In a recent article, Politico’s Kimberly Hefling asserted that “Common Core has won.” She claims that Common Core enjoys widespread support, and interviews select groups of parents and teachers in an attempt to prove that teachers and students have “given up” on the battle against this legislative behemoth.
But this article overlooks some crucial numbers. It ignores the fact that the movement against Common Core is one of the fastest-growing grassroots efforts in the United States, with almost a quarter million students opting out in the state of California alone, and another quarter million students expected to stage protests in New York. Similar outrage is shared nationwide, as state after state discovers the damage that these standards have caused.
While Ms. Hefling may have interviewed some pockets of support to back her thesis, her research has somehow missed the millions of Common Core opponents. She must not have talked to the same students that Stephen Colbert mentioned in his hilarious ambush on the absurdity of the standards—or the tens of thousands of parents around the country like this one, whose frustration with the standards finally turned into cynicism.
The article barely even mentions the “droves” of parents who are opting their frustrated kids out of the tests. It doesn’t address the fact that homeschooling is expected to skyrocket with the new surge of students fleeing the public schools. And while some families are contemplating moving out of their home state just to get away from the Common Core, Politico fails to mention the impact that Common Core is having on the average, middle-class family.
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DelMarVa's Premier Source for News, Opinion, Analysis, and Human Interest Contact Publisher Joe Albero at alberobutzo@wmconnect.com or 410-430-5349
Wednesday, November 11, 2015
What Happens If Hyperlinks Get Copyright Protection In Europe?
Another storm appears to be brewing in Europe that will impact the ability of many U.S. businesses to freely operate there. According to a leaked draft European Commission Communication, “the Commission will examine whether action is needed on the definition of the rights of ‘communication to the public’ and of ‘making available’,”–direct references to EU case law governing hyperlinks. According to European Parliament member Julia Reda, this means that “ the European Commission is preparing a frontal attack on the hyperlink , the basic building block of the Internet as we know it.”
What is being discussed, essentially, is ancillary copyright. Ancillary copyright includes the right of copyright owners to charge a fee for hyper-linking to and excerpting from their works. From a practical standpoint, this law would affect any news aggregator linking to and excerpting works from European content sources, not just EU-based aggregators.
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What is being discussed, essentially, is ancillary copyright. Ancillary copyright includes the right of copyright owners to charge a fee for hyper-linking to and excerpting from their works. From a practical standpoint, this law would affect any news aggregator linking to and excerpting works from European content sources, not just EU-based aggregators.
More here
Missouri Resignation Shows Liberal Colleges Reaping What They Sow
The resignation of University of Missouri President Tim Wolfe on Monday amid campus protests are the result of colleges teaching students that America is bad, and schools now are "reaping what they sow," says conservative talk radio host Rush Limbaugh.
Wolfe announced he was stepping down amid a hunger strike by a student and a vow by 30 black members of the football team to sit out practice and next Saturday's game against Brigham Young University.
"He just resigned for committing the crime of being a white male," Limbaugh said, calling it as "a social justice warrior's story."
The protests were sparked by a spate of racist incidents beginning in early October.
"It was just a couple of short years ago the University of Missouri got a gold star, and the University of Missouri was the leading, most sensitive university in America because that's where Michael Sam went to school," Limbaugh said, referring to the first openly gay player to enter the NFL draft.
At that time the school "was heralded as a citadel of tolerance," Limbaugh said. "What happened?"
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Wolfe announced he was stepping down amid a hunger strike by a student and a vow by 30 black members of the football team to sit out practice and next Saturday's game against Brigham Young University.
"He just resigned for committing the crime of being a white male," Limbaugh said, calling it as "a social justice warrior's story."
The protests were sparked by a spate of racist incidents beginning in early October.
"It was just a couple of short years ago the University of Missouri got a gold star, and the University of Missouri was the leading, most sensitive university in America because that's where Michael Sam went to school," Limbaugh said, referring to the first openly gay player to enter the NFL draft.
At that time the school "was heralded as a citadel of tolerance," Limbaugh said. "What happened?"
More here
Illegal Guns A Deadly Epidemic On Baltimore City Streets
Mary Bubala traces one gun’s deadly trail, asking what can be done to get these dangerous weapons off our streets.
