bearister said:

---

"They've been close ever since."
That's because they are both delusional.

---

Sports Fan Kamala Harris claims the NCAA women's basketball tournament was "not allowed to have brackets until 2022."

As usual, she is wrong. pic.twitter.com/QaRSsngSxP

— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) April 5, 2024

The only non-delusional person left in politics is Kamala Harris?

bear2034 said:

---

bearister said:

---

"They've been close ever since."
That's because they are both delusional.

---

Sports Fan Kamala Harris claims the NCAA women's basketball tournament was "not allowed to have brackets until 2022."

As usual, she is wrong. pic.twitter.com/QaRSsngSxP

— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) April 5, 2024

The only non-delusional person left in politics is Kamala Harris?

---

Over on the Men's Basketball forum, you just wrote, "I don't know anything about women's college basketball... "

Which is it?

bear2034 said:

---

bearister said:

---

"They've been close ever since."
That's because they are both delusional.

---

Sports Fan Kamala Harris claims the NCAA women's basketball tournament was "not allowed to have brackets until 2022."

As usual, she is wrong. pic.twitter.com/QaRSsngSxP

— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) April 5, 2024

The only non-delusional person left in politics is Kamala Harris?

---

Wow. Great follow up question by the interviewer!

Option 1: "wait, what are you talking about because the women have had brackets for many many many many years."

Option 2: Nod understandingly. Remain silent.

Apparently, Kamala is not alone in her ignorance.

bearister said:

---

---

Al and tipper already own the stage



FWIW: I don't think the trumps are awkwardly far apart.
and
If this wasn't pre-A.I., I would suspect the computer got Al's lips drawn wrong.
Daaammmmnnnnn!!!!!!

Trump adjusts his stance on abortion, again.
Here's a timeline.
It's clear that he was originally pro-choice (of course, the serial porker has been said to have funded abortions of his own seed), shifting to hard core pro-life, to middle road pro-life only because of his perceived political benefit to himself. He cares nothing about the issue other than how he can use it for his benefit.



1989: 11 years before his first presidential run, the New York real estate magnate co-sponsored an event celebrating a former National Abortion Rights Action League president. However, he didn't attend the event because he and his family "were threatened in phone calls."

1999: Trump appeared on NBC News' "Meet the Press," where he said he was "very pro-choice" but hated "the concept of abortion."

2011: "The Apprentice" star gave his first speech at the Conservative Political Action Conference. "Just very briefly, I'm pro-life," he said.

2016: While on the campaign trail in March, Trump said at a town hall that there should be "some form of punishment" for women who get abortions.

Hours later, before the town hall even aired, Trump's spokesperson said the candidate thought states should decide the issue. His campaign later issued a statement saying that women shouldn't be prosecuted for receiving an abortion; instead, the campaign said the medical professional responsible for the procedure should be.

A day after the flip-flop, Trump said, "the laws are set now on abortion, and that's the way they're going to remain until they're changed."

2016: Weeks after getting elected, Trump doubled down on his campaign pledge to appoint pro-life judges to the Supreme Court and said the issue "would go back to the states" if the high court ever reversed Roe v. Wade.

2022: After making good on his promise and appointing three justices, the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, leading the then-former president to reaffirm his stance on the matter.

"This brings everything back to the states where it has always belonged," Trump said just after the Supreme Court released its decision. "This is following the Constitution and giving rights back when they should have been given long ago."

He's since gloated repeatedly about his power and influence, bragging that without him, "the pro-life movement would have just kept losing."

2024: Trump released a video statement saying that he believes states should decide the issue.

"The states will determine by vote or legislation or perhaps both, and whatever they decide must be the law of the land," Trump said. "In this case, the law of the state."

He also falsely claimed that Democrats want to be able to execute babies after they're born.

"They support abortion up to and even beyond the ninth month," Trump said. "The concept of having an abortion in the later months, and even execution after birth. That's exactly what it is, the baby is born, and the baby is executed after birth."


…no verification to the rumor that his mother was so appalled with his unruly behavior that she once quipped she wishes she had aborted him.

sycasey said:

---

Donald Trump's only consistent position is "whatever is good for Donald Trump."

---

Yeah, he DGAF about abortion or women's rights. He did what Leonard Leo told him to do on SCOTUS and that resulted in Roe being overruled. That led to Trump being more anti-choice because he needs to sell everything as a win. He is retreating from that because he knows it's a loser.

