Like children headed home with their report cards, the nations of the globe recentlyreceived grades on the educational achievement of their students via the test known as the Programme for International Student Assessment, or PISA. Reactions ranged from celebration to resignation to recrimination, depending upon the results. * In the United States, France and Great Britain, educators and political leaders bemoaned another disappointing showing * They looked to East Asia and Eastern Europe and sought to understand how poorer countries in these regions could achieve so much more with fewer resources." -- Hmmm, sounds like the liberals have been "outed" by their "alternative Life AND School style"... "Buried Under Neo-socialist Garbage and Liberal Excrement", or BUNGLE.

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Rumor has it that Judas 00-Barnum has an educational overhaul he's going to announce in his upcoming "Stagmentation of the State" speech... It's called, "B.U.F.F.ET.".. Beefing Up Fast Food Employee Training.

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The student loan impact has reached $1.2 TRILLION.. That's considerably more than their parents credit card debts! Still, the Democrats are out pushing even more student loans at lower interest rates. Sadly, students will still not understand the pitfalls of taking non-collateralized loans against non-guaranteed result diplomas. In addition, schools will increase teacher pay, thus tuition, so even though students can get lower interest loans, the loans will be a much higher amount for the students to pay off after graduation.

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Online story: The U.S. Olympic Committee told American athletes that wearing their team colors at the 2014 Winter Games may make them a target in Sochi, according to multiple reports. * "The U.S. Department of State has advised that wearing conspicuous Team USA clothing in non-accredited areas may put your personal safety at greater risk," the committee said to U.S. athletes in a memo, which was reviewed by The Wall Street Journal." -- "conspicuous Team USA clothing"? Maybe Ralph Lauren should be replaced as the designer.. besides, I doubt he's a happy camper knowing what the USOC thinks of his work.

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Online story: "The Supreme Court on Friday offered a short-term compromise that would continue to exempt a group of Denver nuns that operates charity nursing homes from the birth control mandate of the nation's health care law if they declare their objections in writing. * The justices asked the nuns to write the Department of Health and Human Services declaring themselves a religious nonprofit organization and making their objection to birth control. In return, the high court would continue to block for them the contraceptive coverage requirement of the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare, while their appeal is heard in the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. " -- Hmm, this maybe the salvation we need to send OObamaCRAP to the dump.. For-profit companies should reorganized as non-profits as making a profit will be nigh improbable with the OObamaCRAP insurance program forced on them.

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Online headline: "Syrian Electronic Army Hacks CNN's Social Media" -- "hacks"? Based on the re;lationship CNN had with Saddam Hussein, the Syrians are "family" and invited guests on CNN's Social Media homepage.

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There was a shooting at a Maryland Mall. One of our fellow BCer's made this observation: "FOX "news" stated the gun man was found heavily "armed" with a shotgun and ammo. FOX news has no idea what heavily armed is. Otherwise every dove hunter would be considered "heavily armed". Stop giving liberals "ammo". Otherwise they will start coming after out shotguns and 7.5 dove load. Oh wait. They already are." -- Of course, I think Fox should blame Bleep Veep Biden for suggesting "shotguns" vs semi-automatic guns for personal protection.

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Online story: " The dueling faces of a conflicted political party were on display for all to see at the just-concluded Republican National Committee meeting." -- "conflicted"? How about anal-retentive... The Republican Party just needs to promise to stop beating up on individual moral choices. The Republican Party just needs to acknowledge God will handle all morals situations with everyone on a one-on-one basis. How simple is that?

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Online story: "The family of an Ohio inmate executed last week is suing the state and a drug company, claiming Dennis McGuire was a victim of "cruel and unusual punishment" when he appeared to "writhe in pain" during an almost half-hour ordeal. * The suit targets state prison officials, the execution team and Hospira, the Illinois-based company that manufactured the drugs used in the lethal injection given to McGuire on Jan. 16, The Columbus Dispatch reports. * Dayton (_*_)ttorney Jon Paul Rion argues that the execution violated the Eighth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution -- cruel and unusual punishment -- and the 14th Amendment right to due process." -- Hmmm, now the rest of the story: "McGuire, 53, was convicted in the 1989 murder of Joy Stewart, 22, who was 30 weeks' pregnant at the time of her death" - You know, "we" have paid room&board for the convicted murderer for 25 years.. what was "cruel and unusual punishment" was what the victims's parents/grandparents had to endure until now. I hope the families of the victims file a counter suit against the family of the murderer for damages and mental anguish of their son's crime just incase some liberal-laced jury finds for the murder's family.

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Hmmm,... saw a chandelier that uses small shades that clip onto the candle-flame shaped incandescent bulbs the other day. Question: How are you going to clip those shades onto Compact fluorescent bulbs?

