Archive for June 10th, 2011

Stop right there, professor … proof of citizenship, please !

June 10, 2011

I was cross-haired by two relatively hot political issues last week: voter IDs and proof of legal citizenship.

I was suspected of crossing a border to illegally access government-provided services.

Yes, your mild mannered (usually) man of the classroom … stood up on suspicion of unlawful conduct.

An intimidating officer of the state demanded to see an ID and proof of citizenship.

Really !

OK, it wasn’t the U.S.- Mexico border … it was the Maryland-Virginia border.

The services that I was allegedly attempting to use illegally: use of the “Anne Arundel County landfill and recycling center” (a.k.a. the local dump).

That’s right.  In order to throw a mattress and springs into the landfill dumpster, I had to show my driver’s license and to produce proof of Anne Arundel County, Maryland residency.  Fortunately, I may be the only person in Maryland driving around with paid real estate tax bills in my glove compartment.

Think about it.

Maryland is a state that – for example – reportedly looks the other way when it comes to admitting illegal immigrants into public schools and allows them to pay in-state tuitions at colleges.  No harm, no foul.

But, the line gets drawn in the sand at the local dump.

I didn’t really mind showing my ID docs, but the situation certainly did make me scratch my head …

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Posted in Immigration, Voter IDs | Leave a Comment »

Students accumulating credit hours, but not mastering skills …

June 10, 2011

Excerpted from the WSJ:

Big U.S. employers, worried about replacing retiring baby boomers, are … growing bolder about telling educators how to run their business.

Several initiatives have focused on manufacturing and engineering, fields where technical know-how and math and science skills are needed and where companies worry about recruiting new talent.

The National Association of Manufacturers is leading a drive, partly funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, to establish standardized curricula at community colleges across the U.S. with the goal of preparing students to qualify for certification in industrial skills ranging from welding to cutting metal and plastics.

The association … said bright students should be encouraged to consider alternatives that lead directly to jobs.

“We need to move aggressively to competency-based education” based on mastery of skills  … rather than on an accumulation of credit hours.

Much of the emphasis is on community colleges and vocational schools because they are affordable and can quickly turn out job candidates.

Employers increasingly are asking community colleges to create custom training programs for specific jobs.

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Posted in Education - Academics | Leave a Comment »

What do men, low earners, suburbanites and Republicans have in common?

June 10, 2011

A majority of them disapprove of the job President Obama is doing.

Based on the most recent CNN-Opinion Research Poll, 48% approve of Obama’s job performance.

Some interesting numbers from the ‘internals’:

  • 51% of women approve, 51% of men disapprove
  • 61% of non-whites approve, 63% of whites disapprove
  • 52% of folks making more than $50K approve, 50% making less than $50k disapprove
  • 82% of Democrats approve, 83% of Republicans disapprove
  • 57% of urbanitess approve, 52% of suburbanitess and rurals disapprove

In marketing, it’s called segmented appeal.

Draw your own conclusions …

Posted in Obama, Polls & Surveys | Leave a Comment »