Blog @ MoreWhat.com

One can get lost in the plethora of research details, explanations,
footnotes, bibliographies and myriad other distracting reference
materials associated with all subject matter displayed or otherwise
available at ed.gov and other internet locations that provide some
coverage of the state of education.

Without getting into a full-blown thesis flavored presentation or
debate on the state of education, we believe the two items offered
in this post provide a reasonable summary of learning in the U.S.
For those pursuing the shameless pandering for more funding in
education, we humbly request you remove your “it’s only for the
children” rhetoric and hold those in charge accountable to the
taxpayers and the students for the embarrassing performance of
the educational systems in this country.

Let us not forget that parents and students share in the overall
responsibility of education. Their involvement in the financial
process may be limited but apathy or ineffective parenting is
equally damaging and responsible for academic performance.

Question:
How does achievement of American students
compare to students in other countries? Response:
The Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) is a system of international assessments that measures 15-year-olds’ capabilities in reading, mathematics, and science every 3 years. PISA was first implemented in 2000 and is carried out by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), an intergovernmental organization of industrialized countries.The U.S. average score in reading literacy was not measurably different from the OECD average in 2000 or 2003, nor was there any measurable change in the U.S. reading literacy score from 2000 to 2003. The U.S. average score was below the OECD average science literacy score in 2003. There was no measurable change in the U.S. science literacy score from 2000 to 2003. In 2003, U.S. performance in mathematics literacy and problem solving was lower than the average performance for most OECD countries. The United States also performed below the OECD average on each mathematics literacy subscale representing a specific content area (space and shape, change and relationships, quantity, and uncertainty). There were no measurable changes in the U.S. scores from 2000 to 2003 on either the space and shape subscale or the change and relationships subscale, the only content areas for which trend data from 2000 to 2003 are available. In both 2000 and 2003, about two-thirds of the other participating OECD countries outperformed the United States in these content areas. In 2003, males outperformed females in mathematics literacy in the United States and in two-thirds of the other countries.SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics. (2004) International Outcomes of Learning in Mathematics Literacy and Problem Solving: PISA 2003 Results From the U.S. Perspective. (NCES 2005-003).

Related Tables and Figures: (Listed by Release Date)

• 2005, Digest of Education Statistics 2004, Table 399. Average reading literacy, mathematics literacy, science literacy, and problem-solving scores of 15-year-olds, by sex and country: 2003
• 2005, Digest of Education Statistics 2004, Table 400. Mean scores and percentage distribution of 15-year-olds scoring at each mathematics literacy proficiency level, by country: 2003
• 2003, The Condition of Education 2003: International comparisons of reading literacy in grade 4

Other Resources: (Listed by Release Date)

• 2005, Characteristics of U.S. 15-Year-Old Low Achievers in an International Context: Findings From PISA 2000
• 2005, International Comparisons in Education
• 2005, International Education Indicators
• 2005, Program for International Student Assessment
• 2004, International Outcomes of Learning in Mathematics Literacy and Problem Solving: PISA 2003 Results from the U.S. Perspective
• 2003, Comparative Indicators of Education in the United States and Other G-8 Countries: 2002
• 2003, International Comparisons in Fourth-Grade Reading Literacy: Findings from the Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS) of 2001
• 2001, Highlights from the 2000 Program for International Student Assessment (PISA)
• 2001, Outcomes of Learning: Results from the 2000 Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) of 15-Year-Olds in Reading, Mathematics, and Science Literacy.

by Dan Lips
Posted Sep 20, 2006
More than 50 million children across America returned to school over the past few weeks, and so now is a good time to consider how much we spend on public education and whether we’re getting good value for that money. This big-picture view is disheartening.

It is a sad situation when two of the most necessary requirements for
a successful life that a society can offer, health care and education, are
in such a sad state, with costs rising at an alarming rate and providing
little in the way of reasonable outcomes for most citizens. As a nation
we spend about a half trillion dollars on education per year. Results
should be better than they are.

