Archive for February, 2007
Alternatives
I simply love it: the sweet irony of a private school that teach that:
According to the article, the students had been building an elaborate "Legotown," but it was accidentally demolished. The teachers decided its destruction was an opportunity to explore "the inequities of private ownership." According to the teachers, "Our intention was to promote a contrasting set of values: collectivity, collaboration, resource-sharing, and full democratic participation."
The children were allegedly incorporating into Legotown "their assumptions about ownership and the social power it conveys." These assumptions "mirrored those of a class-based, capitalist society — a society that we teachers believe to be unjust and oppressive."
It is interesting if that is how they feel about the tuition they are charging (which isn’t cheap).
And by the way I wasn’t mocking when I wrote that I like this. I obviously don’t like the idea of teaching children that private ownership is unjust and oppressive. However parents has the right to educate their children according to their values.
It is simply impossible, and highly undesirable, for public school system to accommodate the wide range of values and beliefs. Moreover, the idea that the state should force one set of values over the others is unjust. Since home schooling is not a practical solution for most people, and probably a bad idea anyway, private schools offering enough variety for parents to choose from. Some parent will choose religious schools and some will choose "Hilltop Children’s Center" which will teach their children that the money their parent pay for tuition is evil.
One might argue that the solution of private schools is only possible to people who can afford the tuition, and many people will not be able to choose at all. But can they really choose now? Can someone honestly claim that the inner cities public Scholl offers the same level of education as the public school in the wealthier suburbs? Isn’t a school vouchers solution better than protecting a failing system
Tags: Private Schools Private Property The Freedom to choose School Vouchers The Free Market
Presents
My wife surprised me with P.J O’Rourke’s new book On the Wealth of Nations and F.A. Hayek’s The Road to Serfdom
which I intended to read for long time. Not very diverse ideologically but definitely nice presents. If any of you wants to diversify my reading, I’m open for recommendations (and to present
)
Tags: Books P.J. O’Rourke F.A. Hayek Presents
What’s in the package?
What is Mitt Romney about? it is depend on what his marketing campaign is:
The plan, for instance, indicates that Romney will define himself in part by focusing on and highlighting enemies and adversaries, such common political targets as "jihadism," the "Washington establishment," and taxes, but also Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, "European-style socialism," and, specifically, France. Even Massachusetts, where Romney has lived for almost 40 years, is listed as one of those "bogeymen," alongside liberalism and Hollywood values.
Indeed, a page titled "Primal Code for Brand Romney" said that Romney should define himself as a foil to Bay State Democrats such as Senators Edward M. Kennedy and John Kerry and former governor Michael Dukakis. Romney should position himself as "the anti-Kerry," the presentation says. But elsewhere in the plan, it’s clear that Romney and his aides are aware he’s open to the same charge that helped derail Kerry’s presidential campaign in 2004: that he is a flip-flopper who has changed positions out of political expediency.
But are these his real views? At least while it seems as serving his campaign. not for nothing one of his campaign’s concerns are:
and he has earned a reputation as "Slick Dancing Mitt" or "Flip-Flop Mitt."
One might argue that this is the nature of the political game, and it will be right. However I’m still hoping for political campaign that is really about the issues. A campaign were candidates don’t avoid question rather than answering them.
Tags: Mitt Romney Ron Paul GOP 2008 Campaign
The thin line
For argument sake lets agree that this is a case of abuse that justifies the government intervention:
LONDON (Feb. 27) - Authorities are considering taking an 8-year-old boy who weighs 218 pounds into protective custody unless his mother improves his diet.
Social service officials will meet with family members Tuesday to discuss the health of Connor McCreaddie, who weighs more than three times the average for his age.
"The worst case would be Connor getting taken into care. He is well cared for," the boy’s mother, Nicola McKeown, told ITV television.
However where is the line being crossed? it is pretty blurry id you trying to figure it from this:
"Child abuse is not just about hitting your children or sexually abusing them, it is also about neglect," the official was quoted as saying.
