President Obama outlines new steps to better prepare Americas children for college and the workplace at a meeting with the National Governors Association . The President is calling for a redesigned Elementary and Secondary Education Act that includes a comprehensive, new vision to help states successfully transition to and implement college- and career-ready standards by improving teacher preparation and development, upgrading classroom instruction, and supporting high-quality assessments.
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Dr. David Braddock, Executive Director of the University of Colorado’s Coleman Institute for Cognitive Disabilities, reports on the state of the state in disability services and how Indiana compares with other states and national trends at the December 2008 conference of the Indiana Governor’s Council for People With Disabilities held in Indianapolis, Indiana.
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Domestic Policy Advisor Melody Barnes answers questions on the Race to the Top education initiative submitted by Facebook users and readers of BlogHer, the popular blogging community focused on women. January 20, 2010.
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This Video is getting a LOT of attention, see STATS graph: http://mormonanswerman.blogspot.com/2009/05/gay-marriage-tyranny-of-tolerance.html New York Gov. David A. Paterson who is black is pushing gay marriage onto the State and comparing the battle to civil rights/slavery. The Black Clergy in the State say they resent his comparison to the Black Civil Rights movement. Me too, it just seems wrong-headed. Watch the video. 6 months ago, Keith Oberman said of Prop 8’s passage: “This vote is HHHHorible. HHHHorible! This is about the human heart, and if that sounds corny, so be it. If you voted for this proposition or supported those who did or the sentiment they expressed, I have some questions, because truly, I do not understand, why does this matter to you? What is it to you?”
If Keith doesn’t understand, why does he then call it HHHorible? If he doesn’t understand, how can he be emotional about it? In fact, that makes him prejudiced, angry and intolerant, the very definition of bigotry.
Taking a stand for traditional marriage and protecting it from being redefined is not bigotry, anymore than defending a culture or heritage against historical revisionism is bigotry. Someone is trying to change the status quo here, the long established traditions of 1000s of years.
A bigot is defined as: a person who is intolerant of or takes offense to the opinions, lifestyles or identities differing from his or her own. The key words here being intolerant and taking offense. That sounds like what many against Prop 8 think of those that supported Prop 8. They are against our opinions, our lifestyle, and our vote. Bigots have attitude that engenders profanity laced tirades, and Hollywood stars labeling legitimate voters as un-American. Un American?!!? You mean the lawful kind that exercise their right to vote in a democratic society, that kind of communist? When you disagree with someone based on morals, based on ideology, it does not make you a bigot. It does make you true to your principles, however. If disagreeing was bigotry, all gays would be bigoted against anyone who voted for Prop 8. Are they?
Well, I can feel the heat of bigotry. Just do a video for Prop 8. I feel the hate, I hear and read the hate speech. I feel the disdain. This marriage issue is about morals, about choices, and the definition of marriage as being between man and woman The origin of which can be validated by ancient books originating 1000s of years ago. History! Truths that transcend nations, and cultures, civilizations, and 1000s of years. Are we going to let the fad of a 21st century change all of that?
Gender is a key ingredient to our very existence. Gender spells out what we are. A guy not feeling good about his manhood does not change the fact that he IS a man and has all the characteristics of a man. A guy is a guy, because when a guy and a girl come together in marriage, the natural result is children. When a guy and a guy come together, nature doesnt validate that with procreation. Thats because, its unnatural. To most people it is as simple as that.
If one chooses to, they can join the ranks of the GLBT community. If you want to, you can do it, and they would accept you. All it takes is a choice. Isnt that an amazing truth? All you have to do is say you are one! Then they have to believe you! I choose not to. Its not because I was born to choose not to, its because I choose not to. We are not born gay. We are born babies, and we learn from our environment.
The teen years are when children start making decisions for good or bad, moral decisions, because its a time of intense physical, moral, and intellectual growth. This is the time that some youth decide to join the ranks of the GLBT community, having made a decision.
If you cant tell what a person is when they are born, then that person is not born that way. For example, I can tell a Chinese baby from an African baby. I can tell if the baby is a boy or a girl. The obvious things. No one, and I mean, no one can tell if a baby is going to turn out gay or turn out a doctor. That they may have resources in genes to be smart, physically strong, etc. is one thing, but absolutes on what they will be? No way. No one can tell if a boy will grow up to be a professional baseball player, or a bartender. Who knows?
You might hold a child in your arms and say this boy will grow up to be a football player! and that will happen if the boy is shaped, trained, and directed to do so, AND, if he wants to. Ultimately, he chooses. The influence of parenthood can be powerful for good or bad.
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This is a sequel to the Tale of Two Cities Song
I in no way shape or form own any rights or copyrights to this instrumental, all credit for the instrumental goes to T.I. and the people who produced it…please dont remove this song.