Just after midnight, a bad guy with an illegal gun opened fire, killing a man in Northeast Baltimore. The first shooting rang out in the 2600 block of East Monument Street. While detectives were on the scene gathering evidence, there was another shooting 45 minutes later and just blocks away. The same suspect reportedly shot and killed another man. When they got to the crime scene on North Rose Street, it was the same gun.
“One gun, two families whose lives have been destroyed at at least changed in a matter of minutes,” said Donny Moses, Baltimore City Police Department.
The illegal gun is just one of thousands taken off city streets since then. But how did that gun — a Rossi .38 caliber revolver — end up here?
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Sen. Grassley: GOP Not Dumb Enough to Impeach Obama, Make Him Martyr
President Barack Obama shows a lack of respect for the Constitution in the numerous executive orders he has issued, but Republicans won't impeach him, Sen. Chuck Grassley tells Newsmax TV.
"The president would love to have Congress impeach him because it'd make a martyr out of him," Grassley said Monday on "The Steve Malzberg Show." "We aren't dumb enough to do that."
Still, Obama's actions are obviously unconstitutional, the Iowa Republican said.
"Even the courts have said that on 12 occasions, and don't forget the Supreme Court sat in on four or five occasions already," he said. "One time he took action that even his own two appointees in the Supreme Court said he acted unconstitutionally."
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"The president would love to have Congress impeach him because it'd make a martyr out of him," Grassley said Monday on "The Steve Malzberg Show." "We aren't dumb enough to do that."
Still, Obama's actions are obviously unconstitutional, the Iowa Republican said.
"Even the courts have said that on 12 occasions, and don't forget the Supreme Court sat in on four or five occasions already," he said. "One time he took action that even his own two appointees in the Supreme Court said he acted unconstitutionally."
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New York State Launches Probe of Failed Obamacare Co-Op
The State of New York has announced that it is opening an investigation into failed Health Republic, the largest Obamacare co-op in the nation, saying the insurer did not truthfully report its financial condition to regulators.
The New York State Department of Financial Services says in a press release that "it found that Health Republic’s finances were substantially worse than the company previously reported to the state, making it necessary to end the company’s policies as of November 30, 2015."
"Health Republic is the largest of the 23 Obamacare co-ops in the country. It was founded by political activist Sarah Horowitz, who first met then-Senator Barack Obama when they both worked at the same think tank," the Daily Caller reports.
Taxpayers are expected to take the hit for $355 million in losses from the failed venture, the Daily Caller reports.
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The New York State Department of Financial Services says in a press release that "it found that Health Republic’s finances were substantially worse than the company previously reported to the state, making it necessary to end the company’s policies as of November 30, 2015."
"Health Republic is the largest of the 23 Obamacare co-ops in the country. It was founded by political activist Sarah Horowitz, who first met then-Senator Barack Obama when they both worked at the same think tank," the Daily Caller reports.
Taxpayers are expected to take the hit for $355 million in losses from the failed venture, the Daily Caller reports.
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Yale Students Protest, Disrupt, Pro-Free Speech Event
Students at Yale on Saturday protested—and in one case disrupted—an event held by the William F. Buckley, Jr. Program that was designed to highlight the importance of freedom of speech.
According to a report in the Yale Daily News “several attendees were spat on” by the protestors.
The targets of the protest and disruption were participating in the Buckley Program’s “Fifth Annual Conference on the Future of Free Speech: Threats in Higher Education and Beyond.”
The conference is held in keeping with the program’s mission “to expand political discourse on campus and to expose students to often-unvoiced views.”
The Yale Daily News, citing Buckley Fellows (Yale students who participate in the program), reported that protestors spat on conference attendees as they departed.
“A large group of students eventually gathered outside of the building on High Street," the Yale Daily News reported. "According to Buckley fellows present during the conference, several attendees were spat on as they left. One Buckley fellow said he was spat on and called a racist. Another, who is a minority himself, said he has been labeled a 'traitor' by several fellow minority students. Both asked to remain anonymous because they were afraid of attracting backlash."
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According to a report in the Yale Daily News “several attendees were spat on” by the protestors.
The targets of the protest and disruption were participating in the Buckley Program’s “Fifth Annual Conference on the Future of Free Speech: Threats in Higher Education and Beyond.”
The conference is held in keeping with the program’s mission “to expand political discourse on campus and to expose students to often-unvoiced views.”