Public Release: 28-Sep-2006
Texas Dropout Crisis & Our Children
Texas Dropout Conference will bring national researchers to Rice University
National researchers will share data on the high school dropout problem during an October 6 meeting titled “The Texas Dropout Crisis and our Children – A Conference on Graduation Rates, Causes, and Policy Solutions” at Rice University in Houston.Contact: B.J. Almond
balmond@rice.edu
713-348-6770
Rice University

from MoreWhat.com staff:
Do they really need a conference to solve the problem of kids
dropping out of school. Would it not make more sense to work
with the kids who may be at risk of dropping out? Oh, wait, this
is for the benefit of the researchers and those attending the
conference. Ok, that probably means it has to do with careers,
grants, budget justifications and more money to be poured into the
schools. But it probably will not help those who will drop out.

Public Release: 28-Sep-2006
Kluessendorf to be presented with AGI award
The American Geological Institute (AGI) will be presenting Dr. Joanne Kluessendorf the 2006 Award for Outstanding Contribution to Public Understanding of the Geosciences. This award, given annually, honors an individual for contributions which lead to greater public appreciation and understanding of the role of the geosciences in society. Contact: Andrea Martin
asm@agiweb.org
American Geological Institutefrom MoreWhat staff:
Don’t want to rain on anyone’s parade. If someone receives
some well deserved recognition, they should be allowed to
enjoy it. Strictly by the release, not looking for hidden
meaning or some conspiracy, it can be assumed that
somebody is getting a pat on the back for a job well done.

Public Release: 28-Sep-2006
The ‘Vicious Triangle’ affecting productivity in our public services
Two social researchers will have a strong message for policymakers next week, when they present the findings of their research at a conference in Westminster. Professor Iain McLean and Dr. Dirk Haubrich will say that local public services in England are being affected by a ‘vicious triangle’ present in the way that central government assesses performance and need. The researchers are calling for a re-examination of the ‘contradictory regimes’ which govern public sector productivity.
Economic and Social Research Council

Contact: Alison Taylor
alison.taylor@bristol.ac.uk
44-011-733-10799
Economic & Social Research Council

from MoreWhat.com staff:
Here we are again with the researchers. Well it’s nice to see the
Brits plagued by the same crap we get over here. Public services
are not right and the way they determine that is not right. And it
took some research to figure this out. Does every problem need
formal research? Oh ya, they probably did it for free as a public
service. Is everyone that hard up for research projects they now
have to solve problems we already understand? Hey, go find a
nice disease to cure. There is an abundance of it.

Public Release: 28-Sep-2006
Science
Montessori education provides better outcomes than traditional methods, study indicates
A study comparing outcomes of children at a public inner-city Montessori school with children who attended traditional schools indicates that Montessori education leads to children with better social and academic skills. The study appears in the Sept. 29, 2006, issue of the journal Science.

Contact: Angeline Lillard
lillard@virginia.edu
434-982-5232
University of Virginia

from MoreWhat.com staff:
If you had a few bucks to spend. If you didn’t mind gambling.
If Vegas or some other suitable venue hosted bets on it. You
would likely place yuor bet on Montessori over traditional
methods as being the superior outcome. But we needed a study
to determine this.

Public Release: 27-Sep-2006
Pitt combines tiny science, tiny tech in multidisciplinary NSF-funded course
The University of Pittsburgh has been awarded a National Science Foundation Nanotechnology Undergraduate Education grant, one of only 10 such awards in the United States and the first such grant Pitt has received. The two-year, $200,000 grant will allow the University to develop a course on integrated nanoscale science and engineering.
National Science Foundation

Contact: Karen Hoffmann
klh52@pitt.edu
412-624-4356
University of Pittsburgh

from MoreWhat.com staff:
Please tell us that it costs $200,000 to develop a course. And
if it does, could you tell us why? Is the money for developing
a curriculum? Is it for buying the books, materials, etc., plus a
first year’s salary for the instructor? Well it may be just more
salaries and research projects disguised as a course. Nice
work if you can get it.

