The $366 Billion Outrage

All across America, state and city workers are retiring early with unthinkably rich pay packages. Guess who's paying for it? You are.

By Janice Revell

REAGAN THE AMERICAN DREAMER

A captivating and elusive man rose from lifeguarding in Illinois to Hollywood and became one of the United States' greatest presidents. Jon Meacham takes an intimate look at how Ronald Reagan played the role of a lifetime.

In his Play safe Op-ed, Steve Lindbeck cited a study done by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. The study compiled data from eight states that have built roundabouts.

The Institute examined 24 intersections in eight states that were converted from stop signs or traffic signals between 1992 and 1997. The results:

• Vehicular accidents overall declined 39 percent.
• Accidents resulting in injuries fell 76 percent.
• Accidents resulting in death or incapacitating injury plunged 90 percent.

The eight states? California, Colorado, Florida, Kansas, Maine, Maryland, South Carolina, and Vermont.



Here is a picture of one in Gainesville, Florida.

Lindbeck states that Everything you need to know to navigate a traffic roundabout you learned in kindergarten. Take turns. Be careful. Follow the rules. Do your part. Play well with others.

What Lindbeck does not tell you is a modern roundabout, according to the Institute, is a circle “designed for very low traffic speeds, about 15 mph.”

The Institute said roundabouts are not appropriate for high-volume urban intersections. And those that are in a high volume traffic intersections, they have not been built in states that have the weather and ice problems Alaska or for that matter, Anchorage has.

An example of the statistics of a high volume traffic intersection can be found in Maryland.

Maryland has also constructed three 2-lane roundabouts. One of these, the Towson roundabout, merits specific discussion. The Towson roundabout is located in a highly urbanized setting and replaced two adjacent signalized intersections. It is oval in design, having an outer diameter that varies from 140 feet to 260 feet. It involves five major approaches. At the time of conversion, the total entering volume at the existing intersection averaged nearly 50,000 vehicles per day. Since its opening, the Towson roundabout has experienced a nearly fourfold increase in annual property damage accident (2.6/yr vs 10.0/yr). However, offsetting this increase, injury accidents have decreased by two-thirds (4.2/yr vs 1.5/yr). No fatal crash occurred in either the before or after period. Incidentally, construction of the roundabout substantially improved the Level of Service (LOS) and decreased the traffic delay at the location. The morning LOS went from B to A and evening LOS improved from E to B. total vehicle delay was lowered by 70% and 58% in the morning and evening peak hours, respectively.

Property damage has increased fourfold. In other words, car accidents have increased fourfold.

Lindbeck asks, Anybody have a problem with that?

Ahhh, yeah Steve I do.

Study demonstrates roundabouts’ safety

Maryland Roundabout Safety Experience

Schools review HQ bids

"If we can't show this is going to be a benefit and affordable in our current budget, which is approximately $1.7 million a year for all our leases, we're not going to recommend (a move)," she said. "We don't know if there will be any proposal viable for us. But we are trying very hard to consolidate where possible in the hope we would be able to come up with some efficiencies."

Interestingly, a reader wrote a letter stating,

"...Our current lease agreement is at 99 cents per square foot including utilities and maintenance, fixed for six years. The current prevailing lease rates in Anchorage are between two and four times that amount. A new administration building or lease will cost taxpayers millions more than they are paying now. And the voters know it. They voted no twice.

Fred Cosentino

Anchorage

We shall see how true Carol is to her word.

Update: Carol has held to her word.

Superintendent Carol Comeau on Friday said all proposals that have come in to lease a new office building were too expensive and the School District will remain headquartered in its DeBarr Road building through 2010.

However, it was done with some criticism.

"(Fischer) was obviously pleased," Spaan said. "He obviously enjoys having the school district as a tenant -- a good tenant. He was ecstatic."

Comeau was not.

Her disappointment was evident as she listed all the reasons consolidating offices made sense.

Folks, Carol is disappointed about not being able to consolidate offices. The expense would have been more to consolidate than what is done presently. That should tell you something about Carol.

Summer Skool

2 weeks off, then back in the class

"We teach really hard, and they learn really hard," said Patricia McRae, director of elementary education.

I'm no teacher but, I do have to question the grammar used by the director of elementary education who was at one time a school principal.

McRae states, "And because they're being taught at their level, they feel successful,"..... "They go back to school in the fall feeling good."