It's quite similar to his position on vaccines. He wants to take credit for the COVID vaccines because of OWS (which was a good program his admin succeeded with) but his base is fairly anti-vax so whenever he talks about it he gets booed.

Big C said:

---

Unit2Sucks said:

---

sycasey said:

---

Donald Trump's only consistent position is "whatever is good for Donald Trump."

---

Yeah, he DGAF about abortion or women's rights. He did what Leonard Leo told him to do on SCOTUS and that resulted in Roe being overruled. That led to Trump being more anti-choice because he needs to sell everything as a win. He is retreating from that because he knows it's a loser.

It's quite similar to his position on vaccines. He wants to take credit for the COVID vaccines because of OWS (which was a good program his admin succeeded with) but his base is fairly anti-vax so whenever he talks about it he gets booed.

---

Pre-pandemic, I always thought the anti-vax crowd consisted of RFK-Jr-Marin-type-liberals. Honest question, were school kids' vaccination rates always a lot lower in deep red areas? (And if so, was that really anti-vax sentiments, or just poor health care programs?)

True, a right-winger is going to tend to be anti-government mandates (vax, mask, isolation, whatever), but it seemed like Trump created a lot of this bs himself, to deflect from the fact that he botched the first few months of COVID. Then it kind of passed him up, to the point where he can't claim credit for the vaccine at one of his rallies.

---

1) Trump's pandemic messaging was bad. He didn't want shutdowns. Shutdowns happened but his followers were against them and henceforth distrustful of pandemic messaging.

2) He did a great job with OWS and vaccine development. This was largely driven by Pfizer and J&J. A vaccine was needed but further distrust was created when the government hid any negatives about the emergency authorized vaxxes and pretended like they were safe, tried, and tested and prevented covid.

3) Further distrust was created with Biden when the vaccines were given full authorizations and mandated, especially to low risk populations. At this point, Pfizer was the Easter Bunny directing the senile president.

4) Anti-covid vaxx became a somewhat Republican stance as many folks didn't want to be forced to take a relatively unsafe vaccine.

Big C said:

---

Unit2Sucks said:

---

sycasey said:

---

Donald Trump's only consistent position is "whatever is good for Donald Trump."

---

Yeah, he DGAF about abortion or women's rights. He did what Leonard Leo told him to do on SCOTUS and that resulted in Roe being overruled. That led to Trump being more anti-choice because he needs to sell everything as a win. He is retreating from that because he knows it's a loser.

It's quite similar to his position on vaccines. He wants to take credit for the COVID vaccines because of OWS (which was a good program his admin succeeded with) but his base is fairly anti-vax so whenever he talks about it he gets booed.

---

Pre-pandemic, I always thought the anti-vax crowd consisted of RFK-Jr-Marin-type-liberals. Honest question, were school kids' vaccination rates always a lot lower in deep red areas? (And if so, was that really anti-vax sentiments, or just poor health care programs?)

True, a right-winger is going to tend to be anti-government mandates (vax, mask, isolation, whatever), but it seemed like Trump created a lot of this bs himself, to deflect from the fact that he botched the first few months of COVID. Then it kind of passed him up, to the point where he can't claim credit for the vaccine at one of his rallies.

---

It was that way but as part of helping Trump minimize the consequences of the pandemic, the MAGA base became wildly anti-vax. It's all part of the same ivermectin/HCQ/Forsythia nexus of non-sense which was created in part to protect Trump's fragile ego and in part because the same sort of people who favor Trump also have same receptiveness to conspiracy theories.

Every time a new study comes out disproving one of their conspiracy-theory fueled miracle cures, they just trot out more misinformation (like c19ivm.org) to try to flood the zone with BS. And enterprising grifters have built businesses to capitalize on the stupidity. One of the original COVID grifters (Peter McCullough) works with a Canadian company selling snake oil to these jabronis.

Devastating expose by @karamballes of how websites and C19 contrarians especially Vigilant News Network, Dr. Peter McCullough, and (Ph)Dr Naomi Wolf promote + profit from The Wellness Company's questionable supplements and drugs. @US_FDA must investigate.https://t.co/KzDecyHe9O pic.twitter.com/i8RSB9oRBq

— Greedwashing 🐼 🗿 🐑 77th brigade (@greedwashing) February 12, 2024

OsoDorado said:

---

I'm no expert in stock valuation, but if I were rich I'd put a substantial short on DJT with the expectation that it will collapse. Where is the great Bill Ackman when you need him?