Public Release: 27-Sep-2006
Earth Science Week-International Earth Cache Day
Earth Science Week kicks off at International EarthCache Day, Washington, D.C.
Earth Science Week 2006 will begin with the first International EarthCache Day 1-2 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 8, 2006, on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. The public is invited to join the EarthCache team from the Geological Society of America, in association with Groundspeak Inc., the American Geological Institute and the National Park Service, in celebrating the exciting educational geocaching tool of EarthCaching at this event on the grounds northwest of the Washington Monument.

Contact: Ann Cairns
acairns@geosociety.org
303-357-1056
Geological Society of America

from MoreWhat.com staff:
Ok, somebody must like it. But all these news releases are listed
under “education” at EurekAlert. If one is looking for news in
education that can give information about advances in education
or the results of education, you might expect this to be a place
to look. But so far, not so much.

Public Release: 26-Sep-2006
Blazing the Trail receives the IAA Luigi Napolitano Award
Mike Gruntman, professor and chair of astronautics at the University of Southern California, received the Luigi Napolitano Award (2006) from the International Academy of Astronautics for his book, “Blazing the Trail: The Early History of Spacecraft and Rocketry,” published by the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics.

Contact: Janice Saylor
janices@aiaa.org
703-264-7539
American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics

from MoreWhat.com staff:
Ok, another award and ceremony given for some achievement.
Maybe this should be in a separate category, like education:
for those aspiring to receive
awards.

Public Release: 26-Sep-2006
Program to train corporate directors on climate change
Yale University, along with two other leading U.S. organizations, has announced a unique collaborative effort to educate hundreds of independent corporate board members about the potential liabilities and strategic business opportunities that global climate change can create for companies.
Betsy and Jesse Fink Foundation

Contact: Janet Rettig Emanuel
janet.emanuel@yale.edu
203-432-2157
Yale University

from MoreWhat.com staff:
If you show those concerned with nothing more than shareholder
equity how to turn a buck, you’re probably right if you think they
won’t mind that it also may solve a real world problem. But your
chance for success drops the more difficult it is. That’s because
there are easier ways to make that buck then doing something
worthwhile.

Public Release: 26-Sep-2006
American Shore & Beach Preservation Association’s 2006 National Conference
Bruno to co-chair 2006 ASBPA National Conference
Michael Bruno, Professor and Director of the Center for Maritime Systems at Stevens Institute of Technology’s Davidson Laboratory, will co-chair the American Shore & Beach Preservation Association’s 2006 National Conference.

Contact: Stephanie Mannino
smannino@stevens.edu
201-216-5602
Stevens Institute of Technology

from MoreWhat.com staff:
These aren’t the people that find public money to fix beach
erosion, are they? Could someone please enlighten as to the
benefit of this get together? It seems their conference is to
inform people how to deal with problems associated with
living near a beach.

Public Release: 26-Sep-2006
Raising awareness of global drinking water crisis
Kenneth E. Behring of the Global Health and Education Foundation and National Academy of Sciences raise awareness of global drinking water crisis.

Contact: Jennifer England
Jennifer@shoreypr.com
412-772-8230
The National Academies

from MoreWhat.com staff:
Is this another classified document leak? There has long been
concern over water, whether it is a crisis or not may be another
question. But they did say drinking water. One might think if
there are problems with water that the drinking kind might be
at risk as well, since there is less of it. But if the polar ice
caps or more glaciers melt then we’d have more water, right?

Public Release: 26-Sep-2006
Magnet lab wins $11.7-million grant to build next-generation magnet
The National Science Foundation has awarded the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory in Tallahassee, Fla., an $11.7-million grant for construction of an innovative magnet that will have the potential to revolutionize a technique used to learn more about little-understood molecules.
National Science Foundation

Contact: Mark D. Bird
bird@magnet.fsu.edu
850-644-7789
Florida State University

from MoreWhat.com staff:
Now we’re talking some serious jing. $11.7 million to build
a magnet. So how much do you suppose is actually going
into the magnet?