Our AP U.S. Song….its decently mad nice…I, Andrew, take full credit…Mrs. Athanasio please give us a 25/25
Lyrics:
Free Education, 1800s, people first thought it was joke
Public schools were built to teach deprived children of the broke
Then the wealthy smart Americans came to a scary realization
they realized uneducated kids would grow up to be political opposition
since those kids would grow up and someday have the right to vote
a couple reforms about education is what conservative Americans wrote
But the free school system had a lot of problems
Teachers wouldnt teach enough and they loved to harm em
Into the picture came this guy named Horace Mann
Secretary of Mass Board of education, he decided to try as best he can
To help out schools across America, he felt the scholastic pain
So for better condtions, he decided to campaign
He called for the Prussian school model all across the nation
Which is the belief that everyone is entitled to the same education
my boy Horace campaigned for other things too
Expanded Curriculum, longer school terms, and better buildings for the schools
Horace mann, up in here didnt get school improvements done alone, no sir
Another guy who helped the movement was named the Webster
He graduated Yale and was born in the state of Connecticut
Hes often times considered the Schoolmaster of the Republic
His useful reading lessons were used nationwide by millions of children
And these lessons were designed to promote patriotism
Published in 1828, he wrote Websters dictionary
Took 20 yrs to write, and helped standardize the vocabulary
There is this teacher and preacher from Ohio named William H. McGuffey
To grade-school readers he sold 122 million copies
Mcguffeys readers a textbook for schools which was packed with lessons
Taught things like morality patriotism and idealism
Other than through schools, education was sought
If you wanted to get smart, you didnt have to be taught
Private subscription libraries and tax-supported libraries expanded
Learning was brought to the masses by lyceum lecture associations
In education back in the day religon played a big role
The second great awakening led to the creation of many small denominational
Liberal arts colleges mostly in the south and west
However, these schools werent thought of as the best
These schools only taught Mathematics and Moral philosophy
And the ancient traditional languages like latin and greek
There was little intellectual vitality and a lot of boredom
And the non-religious scholars needed a university for them
State colleges were popping up, federal land grants helped their growth
The first state universities were showin up in the south
First one was in North Carolina, 1795
Then came UVA 0n 1-8-1-9
Free education in America, man it was pretty tight
The future of United States schools was lookin pretty bright
Educational advances finally happened though it took real long
And I cant think of any thing else, so its the end of this song.
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On January 8, 2009, the President-elect introduced his nominee for chief of the DNC, Virginia Governor Tim Kaine
http://www.change.gov/copyright
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The performance of boys vs. girls in academics has been a hot topic for debate recently.
The fact is that we are starting to find that boys are lagging when it comes to college/university admissions and performance at the public school level — which is necessary to get into college, to further your education, and enjoy an intellectually and financially prosperous career.
We all know that, when looking at averages, women are not smarter than men are, nor are men smarter than women. Yes, men and women each have their strong points as separate genders, but even then, the difference is VERY marginal at best. So, there is now the question of motivating the boys at school and ensuring that they have the "tools" necessary to be able to succeed at the highest levels of education and ensuring that the growth of the disparity between boys and girls at the post-secondary level is curbed so that equality can be attained and maintained.
The facts are here: http://www.prb.org/Articles/2007/CrossoverinFemaleMaleCollegeEnrollmentRates.aspx
Yes, they also speak of women "leading in college but not in the workforce." But, the fact is that this trend will not only reverse itself, but will favour women more and more in the years to come if men do not even get the chance in the first place to attend college, and then get the jobs which they want?
From YOUR personal experience, what is the reason for this gap? From what you have seen at school, are boys just not trying hard enough, or are teachers (male and female) and the school system in general just biased towards girls now, as a result of pressures from the ongoing feminist movements? What can parents and school officials do as individuals (for as long as there won’t be any formal programs put into place to incite boys to start closing that gap, given that nobody thinks that there is a problem right now) to ensure that this gap is closed, hence assuring that BOTH talented men and women obtain the chance to enter college or university to pursue their dreams?
Thanks.
Beep, I’m pretty sure that the number of seats available in college remains FAIRLY constant over time, meaning that the statistic is reasonably valid.
That is, men and women are competing for the same number of seats in college every year.
I haven’t heard of programs which will help the universities increase the number of seats, nor have I heard of any concentrated efforts to do so.
So, I’m assuming that it’s the men who are starting to "luck out" here.
