with adding P.E. back in my analysis. Unfortunately the State we are challenging is Mississippi, so I will maintain my educational priorities, subject to change, if, and when, we have different information.

Chuck wrote on Mar 15, 2008 2:38 PM:Bush has totally lost it. Here is a quote of a new report from AP "A Russian rocket launched a communications satellite produced by US defence company Lockheed Martin into space on Saturday but failed to take it into the planned orbit, Russian space officials said. " Why the hell is our defense department hiring Russia to launch our military communications rockets into space???. Thats like the radical gays asking Jerry Falwell to give a five hour speech on the social wonders of homosexuality.

Reardon wrote on Mar 15, 2008 2:53 PM:To Privatize Special Ed: I have no clue what to do with Special Ed -- but I do know that on an Academic Cost/Benefit Analysis, the program is not justifiable. Special Ed is a social program, and its inclusion in "academe" makes no sense at all -- except to the parents of those children, who are organized and vocal beyond their number.

A Neighbor wrote on Mar 15, 2008 3:54 PM:That is your right to print the many letters and comments by Mrs. Armendariz like the one above today and her right to keep writing them. However I am totally fed up with your consistent and repeated refusal to print or post any opinions or statements of facts or "the rest of the story" showing the other side of the original incident she writes about. You normally print nearly all of my comments on other subjects under my other commenting persona, but you have completely failed to post any of the other facts or opinions about this incident by me or anyone else. I spent hours last night carefully writing information about this issue and it was not posted, not even a shortened version. If people could read the "rest of the story" they might see several reasons why formal charges were not pursued.

Chris wrote on Mar 15, 2008 4:37 PM:Did you see the story on how members of our military are having all kinds of skin problems because they bath in the dirty water that is the result of the U.S. sanctions and war. Good. As far as I am concerned they deserve it. By the way I thought that we afte five years had rebuilt what we destroyed. Well those of us that have been following what has been going on knew that all this talk of all this building going on was just more lies by the military and our politicians. Now just imagine what would happen if our military had to drink this water like the Iraqis do.

Chris to Nick wrote on Mar 15, 2008 4:51 PM:How do you know that all the Mosques spew hate. Of course who is it that spews hate for homosexuals, Muslims, cartoon characters and tells everybody that if they don't believe in the Christian religion they are going to hell. Since Christianity has killed more people than any other religion where do you get off pointing the finger at Muslims who have had their lands occupied and people killed by we peace loving westerners. I wonder what would happen if the NCTimes and other newpapers started drawing unflattering pictures of Jesus Christ. Oh I can imagine the furor it would cause. But when it comes to Muslims we have every right to invade and masacre them as well as ridicule their religion.

BA wrote on Mar 15, 2008 5:01 PM:So, Mr. Reardon. It's not cost effective to educate 'special ed' students. What a repugnant view. You should be proud.
You probably call yourself a christian. How very Christ like, sir.

Reardon wrote on Mar 15, 2008 5:22 PM:To BA: Other than calling names, have you any viable suggestions regarding "Special Education?" I understand that my opinion is not PC, but then I am looking for educational solutions, not societal solutions. And, no, I do not call myself a "Christian."

hardtack wrote on Mar 15, 2008 5:33 PM:Reality? REALITY? The reality is that the NCT editors can’t keep their personal opinion out of print. Robert Gonzales’ letter today asserts an opinion – not a “reality.” The reality is only in the mind of the editor who wrote/approved Gonzales’ slug line. What Gonzales writes may be conventional “wisdom” – but conventional “wisdom” and “reality” are, often, not the same thing.

Alf wrote on Mar 15, 2008 5:35 PM:Well, "BA" at 5:01PM, what you fail to understand about what "Reardon" said is that he was speaking from a purely financial perspective. If you remove emotion and look at educating a "special ed" person from a cost/benefit analysis as any business would do, it is a losing proposition. If I make wonderful photographs and they do not sell, will buying the newest $8,000 camera, $6,000 lens and a $4,500 printer be a wise business decision if the prints continue not to sell? Not hardly. Facts is facts and some facts are not pretty, but being ugly does not change the fact. Regards, Alf.

Yet another new definition wrote on Mar 15, 2008 5:54 PM:I always thought that a hypocrite was someone who said one thing and did another. Raoul has a new definition: someone who says one thing and is prosecuted for doing another. LOL Raoul should publish his own dictionary to go with his own history book.

Why stop there? wrote on Mar 15, 2008 6:00 PM:It seems pretty arbitrary to be in favor of cutting special ed programs. Why not cut funding for all education that serves people who won't be making a living with their brains. Let's require an IQ of, say, 100 to get into any school. The lower half of the population can get apprenticeships and train for the jobs they will be getting while the upper half get schooled.

Request for Ron wrote on Mar 15, 2008 6:34 PM:Ron says that the liberals are defending Spitzer's behavior. Can you direct us to the liberals (plural) who are doing this, or perhaps tell us who they are and what, exactly, they said? I haven't seen anyone defend the Governor's behavior but maybe I'm not looking in the right places. Thanks in advance.

