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shortyjr 05-Nov-2011
sexism in rap as a necessary evil. link »
In a society plagued by poverty and illiteracy, where young black men are as likely to be in prison as in college, rap is a welcome articulation of the economic and social frustrations of black youth. link »
lyrics include rudimentary forms of political, economic and social analysis. link »
women are the subject link »
what seems universal is how little male rappers respect sexual intimacy and how little regard they have for the humanity of the black woman. link »
Videos often feature the ostentatious and fetishistic display of women's bodies. In Kool Moe Dee's ''How Ya Like Me Now,'' women gyrate in tight leather with large revealing holes. link »
As Trisha Rose, a black feminist studying rap, puts it, ''Rap is basically a locker room with a beat.'' link »
In Bell Biv DeVoe's rap-influenced pop hit single ''Poison,'' for instance, a beautiful girl is considered poison because she does not respond affirmatively and automatically to a sexual proposition. link »
There is a widespread perception in the black community that public criticism of black men constitutes collaborating with a racist society. link »
www.nytimes.com/
1990/ 07/ 29/ arts/ pop-view-when-bla · Original page -
shortyjr 22-Apr-2011
Thus the ongoing controversy surrounding the Pledge of Allegiance is best understood not as a dispute between "believers" and "atheists," but on the contested meaning, significance, and propriety of civil religion in America itself. link »
search.proquest.com.ezaccess.libraries.psu.edu/
do · Original page -
shortyjr 22-Apr-2011
The 9th Circuit majority called it a proud recitation of the ideals on which our republic was founded. link »
Obscurity has been built into the pledge since Francis Bellamy created it in 1892. It was ostensibly designed to rouse the patriotic attachments of schoolchildren, particularly the recent immigrants who might need extra encouragement. link »
search.proquest.com.ezaccess.libraries.psu.edu/
do · Original page -
shortyjr 22-Apr-2011
Whereas many adults and youth have recited the words to the Pledge , few individuals have contemplated the meaning behind the words. Such a lack of understanding is a cause for concern because a democracy is based on the premise of an informed citizenry. link »
Following the tragedy of September 11, issues of citizenship and patriotism dominated the news media. "Seventeen states enacted new pledge laws or amended previous policies in the 2002-03 legislative sessions" alone (Piscatelli 2003, 1). link »
Several historical factors influenced the creation of the U.S. Pledge of Allegiance . link »
However, in the 1880s, there was a heightened desire to have compulsory education to transform immigrant children into American citizens, and the public schools were seen as a means of instilling patriotism (Sica 1990). link »
On October 21, 1892, more than 12,000,000 students said the Pledge at the National Columbian Public School Celebration (Miller). Through their efforts, Upham and Bellamy helped solidify the Pledge of Allegiance as a national tradition. link »
Francis Bellamy (author of the Pledge ) link »
Throughout the years, changes were made to the Pledge and the flag salute. To show that individuals were pledging allegiance specifically to the U.S. flag, the words "my flag" were changed to "the Flag of the United States of America" in 1924 link »
Fears about communism, an increased commitment to religion, and a belief in the Christian foundations of our nation led to the phrase "under God" being added to the Pledge of Allegiance in 1954 link »
The Pledge was a chance to "awaken the native born to their patriotic duties and obligations" (Ellis, 49) link »
However, Balch was against mandating the Pledge . When New York became the first state to legally require a flag salute, Balch stated that "volunteerism was essential to prevent the flag salute and other patriotic activities from becoming rote and mechanical" (Ellis, 53). link »
search.proquest.com.ezaccess.libraries.psu.edu/
do · Original page -
shortyjr 22-Apr-2011
Thirty-five states require schools to include recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance during the school day: link »
Requires recitation of the pledge or singing of the national anthem at beginning of each school day link »
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shortyjr 22-Apr-2011
For many Americans, citizenship and patriotism are associated with reciting the nation's Pledge of Allegiance. Therefore, this study asks the following questions: What do future teachers think about the concepts embedded in the Pledge, and what are their opinions on the usefulness of the Pledge in schools, as well as society in general? Results indicated that future or preservice teachers believed the loyalty and patriotic aspects of the Pledge to be useful for K-12 students, but did not find a personal value in their own recitation of the Pledge. link »
started in the late 180Os link »
In the two years immediately post 9/11, 17 U.S. states enacted new Pledge laws or amended previous policies related to the recitation of the Pledge (Pisca telli 2003; Westheimer 2007). link »
Presently, 35 states have mandated that the Pledge be recited in public schools on a daily basis during the school day (Piscatelli 2003). link »
Considered is the Pledge of Allegiance - being the most common visible demonstration to affirm patriotism link »
Patriotism establishes a "we" that satisfies the longings for connectedness and affiliation that are, at times, missing in the private lives of some people link »
These needs, however, can be exploited. As a result, patriotism is neither good nor bad in and of itself. The issue is how individuals and groups choose to use patriotism. Governments are known to play upon citizens' needs for security and to exploit the individual's sense of belonging by linking it with their partisan agendas. link »
Thus, whether people are participating in rallies for or against America's war in Iraq, as an example, intense emotions related to patriotism will come to the surface and wrap themselves around the symbols and rhetoric of the nation. link »