I think it has to do with peer perception. It is perfectly "cool" and even expected for a girl to do well in classes. She will be praised by the teachers but also fellow students. A woman valedictorian is normal and seen as "cool." Boys, however, are expected to put their energies into activities outside of class and school. They’re more valued by their peers, and even sometimes their parents and teachers, in sports or outdoor activities. A boy who dedicated all his time to his study is seen as less "cool," less interesting, and more of a nerd (as well as stereotyped as a virgin or social-inept geek). You have but to look at movies to see this trend. Good looking hot guy is on the football team, smart kid is a geek with glasses, allergies, and pasty and weak. Its as if equating mental intelligence with physical weakness.
Recently I believe there was a study that showed when fathers attended PTA meetings as much or more than their sons’ sports events, the son was more likely to do better in classes. The reason being is that the father showed he valued his sons academic career just as much or more than his sports activities.
I think if the perception of an intelligent high school boy was more like in Japan (where if a boy is top of his class, he’s all the more appealing to the girls around him), there would be less of a gap.
Girls, to the contrary, have no negative social stigma to doing well in schools and even receive a great deal of encouragement where as, it seems, boys are more encouraged to take part in sports.
This tax plan would give a huge boost to our economy and would dramatically increase the job base in America.
Many jobs move to other economies every year to escape our regulation and taxes. This movement creates a job shortage. So companies are able to pay us workers less because there are fewer jobs than job seekers.
Not only are we being paid less than we’re worth, but then "our" government comes in and takes our hard earned money. They take our hard earned money based on how much we make so that the harder we work they get a larger portion.
With an influx of new jobs from this new economic system we would move from having a labor surplus to a labor shortage. This would drive wages higher. In addition to earning higher wages, the american worker would get to keep their whole paycheck. It just seems like a smarter way of supporting business growth. Businesses would drive our economy and lead us into prosperity.
The fair tax has a prebate which is supposed to supplement everyone up to the poverty line. Your Grandpa would be elligible for this prebate, and so would not pay taxes on his absolute necessities.
I think the biggest issue I see against the fair tax is exactly the purchasing of goods in other countries. Tax avoidance as they call it. I don’t know what they would do about it, but we will have plenty of IRS agents available for employment (jokes). Seriously though, the overall economics of the system make sense. They would dramatically increase the work of free market capitalism. I just don’t know what would stop me from going to Canada to buy a Chevy for a quarter of the cost of purchasing it here.
whoops…I mean a quarter off the price of the chevy….
Democrats don’t like it because it takes power away from the government and requires more individual responsibility.
Go to http://www.fatlosslifestyle.com & I will teach YOU little known Nutrition Principles that will force you to gain muscle & lose fat faster than ever. The ” Standing Biceps Concentration Curl” Exercise is a great exercise. It is an awesome functional, athletic movement for you athletes. The fact that you can not go fast with this movement allows more focus, squeeze, and isolation on the biceps. Don’t forget to push
your upper arm & elbow down through the floor (aim for your big toe) while you squeeze water out of a sponge. Remember, you will work the target muscle better by looking at it
and going slow (a 3-1-3 tempo).
I started doing these types of movements back in 1983. Basic, compound, power-movements for football. We were taught the big 3, squats, dead lift’s, and hang-clean’s.
The “The Standing Biceps Concentration Curl” Exercise is a vital part of shocking your arms into new growth. This movement really allowed me to take my arms to 20 inches “drug free for life”. At the age of 43 years old, I am in the best shape of my life. And
You can do it to. All the time it takes is 4-5 hours per week, with a well thought out plan
You can work-out till your blue in the face but if you do not incorporate Interval Cardio (done first thing in the morning in a fasted state), intense functional multi-joint, compound exercises, small healthy meals often with protein and carbs combined together, positive mindset, goal setting & social support (you will turn into who you hang around) you will not change your body much.
But if you do focus on the 5 pillars of fitness & health, you will radically change your waistline, your lifestyle, and your life. For more incredible before and after testimonials;
Real People, With Real Results in my private Chicago studio, go to
http://www.fatlosslifestyle.com
And as you do focus on the 5 pillars of fitness & health, you will radically change your waistline, your lifestyle, and your life. For more incredible before and after testimonials; Of Real People, With Real Results in my private Chicago studio, go to http://www.fatlosslifestyle.com I have personally sold and serviced over 17,000 work-outs, one session at a time. Over 500 people have graduated from my “FATLOSS LIFESTYLE” 12 Week Body Transformation System. Through that experience I have learned a lot about how to motivate, inspire, and inform anyone and everyone on the benefits of living your dreams. Cause as you “Get a better body; you will get a better life”.
YOUR ATTITUDE WILL DETERMINE YOUR ALTITUDE (how high you go in life)
YOUR WAISTLINE DETERMINES YOU ATTITUDE
GET A BETTER BODY; GET A BETTER LIFE!!
