Indiana and Texas have banned Common Core. Illinois is willing to experiment with YOUR kids and teach them how to community organize – just for the MONEY! Next year 6 year olds will be taught to use “emotional” words to get their way. The video references Utah – but this is a nationwide program for all states who haven’t refused to participate. Illinois signed on without a vote! They were forced to use Common Core to apply for grant money.
The Pantagraph no longer responds to letters Chuck submits. Doesn’t fit the agenda?
From: Charles Nicholson <cnicholson123@yahoo.com>
To: Pantagraph Letters <letters@pantagraph.com>; “MPickering@pantagraph.com” <MPickering@pantagraph.com>
Sent: Wednesday, May 22, 2013 9:58 PM
Subject: Pantagraph – Letter to the Editor
During Obama’s 2008 campaign, he stated, “It’s time to fundamentally change the way that we do business in Washington.” He has certainly changed it alright! It’s been transformed into more of a corrupt, thuggish and intimidating environment than it ever was before.
The IRS scandal of politically motivated discrimination against Christian conservatives and patriots proves the ends justify the means “Chicago style of politics” that Obama and his comrades have brought to Washington. From the Fast and Furious scandal of gun running to drug cartels, to Benghazi, the IRS and the AP phone records scandals, this president seems to know nothing about any of it.
Charles Krauthammer recently stated, “Obama ran as a man who would not only change Washington but change the essence of politics itself in America as a kind of Olympian historic figure. He can’t even run the bureaucracy, that’s what we’re seeing. There’s arrogance here, of course, but there is incompetence of the highest order. He poses as the bystander. “I learned about it in the press.”
This is an indictment of people who believe in big government, want to expand it, have it control healthcare and cannot run the minimal essence of the duties of government.” President Harry Truman kept a plaque on his desk that stated, “The Buck Stops Here.” If Obama had a plaque on his desk it would probably read, “The Buck Never Stops Here.” Hopefully soon we will see this Wizard of Oz curtain pulled back showing America the real Obama!
If you read the Pantagraph, today’s edition had a glowing report of how great the changes coming to local schools next year will be. The article is filled with mis-information, the biggest being this effort is state-led. All the tests are being written at the federal level. Teachers can teach anything they want, but if the kids are going to pass, they MUST teach to the test. The test are the dumbing down of our children.
Sol Stern is a nice man. It’s too bad he’s deceiving himself and others about Common Core, an enterprise that essentially nationalizes U.S.education. He and Joel Klein write in the WSJ, in the latest pro-Common Core PR piece:
Conservative critics ignore how the Common Core Standards support teaching all students about the nation’s rich heritage of constitutional government, which is often overlooked in K-12 schools. For example, one of the Common Core’s reading standards [in English] for grades 9-10 calls for students to analyze and understand the arguments in “seminal U.S. texts, including the application of constitutional principles and use of legal reasoning.” How many American public schools do that today?
That sounds so great. Too bad there’s no evidence it’s true. Neither are most of the other things Stern and the hardly right-wing Klein want Americans to believe about centrally planned education.
If these fellows read Common Core, they would see no definition of “seminal U.S. texts.” For Stern, that term likely implies the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Federalist Papers. To the average high school English teacher (who is lucky if she has any historical knowledge, because schools of education shudder at content) it is entirely open to interpretation. This is how, over the past 50 years, we have become a nation where even a college degree does not improve civic knowledge and fewer than half of adults can identify the three branches of government. One of the two people (neither of whom has ever written standards or been a classroom teacher) who wrote the English Common Core has given a model lesson on how to treat the Gettysburg Address and Dr. Martin Luther King’s Letter from a Birmingham Jail. David Coleman instructs English teachers to not give students background information and to read the words without emotion. Ah, instruction in the “heart of American heritage.”
Furthermore, as one of the world’s top literacy experts has been screaming for years, it is entirely inappropriate to demand that English teachers teach history and civics, along with their other duties. Perhaps that’s why Common Core dilutes classic literature instruction, which research shows is crucial to preparing students for college. Funny, Stern and Klein didn’t mention that.
Yes, the Constitution and Federalist Papers are mentioned in a Common Core appendix of voluntary suggested readings. If suggesting such readings meant more students learning them, it would have worked by now, because that’s the system we have had.
It is very difficult to make anything but year to year comparisons since the weather changes every year. The winter of 2012 was very mild, 2013 had extended periods of cold. All information listed was obtained under the Freedom of Information Act.
The chart below shows a total savings of $160,130. The analysis last year showed the following:
If the turbine lasts 15 years, the savings to break-even per year needs to be $390,464
If the turbine lasts 20 years, the savings to break-even per year needs to be $435,505
The savings generated in the first year are less than half what is required to break even.