Public Release: 25-Sep-2006
Journal of Zoology
Groundbreaking study by Field Museum scientists explains mane variation in lions
An article appearing in the current issue of the Journal of Zoology sheds light on several longstanding misconceptions regarding the controversial topic of mane variability among wild lions. This comprehensive scientific assessment of mane variation–including “manelessness”–is a first and took nearly seven years to complete. According to the overall findings of the study, wild lions generally develop manes in accordance with local climate regimes.

Contact: Greg Borzo
gborzo@fieldmuseum.org
312-665-7106
Field Museum

from MoreWhat.com:
Seven years of research to explain the difference in manes of
lions. And they call this groundbreaking. Maybe they’re
looking for Rogaine for lions.

Public Release: 25-Sep-2006
Tomorrow’s Information Technology Leaders
Stevens awarded US Commerce Department’s Export Achievement Certificate
Stevens Institute of Technology will be presented with the Export Achievement Certificate during an October 4 workshop, “Tomorrow’s Information Technology Leaders.” The certificate is in recognition of Stevens’ USAID Grant used for scholarships to help Bulgarian IT professionals taking the Stevens IS Masters Degree in Sofia, Bulgaria.
US Department of Commerce

Contact: Stephanie Mannino
smannino@stevens.edu
201-216-5602
Stevens Institute of Technology

from MoreWhat.com staff:
Now we’re not only exporting IT jobs or importing employees
by visa, but providing grnats for scholarships in other countries
while members of the Congress are heard barking about
spending more tax dollars for affordable college education in
the U.S. Oh, someone, please explain.

Public Release: 25-Sep-2006
Learning to discern
From buying a car to making decisions about which political candidate to support, we use data in our daily lives. But how are our K-12 schools preparing students to discern important information from data, accurately and without bias? A new NSF grant to Kent State could help make data literacy an integral part of the curriculum.
National Science Foundation

Contact: Lisa Lambert
lalamber@kent.edu
330-672-8514
Kent State University

from MoreWhat.com staff:
Considering the National Report Card and PISA performance
measures, do you suppose you could catch up on reading,
writing, math and science first? Educational results in this
country are flat over many years while costs reach new highs.
How about you fix the basics and then move on to data
literacy? Or is this new thang just for the top 10%?

Public Release: 25-Sep-2006
Integrative Cancer Therapies
Integrative Cancer Therapies journal accepted into prestigious ISI index
Integrative Cancer Therapies (ICT) published by SAGE Publications, has been accepted by Thomson Scientific (formerly ISI), for inclusion in the Science Citation Index Expanded(TM). ICT features articles and studies focusing on evidence - and science-based understanding of the mechanisms of integrative cancer treatments, which combines the best conventional cancer therapies with complementary and alternative medicine (CAM).

Contact: Judy Erickson
media.inquiries@sagepub.com
SAGE Publications

from MoreWhat.com staff:
This might actually be useful or show some promise but it
seems more science related rather than specific to education
unless we’re talking reference library.

Public Release: 25-Sep-2006
Journal of Labor Economics
University of Georgia study finds far-reaching enrollment effects of HOPE Scholarship
A new study by economists at the University of Georgia Terry College of Business reveals that the lottery-funded HOPE Scholarship has increased enrollment at the state’s colleges and universities, but its greatest effect has been on the decision of where – rather than whether – to attend college.
National Science Foundation, others

Contact: Sam Fahmy
sfahmy@uga.edu
706-542-5361
University of Georgia

from MoreWhat.com staff:
Now this is the type of news we were looking for in education.
Either a good story about a successful endeavor that can be
emulated or a real raunchy scandal we could complain about.
Surprisingly enough we were kidding about the scandal part.
Seems we just see too many of those. But this story is good.