Great news for Chuck wrote on Mar 15, 2008 6:58 PM:Sadly for us and the Taliban, I see that Chuck is still with us. Well, what can you do? I do have some great news for him, though. From the Inter Press Service, QUOTE: SILVER SPRING, Maryland - Garret Reppenhagen received integral training about the Geneva Conventions and the Rules of Engagement during his deployment in Kosovo. But in Iraq, “Much of this was thrown out the window,” he says.“The men I served with are professionals,” Reppenhagen told the audience at a panel of U.S. veterans speaking of their experiences in Iraq and Afghanistan, “They went to Iraq to defend the U.S. But we found rapidly we were killing Iraqis in horrible ways. But we had to in order to remain safe ourselves. The war is the atrocity.”The event, which has drawn international media attention, was organised by Iraq Veterans Against the War. It aims to show that their stories of wrongdoing in both countries were not isolated incidents limited to a few “bad apples”, as the Pentagon claims, but were everyday occurrences.ENDQUOTE I know that Chuck has complained here often that the rules of engagement have been watered down by panty-waisted liberal generals (or something like that). Cheer up, Chuck. How wonderful to know that in fact, whatever the rules of engagement are, they are out the window, and our troops are doing any horrific thing they need to in Iraq. This must make your weekend!

Public education wrote on Mar 15, 2008 7:01 PM:All this bickering about public education. When we look across either ocean, we see nations such as Britain, France, Germany, and Japan doing a fantastic job of educating their children. Why don't we just do what they do? Seems to be a whole lot better than what we've got.

Reardon wrote on Mar 15, 2008 7:14 PM:To Why Stop There: Public schools are already teaching basic literacy (and failing!), but that is minimal "education." Self-motivated students attain more than the minimum, but still need remediation before entering even community college, and even more remediation to enter college and university. (One of my students, looking at my first quiz, remarked “This looks much harder than my Community College” – to which another student murmured,. in soto voce, “That is why we call this a U_N_I_V_E_R_S_I_T_Y!) A high school diploma already assumes a life of menial labor, but at least the ability to read the label on janitorial solvents.

SPECIAL EDUCATION wrote on Mar 15, 2008 7:20 PM:-
Actually, Alf and Reardon are looking at the "bottom line" but they are not adding it up correctly, even when they are looking at the costs/benefits of special education only in dollars and cents.
I work with the disabled every day, mostly adults, and most of them are self-sufficient taxpayers, consumers and productive contributors to the economy because of special education.
In the long run it does cost less, just in dollars and cents, to provide education, job training and job placement instead of a lifetime of warehousing and welfare.
But actually, the real bottom line is that we are not talking about a commodity like photographs. We are talking about real lives of real human beings, not dollars and cents.
What do Alf and Reardon suggest we do with the disabled, ship them off to die on an ice floe?

Reardon wrote on Mar 15, 2008 7:45 PM:To Special Education: I have already admitted that I have no idea what to do with Special Education students, and I am supportive of whatever works for them with two caveats: 1) They should not be mainstreamed where they hold back other members of a class, and 2) the monies spent on Special Ed students should not exceed 2X the average cost of regular class students. My interest is in increasing education, and diminishing the cost to taxpayers. Every Special Interest Group in the world thinks THEIR ”special interest” is PARTICULARLY special, and that is why this State has a budget crises, and simultaneously an education crises. Some people’s rice bowls must be broken!

Han Solo wrote on Mar 15, 2008 8:09 PM:Chuck wrote on Mar 15, 2008 2:38 PM Still in the cold war? Don't you know about the cooperative effort between the USA and Russia. Ever hear of the space station?
LOL Get Real.

?????????? wrote on Mar 15, 2008 8:19 PM:Chuck wrote on Mar 15, 2008 6:35 AM:How do you know Chuck. Must have been in the peanut gallery?

Nick wrote on Mar 15, 2008 9:10 PM:I know "Chris", it's hard for you to believe that Muslims that it's alright to kill all non-believers and infidels. Your rignt "Chris", Christians have been murdered a whole lot of people in the last 100 years or so.....LOL. I know, it's hard for you to live in the here and now. Sure, Christians killed lots of people, but you are always dragging up the crusades(remember all the people killed by the Muslims?). The only difference is that Christains aren't murdering people anymore, but Muslims still are. You just keep reading those books and remeber to point towards Mecca while your kneeling for prayer, we wouldn't want you to be mistaken for an infidel...lol.