I personally know of a grade schooler who attended the Russian Jack summer school. The parent of the child wanted the child to get help in math and reading. I'll scan and post what was taught in summer school and I'll show the test scores of her achievment tests versus her actual report card.

I guarantee it will be an eye opener to what is taking place in the Anchorage School District. To be continued........................

Just recently the Anchorage Daily News editorial staff published an opinion on Judge Roy Moore and the Ten Commandments.

First, to back up Judge Moore's opinion on the matter, the editorial staff should read the Affidavit in Support of the Ten Commandments

Then the editorial staff should familiarize itself with the opinion from the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.

The idea that displaying the Ten Commandments violates the separation of church and state, ignores the historical relevance the Commandments played in law, both good and bad.

It would have been an entertaining argument to hear the ACLU argue before the U.S. Supreme Court that the tablets being displayed in a public building violates the separation of church and state, when Moses and/or the 10 Commandments appear three times in the architectural embellishment of the U.S. Supreme Court building.

There is no place in separating a part of our history by taking it away or hiding it from our knowledge. Moreover, the Ten Commandments where placed back in the Alabama Court rotunda.

In effect, Judge Roy Moore ( an elected Judge), was vindicated regardless of what those opposed to Judge Moore say.

The Knowles campaign has been attacking Murkowski about using Outside contributions in her campaign.

So, I'll cut straight to the chase.

For those who are familiar with the popularity of web logs, Eschaton is one of the most vehemently opinionated web logs around. Ultra liberal and anti-religious.

Tony Knowles did an interview with this anonymous blogger.

Tony Knowles also took out a blogad on the web log and look at the a comments made in regard to contributions.

He has received many contributions from the Outside.

As for Knowles' comments on blogs you can read them here.

"On Monday, February 23, former Alaska governor and current Senate candidate Tony Knowles posted a long guest piece on the Eschaton blog, lauding the blogosphere’s status as "a new watchdog in the fight for truth" and asking for donations from the readers of Eschaton. Clearly Ben Chandler’s success has turned some heads, and Knowles is in a situation similar to Chandler: He’s a moderate-to-conservative Democrat in a tight race against a Republican opponent with no real credentials."

When it comes to Outside money, NO one is free from having Outside money. And labeling Knowles as a moderate to conservative Democrat is a joke.

The latest ad on Knowles, Kerry and Kennedy is fair game. As a newly elected Senator, Knowles will not have any influence in the Senate. Moreover, for Alaska to get any favors, Knowles will have to vote with the party elders.

His latest ad on his independent nature is naive at best. This should be a red flag to voters on Knowles' political intelligence. Knowles was a Mayor and Governor, positions that were leadership positions, not a position of being a freshman senator with no political power.

Other red flags should be raised in that he supports Kerry who does not support the opening of ANWR. Does logic prevail when a senate candidate supports a presidential candidate that is opposed on such an important issue to Alaskans?

Murkowski is the only pragmatic choice.


Update: Exclusive Interview with Tony Knowles Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins

JKT: Would you support making the President Bush’s tax cuts permanent?

TK: No. The tax cuts are contributing huge amounts to our national debt and they are basically giving two thirds of it aid the top one percent of the wealthy of this country, and is going to be have to paid back now that we have the largest debt in our history. Passing that onto the next generation I think is not only poor social policy, but it’s going to drive up interest rates and drive down the economy as we pay down interest on the debt and leave an enormous burden on the economy. It also steals the money remaining to invest our education and our nation’s infrastructure which will, in the short term, put people to work and create education that will help educate American to compete for jobs.

On another Liberal Blog dailykos, Knowles reveals his positions on many social and moral issues.

HUMAN RIGHTS CAMPAIGN ENDORSES KNOWLES - Tony Knowles was proud this week to receive the endorsement of the Human Right's Campaign, America's largest gay organization. Personal freedoms are so important to me, to Alaskans and to the future of American democracy that I consider this to be a fundamental issue of my campaign, along with jobs, education, health care and national security, Knowles said. Among other excerpts from his remarks before the HRC Board:

I recognize that HRC is a bipartisan organization. As an independent Democrat, I understand the need to work closely with both parties. Jobs, education, health care, national security and personal freedoms are more important than politics.

As a U.S. Senator, I will be a co-sponsor of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act and anti-hate crimes legislation.

I support funding for HIV/AIDS prevention research to tackle this uncontrolled health problem in our communities and in Africa where it is epidemic.