Public Release: 25-Sep-2006
Henri Poincaré Prize goes to Ludvig Faddeev
Springer editor Ludvig Faddeev was among this year’s three winners of the Henri Poincaré Prize, one of the most prestigious awards in mathematical physics. It was presented to Faddeev at the International Congress on Mathematical Physics 2006 (ICMP) in Rio de Janeiro which took place from August 6 to 11.

Contact: Joan Robinson
joan.robinson@springer.com
49-622-148-78130
Springer

from MoreWhat.com staff:
Enough said on previous similar stories.

Public Release: 24-Sep-2006
Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research
Heavy drinking can hasten the progression of the simian immunodeficiency virus disease
Alcohol abuse can impair a person’s immune system. Alcohol abuse is also very common among individuals infected with human immunodeficiency virus. New findings indicate that heavy drinking can accelerate time to AIDS among rhesus macaques infected with simian immunodeficiency virus.
NIH/National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism

Contact: Gregory J. Bagby
gbagby@lsuhsc.edu
504-568-6188
Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research

from MoreWhat.com staff:
Like we didn’t know heavy drinking causes health problems.
Plus we’re more concerned about why people keep getting aids
rather than how heavy drinking affects getting there. The only
thing we would like an explanation of is the use of the word
simian.

Public Release: 22-Sep-2006
Tomorrow’s Information Technology Leaders
‘The next generation of IS pros: Where will they come from?’ Stevens workshop, October 4
Where will the next generation of information systems professionals come from, and how can they maintain a competitive edge? An October 4 workshop at Stevens Institute of Technology, “Tomorrow’s Information Technology Leaders” will focus on how educators can help students recognize the value of a career in Information Technology, and how to provide today’s students with the skills and education they must have to address the demands of rapid advances in technological innovation.

Contact: Stephanie Mannino
smannino@stevens.edu
201-216-5602
Stevens Institute of Technology

from MoreWhat.com staff:
This question is too easy. They will either come here on visas
to work for less than Americans or the job will be shipped to
another country. Go ask teh USAID info folks in an earlier
piece describing our scholarship grants to Bulgaria for IT
students.

Public Release: 22-Sep-2006
2006 American Academy of Family Physician’s Annual Scientific Assembly
American Academy of Family Physicians Scientific Assembly to convene in Washington, D.C.
Sponsored by the American Academy of Family Physicians, this annual, five-day meeting is the premier research and educational event for family physicians, featuring more than 300 educational courses, workshops and lectures on a variety of clinical and practice management topics. Attended by more than 4,000 family physicians and 400 exhibitors, and nearly 200 presenters, including nationally recognized speakers, including Newt Gingrich, who will discuss the need for a better health system.

Contact: Barbara Kowalski
bkowalsk@aafp.org
800-274-2237 x5204
American Academy of Family Physicians

from MoreWhat.com staff:
Hey Newt, see if you can get the fine doctors to work on
reducing malpractice. With so-called medical liability
reforms, soon no one will be able to dissuade their reluctance
to police the profession. Maybe that’s why they call it a
practice.

It’s fair to say NBC has a little egg on their faces. Ok, so how
is information checked on your other stories? What exactly
determines your degree of scrutiny before airing information?

Student admits he lied to TV news shows

By David Montero, Rocky Mountain News
September 28, 2006

The 16-year-old student who told the Today Show this morning that he was in a Platte Canyon High School classroom when Duane Morrison took 6 students hostage yesterday made up the story, his mother said this afternoon.

Something says we all should be concerned about the position of
academics and their cronies on this one. Well, probably on others
as well. There was a time when the hallowed halls of academia
may have been considered beyond reproach, but that time is likely
gone. Lobbyists aren’t the only ones with questionable loyalties.

We wonder if PETA has visited the aps.org? One would think
that a lively discussion. Read their defense of the use of animals
in research and even if you don’t care about animal cruelty or say
it’s ok if the research saves humans, you still have to wonder what
other creepy projects they like. On the menu tonite, poodles and
noodles. Eew!!!