I'll own it if I'm wrong (including about DJT being worthless), but I will be stunned if Trump chooses a "minority" VP running mate of any kind ....

---

Problem is, the "borrow" to short shares of DJT (given the small float and lack of availability at brokerage houses) has sent the stock loan rate into the stratosphere. It's literally prohibitive to shorting the shares. A rate in the triple-digits . . . I kid you not.

DiabloWags said:

---

OsoDorado said:

---

I'm no expert in stock valuation, but if I were rich I'd put a substantial short on DJT with the expectation that it will collapse. Where is the great Bill Ackman when you need him?

I'll own it if I'm wrong (including about DJT being worthless), but I will be stunned if Trump chooses a "minority" VP running mate of any kind ....

---

Problem is, the "borrow" to short shares of DJT (given the small float and lack of availability at brokerage houses) has sent the stock loan rate into the stratosphere. It's literally prohibitive to shorting the shares. A rate in the triple-digits . . . I kid you not.

---

Record demand to short a stock can only mean one thing - this is a great buying opportunity for our MAGAt friends

MUST WATCH: Claremont Institute Chairman @TomKlingenstein makes a powerful case for re-electing Donald Trump.

"His policies are important, but not as important as the rest of him....He's an unconventional commander against an unconventional enemy." pic.twitter.com/bqrV8A3qbo

— Andrew Surabian (@Surabees) April 4, 2024

The case for Donald Trump for President of the United States. Part I.

Now that former President Trump is the Republican nominee for President in 2024, it’s time for Republicans, including those who doubt him or even can’t stand him, to get behind him. The times demand it. pic.twitter.com/UZv5fYrvyj

— Tom Klingenstein (@TomKlingenstein) April 4, 2024

The case for Donald Trump for President of the United States. Part II.

MUSINGS ON THE DEATH PENALTY

1. I support Trump returning to Vietnam.

2.

Quote:

---

Associated Press

Vietnam sentences real estate tycoon Truong My Lan to death in its largest ever fraud case

HANOI, Vietnam (AP) Real estate tycoon Truong My Lan was sentenced Thursday to death by a court in Ho Chi Minh city in southern Vietnam in the country's largest financial fraud case ever, state media Thanh Nien said.

The 67-year-old chair of the real estate company Van Thinh Phat was formally charged with fraud amounting to $12.5 billion nearly 3% of the country's 2022 GDP.

Lan illegally controlled Saigon Joint Stock Commercial Bank between 2012 and 2022 to allow 2,500 loans that resulted in losses of $27 billion to the bank, reported state media VnExpress. The court asked her to compensate the bank $26.9 million.

Despite mitigating circumstances this was a first-time offense and Lan participated in charity activities the court attributed its harsh sentence to the seriousness of the case, saying Lan was at the helm of an orchestrated and sophisticated criminal enterprise that had serious consequences with no possibility of the money being recovered, VnExpress said. Her actions "not only violate the property management rights of individuals and organizations but also push SCB (Saigon Joint Stock Commercial Bank) into a state of special control; eroding people's trust in the leadership of the Party and State," VnExpress quoted the judgement as saying.

The 2011 merger of a beleaguered SCB bank involved two other lenders. The banks have since become one of Vietnam's largest commercial banks by assets.

Former central bank official Do Thi Nhan was also sentenced Thursday to life in prison for accepting $5.2 million in bribes.

Lan's arrest in October 2022 was among the most high-profile in an ongoing anti-corruption drive in Vietnam that has intensified since 2022. The so-called Blazing Furnace campaign has touched the highest echelons of Vietnamese politics. Former President Vo Van Thuong resigned in March after being implicated in the campaign.

But it's the scale of Lan's trial has shocked the nation. VTP was among Vietnam's richest real estate firms, with projects including luxury residential buildings, offices, hotels and shopping centers. Analysts said the scale of the scam raised questions about whether other banks or businesses had similarly erred, dampening Vietnam's economic outlook and making foreign investors jittery at a time when Vietnam has been trying to position itself as the ideal home for businesses trying to pivot their supply chains away from China.

