Weekend Open Thread

32 thoughts on “Weekend Open Thread”

1. And remember, only Republicans don’t like these videos 🙂

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2. Not what it used to be

   The cost of university per student has risen by almost five times the rate of inflation since 1983
   
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   evidence from declines in the quality of students and graduates suggests that a degree may now mean less than it once did.
   
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   the promise that an expensive degree at a traditional university will pay off rests on some questionable assumptions
   
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   The broader significance of MOOCs is that they are part of a trend towards the unbundling of higher education. This will shake many institutions whose business model is based on a set fee for a four-year campus-based degree course.

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3. http://www.smartplanet.com/blo…

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4. “In D.C. there’s only two people that matter, RG3 (Robert Griffin III for the sports challenged among us) and Obama,” according to sports writer Dave Sheinin.

   http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-33…

   “I think Congress would love to trade our approval ratings for his approval ratings,” said Rep. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md.. “And the reason is, he’s able to bring people together. We’re in the fourth quarter as we approach the fiscal cliff. If we can deliver like RG3 delivers, we’d be doing well.”

   With all due respect Senator, not a chance!

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5. Walmart has long been making its billions by underpaying workers and leaving it to tax payers to pick up the slack. They even give new workers presentations on how to apply for various government programs they’ll need to, you know, eat and not be homeless.  This is just the latest. Does it occur to these geniuses that once only a tiny percent have disposable income a consumer economy can’t be sustained because, you know, you need lots more than a relative handful of consumers. Rich folks can only buy so much stuff.

   http://www.huffingtonpost.com/…

   Screw the debt and deficit. The reason conservative economic policy is a disaster is because we aren’t a manufacturing economy anymore.  We’re a consumer economy and when you bust all the unions, eliminate and export jobs and cut wages and benefits on the jobs that remain, you are eliminating the thing that keeps a consumer economy going; masses of consumers with money to spend on, you know, consuming stuff.

   That’s the problem. All the cuts that the conservatives want may make paper budgets look nice but they keep taking more and more consumers out of the marketplace.

   Has any town, for instance, returned to prosperity by laying off teachers, police, fire fighters, etc.? It may look like they’re balancing the budget but what they’re really doing is killing the businesses that rely on those workers coming in to spend some money and killing their own revenue. Then what? More economy killing cuts? Worse schools and services and less revenue? And then more cuts? That’s the way to prosperity?

   It ain’t rocket science.  Good wages for the masses create a prosperous society, not draconian spending cuts.  

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6. After much thought I have decided to post the following notice:

   “That’s All, Folks”

   http://www.junctiondailyblog.com/

   My friend Ralphie and friend or foe to many on CPols is hanging up his spurs at Junction Daily Blog. A thorn in the ass to many a local politician and the local paper, he’s often prodded the “senile” into actually covering a story – without giving him credit, of course.

   Fortunately, we can follow Ralphie’s thoughts in the social media but still, I’m going to miss him in my early morning readings that always included Junction Daily Blog.  Thanks Ralphie for speaking the truth and pointing out the not-so-obvious when the news media failed to do their jobs.   You really have done our community a great service and it will be missed.  Thank you.

   Pita

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7. Best of luck in all his endeavors.

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