There’s some good conversations happening out there in the blogosphere that are worth checking into. Here’s a few of them:
Over at his blog, Jay Greene comments on the new set of uniform national education standards proposed by a panel of “experts.” If you think a one-size-fits-all approach is a good idea, why not see if your favorite novel made the recommended reading list?
Strangely, Max Brantley over at the Arkansas Blog thinks he likes the national standards approach. I am pretty sure Max has voiced his opposition to NCLB numerous times, yet now he says he likes the idea of national standards? I thnk this illustrates the confusion people have with the abstract and the actual. In the abstract, of course national standards sound good. But when they are actually articulated it’s another story.
I don’t care at all to get into the debate about Diane whats-her-name’s opinion about school choice and NCLB. The whole story, for the most part, lacks any substance. It’s really more of a story of political alliances and betrayals and personal motivations and feelings. If I wanted that I’d be better served following the Tiger Woods saga. That said, I have to give credit to Rick Hess for bringing some actual substance to the conversation over at his blog on EdWeek.
Locally, Jonah over at the Iconoclast blog is skewering Fayetteville’s Advertising and Promotion Commission over a lack of transparency. Why does it matter? Well, check out Ozark’s Unbound for a breakdown of how much money is being doled out, and who is receiving it.
I’m glad the Arkansas Society of Freethinkers won the right to have their solstice exhibit displayed on the grounds of the state capitol. We are all fond of expressing our love for freedom, but sometimes we forget that freedom can be messy. It can lead to dissonance and it can make people uncomfortable. But the cost of removing that dissonance far outweighs the benefit.
If there’s one thing that’s clear about the bickering down in Little Rock, it’s that the reactions of people against the Freethinkers validate the actions of the Freethinkers. The mere fact that people can get so bent out of shape when their monopoly on public space is threatened is reason enough to threaten it. I doubt that the Freethinkers would care to erect their own monument if they weren’t so appalled that so many forces were opposed to them exercising their right.
Disputes over public displays of religion are usually resolved in two ways. Public displays can become areas where any form of expression is excluded, or areas where anything can be included. Either nobody wins, or everybody wins. The Freethinkers chose the latter approach, and it’s the right approach. They didn’t attempt to remove any acts of expression, they simply insisted that they be given the same opportunity to be included. It would be nice if their opponents extended them the same courtesy.
Nobody who is confident in their beliefs should be afraid to let their views freely compete in the marketplace of ideas. The history of free ideas exemplifies the greatest example of a meritocracy that humans have ever achieved. Good ideas grow and flourish, and bad ideas whither and die. And if you’re as right as you think you are, there’s nothing to worry about.
Of course, inclusion can have it’s drawbacks. In an article where The Economist reported on the display in Little Rock, they accounted a similar chain of events:
The Arkansas Freethinkers do not want the Little Rock Nativity scene removed. They simply want the state to set up a “free-speech zone” and let them be part of it, along with Jews, Buddhists, Hindus and Muslims. “The holiday is big enough to accommodate everyone,” says Tod Billings, a Freethinker.
Some say that this will lead to chaos. In Olympia, Washington, the capitol’s all-inclusive free-speech zone became hopelessly overcrowded. Even the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster mounted a display. This year the state has banned the lot. The only evidence of the holidays? An evergreen tree in the capitol’s rotunda. It’s definitely not a Christmas tree, mind.
Too bad. I would’ve liked to have seen that Spaghetti Monster display.
On a related note, in an attempt to make fun of the Freethinkers, Arkansas blogger Jason Tolbert requested and got permission to add a Festivus display to the mix. Word is, however, that he is chickening out and doesn’t plan on delivering the Festivus pole after all.
Come on, Jason, we all want to see you and the Freethinkers engage in a good old fashioned airing of grievances before one of you is pinned in the annual feats of strength!