The real estate sector in Vietnam has been hit particularly hard: An estimated 1,300 property firms withdrew from the market in 2023, developers have been offering discounts and gold as gifts to attract buyers, and despite rent for shophouses falling by a third in Ho Chi Minh City, many in the city center are still empty, according to state media.

In November, Communist Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, Vietnam's top politician, said that the anti-corruption fight would "continue for the long term."

---

3. Jon Oliver segment just released.



4.


5.

concordtom said:

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Quote:

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Despite mitigating circumstances this was a first-time offense and Lan participated in charity activities the court attributed its harsh sentence to the seriousness of the case, saying Lan was at the helm of an orchestrated and sophisticated criminal enterprise that had serious consequences with no possibility of the money being recovered,

---

---

The bolded statement cracked me up. It's like saying Ted Bundy was a first time offender. She orchestrated a decade plus long fraud amounting to $27 billion. It's not like she stole a candy cane one time.

That said, I don't think she should get the chair. I used to believe more strongly in the death penalty but, particularly in the US, it's not a real deterrent and has far too frequently been used to kill young men (especially black ones) who were wrongly convicted. In addition it's even more expensive for taxpayers than life in prison. I would still be fine with it for especially heinous crimes where there is no real defense or question of guilt (sandy hook, Las Vegas shooter, etc.)

Unit2Sucks said:

---

Unit2Sucks said:

---

dajo9 said:

---

DiabloWags said:

---

OsoDorado said:

---

I'm no expert in stock valuation, but if I were rich I'd put a substantial short on DJT with the expectation that it will collapse. Where is the great Bill Ackman when you need him?

I'll own it if I'm wrong (including about DJT being worthless), but I will be stunned if Trump chooses a "minority" VP running mate of any kind ....

---

Problem is, the "borrow" to short shares of DJT (given the small float and lack of availability at brokerage houses) has sent the stock loan rate into the stratosphere. It's literally prohibitive to shorting the shares. A rate in the triple-digits . . . I kid you not.

---

Record demand to short a stock can only mean one thing - this is a great buying opportunity for our MAGAt friends.

---

If you believe in Trump as a businessman, you have to think this is a great stock to invest in. Since it's down more than 50% from peak, it represents an amazing opportunity for conservatives to show their faith in Trump. Who needs strong fundamentals, innovation, competent execution or a coherent strategy when you believe in the man at the top. Obviously, RINOs need not apply.

I do hope that Trump's fans post online about their DJT investments so we can all follow along in their journey.

---

Looks like I was wrong about DJT - it's an even better value today! This is definitely the best time to buy. If you believe in Trump's leadership and business acumen, you would have to believe that DJT is a rocket ship and that we're seeing an all-time low right now.

In other news, another former grifter involved in the fraudulent SPAC purchase of Truth Social sued a different former grifter involved in it. I've lost track of the number of lawsuits that this company has already had but that's typical with "big" businesses like Truth Social. It should not deter BI conservatives from liquidating their bitcoin, gold, ivermectin and Trump paraphernalia to put all of their financial faith in Trump's most valuable business.

---

Ivermectin is super cheap. It is much better to resell Paxlovid to gullible liberals at $2K a pop.

based on current polls, he is running and losing .. as I really find Trump repulsive, that doesn't bother me

what does bother me is the thought of Kamala Harris as president?? I don't think Biden is good for four more years, more of less I think Jill is running the place

Oakbear said:

---

based on current polls, he is running and losing .. as I really find Trump repulsive, that doesn't bother me

what does bother me is the thought of Kamala Harris as president?? I don't think Biden is good for four more years, more of less I think Jill is running the place

---

It is Dr. Biden. Please be respectful. ;D

oski003 said:

---

It is Dr. Biden. Please be respectful. ;D

---

her phd is univ of del, any chance at all that it was really earned??

Unit2Sucks said:

---

concordtom said:

---

Quote:

---

Despite mitigating circumstances this was a first-time offense and Lan participated in charity activities the court attributed its harsh sentence to the seriousness of the case, saying Lan was at the helm of an orchestrated and sophisticated criminal enterprise that had serious consequences with no possibility of the money being recovered,

---

---

The bolded statement cracked me up. It's like saying Ted Bundy was a first time offender. She orchestrated a decade plus long fraud amounting to $27 billion. It's not like she stole a candy cane one time.

