I just read San Francisco Chronicle columnist Mark Mulford's column where he claims American kids are "dumber than dirt". The main problem I have with such articles is, first, they fail to define what "dumb" is and second, they seem to yearn for a "happier time." Also, they seem to place the author in the position of "I'm better than you." Oh yeah? Says, who?
So I can't take the article seriously from the perspective around the question of correctness.
I do think that we have not shown kids the importance of critical thinking. It's just fine to watch TV -- one gains information that way. Information on our society, especially from the various news sources. But we're in trouble when we don't question what we're told.
I also think we've not shown kids the importance of being social and polite. Leave the text messages alone and talk. Say excuse me when you pass by someone. Manners are the glue that holds society together. I'm concerned that we're not making sure we have a good supply of that glue in store.
Sunday, October 28, 2007
N.Y., DHS Strike Deal On Driver's Licenses
Version Established For Illegals
WASHINGTON (AP) ― The Bush administration and New York agreed Saturday on a compromise creating a more secure driver's license for U.S. citizens and allowing illegal immigrants to get a version. New York is the fourth state to reach such an agreement, after Arizona, Vermont and Washington. The issue is pressing for border states, where new and tighter rules are soon to go into effect for crossings.
The deal comes about one month after New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer announced a plan whereby illegal immigrants with a valid foreign passport could obtain a license.
The agreement with the Homeland Security Department will create a three-tier license system in New York, the largest state to sign on so far to the government's post-Sept. 11 effort to make identification cards more secure.
Spitzer, who has faced much criticism on the issue, said the deal means New York "will usher in the most secure licensing system in the nation."
Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff said he was not happy that New York intended to issue IDs to illegal immigrants. But he said there was nothing he could do to stop it.
"I don't endorse giving licenses to people who are not here legally, but federal law does allow states to make that choice," Chertoff said.
New York will produce one ID that will be as secure as a passport and is intended for people who soon will need to meet such requirements, even for a short drive to Canada.
A second version of the license will meet new federal standards of the Real ID Act, a law designed to make it much harder for illegal immigrants or would-be terrorists to obtain licenses.
A third type of license will be available to undocumented immigrants. Spitzer has said this ID will make the state more secure by bringing those people "out of the shadows" and into American society, and by lowering auto insurance rates.
New York has between 500,000 and 1 million undocumented immigrants, many of whom are driving without a license and car insurance or with fake driver's licenses, Spitzer in September when he announced his executive order.
The administration has not finalized standards for Real ID-compliant driver's licenses, but Spitzer said he believed the new licenses would meet those standards or come very close.
Many states have complained it is far too expensive to comply with the new law. Neither the governor nor Chertoff would say how much it would cost to put the system in place or who would pay for it.
WASHINGTON (AP) ― The Bush administration and New York agreed Saturday on a compromise creating a more secure driver's license for U.S. citizens and allowing illegal immigrants to get a version. New York is the fourth state to reach such an agreement, after Arizona, Vermont and Washington. The issue is pressing for border states, where new and tighter rules are soon to go into effect for crossings.
The deal comes about one month after New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer announced a plan whereby illegal immigrants with a valid foreign passport could obtain a license.
The agreement with the Homeland Security Department will create a three-tier license system in New York, the largest state to sign on so far to the government's post-Sept. 11 effort to make identification cards more secure.
Spitzer, who has faced much criticism on the issue, said the deal means New York "will usher in the most secure licensing system in the nation."
Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff said he was not happy that New York intended to issue IDs to illegal immigrants. But he said there was nothing he could do to stop it.
"I don't endorse giving licenses to people who are not here legally, but federal law does allow states to make that choice," Chertoff said.
New York will produce one ID that will be as secure as a passport and is intended for people who soon will need to meet such requirements, even for a short drive to Canada.
A second version of the license will meet new federal standards of the Real ID Act, a law designed to make it much harder for illegal immigrants or would-be terrorists to obtain licenses.
