Evolution in Action: Civilization Edition
The land disappears beneath the sea at high tide in places where it hadn’t until recently — places such as Hampton Roads and Norfolk, Virginia, whic...
Category: politics
My Fellow Americans
Who is American?
On Trusting How We Count the Votes
There’s some discussion in the news that the Russians might be influencing the results of the U.S. presidential election by hacking the machines various j...
Transitioning to a Post-Westphalia World
What prevents the signatories of the TPP or TTIP, and their ilk, from just saying no when the investor-state dispute settlement provisions don’t go the wa...
In which apathy sets in
Huh? Apparently the school budget was up for approval on Tuesday. I didn’t notice. This is the first year since I became a property owner that I’ve ...
The Arlington (NY) Central School District School Board of Education Seeks Perfection
They chose an impossible goal: no failure. [B]y the year 2017: a. Increase 5 year graduation rates to 100% b. Achieve 100% grade level literacy by the end of Gr...
Against Full-Day Kindergarten
The Common Core State Standards website asks, Q: Why do we need educational standards? A: We need standards to ensure that all students, no matter where they li...
Obesity is the Government’s Business
NPR has an excellent series of debates on various topics called Intelligence Squared (U.S). On February 10th, the question was “Is Obesity the Government&...
On the Arlington Central School District Budget (2012-2013)
Arlington Central School District budget planning for FY 2012-2013 has resulted in a fairly good budget. I particularly like the appendices that are included fo...
How Stupid is the Mass Media?
Check out the headline on this article: CNN Poll: Still no front-runner in the battle for the GOP nomination. Of course not, you stupid shit. They just started ...
Dear Amtrak: Learn How to Price Your Service
Apparently you neglected to read my last letter, but with the fast approach of National Train Day and the increase in oil prices making your services slightly m...
On the Matter of the National Popular Vote
I’m on Mrs. Clinton’s e-mail list because I haven’t unsubscribed yet. Today, the list sent me an e-mail about bills currently in the New York ...
Comments on the Arlington Central School District Budget (2010-2011)
The Board of Education of the Arlington Central School District has made the difficult decision to close an elementary school in order to reduce the district...
Dear Amtrak
You disappoint me. You don’t understand pricing. Or perhaps you simply have no experience of buying things with your own money. In any case, what are you ...
Who Do You Include on Your Christmas Card List?
Our dear leader has suggested that we include our senators on our Christmas card list. That’s an excellent idea! (But I don’t think we printed enoug...
Naming the Institutions
Do you think people would be more attuned to the operation of governments if the branches were called the Rulemakers, the Deciders, and the Enforcer?
Pointless Distinctions: barriers to entry to Real Journalism
Journalists can obtain a copy of this publication via the Password-protected Web site for accredited journalists or from the OECD’s Media Relations Divisi...
On the Nature of Power
Like electricity in the grid, use it or lose it.
What, Me Worry? I’ve Done Nothing Wrong.
One thing I’ve never quite understood is how advocates for expansive government power never quite seem able to imagine themselves as being on the unpleasa...