That said, I don't think she should get the chair. I used to believe more strongly in the death penalty but, particularly in the US, it's not a real deterrent and has far too frequently been used to kill young men (especially black ones) who were wrongly convicted. In addition it's even more expensive for taxpayers than life in prison. I would still be fine with it for especially heinous crimes where there is no real defense or question of guilt (sandy hook, Las Vegas shooter, etc.)

---

I agree with what you said re the fraud and re death penalty not being a deterrent.
Of course, I'm sure you recognized, I just like juxtapositioning Trump with the Death Penalty, whether it be because of fraud, treason, grabbing people by the P*, whatever it takes!

As for heinous crimes and the death penalty… I think Robert Sapolsky has the most convincing rationale: there are plenty of damaged brains out there, and we should absolutely remove them - but not through killing them or punishing in solitary confinement. Life in prison is fine, but we can be compassionate about it.

But back to Trump, of course, I don't have any compassion for him. Thus the post. Retribution! Permanent silencing.

Oakbear said:

---

based on current polls, he is running and losing .. as I really find Trump repulsive, that doesn't bother me

what does bother me is the thought of Kamala Harris as president?? I don't think Biden is good for four more years, more of less I think Jill is running the place

---

What about her troubles you?

"What about her troubles you?"

I don't think she is qualified, but then again many former Senators are not qualified

I have enough faith in our systems that we manage to endure despite the lousy governance we get

I have lived in Oakland for about 60 years and seen lousy mayor after lousy mayor, yet Oakland despite all the detractors is not a horrible place to live .. but I feel for the poor as they are not taken care of, the schools for the poor are lousy and give many no real chance to break out of poverty .. not unusual a almost all big cities have poor schools for minorities/poor people, my favorite is Baltimore where Pelosi's father was mayor and the schools just steadily turn out students who are below grade level .

Oakbear said:

---

oski003 said:

---

It is Dr. Biden. Please be respectful. ;D

---

her phd is univ of del, any chance at all that it was really earned??

---

You mean like the Wharton degree that Trump "earned"?

Oakbear said:

---

"What about her troubles you?"

I don't think she is qualified, but then again many former Senators are not qualified

I have enough faith in our systems that we manage to endure despite the lousy governance we get

I have lived in Oakland for about 60 years and seen lousy mayor after lousy mayor, yet Oakland despite all the detractors is not a horrible place to live .. but I feel for the poor as they are not taken care of, the schools for the poor are lousy and give many no real chance to break out of poverty .. not unusual a almost all big cities have poor schools for minorities/poor people, my favorite is Baltimore where Pelosi's father was mayor and the schools just steadily turn out students who are below grade level .

---

IMO in most places, "good schools" are just a function of "parents with money," much more so than the quality of the schools themselves. Urban school districts tend to look very bad by the usual measures (test scores, grad rates) because they have to serve the poor populations in those districts and the wealthier populations can choose to put their kids in private schools.

More family values from team Trump.

I know that the GOP loves to talk about personal freedoms so maybe this is one where opinions will differ, but where I grew up it was not okay to ... checks notes ... "threaten to kill his colleagues in a shooting spree, murder the department chief and rape the chief's wife in retaliation for his suspension over his relationship with a high school girl", which is what has been alleged a Trump campaign county chair in New Hampshire (and GOP state rep) did.

Obviously, there are hundreds of thousands of county chairs and Trump's team of misfits and grifters can't be expected to fully vet the people they're choosing, but man oh man does there seem to be a strong fit between these sorts of dirtbags and Trump's base.

You would think this would be an easy person to separate from, but apparently the grifter in chief needs to decide whether this level of misconduct means that he should fire or promote the dude.

Quote:

---

One of Donald Trump's county campaign chairs in New Hampshire lost his job as a police officer after threatening to kill his colleagues in a shooting spree, murder the department chief and rape the chief's wife in retaliation for his suspension over his relationship with a high school girl, according to a newly released report from an internal affairs investigation.

Jonathan Stone, who is currently a second-term state representative, was announced as Trump's Sullivan County chair by his campaign on June 27, 2023. The coup-attempting former president first came to know Stone during Trump's 2016 run, when Stone gave him an inscribed AR-15 assault rifle at a campaign stop.

