Huffington Post: Read the Latest News from the U.S. [March ‘11 Diet]

[THP]

It's interesting that the AFT is pushing a core curriculum.  Apparently they want more than common standards; their recent release called for a "rich, common curriculum content, along with resources to support successfully teaching all students to mastery."I bet all the folks that endorsed the idea were 'A' students that sat in the front of the class.  I want to figure out how to reach the kids (like me) that sat in back and screwed around or the ones that called BS on the system and left.More...

Source: I Want an Uncommon Curriculum

[THP]

My curated list of recommended TED Talks and TEDU Talks from this year's conference is posted at Jack Myers ThinkTank.TED 2011 was far more than an annual conference, which I've been attending for nearly 20 years. TED is more than the TEDActive satellite event and multiple live webcasts in homes, offices, conference centers and even aboard the International Space Station. It's more than TED Talks and TEDU Talks where hundreds of millions of people globally are viewing nearly a thousand videos translated into more than 80 languages, with another 80 in development. It's more than the independently organized TEDx events that are springing up like wildflowers throughout the U.S. and across the globe. TED is more than the TED Prize, this year granted to artist JR, or TED Conversations or the TED Community. And TED is more than Ideas Worth Spreading, the equity around which the TED brand evolves.More...

Source: TED 2011: An Idea Worth Spreading

[THP]

The ideological assault against programs that benefit women in House GOP spending bills and similar attacks from many GOP governors will give a powerful boost to Democrats in 2012. Today a diversity of women's groups are contacting me, and their members and supporters, expressing alarm about these assaults. The major media has largely ignored these concerns, but they are widespread, dramatic and mobilizing women.Republicans face the real possibility that 2012 will bring them not a gender gap, but a gender deluge...More...

Source: Women Will Decide 2012

[THP]

He's more powerful than House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio), Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and the Koch brothers, yet not many people have heard of Grover Norquist or his "Taxpayer Protection Pledge."Mr. Norquist, founder and president of the Americans for Tax Reform (ATR), is simply the single most influential Republican of the past 25 years.More...

Source: Why Grover Norquist Is the Most Powerful Republican in America

[THP]

Prior to becoming Chief of Staff for President Obama, Rahm Emanuel famously said: "You never want a serious crisis to go to waste." With acute financial problems affecting both the City of Chicago and its large nonprofit sector, Mayor-Elect Emanuel has an opportunity to reshape not just the City's budget, but also the way nonprofits conduct business.  Let's hope that he doesn't let this crisis go to waste.Chicago area nonprofits have been struggling for several years with steep cuts in government and private funding. This has curtailed crucial services and prolonged the effects of a tough recession for those most in need of assistance.  "Do more with less" has become a cliché of the financial meltdown. While Mayor-Elect Emanuel tackles the Chicago's budget deficit of more than $500 million, there is much he can do to help struggling nonprofits shore up the safety net they provide.More...

Source: Mr. Mayor: Don't Ignore the Crisis in Nonprofits

[THP]

The desperate nationwide manhunt continues for any American citizen thought to be even remotely interested in the upcoming nuptials of Britain's Prince William and Kate Middleton. "We know someone is out there," said CNN's 24/7 Royal Story Wrangler Susan McCrackle. "And we encourage that person to reveal himself or herself for the good of journalism."With less than two months until the royal wedding, it seems finding that elusive American is more difficult than previously expected. "I am shocked -- shocked -- at the lack of enthusiasm," says Today Show producer Ronald Coates. "I simply can't imagine why people aren't more interested in the affairs of an outdated and irrelevant monarchy which our country rejected more than 200 years ago because of our hatred for that monarchy."More...

Source: Manhunt Continues for Any American Interested in Upcoming Royal Wedding

[THP]

Health reporters were aflutter last week with reports that Dr. Anthony Atala, director of Wake Forest's Institute of Regenerative Medicine, printed a real, working kidney at a recent TED talk.Headlines claiming things like, "Surgeon Creates A New Kidney By 'Printing' It" and "Need A Kidney? Just Hit Print..." compelled Wake Forest was compelled to issue a statement on its website calling the media reports "completely inaccurate."More...

Source: Printing A Kidney: A Glimpse At The Future

[THP]

February 18th highlighted two starkly different approaches on the issue of abortion.On that day, the Obama administration issued a rule that refined the "midnight regulations" on federal conscience clause protections that were issued by the Bush administration. The new HHS rule was in effect a partial rescission of the Bush regulation. The Obama rule kept in place key components of the 2008 rule and sought to carefully balance the rights of medical providers who have moral objections to certain procedures with the ability of patients to obtain the medical care they need. It was yet another illustration of the nuanced, respectful, common-ground approach that President Obama and his administration have long taken on the divisive issue of abortion.More...

Source: Common Ground on Abortion: A Study in Contrasts

[THP]

What device sold faster after its launch than the iPad, the iPhone or the Amazon Kindle? If you guessed the Microsoft Kinect, then you're right!Guinness World Records announced on Wednesday that the Kinect, a controller-free gaming peripheral for the Xbox 360 console, is now the "Fastest-Selling Consumer Electronics Device" on the planet.More...

Source: Microsoft Kinect: World's Fastest-Selling Consumer Electronics Device

[THP]

Back in December of last year, I addressed a room full of Sacramento insiders -- including the leadership of California Teachers Association -- and shared my sincere belief that teachers unions must come to the negotiating table and join us in enacting meaningful education reform.Anyone who knows me knows that I don't have an anti-union bone in my body; In fact, I was a field organizer and legislative advocate for CTA and UTLA. But I believe that we can no longer afford to make decisions based on what is best for the adults in our school system. We must make what is best for our students our top priority. Today I was honored to accept the California Charter Schools Association Elected Official of the Year award. In my remarks, I challenged the charter school community to hold itself to a higher standard by taking on more high-needs students, shutting down its own struggling schools, and exporting the successes it has pioneered to school districts all across the state.More...

Source: My Challenge to Charters