Lincoln (1852) said: He loved his country partly because it was his own country, but mostly because it was a free country; and he burned with a zeal for its advancement, prosperity and glory, because he saw in such, the advancement, prosperity and glory, of human liberty, human right, and human nature. According to Berns (3), "Lincoln identified what is in fact the unique character of American patriotism: the devotion not only to country, but also to its principles, the principles set down in 1776." link »
Ladson-Billings (2006, 585) asserted, "The term 'patriot', after 9/11, has been hijacked by an increasingly narrow and undemocratic sector of society." In this context, what was once deemed patriotic - rigorous and full debate to ensure that the fundamentals of the Constitution are upheld in the face of potential tyranny - has been overtaken by those advancing their own political goals through preying on a public in need of collective reassurance. Ladson-Billings (585) expressed the belief that patriotism is being eroded in favor of a "new patriotism" that is more akin to indoctrination than critical and analytic citizenship and civic discourse. link »
The local school board ultimately voted this issue down, and some pundits in the national media proclaimed the board members to be anti- American. However, as one board member pointed out, "patriotism is not what you say; patriotism is what you do" (Ladson-Billings 2006, 588). link »
Kavett (1976, 139^10) stated that there "must be an awareness that patriotism cannot be forced and mere recitation cannot achieve allegiance." link »
"blind patriotism" - defined as the unquestioning endorsement of one's country. link »
"stance of unquestioning endorsement of their country." In this awareness of patriotism, reason and constructive dialogue are abandoned in the face of an unquestioned understanding of one's own country as undeniably superior to all others. link »
Unlike blind patriotism, constructive patriotism has, at its center, the maintenance of democratic values. In an attempt to maintain and promote positive change and consistency with the nation's ideals, it provides the necessary critique and questioning to ensure that the notions of equality and liberty are upheld. link »
For most respondents, the comment, "we just learned how to say it in school," captures the nature of their Pledge instruction as students. No preservice teacher mentioned any instruction examining key concepts contained in the Pledge or studying the historical background that gave rise to the Pledge being a part of the school day. link »
Analysis of responses indicated that 85 percent (35 students) responded with comments that indicated feelings of being patriotic, while 15 percent (six students) expressed the idea that the Pledge had little or no meaning to them. link »
In reviewing the data, obvious trends were that preservice social studies teachers generally agreed that saying the Pledge of Allegiance is an important way to inculcate school children regarding patriotism, and they viewed the Pledge as a patriotic statement that helped lay the foundation for future citizenship link »
Further, they deemed the Pledge to have an "educational value" in that it helped to transmit shared values of loyalty, respect, patriotism, and common beliefs to future generations. link »
Gaffney and Gaffney (1996) studied 90 preservice and in-service teachers regarding whether public school students should be required to participate in the Pledge of Allegiance and the flag salute ceremony; their results, similar to the ones in this study, overwhelmingly found that preservice and in-service teachers favored students being required to recite the Pledge. link »
Though the two previous studies on the Pledge of Allegiance were conducted more than 10 years ago, persistent themes endure, such as the expressed belief by the preservice teachers in this study that patriotism and loyalty must be taught in the schools at an early age. link »
search.proquest.com.ezaccess.libraries.psu.edu/
do · Original page -
shortyjr 06-Apr-2011
Corbett’s proposed budget calls for a 52.4 percent reduction in Penn State’s state appropriation, which amounts to a $182 million dollar decrease in funds. Spanier said staff layoffs, raise in tuition and campus closures are all possibilities. link »
Spanier said in order to offset a large tuition increase, other measures will be taken, including program cuts, eliminating salary increases, restricting facility developments and moderating or cutting employee benefits. The budget cut could fundamentally change Penn State and have negative impacts on Pennsylvania citizens, Spanier said. link »
“Appropriation has remained flat in actual dollars over the last decade while state spending has grown by 41 percent,” Spanier said. “Penn State has not contributed to the deficit, not one penny.” link »
Penn State is one of the commonwealth’s largest employers and such budget cuts would add to the unemployment in Pennsylvania, he said. link »
Spanier said Penn State has been moving towards privatization for several years and this budget cut makes such a movement more realistic. link »
Spanier said he hopes Penn State will see something more proportional to the total budget cut, which is around 3 percent. “We are willing to do our fair share,” Spanier said. “But this is not our fair share.” link »
www.collegian.psu.edu/
archive/ 2011/ 03/ 09/ g_ spanie · Original page -
shortyjr 06-Apr-2011
An unprecedented $1 billion in funding cuts to public school classrooms would reverse years of significant academic gains, forcing school districts to increase property taxes and eliminate programs that work in order to balance their budgets. link »
That was the message today from PSEA President Jim Testerman, who said the combined loss of federal funds and state subsidy reductions proposed by Gov. Tom Corbett will harm the quality of education across the state. link »
Cutting programs that work for students, raising class sizes, furloughing teachers and creating uncertainty for parents over who will be teaching their children should cause concern for all Pennsylvanians,” Testerman said. link »