Green energy has bankrupted many European Countries – but we keep drinking the Kool-aid. That $3.7 million grant is our tax money: http://www.commerce.state.il.us/dceo/
HCC, other Illinois community colleges and local communities to benefit from new programs
The Illinois Green Economy Network (IGEN) is rolling out a comprehensive program to increase demand for and availability of renewable energy technologies across Illinois. Through a $3.7 million grant from the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO), IGEN will assist participating Illinois community colleges in conducting campus energy studies and constructing solar photovoltaic (PV) installations, renewable energy demonstration sites, and smart grid classrooms to aid in green jobs training programs. IGEN will simultaneously launch education and awareness programs for a variety of audiences ranging from middle school students to homeowners and businesses.
The funding comes from the Renewable Energy Resources Program (RERP), which DCEO administers to foster investment, development and use of renewable energy resources across the state. RERP is funded through the 1997 Renewable Energy, Energy Efficiency, and Coal Resources Development Law, which requires public utilities to charge a fee for public utility service to qualifying customers.
“Illinois community colleges engage every sector in the state—public, private, residential, business,” said IGEN executive director Julie Elzanati. “We have deep roots and connections to all aspects of our communities, so we have a unique ability to walk the talk by installing renewable energy ourselves and educating our communities as we do it. IGEN builds on the strength of the community college system, and with this type of funding we can utilize those strengths to promote renewable energy across our state.”
IGEN and Illinois community colleges are partnering with a variety of state and regional renewable energy-focused organizations to expand their efforts. IGEN is currently assisting the Illinois Solar Energy Association with efforts to increase renewable energy education and outreach across the state, In addition, IGEN is working with Illinois State University’s Center for Renewable Energy to develop a Solar for Schools curriculum and teacher trainings for Illinois middle and high school teachers. Through a partnership with the Association of Illinois Electric Cooperatives, HeartLands Conservancy, University of Illinois Chicago Energy Resources Center, and the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency, the network also is investigating the feasibility of establishing an anaerobic digester in Clinton County. Anaerobic digestion would convert manure from several local dairy farms to produce biofuel.
IGEN is currently working with the Midwest Renewable Energy Association (MREA) to develop three regional programs across the state to advance demand for PV installations. The programs will connect Illinois-based product manufacturers, installation contractors, and credit unions or community banks to help Illinois residents install solar technology on their homes and businesses.
Heartland Community College is a founding member of the Illinois Green Economy Network (IGEN), a consortium of Illinois community colleges. IGEN creates and mobilizes innovative, collaborative partnerships among higher education institutions, businesses, and community organizations to establish and share sustainable best practices, promote energy efficiency and clean energy, and drive growth in the green economy.
At the same time, the theory of man-made warming appears increasingly shaky. Hundreds of studies show that Earth was warmer 1,000 years ago than it is today. Water vapor, not carbon dioxide, is Earth’s dominant greenhouse gas.
Arctic sea ice recently reached a 30-year low, but Antarctic Sea ice is near a 30-year high. More than double the polar bears roam the Arctic today than in 1960.
History shows that droughts, floods and storms are neither more frequent nor more severe than in past decades. Sea levels are rising at only about 7‒8 inches per century. Global temperatures have not risen for more than ten years, contrary to predictions by the leading climate models.
The tragedy of Climatism is a misuse of resources on a vast scale. Over $250 billion is spent each year in a futile effort to decarbonize or twice the amount of global foreign aid. The world spent over $1 trillion in the last ten years and is on track to spend another trillion in the next four years in a fight against a climate change phantom.
At the same time, real life and death problems need to be addressed. According to United Nations figures, 25,000 people die from hunger-related issues each day.
More than one billion people try to survive on less than $1.25 per day. Two and a half billion lack adequate sanitation, 1.4 billion lack electricity and almost one billion lack clean drinking water.
Every year, two million die from AIDS. Almost one million die from tuberculosis. Malaria, pneumonia and diarrheal diseases kill millions more.
Suppose we reallocate the billions spent in the foolish fight against global warming toward solving the real problems of humankind?
BREAKING: President Obama threatens to veto Republican bill raising student loan ratesIn a few hours, John Boehner and House Republicans are voting to increase student loan rates to as high as 8.5% for the families who already struggle the most to afford a college education.That is despicable. President Obama is threatening to veto, but he needs you behind him to stop this disaster of a bill.
Tell House Republicans that we won’t let them wring every last penny out of middle class families: Automatically sign your name to stand with President Obama >>
Will you stand up for middle class families and students across the country by putting all your influence behind President Obama’s veto threat?
Van Jones says the rates are automatically going up on July 1. The Democrat Party says Republicans are going to vote to raise them. Sadly, the low information voter will believe the lies – evil Republicans! Can America survive?
by: Diane Benjamin
Van Jones, communist and former Obama czar, sent the below email today. Obama supporter and new Senator, Elizabeth Warren, is outraged at the debt students incur to attend college.
