I think we'll eventually get to a model where education funding is tied to the student, but it's hard to evaluate whether the resulting equilibrium -- essentially a collection of schools competing for students -- would be worth the friction and turmoil in the public school system to get there. It's too close to the college model for me to endorse completely.

Most people recognize that the current way we fund and educate our students is flawed, so that's a good start.

Sometimes I wonder if might be sympathetic to certain aspects of neo-conservatism. Not the Wolfowitz kind, mind you, but the Daniel Bell kind.


Also, on charter schools--whether they are good or bad of course depends on lots of things--the devil very much is in the details. Depending on the enabling legislation, they might simply be nothing more than publicly supported ways to re-segregate (obviously, not in issue in say NJ where de facto segregation prevails) or they could be ways of allowing crony capitalists to profit by setting up a fly by night school that lasts a few years until it become clear that all its doing is enriching shareholders or they could actually be ways of providing low income kids a way to escape unsafe neighborhood schools though that raises the question about those left behind there. Generally, in Arkansas, with the exception of a couple of KIPP schools, the first two are generally the goals of those seeking to set up charter schools.

WTF with Russia? Putin seems determined to start WWIII.

Still think he's overplaying his hand and the Russian infantry isn't up to an invasion. Presumably, Ukraine is taking defensive positions in the east.

If the Russians do invade, the Ukranians are going to get smoked quickly.

Werthless wrote:I think we'll eventually get to a model where education funding is tied to the student, but it's hard to evaluate whether the resulting equilibrium -- essentially a collection of schools competing for students -- would be worth the friction and turmoil in the public school system to get there. It's too close to the college model for me to endorse completely.

Most people recognize that the current way we fund and educate our students is flawed, so that's a good start.

Might want to talk to australia before we try that. In Australia, since the charter schools have the ability to raise funds and charge tuition unlike the public schools, so they get all the students and the public schools are awful. The only people who don't go to the private schools are the poor. Any system like you're suggesting would need to account for that stuff. And of course there's no way any system designed in the US, where big money has bought out the legislating apparatus (congress and most other politicians), will bother to make sure that the poor are cared for.

In Australia, these private/charter schools are also almost all religious, so most students go to religious schools, even though their curriculums are overrun with religious nutjobbery. Darwin is bad!

putin is soooooooooo good at leading and also diplomacy

he's dreamy

Luzinski's Gut wrote:If the Russians do invade, the Ukranians are going to get smoked quickly.

LG wouldn't the challenge come in the 'policing' phase? Sort of an Iraq situation for the Russkies

Russia claims to have downed a US surveillance drone over Crimea

Phil Berg's new book "Obamascare" should be on shelves soon! The publisher says they have the potential to sell 60 million copies!



...and in what may or may not be related news, I may finally have my big break in getting in the audiobook narration business!

If the Russians decided to go into western Ukraine, would the West actually do anything?

What policing stage? The Russians don't do policing. They kill a bunch of people, and then threaten the rest with similar fates if there is any resistance.

I actually think you'll see some significant ethnic resettling after the shooting stops (if there is actually an invasion). I think Putin would allow for the Ukrainians to move west across the Dnepr, hell, he'll probably provide the trucks and troops to move them. Kind of a soft power version of ethnic cleansing.

drsmooth wrote:

Luzinski's Gut wrote:If the Russians do invade, the Ukranians are going to get smoked quickly.

LG wouldn't the challenge come in the 'policing' phase? Sort of an Iraq situation for the Russkies

You mean Eastern Ukraine? My guess is not, but history is littered with stupid wars.

If you meant Western Ukraine, the portion that borders Poland and Romania, that's a different story.

cshort wrote:If the Russians decided to go into western Ukraine, would the West actually do anything?

Luzinski's Gut wrote:What policing stage? The Russians don't do policing.

Hence the quote marks....

But really, aren't they then stuck in shirtless defensive crouch mode for some awkward-to-bargain-about future period? Not seeing how that gives KGB-boi special advantage.

Luzinski's Gut wrote:You mean Eastern Ukraine? My guess is not, but history is littered with stupid wars.

If you meant Western Ukraine, the portion that borders Poland and Romania, that's a different story.

cshort wrote:If the Russians decided to go into western Ukraine, would the West actually do anything?

I meant Western. Seems to me that Putin thinks Europe and the US will make noise, maybe enact some short term sanctions, but in the end not do anything that Putin cares about. I don't believe the leaders in the West have the stomach to do anything severe. For instance, would we change our mind about placing short range missiles in Poland? And if we did, what would we do if Putin put them in Cuba? He's not intimidated at all.

I have to say I'm not sure why so many people view Putin as sitting back and chortling with glee over developments. A few months ago he had a pliable government over a whole country that would easily enact his will. Now he's faced with, in fact almost forced into, seizing a small part in an effort that, while not requiring a huge outlay of effort, is still a big pain in the butt. Russia has the upper hand by far in any confrontation, but I can't see that he ever welcomed this confrontation.

It's easy to get caught up in who's losing face, but I'm not sure the winners or losers are all that clear, whatever happens.

swishnicholson wrote:I have to say I'm not sure why so many people view Putin as sitting back and chortling with glee over developments. A few months ago he had a pliable government over a whole country that would easily enact his will. Now he's faced with, in fact almost forced into, seizing a small part in an effort that, while not requiring a huge outlay of effort, is still a big pain in the butt. Russia has the upper hand by far in any confrontation, but I can't see that he ever welcomed this confrontation.

It's easy to get caught up in who's losing face, but I'm not sure the winners or losers are all that clear, whatever happens.

Perhaps he sees a short term window to take advantage of circumstances. Over the next few years the US will change the energy equation, more rapidly so if the GOP takes control of Congress. In Obama he also has someone that is not a fan of oil, and has shown a reluctance to push back. The next president (even if it's Hillary) is likely to be much more aggressive in their response. Putin may want to consolidate as much as he can now before the opportunity is gone.

I also heard on ABC news overnight that the Chinese have told the US to back off on sanctions.

Russian troops invade Kherson Oblast (region just north of Crimea).