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Monthly Archives: December 2013

Here’s hoping for failure

Wednesday, December 11, 2013

I urge anyone who comes across this to educate themselves on the proposed Pacific Rim Trade Agreement. More knowledgeable people than I have reported on this. You might start with Dean Baker's blog and work from there. Suffice to say that the United States is not just trying to engineer another massive corporate giveaway, it […]

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Good News, Local Edition

Wednesday, December 11, 2013

The Groton Open Spaces Association has, over the years, been responsible for preserving a vast amount of open space here in Groton. I am especially indebted to the Association, as I live a short walk away from Haley Farm State Park, which would have become a site for tract housing had it not been for […]

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A Postscript

Wednesday, December 11, 2013

A bit of a follow up to Sunday morning's post, in which I ranted about a Boston Globe article that referred to two extremes in Congress. Paul Krugman agrees. In practice, left-wing cranks have never played a significant role in US politics, while right-wing cranks always have. via Conscience of a Liberal I'd go a […]

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Sunday Morning venting

Sunday, December 8, 2013

I grow tired of this sort of thing. The Boston Globe reports that a number of political scientists got together to discuss ways of overcoming what they reportedly call a “democratic deficit” in this country. That deficit undoubtedly exists, and some of its causes, such as huge amounts of money from sources representing only one […]

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Grade inflation at Harvard

Thursday, December 5, 2013

The Boston Globe reports: Harvard College is facing a new round of disapproval, and even ridicule, from some educators following news that the most common grade awarded is an A, more than a decade after professors pledged to combat grade inflation. Critics say that making top grades the norm cheapens the hard work of the […]

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Crime bosses complain

Thursday, December 5, 2013

This paragraph from this morning's New York Times put me in mind of a complaint Dean Baker often makes. The CFTC is considering rules that might prevent criminal syndicates banks from fixing LIBOR rates : And it underscores increasing worries by large banks in general that the rules and regulations that have come in response […]

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Here’s why I can’t get excited about reelecting Dan Malloy

Tuesday, December 3, 2013

Stuff like this.

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Zero brain policies being abandoned

Tuesday, December 3, 2013

Just to show I keep my promises, I now present yet another installment of good news. The New York Times reports that school boards across the nation are re-thinking their zero tolerance policies. “Zero tolerance” is another way of saying that the adopting school boards have abandoned their obligation to use considered judgment in matters […]

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