SPECIAL EDUCATION wrote on Mar 15, 2008 9:36 PM:-
Reardon, I appreciate your statement that the disabled should not be mainstreamed where they hold back other members of a class.
I agree fully.
As I said, I work with disabled every day - mostly adults and mostly not in the public education system.
Long before the ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) of 1991 (signed by George HW Bush), which applied to both public and private accommodations, there was Public Law 94142 which addressed Federal restrictions on discrimination against the disabled in PUBLIC accommodations, and which specified specifically in regard to education, that students be afforded the "least restrictive environment."
Many parents, who have no experience with disability, but want desperately for their disabled child to be "normal" (they do not have "unconditional" love for their child; they want their child to not be disabled instead of loving the disabled child they actually have) push administrators to place their disabled children in "mainstream" programs as the "least restrictive environment" when, in fact, a special program for the disabled, where they could have gotten special attention by especially-trained educators, without placing undue burden on untrained classroom teachers or distracting from non-disabled teachers.
Everyone who works with the disabled, especially the severely disabled, knows this is true.
It is far more cost-effective and humane to provide the disabled with what they need, but that is not necessarily a "mainstream" environment.

esteban wrote on Mar 15, 2008 9:42 PM:And there you have it. USA hater Chris being glad US soldiers are being harmed. He always claims he supoorts the troops by wanting them home. Now he is just plain glad they have skin problems. Chris, we all know you have some friends at the NCT. That is why my negative opinions of you always go unprinted while your anti American hate speech flows freely. I will buy you a ticket to the mid east where you can be free to fight our troops.

Reardon wrote on Mar 15, 2008 10:12 PM:To Special Education: It appears we are not that far apart, and certainly close enough to establish an accommodation on this subject. Thank you for your input.

soonerorlater wrote on Mar 15, 2008 10:52 PM:to Special Education:

I also teach special education and you are an insult to our profession. I would not want you anywhere near a special education student. Your bar is far to low. Perhaps you need a new profession.

Chris to Nick wrote on Mar 15, 2008 11:09 PM:You say that Christians arn't murdering people anymore. Did I miss something? Did we leave Iraq and stop supporting Israel? I find you statement preposterous.

Chris to esteban wrote on Mar 15, 2008 11:17 PM:No I think you blogs are not posted because they are so ... . I see the ones that are posted and so the ones that arn't must be a duzzy. As far as the troops are concerned it is they who have destroyed the power, water and sewage treatment plants and there is no doubt that many Iraqis have died because of putred water. A while ago there was a story on yellow Ice. The ice was yellow because of the putred water they had to be made out of. So since our military is responsable for the condition of the water then I don't see any reason for them not having to live with it, but I bet they get clean drinking water whereas the Iraqis don't.

SPECIAL EDUCATION wrote on Mar 16, 2008 5:52 AM:-
To SoonerOrLater at 10:52 p.m. - I apologize for not being more clear.
I thought I had stated with sufficient clarity that I work with disabled adults, not children and not in the public education system, and I am sorry if this was not communicated adequately.
I help people get off welfare and get trained to function in employment and social situations in the real world - the world they are going to have to function in after others have given up experimenting on them.
I help correct the failures of well-intended but misguided parents and educators who were unable to love people with special needs as they actually are, and tried to push people to be something someone else wanted them to be.
I did not say mainstream is always bad. In many cases, reasonable accommodations make it feasible for disabled people to function socially and educationally on complete par with their peers.
But there are other situations where severely disabled individuals are not able to function in a standard classroom, even with extraordinary and expensive efforts, and they can cause tremendous disruption which prevents themselves and others from getting a quality education, but these same students will often thrive in an appropriate special program tailor-made to accommodate their needs, and implemented by those specially trained to make it successful, while still finding ways for them to integrate on whatever level is possible into a mainstream environment in employment or education, without being forced into situations before they are ready.
In any case, the tone of your message suggested to me that:
- you were abusive, insulting and presumptious;
- you were not able to understand what I wrote;
- you seem to want to have a one-size-fits-all approach to education that disregards the individual needs of unique human beings and want to make them into something that may not be right for them because you are unable to lovingly accept people as they are;
Therefore, I find it difficult to imagine how you would consider me to be the one who is dangerous to people.

Nick wrote on Mar 16, 2008 9:51 AM:"Chris", your blinding hate has obviously left you completely clueless as well. Really, Christians are waging war on Iraq and supporting Israel? Keep reading all that propaganda you love about the Zionists. You couldn't buy a clue if you had a hand full of 100's.

esteban wrote on Mar 16, 2008 9:57 AM:Chris...you still haven't taken me up on my offer for me to BUY you a ticket to the mid east. There you can personally set things right by fighting right along side your heroes in Al Queda or the taliban. An opportunity like this only comes along once in a lifetime. What's the matter?

sooner orlatert wrote on Mar 16, 2008 11:33 AM:Please... one size does not fit all. But what does work is schools that do work with parents. I am so tired of hearing about Those Parents, Those kids. They are OUR kids. If they are not given the services(not necessarily program) that they need then they are OURS to deal with in the future. I have seen so many students come from other districts to me that have not been given the services that they needed. We have seen students turn around and break the road that they were going down. It is the districts that fail to train the so called specialist and teachers correctly. I pay thousands of dollars out of my own pocket to receive training. I have children who are on the spectrum in regular classrooms and are successful. Far more successful than some so called "regs". and by the way, I work with my parents. This is the key to success.
I have also seen many students exit from special education. Also, NO Child can be what others want them to be. They are Individuals.
I have seen what so called Special schools do to children. They are not regulated appropriately and children have been abused. School districts and even Selpa are suppose to protect these Individauls and they do not. abuse NO Passion about "those Kids" YES