A third type of license will be available to undocumented immigrants. Spitzer has said this ID will make the state more secure by bringing those people "out of the shadows" and into American society, and by lowering auto insurance rates.
New York has between 500,000 and 1 million undocumented immigrants, many of whom are driving without a license and car insurance or with fake driver's licenses, Spitzer in September when he announced his executive order.
The administration has not finalized standards for Real ID-compliant driver's licenses, but Spitzer said he believed the new licenses would meet those standards or come very close.
Many states have complained it is far too expensive to comply with the new law. Neither the governor nor Chertoff would say how much it would cost to put the system in place or who would pay for it.
Saturday, October 27, 2007
Dick Cheney On Cousin Barack Obama - CNBC’s Larry Kudlow Interview
Here's a video of Vice President Dick Cheney's comments on the finding that he's related to Senator Barack Obama:
Genarlow Wilson Is Freed From Prison! Georgia Supreme Court Says Sentence Was "Cruel and Unusual" - ESPN
FORSYTH, Ga. (ESPN) -- A former high school football star given 10 years in prison for having consensual oral sex with another teenager was freed Friday by Georgia's highest court, which ruled that his sentence amounted to cruel and unusual punishment.
Genarlow Wilson spent two years behind bars in the case that led to widespread protests of racism and heavy-handed justice.
"I was in total disbelief," Wilson told reporters outside the prison. "I'm finally happy to see we've got justice now."
Wilson, 21, also said he wants to help other teens and offered some advice: "They should be very hesitant before they join certain crowds and make certain decisions."
In its 4-3 decision, the Georgia Supreme Court noted that state lawmakers had scrapped the law that required a minimum 10-year prison term.
That change, the court said, represented "a seismic shift in the legislature's view of the gravity of oral sex between two willing teenage participants."
ESPN.com on Wilson ruling
• Genarlow Wilson, imprisoned for more than two years in a state prison in Georgia, plans to make a return to sports and school. ESPN.com's Wright Thompson was there at Wilson's release and writes of his "whole new life" that awaits. Story
• The Georgia courts were put in a difficult position by the combination of absolute prohibition and draconian penalty, writes ESPN.com's Lester Munson. Story
• Read the full ruling issued Friday by the Georgia Supreme Court ordering the release of Genarlow Wilson from prison. Read the Ruling (.pdf)
Wilson, who was the homecoming king at Douglas County High, was a track and football star that would have played college football, his coaches said. He was all-conference in football and even held future NFL first-round draft pick Calvin Johnson to four catches in two games, according to his coaches.
The justices also said Wilson's sentence made "no measurable contribution to acceptable goals of punishment," and his crime did not rise to the "level of adults who prey on children."
After he was imprisoned, Wilson became the subject of prominent editorials and national news broadcasts. His sentence was denounced even by members of the jury that convicted him and the author of the 1995 law that put him in prison.
Supporters including former President Jimmy Carter said the case raised troubling questions about race and the justice system. Wilson and the girl are both black.
Wilson was convicted of aggravated child molestation after he was videotaped having oral sex with a 15-year-old girl at a 2003 New Year's Eve party in a hotel room. He was 17 at the time.
Wilson was acquitted of raping another 17-year-old girl at the party.
State Attorney General Thurbert Baker said he hopes Friday's ruling puts "an end to this issue as a matter of contention in the hearts and minds of concerned Georgians and others across the country who have taken such a strong interest in this case."
The man who prosecuted Wilson, Douglas County District Attorney David McDade, said he disagreed with the decision, but he respects the court "as the final arbiter."
Wilson's supporters were jubilant.
"I never gave up hope in our judicial system, and I never gave up hope in all the prayers people sent out for us," said Wilson's mother, Juannessa Bennett.
E-ticket: Outrageous Injustice
In January, ESPN.com published the story of Genarlow Wilson's crime, punishment and fight for justice in a story that won the PASS Award (Prevention for a Safer Society) from the National Council on Crime and Delinquency. Read Wright Thompson's report here.
