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Messianic Mistakes
Pension priorities. How long ‘til Obama’s first misstep? Church socialism. Taxing experience. Poet’s corner. Plus more.
(Page 3 of 3)
Regarding Peter Hannaford’s article, he says that the National Climate Data Center now admits that “2008 will turn out to be our coldest year since 1997.” However, looking at their website, I read the following in their report on 2008:
“The year 2008 is on track to be one of the ten warmest years on record for the globe, based on the combined average of worldwide land and ocean surface temperatures, according to a preliminary analysis by NOAA’s National Climatic Data Center in Asheville, N.C. For November alone, the month is fourth warmest all-time globally, for the combined land and ocean surface temperature. The early assessment is based on records dating back to 1880.”
So, where do they say what Mr Hannaford (and some others, I
believe) is attributing to them? Don’t get me wrong, I’m inclined
to believe that 2008 has indeed been a colder year. But where
does the NCDC admit this?
— Peter Kenny
Editor’s note: Mr. Kenny might consult this USA Today report from January 8, which begins: “The USA’s 2008 annual temperature of 53 degrees was the coolest since 1997, federal climate scientists announced Thursday.”
THANKS FOR NOTHING
Condoleezza says we’ll thank Bush? OK, thanks for:
9/11
Osama’s freedom
Cheney’s treason
Surpluses’ evaporation
Rove’s contempt
Katrina’s anarchy
Rumsfeld’s miserliness
Gonzales’s torture
Powell’s lies
Iran’s nukes
Iraq’s occupation
Enron’s fall
Madoff’s ripoffs
SEC’s napping
Palin’s idiocy
Republicans’ hypocrisy
50+ scandals
…and finally…
Democrats’ victory!
— J. Andrew Smith
Bloomfield, New Jersey
REGARDING THE CHILDREN
Some children are cherished,
Some used as shields.
These are the realities
Fanaticism yields.
Do we blame the defenders
Who fight for their young
And champion the militants
Who safeguard no one?
Let reason prevail
Put emotions aside.
In whom do the hopes
Of the children reside?
— Mimi Evans Winship
Letter to the Editor View all comments (28) | Leave a comment
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frost| 1.13.09 @ 7:38AM
Oh, would that Dr. Halvenston be right?!? But, no, I fear not; we're being outvoted by those who seek "Something-for-Nothing" and those sanctimonious social-planners who'd prefer to inflict their version of a "brave-new-world" on we producers. We're in serious trouble, and the sheer numbers are stacked very much against us.
Troy | 1.13.09 @ 8:36AM
Wow, Mimi, that was beautiful.
Alan Brooks| 1.13.09 @ 11:16AM
a libertarian should not work as a teacher, hes rationalizing to think he can change anything by being a libertarian teacher.
And what does he mean teachers unions dont represent the state? and vice versa.
he works for a govt monopoly! Good lord what games are going on in his pedant's head. no wonder he isnt a professor.
libertarians are more dishonest to themselves than govt is to them.
sound bitter? you betcha. this isnt ben 'n' jerry's love-in blog.
Alan Brooks| 1.13.09 @ 11:49AM
and he mentions police and firefighters. sheesh
teachers are nothing next to them.
publik teachers should all be paid nothing but room and board.
frost| 1.13.09 @ 11:53AM
Sorry, Alan, your logic leaves bunches to be desired. My wife's a Libertarian college professor with Ph.D. (Business) and a few other Masters, and she also was stuck having to be a part of a stupid union. Ira from Rochester has always sounded like a lucid winner in all his previous postings (although he was a might verbose here), and I sympathize with him. I, too, might be called a Libertarian - - except for two things, their policy on illegal immigration, and on American foreign policy. Illegal aliens have gotta stop; they must cross our borders properly, as our grandfathers did - and we're committed: we must follow through and complete the Iraqi thing.
Alan, try reading a little more before opening yourself to ridicule, 'ay?
Dustoff| 1.13.09 @ 12:18PM
Alan
As a retired Fire fighter myself. I must say YOUR wrong. I have no problem paying good teachers.
I just don't want the government doing it.
By the way, there is also lazy fire fighters too.
IMKessel| 1.13.09 @ 4:43PM
Frost,
Thank you for the defense and kind words. (Verbose? Really?)
Mr. Brooks, I don’t accept anyone else’s shoulds. (“Don’t should on me, and I won’t should on you.”) As for rationalizing about making a difference, I didn’t offer any reasons for my teaching other than monetary compensation and benefits. I made no mention of making a difference in anyone’s life. (Though, truth be out, by exposing my charges to alternative thinking, I do make a difference. Thank you for your concern.)
As for teacher unions not representing the state, how can I be clearer? The union zealously represents the interests of its members. Their concern is not how the state gains revenues or balances their books; the unions' concern is getting paid and being respected.
In regards to other fine public representative, yes, teachers are exactly that. Fine public servants. I am also proudly a war veteran. (No need to thank me. Uncle Sam paid me already.) The point was, and remains, even public servants deserve to be paid for services rendered. (From your response, I can see that some teachers may not have provided much service to some students. But then again, some houses do burn down despite heroic efforts of the fire department.)
Lastly, I have fully supported vouchers for years. I work in the public sector because the pay and benefits are superior to the private sector. Ideally, a completely privatized educational system will eventually replace the decrepit system we have now, but as a student of Plato pointed out, the ideal chair may be in heaven, but I need to sit here on earth. I work for a living and make no apologies for doing so.
frost| 1.13.09 @ 8:19PM
That was kinda "tongue-in-cheek," Ira, as you're normally very brief (more so than I) and concise.
We probably agree 96.4% of the time.....
Gazinya| 1.13.09 @ 10:25PM
Unions that depend on taxes taken by cities, counties, states should be the most pro business people out there. Unfortunately, the bigger the union the dumber the union. Most, or all, are democrate and they bow down to the 'big boys' in Washington who are anti business. Throw out the old union bosses or downgrade the union to local control. Screw the Internationals.
ruth| 1.14.09 @ 1:49AM
Unions might represent their members, but they have become another arm of the democrat party. Because of this they impact our elections and our government.
Chuck| 1.14.09 @ 6:26PM
I just wanted to respond to Ira M. Kessel's above take on Teacher Unions. Ira, my position is that if you are a very good teacher, "Having a powerful union is" not in your best interest. You will not get the most you can get, or what you deserve because you are unable to bargain on your own. and the union is not working for you, but all the teacher's, including the crappy ones who do not even deserve what they are already getting. You are being represented as a whole group, not as an individual with your own merits and accomplishments. So while I agree with points about government irresponsibility, I cannot go along with your portrayal of how a strong union is in your best interest. Unless you were a bad teacher.
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