Academia, Bizarre

Every Teacher in Providence Given Pink Slip Due To Expected Budget Shortfalls

We just saw how Michigan has responded to budget shortfalls by ordering the closure of half of Detroit’s school — pushing the class size to 60 students. Now, Supt. Tom Brady has gone one better: issuing pink slips to all of the teachers in the school system in anticipation of dire budget cuts. I have previously noted the disconnect in these stories as Congress and President Obama continue to gush billions in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. An effort by Ron Paul to force a pull out of the war to save $100 billion a year was roundly rejected this week.

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Bizarre, Politics, Society

Citizens of Utah Demand Recall of Wisconsin Senators

It appears that the people of Utah feel deeply about representation in Wisconsin. A Utah based group calling itself the American Recall Coalition has filed to campaign for the recall of Democratic senators who remain in hiding to stop legislation curtailing labor rules for teachers. It turns out that beyond a few pending matters in Salt Lake, the people of Utah are primarily concerned about matters in Madison.

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Bizarre, International, Politics, Society

Illinois To End Funding of Alcohol and Drug Programs While Michigan Orders Detroit To Close Half of Its Schools

As we continue to spend billions every week in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, states continue to cut basic programs for lack of funding. The latest is Illinois, which just cut all funding for drug and alcohol abuse treatment in the state and Michigan which has ordered Detroit to close half of its schools (driving class size to 60 students). What is striking is the lack of any connection drawn between these states which are short hundreds of millions of dollars in their budgets and the expenditures of billions each week in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
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International, Politics, Religion, Society

Karzai Moves to Take Over (and Shutdown) Women’s Shelters

Afghan women and public interest groups are opposing an effort of Afghan President Hamid Karzai to take over all of the shelters for abused and battered women. You may recall Karzai’s earlier feminist agenda when he initially support the legalization of rape. The new move is viewed as a way for the government to satisfy hardliners in blocking access to some women to shelters. The government is also expected to close some shelters entirely.

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Academia, Bizarre

Texas Tech Freezes Faculty Salaries While Giving Its Football Coach a $500,000 Year Pay Increase

Texas Tech University seems to be sending a rather curious message about its priorities. Faculty members are objecting after the administration froze faculty salaries for the entire university but then gave Texas Tech football coach Tommy Tuberville a $500,000 a year raise.
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International, Media, Society, Torts, Uncategorized

Birkhead Threatens Legal Action Against Anna Nicole Smith Opera

Larry Birkhead, the father of Anna Nicole Smith’s only surviving child Dannielynn (and therefore the heir to her large estate), is threatening legal action against the Royal Opera House over its opera “Anna Nicole.” Birkhead is insisting that the portrayal of Smith is not flattering or respectful — leading to some interesting questions of how (even if Anna Nicole were living) such an opera would defame a former stripper and reality television star who courted controversy in her life.
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Animals, Environment, International, Politics, Society

Scientists (Again) Criticize Obama Administration Over Claims of Recovery of Gulf After BP Spill

Remember when Obama energy advisor Carol Browner assured the public that the oil from the BP spill has miraculously disappeared after criticism of Obama’s opening up the pristine areas of Eastern coast to exploration? Well, the Administration is still at odds with scientists who insist that the damage is devastating.
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Animals, Society, Torts

Meet Your Greatest Nightmare: New York Data Reveals Most Dangerous Breeds

Dog bites are the bread and butter of thousands of lawyers. One of the greatest secrets of the personal injury lawyers, however, is that a large portion of the bite business comes not from big dogs but little lap dogs. The secret is now out. New York health officials have released the 2010 data showing that the Chihuahua and Shih Tzu are two of the top five menacing breeds in the city.
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