UPDATE: The Dem-Gaz reported some good and bad developments about this issue today. The bad: Rep. John Lowery, D-El Dorado, who is against the Freethinker’s display, called for the Arkansas Legislative Council to denounce the federal court’s ruling. Lowery says he is “fearful,” and that “History tells us when this is allowed to happen in high places by people in authority this is what happens: Societies become chaotic, economies collapse and nations are taken over by other nations.” He added that lawmakers would be “cursed” if they didn’t voice their objections. Too bad he didn’t provide any examples of the chaos and collapse he is referring to, because history seems to tell us the opposite. There are many examples of societies that have collapsed when the state has the sole power to dictate one version of state sponsored truth. On the other hand, governments that allow for greater economic and social freedom have flourished. Someone should get Rep. Lowery a history book for Christmas.
The good: Rep. Nancy Blount, D- Marianna, voted “no” on the resolution. Blount said she was a Christian who believed in free speech: ” I think people ought to have the right to believe in whatever they want to believe in. The Constitution says we are allowed to do that. We say we will uphold the Constitution when we are sworn in. We would be double-talking to then turn around and say we were against the Constitution.” Well said, Ms. Blount.
Fayetteville High School students are participating in an annual ritual to raise money for less fortunate families in the district. Here is the announcement from the district blog:
The annual FHS Student Council Homeless Vigil will be held on Thursday, December 3, beginning at 5 pm. The fund raising goal for the 2009 vigil is $11,000, and all proceeds go to help families in need in the Fayetteville School District. The students will sleep outside in makeshift shelters, warming themselves by a fire in a barrel. Donations of cash and non-perishable food items are greatly appreciated and may be dropped off at the vigil, which will be held in front of the FHS gym on Stone Street.
These students slept outside in the frigid temperatures last night and continue their vigil today. The students had raised $6,400 toward their goal of $11,000 as of 10 am this morning.
These same students are also assisting with the blood drive at the high school today.
If you live or work in Fayetteville, please consider stopping by the high school to show your support for these kids and their causes.
Here is the October edition of Reason.tv’sNanny of the Month. And in case you missed it, you can also check out September’s winner in the second video. We’ll post future editions as they are released.
The Chicago men, who knew each other from a military school in Pakistan, on Tuesday were accused of an international plot dubbed “The Mickey Mouse Project” that since late 2008 included scheming with others to “commit terrorist acts against overseas targets,” according to federal criminal complaints made public in Chicago.
The North Side men are accused of plotting to target employees of the Danish newspaper Morgenavisen Jyllands-Posten, which published cartoons of the prophet Mohammed in 2005, sparking violent riots across the Muslim world.
The most controversial of the 12 cartoons depicted Mohammed wearing a bomb with a lit fuse as a turban. That cartoon was drawn by Kurt Westergaard, 78 — who was targeted for assassination, authorities said.
Westergaard has said that the meaning behind the cartoon was that extremists exploit the prophet to legitimize terror by drawing “spiritual ammunition from Islam.” Extremists, outraged by the cartoons, including the would-be-murderers arrested this week, responded by exploiting the prophet to legitimize terror by drawing spiritual ammunition from Islam.
The Organization of the Islamic Conference, a group of 56 Islamic nations, has been pushing hard for the U.N. Human Rights Council to adopt resolutions that prohibit the defamation of religion. The resolution “condemns… any advocacy of national, racial or religious hatred that constitutes incitement to discrimination, hostility or violence.”
The resolution is an attempt by Islamic countries to restrict the freedom to criticize religion. The resolution would be used to justify crackdowns on free speech in Muslim countries, and give cover to those who would harass religious minorities.
Some claim that the best way to protect the freedom of religion is to implement so-called anti-defamation policies…. I strongly disagree. The protection of speech about religion is particularly important since persons of different faiths will inevitably hold divergent views on religious questions. These differences should be met with tolerance, not with the suppression of discourse.
And, in not-so- good news for freedom, a church in North Carolina is holding a good ole Halloween book burnin’. Of course, there’s nothing anti-free speech about people burning their own property. What is problematic is that authorities are threatening to stop the burn and fine the church members because of (what sounds like a trumped-up) ban on book burning. I gotta support the church on this one.
In truth, the story is funny enough that it sounds like something out of The Onion. Based on the list below, can anyone tell me which music shouldn’t be burned? From the church’s website, here’s the plan:
Halloween Book Burning
Has NOT Been Cancelled!
Burning Perversions of God’s Word
October 31, 2009
7:00 PM – Til
This event is not open to the public. Only our members and those by special invitation from the pastor only. All others are tresspassing.