I'm against a federal constitutional amendment on marriage - or any U.S. constitutional amendment that limits rights. Amending our Constitution should be done to grant rights, not take them away.

I am pro job and that means no job discrimination based on sexual orientation. Health care should not be denied to domestic partners. Sexual orientation and marital status should not be obstacles to health care.

I am against government intrusion into our bedrooms; into our reading habits, our medical records and our personal lives. We need judges and politicians who respect our personal liberties, who will protect our freedoms and who will enforce our rights.

As for the constitutional amendent on marriage, Knowles displays his ignorance when it comes to federal law. With Massachusetts legalizing same sex marriages, federal law can be used to attack a state statute or constitution on the grounds that it violates the supremacy clause in the federal constitution and the full faith and credit clause.

Alaska overwhemingly voted in a constitutional amendment defining a marriage between a man and a woman. What Knowles is sayng in effect is, another state can circumvent our own state constitution.

Update II: In Salon, they just published an article on June 9th about web logs and blogads. Tony gets some print.

Moulitsas recently invited a handful of candidates to submit statements to his site as part of the selection of the DKos8 -- eight candidates to whom the Daily Kos community will direct its support in November. Many of the candidates who took part had extremely nice things to say about the readers of Daily Kos. Tony Knowles, a Democrat running for the Senate in Alaska, was particularly generous with his compliments: "I am flattered and honored that you have asked me to contribute to your blog," Knowles wrote to the readers of Daily Kos. "I have read so many excellent discussions here about our campaign. In fact, it was your blog that was discussing the nuances involved in this race way back in December of last year (and before)."

Knowles' kind words led some blog readers to become suspicious that the candidate was pandering to the blog audience. But as one reader pointed out, "What's wrong with that?" Every other constituency in America is pandered to -- maybe it's time candidates started paying attention to what happens on blogs. "His statement makes it obvious that he has either been following what has been going on here longer than most, or else is interested enough in us to do some research."

Leaders Agree Reagan Changed the World

Ronald Reagan's friends and enemies agreed he changed the world. The popular, infectiously optimistic president reshaped the Republican Party in his conservative image and devoted most of his energy to the destruction of communism abroad.

On the education front, voucher support continues to roll on.

Black clergy group backs voucher plan for schools

The ministers' endorsement of school vouchers is a marked split from the New Jersey Democratic Party, and in line with Bret Schundler, the conservative Republican who lost to Gov. James E. McGrevey in 2001 and is expected to challenge him again next year.

The defining issue.

Paige One.

Paige makes case for Left Behind law

Nationwide, he said, more than $500 billion a year in public money is being spent on education.

This is true and the article misstates how much money the federal government contributes. It is 17 percent not 7 percent.

In addition, every school district in the nation is top heavy with people in the central administration. There is one public school district in North America that has cut its central administration to about 540. That public school system is the Edmonton public school system. Highly efficient.

Moreover, you will hear school officials talk about un-funded federal mandates. But they will not cite to specific ones. Why? Here is why.

Title I: This is extra funding that supports students who live in poverty. Title I also includes the Reading First, Early Reading First, Even Start, and Comprehensive School Reform programs.

Title II: This is funding that is available to train, recruit high quality teachers and principals. This federal funding also consolidates the federal Eisenhower professional development grants and class size reduction programs.

Title III: This is funding that is available for limited English proficient (LEP) and immigrant students.

Title IV: 21st Century Schools. This title provides grants for out-of-school programs aimed at keeping students safe and supporting academic achievement. Title IV consolidates the Safe and Drug Free Schools and Communities and the 21st Century Community Learning Centers programs.

Title V: This is funding for Innovative Programs (Part A) and Public Charter Schools (Part B) It also adds a new incentive program to help charter schools meet their facility needs.

Title VI: Flexibility and accountability. Part A of Title VI provides funds for states to improve the quality, validity, and reliability of their testing systems. Title VI also includes a demonstration project that provides an opportunity to experiment with and evaluate additional flexibility. Part B provides extra grant funds and flexibility to school districts that are located in rural areas and serve fewer than 600 students.

Other funding available is Title VII, this covers Indian, Native Hawaiian, and Alaska Native Education; Title VIII, Impact Aid, Title IX, General provisions, and Title X, Repeals, Re-designations, and Amendments to other statutes.

After looking at all of the available funding, one would like to know exactly what federal mandates are un-funded.