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  • Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire: Ultimate Fan Guide

    Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire: The Ultimate Fan Guide [Kindle] $0.99.


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    Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire:  Ultimate Fan Guide

    Georgiana is the subject of the movie "The Duchess" (currently on Netflix) and a relative of the young Prince and Princess of Cambridge. Get the Ultimate Fan Guide -- with plot points, history, and what happened to the historical characters -- for only 99 cents!

  • Green Party Peace Sign Bumper Sticker


    Green Party Peace Sign Bumper Sticker
    The Green Party has continually opposed entry into war and has consistently called for the immediate return of our troops, in stark contrast to the Democratic and Republican parties.
    Today we march, tomorrow we vote Green Party.

  • Occupy Wall Street: What Just Happened?

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    Occupy Wall Street: What Just Happened? eBook

    Occupy Wall Street: What Just Happened? eBook on Amazon

    Occupy Wall Street: What Just Happened? eBook

    Reflections on Occupy Wall Street, with photos, fun, and good wishes for the future. eBook, Occupy Wall Street: What Just Happened? (Only $.99 !) In the eBook, the Occupy movement is explored through original reporting, photographs, cartoons, poetry, essays, and reviews.The collection of essays and blog posts records the unfolding of Occupy into the culture from September 2011 to the present.  Authors Kimberly Wilder and Ian Wilder were early supporters of Occupy, using their internet platforms to communicate the changes being created by the American Autumn.

    The eBook is currently available on Amazon for Kindle;  Barnes & Noble Nook ; Smashwords independent eBook seller; and a Kobo for 99 cents and anyone can read it using their Kindle/Nook Reader, smart phone, or computer.

Live! NY Gov press conference on teacher evaluations (tied to student standardized test scores)

The eloquent and educated opposition to Governor Cuomo’s plan can be found at this video:
More Than A Number: An Educational Symposium

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The regular media portrays this as Governor Andrew Cuomo vs. The Teachers’ Union. It is actually Govenor Cuomo’s bad ideas for children, battling the Teachers’ Union sell-out and compromise over the children. There are parents, grassroots teachers, and principals fighting these measures to test students more.

Live now:
http://www.wgrz.com/news/article/155970/37/LIVE-VIDEO–NYSUT-Says-Deal-Close-on-Teacher-Evaluations-

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For more logical review of this scheme to tie your child’s test score to your teacher’s job rating and job, see the following post:
http://www.onthewilderside.com/2012/02/15/more-than-a-number-concerned-educators-gather-to-examine-standardized-testing-and-teacher-evaluations/

Teachers, parents, and students: Now is the time to boycott standardized tests! They are trying to shove these tests down your throat, so that their contributors in the testing corporations can continue to profit, and donate to their campaigns.

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Live Blogging and thoughts:

Ha! The Governor will give schools “bonus points” if they do what he wants sooner. That kind of arrogance, and holding out carrots for professionals who are committed to their work, is part of the problem.

As someone pointed out at the More Than A Number event last night: One of the major indicators of how a student will perform is their poverty level. Who will give the Governor and politicians a grade for how they are helping the economy? The teachers and teachers’ unions should evaluate Governor Cuomo (aka Governor 1%)

Governor Andrew Cuomo compliments a union leader by saying the person was “extraordinarily reasonable”. Oh! My! If you are a union person, and a conservative, teacher-bashing politician calls you that, I think it means that you sold out faster than most people.

“Encouragement, that’s a good word”, says Governor Cuomo. Where is “encouragement” measured in these teacher evaluations? Answer: Nowhere. At More Than A Number, a lot of people pointed out that the politicians and business leaders they have inserted into the education community focus so much on numbers, that values such as encouragement, leadership, and integrity will be unmeasured, unvalued, and ignored.

In the city, they have made a process that appeals will be handled by a new, independent panel that reviews the evaluations. So, now, they have to invent, staff, and fund a new organization. How about using the money in the classroom, instead of for more bureacracy?

This decision is truly bad for New Yorkers and for educators nationally, who it will affect. I think (and kind of hope) that a lot of teachers will just quit. But, also that parents will wake up to how their children are being used as pawns, and either boycott standardized tests, or leave the public school system. This hyper-testing system is bad and damaging to the psyche of children.

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One Response

  1. If you want Jill Stein and Roseanne Barr’s runs for the presidency covered by Women’s Media Center and the Ms. Blog covered, sign the petition
    http://www.thepetitionsite.com/405/178/284/stop-the-sexism/#13456718000872&action=fb_connect&fb_id=0

    Otherwise accept that the most we’ll get is one lousy story from WMC like they gave us in 2008 for Cynthia McKinney’s entire run. Obama and McCain every day and only one article on Cynthia.

    They have both ignored Jill Stein and Roseanne Barr’s runs so far.

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