• Thompson: Outrageous Injustice
Rep. John Lewis, an Atlanta Democrat, said: "Each day that this young man spent in prison was a day too long."
The 1995 law Wilson violated was changed in 2006 to make oral sex between teens close in age a misdemeanor, similar to the law regarding teen sexual intercourse. But the state Supreme Court later upheld a lower-court ruling that said the 2006 law could not be applied retroactively.
The high court had turned down Wilson's appeal of his conviction and sentence, but the justices agreed to hear the state's appeal of a judge's decision to reduce Wilson's sentence to 12 months and free him. That judge had called the 10-year sentence a "grave miscarriage of justice."
Wilson said he plans to return to school and sports and possibly study sociology. For now, he was looking forward to spending time with relatives.
"I feel I've been away from them long enough," he said. "At times, we've dealt with adversity. Now my family, we finally get to deal with happiness."
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Genarlow Wilson spent two years behind bars in the case that led to widespread protests of racism and heavy-handed justice.
"I was in total disbelief," Wilson told reporters outside the prison. "I'm finally happy to see we've got justice now."
Wilson, 21, also said he wants to help other teens and offered some advice: "They should be very hesitant before they join certain crowds and make certain decisions."
In its 4-3 decision, the Georgia Supreme Court noted that state lawmakers had scrapped the law that required a minimum 10-year prison term.
That change, the court said, represented "a seismic shift in the legislature's view of the gravity of oral sex between two willing teenage participants."
ESPN.com on Wilson ruling
• Genarlow Wilson, imprisoned for more than two years in a state prison in Georgia, plans to make a return to sports and school. ESPN.com's Wright Thompson was there at Wilson's release and writes of his "whole new life" that awaits. Story
• The Georgia courts were put in a difficult position by the combination of absolute prohibition and draconian penalty, writes ESPN.com's Lester Munson. Story
• Read the full ruling issued Friday by the Georgia Supreme Court ordering the release of Genarlow Wilson from prison. Read the Ruling (.pdf)
Wilson, who was the homecoming king at Douglas County High, was a track and football star that would have played college football, his coaches said. He was all-conference in football and even held future NFL first-round draft pick Calvin Johnson to four catches in two games, according to his coaches.
The justices also said Wilson's sentence made "no measurable contribution to acceptable goals of punishment," and his crime did not rise to the "level of adults who prey on children."
After he was imprisoned, Wilson became the subject of prominent editorials and national news broadcasts. His sentence was denounced even by members of the jury that convicted him and the author of the 1995 law that put him in prison.
Supporters including former President Jimmy Carter said the case raised troubling questions about race and the justice system. Wilson and the girl are both black.
Wilson was convicted of aggravated child molestation after he was videotaped having oral sex with a 15-year-old girl at a 2003 New Year's Eve party in a hotel room. He was 17 at the time.
Wilson was acquitted of raping another 17-year-old girl at the party.
State Attorney General Thurbert Baker said he hopes Friday's ruling puts "an end to this issue as a matter of contention in the hearts and minds of concerned Georgians and others across the country who have taken such a strong interest in this case."
The man who prosecuted Wilson, Douglas County District Attorney David McDade, said he disagreed with the decision, but he respects the court "as the final arbiter."
Wilson's supporters were jubilant.
"I never gave up hope in our judicial system, and I never gave up hope in all the prayers people sent out for us," said Wilson's mother, Juannessa Bennett.
E-ticket: Outrageous Injustice
In January, ESPN.com published the story of Genarlow Wilson's crime, punishment and fight for justice in a story that won the PASS Award (Prevention for a Safer Society) from the National Council on Crime and Delinquency. Read Wright Thompson's report here.
• Thompson: Outrageous Injustice
Rep. John Lewis, an Atlanta Democrat, said: "Each day that this young man spent in prison was a day too long."
The 1995 law Wilson violated was changed in 2006 to make oral sex between teens close in age a misdemeanor, similar to the law regarding teen sexual intercourse. But the state Supreme Court later upheld a lower-court ruling that said the 2006 law could not be applied retroactively.