...
Stephen Stepanek, Trump's New Hampshire campaign chair, said he knew nothing about Stone's background until seeing news accounts.

"I just found out about it this morning," Stepanek said Wednesday. "He's been a Trump supporter for a long time, and he's been a state representative, and he had, as far as we were concerned, what looked like a great background."

Stepanek said Stone's future with the campaign has not been determined.

"We haven't made any decisions at this point," he said, adding that he expected the campaign's top aides at Trump's South Florida country club would be taking the lead. "I think it will be handled by Mar-a-Lago, in consultation with me."

---

Oakbear said:

---

"What about her troubles you?"

I don't think she is qualified, but then again many former Senators are not qualified

I have enough faith in our systems that we manage to endure despite the lousy governance we get

I have lived in Oakland for about 60 years and seen lousy mayor after lousy mayor, yet Oakland despite all the detractors is not a horrible place to live .. but I feel for the poor as they are not taken care of, the schools for the poor are lousy and give many no real chance to break out of poverty .. not unusual a almost all big cities have poor schools for minorities/poor people, my favorite is Baltimore where Pelosi's father was mayor and the schools just steadily turn out students who are below grade level .

---

What qualifications are you looking that you think she doesn't possess? Do you think because she went to Oakland schools that is disqualifying?

Oakbear said:

---

oski003 said:

---

It is Dr. Biden. Please be respectful. ;D

---

her phd is univ of del, any chance at all that it was really earned??

---

Wikipedia tells me that she earned her PhD in education in 2007 at age 55 after many years teaching and studying.
Read this or other stuff and let me know if you think it's one of those honorary degrees.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jill_Biden#:~:text=Biden%20has%20a%20bachelor's%20degree,a%20doctoral%20degree%20in%20education.

sycasey said:

---

Oakbear said:

---

"What about her troubles you?"

I don't think she is qualified, but then again many former Senators are not qualified

I have enough faith in our systems that we manage to endure despite the lousy governance we get

I have lived in Oakland for about 60 years and seen lousy mayor after lousy mayor, yet Oakland despite all the detractors is not a horrible place to live .. but I feel for the poor as they are not taken care of, the schools for the poor are lousy and give many no real chance to break out of poverty .. not unusual a almost all big cities have poor schools for minorities/poor people, my favorite is Baltimore where Pelosi's father was mayor and the schools just steadily turn out students who are below grade level .

---

IMO in most places, "good schools" are just a function of "parents with money," much more so than the quality of the schools themselves. Urban school districts tend to look very bad by the usual measures (test scores, grad rates) because they have to serve the poor populations in those districts and the wealthier populations can choose to put their kids in private schools.

---

I had been in conversation with a hs friend about choosing g schools for my kids. He was a district superintendent and had taken classes at cal (a graduate) under Norton Grubb.

Chris told me about Grubb's book:


The Money Myth
School Resources, Outcomes, and Equity
By W. Norton Grubb 2009

I'm going to paste the synopsis that Google Books says, but what I recall Chris telling me is that it's not money which predicts student outcomes.
Instead it's:
1) mothers highest level of education.
2) student's peer group.
3) I forget, which is why I'm diving here.

Quote:

---

Can money buy high-quality education? Studies find only a weak relationship between public school funding and educational outcomes. In The Money Myth, W. Norton Grubb proposes a powerful paradigm shift in the way we think about why some schools thrive and others fail. The greatest inequalities in America's schools lie in factors other than fiscal support. Fundamental differences in resources other than moneyfor example, in leadership, instruction, and tracking policiesexplain the deepening divide in the success of our nation's schoolchildren. The Money Myth establishes several principles for a bold new approach to education reform. Drawing on a national longitudinal dataset collected over twelve years, Grubb makes a crucial distinction between "simple" resources and those "compound," "complex," and "abstract" resources that cannot be readily bought. Money can buy simple resourcessuch as higher teacher salaries and smaller class sizesbut these resources are actually some of the weakest predictors of educational outcomes. On the other hand, complex resources pertaining to school practices are astonishingly strong predictors of success. Grubb finds that tracking policies have the most profound and consistent impact on student outcomes over time. Schools often relegate low-performing studentsparticularly minoritiesto vocational, remedial, and special education tracks. So even in well-funded schools, resources may never reach the students who need them most. Grubb also finds that innovation in the classroom has a critical impact on student success. Here, too, America's schools are stratified. Teachers in underperforming schools tend to devote significant amounts of time to administration and discipline, while instructors in highly ranked schools dedicate the bulk of their time to "engaged learning," using varied pedagogical approaches. Effective schools distribute leadership among many instructors and administrators, and they foster a sense of both trust and accountability. These schools have a clear mission and coherent agenda for reaching goals. Underperforming schools, by contrast, implement a variety of fragmented reforms and practices without developing a unified plan. This phenomenon is perhaps most powerfully visible in the negative repercussions of No Child Left Behind. In a frantic attempt to meet federal standards and raise test scores quickly, more and more schools are turning to scripted "off the shelf" curricula. These practices discourage student engagement, suppress teacher creativity, and hold little promise of improving learning beyond the most basic skills. Grubb shows that infusions of money alone won't eradicate inequality in America's schools. We need to address the vast differences in the way school communities operate. By looking beyond school finance, The Money Myth gets to the core reasons why education in America is so unequal and provides clear recommendations for addressing this chronic national problem.