The Yale Daily News, citing Buckley Fellows (Yale students who participate in the program), reported that protestors spat on conference attendees as they departed.
“A large group of students eventually gathered outside of the building on High Street," the Yale Daily News reported. "According to Buckley fellows present during the conference, several attendees were spat on as they left. One Buckley fellow said he was spat on and called a racist. Another, who is a minority himself, said he has been labeled a 'traitor' by several fellow minority students. Both asked to remain anonymous because they were afraid of attracting backlash."
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Al Qaeda Terror Boss Discovered On Migrant Boat, Authorities ‘Tried To Hide News’
Ben Nasr Mehdi, a Tunisian who was first arrested in Italy in 2007 and sentenced to seven years imprisonment for plotting terror attacks with an Islamic State-linked group, was caught trying to re-enter the country last month.
Authorities discovered him among 200 migrants who were rescued at sea and taken to the island of Lampedusa. Although he gave a false name, migration officers identified him through finger print records, the Independent reports.
German channel n-tv claims the Italian government initially tried to hide the story to avoid “panic” and “scare tactics”. The news did not emerge until several days after Mehdi had been detained last week.
More here
Ex-GAO head: US debt is three times more than you think
The former U.S. comptroller general says the real U.S. debt is closer to about $65 trillion than the oft-cited figure of $18 trillion.
Dave Walker, who headed the Government Accountability Office (GAO) under Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush, said when you add up all of the nation’s unfunded liabilities, the national debt is more than three times the number generally advertised.
“If you end up adding to that $18.5 trillion the unfunded civilian and military pensions and retiree healthcare, the additional underfunding for Social Security, the additional underfunding for Medicare, various commitments and contingencies that the federal government has, the real number is about $65 trillion rather than $18 trillion, and it’s growing automatically absent reforms,” Walker told host John Catsimatidis on “The Cats Roundtable” on New York’s AM-970 in an interview airing Sunday.
The former comptroller general, who is in charge of ensuring federal spending is fiscally responsible, said a burgeoning national debt hampers the ability of government to carry out both domestic and foreign policy initiatives.
Dave Walker, who headed the Government Accountability Office (GAO) under Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush, said when you add up all of the nation’s unfunded liabilities, the national debt is more than three times the number generally advertised.
“If you end up adding to that $18.5 trillion the unfunded civilian and military pensions and retiree healthcare, the additional underfunding for Social Security, the additional underfunding for Medicare, various commitments and contingencies that the federal government has, the real number is about $65 trillion rather than $18 trillion, and it’s growing automatically absent reforms,” Walker told host John Catsimatidis on “The Cats Roundtable” on New York’s AM-970 in an interview airing Sunday.
The former comptroller general, who is in charge of ensuring federal spending is fiscally responsible, said a burgeoning national debt hampers the ability of government to carry out both domestic and foreign policy initiatives.
O'Malley offers VA reform plans on eve of Veterans Day
The move comes just hours before Veterans Day and gives a direct response to criticism from veterans groups that the Democrat still hadn’t engaged on those issues enough, either on the campaign trail or on his website.
“Veterans have not escaped Washington’s dysfunction,” the former Maryland governor’s campaign states in his new policy paper. “While some progress has been made at (VA), the current situation remains unacceptable. Further reform and bold actions are needed to ensure instances of data manipulation and secret wait lists never happen again.”
Those reforms include expanding several of O’Malley’s veterans initiatives in Maryland to a national level, including the use of new data analysis tools and a greater emphasis on local facility control and response.
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MD State Police Wins 2015 National Awards For Traffic Safety Efforts
(PIKESVILLE, MD) – The International Association of Chiefs of Police, in cooperation with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the National Sheriff’s Association, the Governor’s Highway Safety Association, and the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators, recently presented the Maryland State Police with three top national awards in recognition for outstanding traffic safety efforts aimed at reducing crashes and injuries.
The Maryland State Police won first place in the 2015 National Law Enforcement Challenge for state police or highway patrol departments with between 500 and 1,500 sworn members. A Special Category Award was also presented to the Maryland State Police for commercial vehicle safety efforts by state police agencies. A third honor, the Clayton J. Hall Memorial Award, was received for submitting the most comprehensive traffic safety program out of more than 200 law enforcement agencies participating in the national competition.