So, both Jones and Warren love Obama, ObamaCare, and cutting banks out of student loans. Who is giving away money to banks at ridiculously cheap rates? That would be the Federal Reserve and Ben Bernanke. Why is Bernanke keeping the rates so low? Because the economy is barely limping along and low rates keep the stock market sailing because there is no where else to park money and get any sizable return.
They are setting up the collapse of at least ObamaCare, the House isn’t going to fund the loss of interest income. The student loan interest rate is going to increase again on July 1st. Expect a quick fix to keep the rate from going up.
But the question remains, is the left fighting the left? Or, what are they up to? Brush up on “Rules for Radicals”.
Does America really love Wall Street bankers NINE TIMES more than we love our struggling students?If you are a Wall Street banker who needs a little cash, the federal government will loan you money through the “discount window” with virtually no interest — as little as 0.75%.But if you are a young person trying to get an education… the rate on federal Stafford student loans is set to double! Unless something is done, it will go from 3.4% to 6.8% on July 1.That is right: We would be charging America’s youth nine times more than we ask from the mega-profitable banks that caused that crisis in the first place.Senator Elizabeth Warren has introduced the Bank on Students Loan Fairness Act, which would give students the same deal that banks get. We need to get behind this in a big way.
Sign: Tell your senators to co-sponsor Senator Warren’s bill.
If you can believe it, this story is actually WORSE than it appears. The federal government this year made $51 billion in profit off the student loan program. That is about as much as the four biggest Wall Street banks earned all together!
The average student graduates with $26,000 in student debt, and 10% are $50,000 in debt or more. Americans hold more than $1 trillion in student debt. Tuition costs are skyrocketing. Youth unemployment is the problem no one will talk about.
On top of it all, last year’s one-year extension of the low 3.4% rate for federal Stafford loans is set to expire on July 1st. The ONLY reason that extension passed at all is because people like you made it an issue in Washington, D.C. You wrote more than 300,000 letters and made tens of thousands of calls, and you saved student millions of dollars.
We should be proud — and ready to fight for fairness again. And this time, we should fight for bolder, more long-term solutions.
Senator Warren’s bill is the best idea I have heard in a long time. (I just hope it can be extended for more than one year!)
We are fighting for real change and backing champions like Elizabeth Warren. Are you ready to sign on?
If we can afford to loan cheap money to banks, we can afford to invest in education.
We the People have presented many requests to our Congress in this past two years, some of which you have chosen to ignore. You were voted into office to act FOR the people of the United States, NOT to make decisions independent of our desires.
We respectfully Demand that you De-fund and remove the United Nations from any governing position in the United States, including but not limited to Agenda 21, and ICLEI.
Our Independence is the very foundation that makes America a great and proud Nation. We cannot allow America to become a party to global governance, lest we lose that Independence. The United States will then become like any other country, lacking the Freedom of Choice which make us unique and which our Founding Fathers fought and gave their lives for.
The implementation of Agenda 21 in the United States will not only destroy our independence, but will remove all Freedom of Choice, as every aspect of our lives will be governed by an outside entity who does not have America’s best interests at heart. The very idea that Americans would be governed by an outside entity is absolutely appalling and unacceptable.
We will not be herded into a state of socialized “sustainable development”; we will not stand idly by and watch as America’s Freedoms become the property of the United Nations.
Today’s protest had between 40 and 50 patriots attend with signs that generated many honks from drivers on Prospect. All the protesters stayed on the sidewalk, by choice. They weren’t there to do anything but express outrage at the tyranny displayed by the IRS.
But, since Janet Napolitano declared the TEA Party a terrorist organization, Homeland Security sent on officer to observe the protest. The IRS also had a security guard working with him. They quickly realized they didn’t have concerns about our behavior. Leftist didn’t show up to protest us, it would have been difficult to explain why they were supporting the IRS.
Pictures – part of the group (the pic was from early before some people got there) and the Homeland Security SUV:
5/21/13 protest outside the Bloomington IRS office
The IRS has added extra protection for today’s events! Since they believe CITIZENS standing up to tyranny are terrorists, they are prepared for trouble. Evidently they have no respect for the 1st Amendment or We The People!
Of course, this is a non violent protest. Spread the word – especially to government!
301 S Prospect – Bloomington, Il.
The IRS is used as a weapon against the American people
Elected officials craft the code to benefit themselves and their cronies
Both parties use the IRS to attack political enemies
The IRS defined “Patriot” and “TEA Party” as enemies
The person responsible for the campaign against conservatives was promoted-not fired!
Had enough of the IRS? Today is a NATIONWIDE protest, stand up to tyranny!
The principal at Cornerstone Christian Academy was aware of the CORE curriculum and said they do not and will not teach it at their school. His words when asked do you teach it? He replied a resounding NO!
This may be the only local school NOT teaching it. Rumor is the Catholic and Lutheran schools will teach it. Parents, have you asked?
