This is such a compelling letter–how can anyone claim that teachers are not dedicated?

I’m angry that I continue to have teachers step outside of the box…very brave teachers, and get pummeled because their children did not do well on state tests…that they were never supposed to do well on in the first place.

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Exactly. The game has been exposed–kids were never supposed to pass these tests. It was designed to fail them and their schools.

…just so some hedge fund manager, bankers, etc. could make a fast buck.

Forty Years of ALEC

August 8, 2013 by eagle

They’re protesting ALEC in Chicago as I type…the tweets are keeping tabs on what is going on. Badass Teachers Association is there. Others have reported rough treatment by Chicago Police.

https://twitter.com/aaroncynic/status/365556308516151297/photo/1

Chicago Teachers Union

Hedge Funds sucking public schools dry

August 7, 2013 by eagle

Well, now, there is much more to the story than just the unethical toad Daniel Loeb’s millions towards charter schools. The creeps on Wall Street see a gold mine in Charters….they can’t lose. And it’s not just unethical investors in the U.S., but foreign investors looking to make a fast buck off of American children. and get a green card to the U.S.

Why does it not surprise me that Bill Clinton allowed this to happen by signing into law effing tax breaks for these monstrosities?? Good God, how does this creep get away with soo much? Is there no one who will stand up to him and HIllary? WTH?!

What’s that giant sucking sound…?

It’s millionaire bankers, hedge fund managers, the Walton family, and foreign investors draining our public schools dry.

Loeb putting millions into charter schools

August 7, 2013 by eagle

Sometimes I wish my hunches weren’t right, then I wouldn’t have to see the workings of unethical toads like Daniel Loeb. (hat tip to Diane Ravitch).

Yep. He’s a union buster. And is putting millions towards destroying them and the public school system.

It’s clear to me with the new information that Loeb is a conservative who probably sees the movie industry as supporting liberals, and wants to destroy it. He puts money into schools that seek to destroy the creative by micromanaging them, so it’s not a big leap that he wants to destroy the creative in movies. Just my guess.

High levels of arsenic found in wells near fracking sites

August 3, 2013 by eagle

(hat tip to organic consumers)

From the Texas Tribune.

University of Texas at Arlington researchers tested 100 private water wells in 2011 …

Those with dangerously high levels of arsenic — about one-third of the wells — tended to be much closer to natural gas wells than those that were not contaminated.

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The study’s authors were cautious but I think this is pretty solid. What would be better is if the wells were tested by the university BEFORE fracking began. Then it would be pretty hard to deny that fracking is the cause of the high levels of arsenic. That absolutely should be a requirement before fracking is allowed in an area–the wells should be tested by independent labs (universities are great, as long as they’re not being bankrolled by corporate interests such as Halliburton) . And they should be re-tested after fracking has commenced.

And the water usage in fracking is rarely brought up–that concerns me as much as poisoning the water. How many gallons of precious water is used for this dirty process? How much does this drain the aquifers?

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Biotech food launches new website

August 3, 2013 by eagle

Propaganda...gotta love it. Not. Ninety-three percent of Americans want GMO labeling…why isn’t Congress doing what the American people want?? I mean, they keep stating “the American people want…” so they must be concerned with honoring our wishes….right? /just a little sarcasm there, folks

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One really has to wonder if the folks at the FDA have too much time on their hands or have completely lost their minds when you read stories like this.

I think we should all live in bubbles so there is no way that we could ever, ever, ever come in contact with salmonella or any other bad bug. /snark

I want eggs by free range chickens, but I can’t always get them. It makes sense that the nutrition is better with free range eggs–look at the variety in their diet. Clearly, the FDA is infiltrated with Big Ag corporations that want to squeeze out the organic farmer.

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Speaking of organic food–I am starting to see the fruits of my labor with the heirloom tomato, Cosmonaut Volkov. I had one the other night with mayonnaise on it…and OMG, it was delicious! It tasted like tomatoes used to taste like before the hybridized the taste out of them! Oh, wow, it was just like they tasted back in the 60s. I kid you not.

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More on the GMO war–of course, it always comes down to who is funding it. Gah, the “NO” list reads like a list of defense contractors.

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Organic food sales are increasing. People are waking up to the poison in their food. Good for them.

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Michael Pollan and Mark Hertsgaard on how sustainable farming practices can help with climate change.

What tainted food?

August 2, 2013 by eagle

Spocko has this up on the ultra-secret of who poisoned people. WTH? This is effing crazy that people are not told who and what made them sick. Really disturbing.

Keep in mind, folks, that when I briefly worked for the state’s health dept, they were not telling people about the link between DEET and seizures when they were pushing folks to use it to repel mosquitoes. They also did not tell them that citronella (along with other natural things) can do just as good a job of repelling them. When I questioned the health dept. director why folks were not told this, his lame excuse was that citronella had to be applied every thirty minutes. So they denied folks their own autonomy in giving them the information and letting them decide whether they wanted to take that risk or be a little inconvenienced.

The Crazy Amy link is something to behold. Wow. Her eyes are “off” which makes me wonder if she has mercury/heavy metal poisoning…I’ve noticed that the eyes are affected a lot with it.

PR Watch

August 2, 2013 by eagle

…has a few links up:

ALEC anniversary being celebrated in Chicago. A few folks thought they’d drop by….

MOVIE SCREENING: On Wednesday, August 7, at 6 p.m. Common Cause, the Center for Media and Democracy, and others will host a screening of the Bill Moyers documentary the “United States of ALEC” followed by a panel discussion. The screening will be held at the University Center, 525 South State Street in Chicago.

RALLY: At noon on Thursday, August 8, a coalition of groups, spearheaded by the Chicago Federation of Labor, is calling on people to gather outside the ALEC conference at the Palmer House Hotel, located at 17 East Monroe Street for a march and rally. You can tell them you are coming here.

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ALEC, Big Oil, and Big Ag…

ALEC and low wages…

Public Television pulls funding for documentary on the Kochs…because the Kochs are million dollar contributors. Selling their soul doesn’t come cheap, you know…