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Income equality.. you would think Judas 00-Barnum had stats from his first 5 years would show the income gap getting less than it was before he took office. Fact is, $2.8 TRILLION has been spent on poverty ending programs in his 5 years in office, and it's escalating wider than ever before.

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Have you seen the ad for MicroTouch raxors? If you're under 40, you might think these are the next step in shaving evolution. Truth is, we've been there, and have the nick scars from what was once called "the safety razor".

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Online story (with fellow BCer assist): "After nearly a year of stalling by the Obama administration, Judicial Watch has obtained the vacation travel records for the Obamas’ and Vice President Joe Biden’s 2013 President’s Day weekend excursions and Michelle Obama’s 2011 South African trip. * President Obama spent President’s Day weekend, Feb. 15-18, golfing in West Palm Beach, Fla., while the first lady and the girls enjoyed a ski trip to Aspen, Colorado, as did Biden. * Transportation and lodging costs for the president’s trip totaled $98,135.79. This includes $32,406.50 for the flights, $16,466.25 for rental cars, and $48,490 for hotel rooms. * The vacation costs for first lady Michelle Obama totaled $81,523.64, including $13,221.30 in flights, $3,925 in rental cars, and $64,377.34 in lodging. * The expenses for Vice President Biden’s weekend in Aspen totaled $115,777.61, including $5,315 in flights, $92,596 in accommodations, and $17,866.61 in rental cars * The second group of documents (just) obtained by Judicial Watch indicate that taxpayers paid more than $1,000,000 for Michelle Obama’s 2011 “safari” trip to South Africa and Botswana." -- Recession? What recession?

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L-E story: "The Muscogee County School District no longer should view Columbus through the racially and economically divisive lens of the north-south divide, said Superintendent David Lewis.
Instead, he proposed to the school board during Saturday’s retreat that the administration should serve the schools through three zones — west, central and east" -- Well, we now have confirmation Lewis is the liberal we suspected. Now that the socio-economic situations have been addressed, all will be different.. He thinks he's the right person for a change. Grab your ankles!

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From above story: " Superintendent Lewis said, “Too many school systems put something in place, abandon it, try something else and abandon it,” he said. “You’ve wasted resources, time, energy and you’ve lost the trust and confidence in the people who are just tired of the next new thing." -- Hmm... what a perfect example of how we select new Superintendents... They come in; abandon the old programs, initiate their new programs, leave/retire, and a new one comes in, abandons the old programs; initiates new programs. Dang, our MCSD has a better recycling plan than the City of Columbus!

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Have you seen the 'yellow-dog' mailing that's trying to paint Sen. Josh McCoon as a liberal? Don't believe it for a second.. The lack of identifying itself on the mailer really does a better job identifying the organization than just naming itself. Obviously, it's a dog, and it's about as yellow as it can be.

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L-E story: " Trikella Nelson doesn’t like labeling students as homeless. * She prefers to describe their lack of housing as a temporary situation they can overcome. * Nelson is responsible for 954 students who are currently experiencing homelessness. She is also director of guidance services in the school district’s social work department. As the homeless liaison, she has an outreach specialist and case worker on staff to help serve homeless students." -- You know... this is only a small problem compared to the School System believing it is the parent unit of other 31-32,000 students.

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Low... very low, info voter's L-E "soundoff": " I understand the strain the city of Columbus is putting on its employees with higher rates on insurance. Universal health care was and is the solution." -- Yeah.. but only because it's free.... in the low info voter's mind.. because the Democrats have promised him/her that.

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I do support Habitat for Humanity, but is a 1,100 sq ft home built primarily by volunteers using very basic materials and designs really worth $72,000? I'm glad that the homes built are not being given away, and payrolls are being met for the H4H staff,.. but..

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Texas is dropping Algebra-II. It's not necessarily a course everyone needs, but everyone who wants to get ahead in life needs it. Bah humbug, Texas!

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L-E's "Quotable": “The only way to enjoy anything in this life is to earn it first.” Ginger Rogers American dancer and actress (1911-1995)" -- Well, another gem that will never adorn the tiara of the Education System.

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Excuse me, but reading about a climb of Mt Kilimanjaro as a fund raiser for an ALS patient sorta conflicts me. My bride and I have had a close relationship with ALS for the past 10 years, She served on the Board of the ALSA of GA for nearly 5 years, and we have organized or sponsored ALSA of GA support groups when ALSA of GA came to Columbus. My bride even organized ALS fundraising marches here. Fundraising expenses came from volunteer businesses in the area, and personal contributions. I somehow can't believe that ALS research gets the most bang for it's donated dollar when someone finances the expense of a foreign mountain climbing event from funds donated for ending this dastard of a disease.