The main reason to workout abs is because strong abs will stabilize your lower back and prevent you from an injury; but as a side benefit a 6-pack looks great!
Anyone can be healthier, have more energy, sleep better, and feel better about themselves through bodybuilding. Bodybuilding doesn’t have to be expensive or take a lot of time, gyms are great but home workouts can save you time and money. A couple of rubber bands & some good exercises is all it takes to get started with your home workouts. You do not need any equipment. In fact most of the clubs are wasting hundreds of thousands of dollars on equipment that is making peoples bodies less functional and worse off.
If you sign up for my free “Reach Your True Potential” Newsletter at
http://www.fatlosslifestyle.com you will have free access to 10 things that will blowtorch your fat away.
You will get all kinds of bonus’s like the “No Equipment Needed Exercise of The Month”, and “Prepared in 3 Minutes – Fat loss Meal of The Month” every month.
I highly advice you to pick one mentor at a time, limit your information, train hard & smart, and expect success!!
Limitation of Liability: Consult with your doctor before starting any exercise program! I am not a medical professional. It is your responsibility to critically evaluate this information and with the help of your physician decide if it is appropriate for you.
Some of the people that I respect are Tom Venuto & Burn the Fat, Feed The Muscle, Craig Ballantyne & Turbulence Training, Mike Geary & Six Pack Abdominal Program, Dr. Al Sears & his Pace cardio program, Dr. Mercola, & Depoch Chopra and his spirituality teachings
Just Do It!!
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I am a pro cannabis spokesman and would like to go over the pros in cons of legalizing marijuana. There are five main factors to recognize when considering the legalization of weed: Medicinal use, Economy, Crime rates, Risks of intoxication, and Religion. As we all know, marijuana has been legalized in California strictly for medicinal purposes. Marijuana is not only a painkiller but has also been proved to cure or reduce symptoms of many illnesses including but not limited to: nausea, vomiting, Depression, Bipolar disorders, PMS, unintentional weight loss, lack of appetite, spasticity, painful conditions, especially neurogenic pain, movement disorders, asthma, Inflammatory Bowel Disease, Migraines, Fibromyalgia, Glaucoma, tourettes, multiple sclerosis, spinal cord injuries, obsessive-compulsive disorder, ADD, Cancer, AIDS, and much more. Also, cannabis DOES NOT KILL BRAIN CELLS! This is a common myth which resent studies have proven that it actually promotes neuron growth in the hippocampus section of the brain which is responsible for learning and memory. Neither does marijuana cause lung cancer. Researchers at Harvard University found that smoking pot actually decreases malignant transformation in cells leaving users at a lower risk of getting cancer. We can all agree that our economy is in dire need of a new industry. Not only will marijuana produce tax revenue through medicinal and recreational use, it will also decrease unemployment by opening new job opertunities for those who produce and use it. Also, did you know the hemp plant is a natural resource for biodeisel? Our current crops would take 10% of American land to produce enough fuel for the whole country on a consistant basis. It would only take 6% of the land with hemp as a substitute. There is the common misconception that legalizing marijuana would increase crime rate. In fact, marijuana would decrease the number of common civilians getting arrested providing more room in our jails for the real criminals. This will also allow authorities to focus on more serious crimes such as murder, cocaine trafficing, rape, and more. Legalization will not cause increase in domestic abuse and other falsely linked crimes as it will be no more available than it already is. Besides, have you ever known a violent pothead? If so, they probably had issues before they ever picked up a joint. Actually, studies have shown that marijuana can reduce anger problems, probably decreasing domestic violence in our country. I have already covered many risk concerns involving marijuana but I would like to focus on the most common "driving issue." First of all, half of cannabis smokers are too paranoid to drive while intoxicated. Second, there are so few accidents involving people who are high that it can not be statistically linked to marijuana intoxication. Still, I stand strong on keeping it illegal to "smoke and drive." Please, make good decisions and have a designated driver. The last subject I would like to touch on is religion. I myself am a Kantheist and believe hemp to be the tree of life. I base my beliefs on many advantages of smoking marijuana: healing abilities, the opening of the mind, and the spiritual closeness to God many feel while praying and worshiping while "high." However, it is not whether or not such is true that is significant to legalizing cannabis. It is the fact that prohibition laws against marijuana go against the constituion’s first ammendment and opresses multiple branches of religion. There is the question,"What if a religion is based on killing people? Should we then legalize murder?" Of course not. That’s rediculous. Religous tolerance should be based on severity of the practice, and I must say that from smoking a joint to killing someone is a huge leap in severity. Smoking weed is beneficial. Murder hurts everyone involved. I encourage you all to make the smart decision to help in the legalization marijuana; for our health, our economy, and our future.
I actually have a question:
When will they legalize it in nj for medicinal purposes?