“It was an honor to accept these awards on behalf of the dedicated troopers in the Field Operations Bureau,” Maryland State Police Superintendent Colonel William Pallozzi said. “While receiving this recognition is appreciated, our commitment to traffic safety is not to earn awards, but because we know the harder we work, the more impact we can have on reducing crashes, saving lives, and making our highways safer.”
The National Law Enforcement Challenge focuses on the police department’s comprehensive strategies to address the traffic safety issues of impaired driving, occupant protection, and speed awareness. Agencies can select an additional traffic safety issue that has been identified as a problem in their state. Police departments are evaluated and judged on their approaches to traffic safety issues based on the factors of problem identification, policies, planning, training, public information and education, enforcement, and outcomes.
The Maryland State Police won first place in the 2015 National Law Enforcement Challenge for state police or highway patrol departments with between 500 and 1,500 sworn members. A Special Category Award was also presented to the Maryland State Police for commercial vehicle safety efforts by state police agencies. A third honor, the Clayton J. Hall Memorial Award, was received for submitting the most comprehensive traffic safety program out of more than 200 law enforcement agencies participating in the national competition.
“It was an honor to accept these awards on behalf of the dedicated troopers in the Field Operations Bureau,” Maryland State Police Superintendent Colonel William Pallozzi said. “While receiving this recognition is appreciated, our commitment to traffic safety is not to earn awards, but because we know the harder we work, the more impact we can have on reducing crashes, saving lives, and making our highways safer.”
The National Law Enforcement Challenge focuses on the police department’s comprehensive strategies to address the traffic safety issues of impaired driving, occupant protection, and speed awareness. Agencies can select an additional traffic safety issue that has been identified as a problem in their state. Police departments are evaluated and judged on their approaches to traffic safety issues based on the factors of problem identification, policies, planning, training, public information and education, enforcement, and outcomes.
New Push For Seat Belts In Maryland School Buses
WJZ Investigator Mike Hellgren with the new push and why some school boards are so against it.
Many school administrators say school buses are different than regular cars and SUVs and that seat belts are not as effective. But one former Maryland politician says if we have to buckle up every day in our cars, we should have to do so for our kids in school buses.
A parent’s nightmare–their child’s school bus rolls over–like a crash in Baltimore County two years ago, where children had to escape from the roof.
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Eastern Shore Pregnancy Center Banquet
Rethinking the Use of Methadone as a Preferred Treatment for Pain
More than 16,000 Americans die each year from prescription opioid overdoses, with a disproportionate number of these deaths attributed to methadone. Now, the federal government is calling on states to consider removing methadone from the list of preferred drugs used as pain relievers for Medicaid patients. This proposal is part of a larger White House initiative to stop the nation’s prescription drug abuse epidemic.
The evidence of harm associated with methadone for pain is clear. Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) show that while methadone accounts for just 2 percent of opioid pain reliever prescriptions, the drug is responsible for nearly one third of prescription opioid overdose deaths. And from 1999 to 2010, as the use of methadone for pain increased, so too did the extent of associated harms. In fact, CDC found overdose deaths associated with methadone for pain increased nearly six-fold in that time, jumping from 784 deaths to 4,577 deaths.
Why does methadone put patients at greater risk?
The unique properties of methadone distinguish it from other opioids. Pain relief ends sooner than the drug’s effects on respiratory and cardiac systems. Because the pain returns before the body has fully metabolized the drug, patients may be tempted to take more, putting them at risk of overdose and death from respiratory depression or heart-beat abnormalities.
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The evidence of harm associated with methadone for pain is clear. Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) show that while methadone accounts for just 2 percent of opioid pain reliever prescriptions, the drug is responsible for nearly one third of prescription opioid overdose deaths. And from 1999 to 2010, as the use of methadone for pain increased, so too did the extent of associated harms. In fact, CDC found overdose deaths associated with methadone for pain increased nearly six-fold in that time, jumping from 784 deaths to 4,577 deaths.
Why does methadone put patients at greater risk?
The unique properties of methadone distinguish it from other opioids. Pain relief ends sooner than the drug’s effects on respiratory and cardiac systems. Because the pain returns before the body has fully metabolized the drug, patients may be tempted to take more, putting them at risk of overdose and death from respiratory depression or heart-beat abnormalities.
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