The high court had turned down Wilson's appeal of his conviction and sentence, but the justices agreed to hear the state's appeal of a judge's decision to reduce Wilson's sentence to 12 months and free him. That judge had called the 10-year sentence a "grave miscarriage of justice."
Wilson said he plans to return to school and sports and possibly study sociology. For now, he was looking forward to spending time with relatives.
"I feel I've been away from them long enough," he said. "At times, we've dealt with adversity. Now my family, we finally get to deal with happiness."
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Dream Presidential Ticket: Obama / Colbert Would Win!
OK. Seeing as Stephen Colbert has annouced he's running for President, and that his new Facebook group has gained 1 million supporters in just over a week, let me be the first to introduce what could become a reality: the Obama / Colbert. That's right. Senator Barack Obama paired with Stephen Colbert.
If you think about this match, it's made in Heaven. At least Internet Heaven because both Obama and Colbert command huge numbers of people and can mobilze young voters in a snap. Both lay claim to several million supporters online and in America. Imagine if that numerical power were combined for the greater good?
I'm serious here, folks. I really think Obama / Colbert's a better ticket than Obama / Gore, and that's because, as Barack said "Vice President might be a step down for him."
But not for Stephen Colbert. I think he'd go for it. Not only, that, he should go for it!
Stephen Colbert Could Run For President As A "Write In" Candidate
Yep. I'm not sure what to make of all of this, except that all of this response to Comedy Central's Stephen Colbert's supposed "effort" to run for President has not only taken on a life of its own, but -- hey folks -- he's actually got time to file and run for President.
I was under the impression that the filing deadline was November 2nd, but that's the last time I listen to television. Here's the actual information.
It seems the candidate can actually sign up as a write-in competitor in some states. Read this from the North Dakota website :
Running as a Write-In Candidate in the
General Election
A person who intends to be a write-in candidate for President
of the United States at the November 4, 2008 General Election
shall file a sworn Certificate of Write-In Candidacy with the
Secretary of State by 4:00 p.m. on the 21st day before the
General Election. The sworn Certificate of Write-In Candidacy
must contain the complete address of the candidate and the
names and complete addresses of the candidate’s 3
presidential electors. A sworn certificate of acceptance signed
by the candidate’s presidential electors must accompany the
Certificate of Write-In Candidacy.
The certificate of
acceptance for each elector is included as part of the
Certificate of Write-In Candidacy. If the presidential candidate
has a vice-presidential running mate, the name and complete
address of the running mate shall be contained on the
Certificate of Write-In Candidacy as well. If there is no vice-
presidential running mate, the certificate shall be appropriately
marked. The sworn vice-presidential certificate of acceptance
is also included as part of the Certificate of Write-In Candidacy.
NDCC Ch. 16.1-12-02.2
A Complete Filing Must Include
1. A Certificate of Write-In Candidacy President of
the United States General Election (SFN 18440);
2. A Statement of Interests (SFN 10172) or a like
personal disclosure statement required by the Federal
Election Commission for presidential and vice
presidential candidates.
When and Where to File
The filing deadline with the Secretary of State is October
14, 2008 by 4:00 p.m. Complete filings must be in the
physical possession of the Secretary of State’s office by
the filing deadline.
________
_
_________________________________________
Interaction with Federal Laws
Candidates for President and Vice President of the United
States are subject to the registration and financial disclosure
requirements of the Federal Election Campaign Act.
Under the Federal Election Campaign Act, a candidate is
subject to registration and financial obligations when the
campaign exceeds $5,000 in either contributions or
expenditures.
Questions and requests for further information may be directed
to the:
Federal Election Commission (FEC)
999 E Street North West, Room 232
Washington, D.C. 20463
Toll Free
1-800-424-9530
Web Site
www.fec.gov
__________________________________________________
Forms
The state forms listed above (SFN) are available from the
Secretary of State’s office and may also be accessed from the
Secretary of State’s web site and Fax-On-Demand service line.