---

Further, I just had a conversation with ChatGPT and here was what it said:

Yes, you are correct about the focus of "The Money Myth" by Warner Norton Grubb III. In the book, Grubb challenges the common belief that increased funding for schools directly leads to improved student outcomes. Instead, he explores various factors that contribute to student success beyond funding levels. These factors include:

1. **Highest Level of Education Attained by the Mother**: Grubb emphasizes the importance of parental education, particularly the educational attainment of the mother, in shaping student success. Research suggests that children of more educated mothers tend to achieve better educational outcomes.

2. **Student Characteristics and Traits**: The book highlights the significance of individual student characteristics and traits, such as motivation, perseverance, and engagement, in academic achievement. Grubb argues that personal attributes play a critical role in determining student success.

3. **Peer Influences and Social Networks**: Grubb discusses the impact of peer influences and social networks on student outcomes. Positive peer relationships and supportive social environments can contribute to academic success and overall well-being.

4. **Quality of Teaching and Instruction**: While not directly related to funding levels, the quality of teaching and instructional practices is another factor that Grubb suggests can influence student achievement. Effective teaching methods and supportive classroom environments can enhance learning outcomes.

Overall, "The Money Myth" challenges the notion that simply increasing financial resources for schools will automatically lead to improved educational outcomes. Instead, Grubb highlights the importance of addressing a broader range of factors that contribute to student success, including family background, individual characteristics, social influences, and teaching quality.

I apologize for not providing the specific fourth factor mentioned in the book. If you have further questions or would like additional information, please feel free to ask!

The point of my friend Chris was to challenge that the solution to schools is simply to throw money at them.
15 years later, however, I still think money would do a lot to improve educational outcomes.

Which brings me to another interesting news article I read a couple days ago:

https://www.yahoo.com/news/elementary-school-tries-radical-idea-115950946.html

Quote:

---

An Elementary School Tries a 'Radical' Idea: Staying Open 12 Hours a Day
Troy Closson
Tue, April 9, 2024 at 4:59 AM PDT
5 min read

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The longer hours have helped the school boost its enrollment.
NEW YORK It sounds like a dream for some working parents: school for 12 hours a day, starting bright and early at 7 a.m. and ending after dinner, at 7 p.m., all completely free.

One elementary school, Brooklyn Charter School, is experimenting with the idea as a way to tackle two problems at once. The first is a sharp decline in students in urban schools. Families are leaving city public schools around the country, including in New York City, which has led some districts to consider merging schools or even closing them.

The second is the logistical nightmare many parents face as they try to juggle jobs and child care.

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Millions of families scramble to fill the gap between school dismissal, around 3 p.m., and the end of the work day, several hours later. Many never escape long waiting lists for after-school programs. Others simply cannot afford to sign up. Lower-income parents often have the hardest time finding high-quality care.

These obstacles along with high rents and costs of living are driving families away from the city. Brooklyn Charter School is in Bedford-Stuyvesant, a rapidly changing neighborhood where Black families have departed in droves. The school, where Black students make up three-fourths of enrollment, lost nearly 30% of its students during the coronavirus pandemic, shrinking from more than 230 children to fewer than 165.