What exactly falling under the definition of neglect? should the government regulate how much time parents spend with their children, and how? should we count how many books they read to them, and which? what about values? should we ensure that the children education isn’t lacking by having the parents educating the wrong values? Where is the line between protecting the child human rights and protecting those of the parents?
The case in this article is not so easy, it isn’t as obvious as making attendance in parents-teachers conference a criminal mater. The parents of this overweight child are less than perfect and their lack of skills probably put the child in a risk. But where is the line?
Tags: Human Rights The Nanny State Child Abuse Children Rights Big Government
Equals, and equal more
It is interesting to note the differences between Al gore’s public advocacy for energy consumption changes and his own behavior:
Gore’s mansion, [20-room, eight-bathroom] located in the posh Belle Meade area of Nashville, consumes more electricity every month than the average American household uses in an entire year, according to the Nashville Electric Service (NES).
In his documentary, the former Vice President calls on Americans to conserve energy by reducing electricity consumption at home.
The average household in America consumes 10,656 kilowatt-hours (kWh) per year, according to the Department of Energy. In 2006, Gore devoured nearly 221,000 kWh—more than 20 times the national average.
Last August alone, Gore burned through 22,619 kWh—guzzling more than twice the electricity in one month than an average American family uses in an entire year. As a result of his energy consumption, Gore’s average monthly electric bill topped $1,359.
Since the release of An Inconvenient Truth, Gore’s energy consumption has increased from an average of 16,200 kWh per month in 2005, to 18,400 kWh per month in 2006.
It is interesting that once again when calling for sacrifices for the "public good", people usually mean - everybody but us. inconvenient is usually something reserved for the plebs, not for the patricians. Reading such things always reminds me Orwell’s great allegory, Animal Farm, and specifically this:
For once Benjamin consented to break his rule, and he read out to her what was written on the wall. There was nothing there now except a single Commandment. It ran:
ALL ANIMALS ARE EQUAL
BUT SOME ANIMALS ARE MORE EQUAL THAN OTHERS
After that it did not seem strange when next day the pigs who were supervising the work of the farm all carried whips in their trotters. It did not seem strange to learn that the pigs had bought themselves a wireless set, were arranging to install a telephone, and had taken out subscriptions to John Bull, TitBits, and the Daily Mirror. It did not seem strange when Napoleon was seen strolling in the farmhouse garden with a pipe in his mouth-no, not even when the pigs took Mr. Jones’s clothes out of the wardrobes and put them on, Napoleon himself appearing in a black coat, ratcatcher breeches, and leather leggings, while his favourite sow appeared in the watered silk dress which Mrs. Jones had been used to wear on Sundays.
This is obviously doesn’t discredit the global warming campaign, but it emphasis my old suspicious about the motives of those who ask me to sacrifice for the greater good.
Tags: Global Warming Al Gore Energy Consumption The Public Good
Tseela’s snow man
For me snow is mostly an inconvenient - shovelling, cleaning the car, clearing the side walk and many other things. For Tseela, in the other hand, it is completely different experience:
More pictures can be found here .
Tags: Snow Man Tseela Our Backyard
Creative resume
Isn’t this the coolest, and most original, resume? One thing for sure, he is going to get more than enough exposure.
(Via Michael Eisenberg)
Visitor at my home office
I was busy today teaching myself Ruby and because lately I found myself easily distracted and not focused I decided to hold off on blogging today. The exceptions are obviously linking to Shama and this visitor…
More pictures can be found here.
Tags: Ronie Home Office Ruby Blogging
Nice winter day
It doesn’t look very good…
Is he really facing criticism or just laughter?
Embattled Israeli Defense Minister Amir Peretz faced fresh criticism Friday after newspapers published photos of him trying to watch military maneuvers with the lens cap still on his binoculars.
It is for sure doesn’t help his public image as competent minister of defense, although the skills from a minister of defense doesn’t include operating binoculars. Without discussing Peretz’s accomplishment and how fit he is to be the minister of defense, I would like to note that the requirements from a minister are completely different from these of an Army General. Moreover the better ministers of defense in Israel’s short history came from a civilian background - Arens, Peres and the best of them all - Ben Gurion.