“The state has made targeted investments in education in recent years,” Testerman said. “Student test scores have gone up over that period. Cuts like these will take our schools backward.” link »
“The state budget is about our students’ future,” link »
The governor has proposed eliminating key programs supporting early childhood education. Testerman said that would mean students would be more likely to begin their education at a disadvantage. link »
No states have statistically significant higher 8th grade reading scores than Pennsylvania on the National Assessment of Educational Progress link »
more Pennsylvania students than ever - seven out of ten - are going on to higher education. link »
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shortyjr 06-Apr-2011
One: We have to spend less. Because we have less to spend. Two: We must tax no more. Because the people have no more to give. link »
These two statements contradict each other. link »
The substance of this budget is built on four core principles: Fiscal Discipline, Limited Government, Free Enterprise, and Reform. link »
Fiscal discipline means no new spending. It is our road to limited government. It means a return to free enterprise, where business and industry and labor are no longer hobbled by needless restrictions and strangled by reflexive taxation. If we are to create jobs we have to stop looking for reasons not to allow something. link »
This budget sorts the must-haves from the nice-to-haves. link »
politician rhetoric link »
A one-time tax hike becomes a two time increase, then three, then - somehow - it’s permanent. link »
The second problem is that tax increases choke growth. Every credible study on the subject has taught us this: the states that have grown the fastest, attracted the most jobs, have stayed out of the way. If you tax less, people will see the point in earning more. If you regulate more sensibly, businesses will be able to maneuver in the turns of tight economies. link »
I’m calling on the employees of our public schools - administrators, teachers, support workers, everyone - to hold the line. If it means a pay freeze, trust me, they’ll have plenty of company out there to keep them warm. link »
Our calculations show that if public school employees across the state agreed to a one-year freeze on pay increases we could save school districts $400 million. That’s $400 million in arts and music programs saved. That’s $400 million in programs spared from cuts. That’s $400 million toward making next year’s budget less about cutting back and more about moving forward, at little pain to those sharing the sacrifice. link »
Now, we all know that there’s an elephant in the room when it comes to education funding: The property tax. Too often we have seen school boards raise property taxes to avoid hard and choices. It’s human nature. When you’re spending someone else’s money it’s easier to say yes than no. I believe any new property tax increases beyond inflation should be put on the ballot. If school boards can’t say no maybe the taxpayers will. Let’s listen to the taxpayers on this one. link »
I am also calling on employees in the State System of Higher Education to consider sacrifice. I ask nothing more of our best educated people than to face up to a hard economic reality. The system in which you have flourished is in trouble. We cannot save it by individual efforts. The sacrifice must be collective, as will be the ultimate rewards. link »
www.pennlive.com/
midstate/ index.ssf/ 2011/ 03/ penns · Original page -
shortyjr 22-Mar-2011
According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency, most people in the United States receive 0.3 rem per year just from normal, background radiation. link »
So far, one employee at a nuclear plant in Japan has been reported to have had an exposure of 10 rem, not enough to produce obvious symptoms. link »
The annual dose limit for workers at nuclear plants in the United States is 5 rem. link »
www.deccanherald.com/
content/ 147579/ how-much-too- · Original page -
shortyjr 21-Mar-2011
There a tsunami triggered by the quake reached 10km (six miles) inland in places carrying houses, buildings, boats and cars with it. link »
A 10m wave struck Sendai, deluging farmland and sweeping cars across the airport's runway. Fires broke out in the centre of the city. link »
The quake was the fifth-largest in the world since 1900 and nearly 8,000 times stronger than the one which devastated Christchurch, New Zealand, last month, said scientists. link »
www.bbc.co.uk/
news/ world-asia-pacific-12709598 · Original page -
shortyjr 21-Mar-2011
The US Geological Survey reports that the earthquake that struck Japan last Friday is the strongest ever recorded with modern instrumentation to hit Japan and the fourth strongest since 1900. link »
1) The reactors withstood the earthquake significantly above designed strength. 2) Although the primary source of electricity failed, initially the backup systems worked as required. 3) The reactors withstood the tsunami which was above planned height. 4) The tsunami disabled the diesel generated backup of electricity and the battery backup was either disabled or inadequate. 5) The destruction of the standard communications between the plant operators and corporate and national leaders lead to a slow decision to flood the active reactors with sea water, which destroyed them. 6) The observed "explosions" were chemical, probably burning of free hydrogen. 7) Some meltdown of active reactors probably occurred. 8) Some of the cooling pools overheated, probably exposing the fuel rods and giving off hydrogen and radioactive gases. 9) Thus far, except for the immediate area around the reactors, the radioactivity released has been insignificant. From this natural disaster, we can learn that properly built nuclear plants can withstand powerful earthquakes and tsunamis. But backup cooling systems and any on-site cooling pools must be protected from any after effects of an earthquake. Cooling pools should be separated from the reactors. Also, solid communications must be available in spite of the scope of the natural disaster. link »
www.powerlineblog.com/
archives/ 2011/ 03/ 028643.php · Original page
by shortyjr
User: shortyjr
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