Secretary of State
State of North Dakota
600 E Boulevard Ave Dept 108
Bismarck ND 58505-0500
Phone
(701) 328-4146
Toll free
1-800-352-0867
Fax-On-Demand Service (701) 328-0120
Web Site
www.nd.gov/sos
So hang on, folks, this could get serious. He's already massed a Facebook group of over 1 million people!
It's definite: Game's on Sunday at Qualcomm
By Kevin Acee
UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER
11:01 a.m. October 26, 2007
A week of uncertainty has come to a close, as the Chargers have learned they will play their home game Sunday – actually at home.
They will play the Houston Texans at 1:05 p.m. at Qualcomm Stadium, according to a press release from the city.
The wildfires that tortured San Diegans this week forced the Chargers to flee Tuesday to Arizona, where they will hold their third-and-final practice at the Cardinals' complex in Tempe this afternoon.
On Thursday, Mayor Jerry Sanders cleared Qualcomm Stadium as site of the game. While all indications were the game would be there, the Chargers still did not confirm that on Thursday night.
The mayor said the team remained concerned about air quality and police and fire support. A mayoral spokesman said Thursday the city “would be ready” with that support by Sunday.
Also, all remaining evacuees at Qualcomm Stadium were to be transferred to other shelters.
While some in San Diego expressed concerns about playing a game so soon after a tragedy, many have clamored for the game to be at Qualcomm because it would be a positive diversion.
I think thats very important for us,” quarterback Philip Rivers said. “We want to look at it like that. Anytime you can entertain people, its always going to take their minds off of whats going on. Even for three or four hours, if you can entertain them, theyre going to take their mind off of whatever is going on in their world. Thats what we want to do.
“People in the county are going through a tough time ... To play a game, hopefully back there, hopefully that can lift people's spirits. Because this is gong to be something the county is going to have to deal with for a long time.”
Asked Thursday about a game at Qualcomm helping people feel better, Sanders said, “I think the city ought to feel real good about the way it's responded to this crisis already. And I think a lot of people in the city and county of San Diego have done an incredible job working together to house and feed and do a lot of things. I certainly think a football game would be nice, but I don't know that that's the only thing people are focused on at this point.”
UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER
11:01 a.m. October 26, 2007
A week of uncertainty has come to a close, as the Chargers have learned they will play their home game Sunday – actually at home.
They will play the Houston Texans at 1:05 p.m. at Qualcomm Stadium, according to a press release from the city.
The wildfires that tortured San Diegans this week forced the Chargers to flee Tuesday to Arizona, where they will hold their third-and-final practice at the Cardinals' complex in Tempe this afternoon.
On Thursday, Mayor Jerry Sanders cleared Qualcomm Stadium as site of the game. While all indications were the game would be there, the Chargers still did not confirm that on Thursday night.
The mayor said the team remained concerned about air quality and police and fire support. A mayoral spokesman said Thursday the city “would be ready” with that support by Sunday.
Also, all remaining evacuees at Qualcomm Stadium were to be transferred to other shelters.
While some in San Diego expressed concerns about playing a game so soon after a tragedy, many have clamored for the game to be at Qualcomm because it would be a positive diversion.
I think thats very important for us,” quarterback Philip Rivers said. “We want to look at it like that. Anytime you can entertain people, its always going to take their minds off of whats going on. Even for three or four hours, if you can entertain them, theyre going to take their mind off of whatever is going on in their world. Thats what we want to do.
“People in the county are going through a tough time ... To play a game, hopefully back there, hopefully that can lift people's spirits. Because this is gong to be something the county is going to have to deal with for a long time.”
Asked Thursday about a game at Qualcomm helping people feel better, Sanders said, “I think the city ought to feel real good about the way it's responded to this crisis already. And I think a lot of people in the city and county of San Diego have done an incredible job working together to house and feed and do a lot of things. I certainly think a football game would be nice, but I don't know that that's the only thing people are focused on at this point.”
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