"We thought, 'We have to do something radical,'" Principal Joanne Hunt said. "School hours aren't made for working people."

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So far, the idea of staying open 12 hours a day seems to be working. About 80 students have signed up for the longer hours, and the school's enrollment is now close to 200. It is a sign that in an expensive city, the most important school amenity for some parents might not be a state-of-the-art science lab or a media studio, but affordable child care.

"We love it," Ayanna Souza said as she picked up her 10-year-old daughter, Jada Lee, on a recent evening. "Before this," she said, "I was struggling."

While many of the students in the program do not stay at school for the full 12 hours, staff members acknowledge that it can be a long time for children to be away from home which may be hard on them and on their families. But long days are a common experience in a city where many parents work long hours to get by, and where commutes can tack on hours to the workday.

Research shows that after-school programs, especially high-quality ones, can help improve a child's attendance, academics and other measures of well-being, including mental health.

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But as the city grapples with budget constraints, hopes have dimmed that the number of after-school seats can be expanded, and some programs have even been cut.

Brooklyn Charter used to open its doors at 7:30 a.m. Now, a few dozen students arrive half an hour earlier. They read books and tell stories in an auditorium under the watchful eye of a social worker.

From 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., school goes on as normal. On a recent Tuesday, there were blocks of math practice, mock English exams and a book fair. When the formal school day ended, the fun began for the seven dozen students who stay late under the care of counselors.

First up: a meal. Angela Alegria, who works in the school's kitchen, pulled fries out the oven to go with fish sandwiches. The chicken tenders and mozzarella sticks are the favorite, though, according to a group of 6-year-old friends, Aaron, Ashton and Mia.

After dinner that evening, a boisterous comedy session began. Students drum-rolled on tables as their friends took the stage a large crate in the center of the cafeteria to crack jokes. One young girl stole the show, asking, "Why did the cow go to the theater?"

She paused, before bringing down the house: "Because he wanted to watch a moooooovie."

Then the students split up for a series of activities.

Room 320 broke into booms and bangs as older students practiced the drums. An instructor quizzed them about quarter notes and helped them identify low- and high-pitched sounds.

"Hands in places!" the instructor said, later asking one boy who was tipping his instrument back and forth, "How do we hold our drum, sir?"

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Across the hall, kindergartners counted on their fingers to complete their math homework. "I did it!" one student yelled out after solving a particularly tough problem.

And in another room, first graders grabbed card stock and markers to design robots to look like Sonic the Hedgehog and Disney princesses. When it was time for the groups to rotate sessions, one girl shouted out something unthinkable.

"Homework time," she said. "Yay!"

In New York, fewer than half of public schools offer free, city-funded services after school. In addition to boosting academic achievement, these can help keep students out of trouble: Most juvenile crime occurs in the hours around dismissal. But most of those programs end at 6 p.m., if not earlier.

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The dearth of choices is gaining political attention. The state Senate recently said it wants to explore options for universal after-school programming. One Democratic lawmaker and potential mayoral candidate, Zellnor Myrie, has argued that such an initiative could be a "game changer" for families.

At Brooklyn Charter, many families just wanted better child care. "There was a huge need in our community," said Roger Redhead, who runs the program.

Throughout the evening, parents trickled in after work. Princess Williams, whose son Adonis often stays for about two hours after dismissal, said the program had made her family's life much easier. "It's just beautiful," she said.

By 6:30 p.m., only about five students were left.

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They entertained themselves with intense tic-tac-toe matches at a cafeteria table. Some wanted to stay even later and keep playing when their family members arrived.

The parents reminded their children: You'll see your friends again in 12 hours!

c.2024 The New York Times

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I suppose you could say I'm pretty interested in this subject matter. We argue about all sorts of stuff that matters not! This stuff matters big times, millions at a time. But it gets little air time on the national debate stage.

Stunning article from WSJ!

According to their polling in 7 battleground States, 30% of black men and 11% of black women, intend to vote for Trump in 2024.

In 2020, Trump won 12% of the black male vote, and 6% of the black female vote.

These are CATASTROPHIC numbers for Biden. pic.twitter.com/VlWd8rJuCI

— Clandestine (@WarClandestine) April 11, 2024

Is this due to the Biden economy and inflation?
Is this due to illegal immigration or funding never ending wars?
Is this due to Democrat lawfare?
What happened?