Great Preaching and Singing
We are burning Satan’s bibles like the NIV, RSV, NKJV, TLB, NASB, NEV, NRSV, ASV, NWT, Good News for Modern Man, The Evidence Bible, The Message Bible, The Green Bible, ect. These are perversions of God’s Word the King James Bible.
We will also be burning Satan’s music such as country , rap , rock, pop, heavy metal, western, soft and easy, southern gospel, contemporary Christian , jazz, soul, oldies but goldies, etc.
We will also be burning Satan’s popular books written by heretics like Westcott & Hort , Bruce Metzger, Billy Graham , Rick Warren , Bill Hybels , John McArthur, James Dobson , Charles Swindoll , John Piper , Chuck Colson , Tony Evans, Oral Roberts, Jimmy Swagart , Mark Driskol, Franklin Graham , Bill Bright, Tim Lahaye, Paula White , T.D. Jakes, Benny Hinn , Joyce Myers , Brian McLaren , Robert Schuller, Mother Teresa , The Pope , Rob Bell, Erwin McManus , Donald Miller, Shane Claiborne, Brennan Manning, William Young, Will Graham , and many more.
We will be serving fried chicken, and all the sides.
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Well, at least we can agree there are no benefits. To me this seems like a no-brainer, but the ever growing amount of money spent on baby media products (approaching $225 million annually) like those offered by Baby Einstein indicates some parents think otherwise. Now Disney, who bought Baby Einstein in 2001, is admitting its baby media products do not make kids smarter, and is offering a full refund on products purchased since 2004. Here is a NY Times article with more details about the recall.
Remember when then President Bush hailed the founder of Baby Einstein as the embodiment of “the great enterprising spirit of America.” Here is a good Slate article from the day after that State of the Union address.
UPDATE: Here are some more interesting articles on this topic: CNN, Time 1, Time 2.
As it turns out, actually interacting with your children is better for them that any video ever could be. Here is a strong statement to that effect from the American Academy of Pediatrics from a 2006 memo.
Research on early brain development shows that babies and toddlers have a critical need for direct interactions with parents and other caregivers for healthy brain growth and the development of appropriate social, emotional, and cognitive skills. These infant videos are marketed under the guise of being educational. The company names alone, Brainy Baby and Baby Einstein, are proof of the marketing strategy. There is no current evidence to prove that these videos help infants and toddlers in an intellectual or developmental way. Parents should know that their babies will develop just fine without watching these videos.
Check out this Baby Einstein video. I don’t know about educational, but it sure is mesmerizing.
UPDATE: Read what Dan Willingham has to say about this topic here.
Tonight at 9 p.m. CST on PBS, viewers can catch the national debut of The Buffalo Flows. The Buffalo Flows is a film about the Buffalo River written and produced by local UA professor Larry Foley, with photography by Trey Marley, editing by Dale Carpenter, and narration by Ray McKinnon. It also features music by the UA’s James Greeson. The film recently won 2 emmy awards. Here is a clip that features some of the original music and some beautiful pictures of the Buffalo River.
Northwest Arkansas fans of guitars and good music will finally get a chance this weekend to see the new guitar-based documentary “It Might Get Loud.” From Rotten Tomatoes:
Filmed through the eyes of three virtuosos from three different generations, audiences get up close and personal, discovering how a furniture upholsterer from Detroit, a studio musician and painter from London and a seventeen-year-old Dublin schoolboy, each used the electric guitar to develop their unique sound and rise to the pantheon of superstar. Rare discussions are provoked as we travel with Jimmy Page, The Edge and Jack White to influential locations of their pasts.
Alas, the movie is only playing at Fiesta Square in Northwest Arkansas, but I did call them and confirm that they are playing it on one of their larger screens. And, sorry Stuart, as far as I know George Michael is not in this movie.
And, speaking of movies, anyone watching television last night was rocked off their couch by the newest trailer for 2012. While it doesn’t look like a great movie, the special effects promise that this one will be loud as well. Yikes!
There’s some good conversations happening out there in the blogosphere that are worth checking into. Here’s a few of them:
I’m glad the 
YES!