Marc Comtois
Trying to figure out this Occupy thing? Right now, this seems to explain it the best (h/t):Remember this bit by Louis CK (thanks for reminding me, Will)? Protest song! …a sultan and student both have iPhone 4s…it’s not fair Overall, much of the logic seems to go something like this (h/t): ADDENDUM: I put this…
Frederick Hess: Today, the notion of “closing achievement gaps” has become synonymous with education reform. The Education Trust, perhaps the nation’s most influential K-12 advocacy group, explains: “Our goal is to close the gaps in opportunity and achievement.”…Such sentiments are admirable, and helping the lowest-achieving students do better is of course a worthy and important…
Megan McCardle looked at Netflix/Qwikster and explains how the problem is a business model over reliant on marginal cost pricing. It’s an object lesson that can be extended to, for example, health care costs. [P]eople were confusing the marginal cost with the average cost. Content providers were willing to license their movies and television shows…
Generational warfare: It’s bound to happen here in Rhode Island with the pension crisis. It’s also happening nationally on the budget deficit debate with the new Super Congressional panel set to convene. Education Policy wonk Rick Hess offers his perspective: You’re either with the kids or with those rushing to the ramparts to defend retiree…
Solyndra is a manufacturer of solar panels–a green technology!–and was given half a billion dollars in loan guarantees by the Federal Government. Oh, and a major Obama donor, George Kaiser, was also a financial backer of the the company. Now it looks like they’re going under: A company that served as a showcase for the…
We lost power. We still don’t have power. It’s ok. We didn’t have flooding. We have gas/hot water and septic (good thing we’re holding off on hooking up to city sewer–no grinder pump problems for us). No tree damage, no house damage. I was lucky enough to obtain a power inverter prior to the storm,…
Justin’s post brought the word “meddling” to mind. And that made me remember this from Tocqueville: The nature of despotic power in democratic ages is not to be fierce or cruel, but minute and meddling. Despotism of this kind though it does not trample on humanity, is directly opposed to the genius of commerce and…
First, a chart and explanation from Investors Business Daily (h/t): Under President Obama, while the economy is struggling to grow and create jobs, the federal regulatory business is booming. Regulatory agencies have seen their combined budgets grow a healthy 16% since 2008, topping $54 billion, according to the annual “Regulator’s Budget,” compiled by George Washington…
The RI GOP has been criticized for years (including by me) for not getting its act together and for in-fighting that has undermined its already small base in this blue, blue state. Yes, there are legitimate ideological and political differences amongst the ranks and leadership of any political party. Chafee v. Laffey is perhaps the…