Public release date: 22-Sep-2006Contact: Christine Guilfoy
cguilfoy@the-aps.org
301-634-7253
American Physiological Society
Senior academic officers oppose ‘public access’ legislation(Bethesda, MD) � September 22, 2006 � Senior academic officers from 10 institutions issued a letter to Senators John Cornyn (TX) and Joseph Lieberman (CT) expressing their concerns about the provisions of S.2695, the “Federal Research Public Access Act of 2006.” These institutions, which collectively make nearly $3 billion in annual research investments, expressed their concerns that mandating a six-month public release of journal articles would negatively impact the academic community and the publishers that disseminate their work.

In signing the letter in opposition to S.2695, Dr. Robert Rich, Senior Vice President and Dean, University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Medicine, expressed his concern that “the legislation would damage the special relationship between scholarly societies and academic communities who work in partnership to ensure that these communities are sustained and extended, science is advanced, research meets the highest standards, and patient care is enhanced with accurate and timely information.” Rich also expressed concern that “S.2695 would divert scarce Federal dollars away from research in order to provide a service already provided to the public by society publishers.”

The nonprofit publishers comprising the DC Principles Coalition (http://www.DCPrinciples.org) are among those who are able to provide public access to literature either immediately or within months of publication without government mandate through corporate and academic subscriptions. According to Martin Frank, Ph.D., Executive Director of the American Physiological Society (APS) and a member of the Coalition, “a six-month release mandate may force some journals to shift to a publication model requiring authors to pay for their publications through their Federal grants, diminishing funds available for research to benefit the public good.”

Issued on September 22, 2006, the letter reads:

Dear Senators Cornyn and Lieberman:

The undersigned senior academic officers write to express our concerns about S.2695, the “Federal Research Public Access Act of 2006.”

We agree that the broadest dissemination of scientific literature is good for research. However, mandating a six-month public release of journal articles would have negative unintended consequences for the academic community. The free posting of unedited author manuscripts by government agencies threatens the integrity of the scientific record, potentially undermines the publisher peer review process, and is not a smart use of funds that could be better used for research.

Scientific publishers, in collaboration with academic institutions, scientists, and libraries, have been at the forefront of innovations that have improved and continue to improve access to research information. As a result, more scientific papers are now available to more people than at any time in history.

Even when federal funds support the research reported in journal articles, these funds do not cover the costs associated with turning raw data into archived scientific manuscripts. The cost of peer review, copy editing, formatting, printing, online publication, search engine development, and permanent archiving ranges from $2,500 - $10,000 per article.

At present, publishers cover these publication costs through the sale of subscriptions. A Federal policy mandating public access after six months would threaten the financial viability of many of these journals through the loss of subscription revenues, forcing them to identify other means to cover costs.

One such means is to shift the costs to the scientists/authors. This is the business model currently used by the Public Library of Science, for example, which recently increased fees to $2,500 per manuscript. These fees either come from the author’s Federal research grant–thereby decreasing the amount available for research–or from the university, which could ultimately lead to higher institutional costs than those needed for journal subscriptions.

In fact, some studies have already shown that research intensive universities would have to pay considerably more to gain access to the same amount of research under an author- pays model than a subscription model.

Mandating free dissemination of scientific manuscripts within six months would significantly limit the ability of non-profit and commercial publishers to cover the upfront reviewing, editing, and production costs of creating these manuscripts. Some journals would simply cease to exist. Others would be much less able to support innovation in scientific publishing and archiving. Ultimately, this could lead to a system in which NIH and other federal agencies must sustain a significant portion of the research publishing enterprise, maintaining 100+ years of archival journals, as well as producing new research articles.

As a member of the Senate Budget Committee, you are certainly sensitive to the various forces that shape and reshape the Federal budget from year to year. Recently, for example, we learned that the Biomolecular Interaction Network Database–the world’s largest free repository for proteomic data–lost its funding and curtailed its curation efforts. As leaders in our respective academic institutions, we are profoundly concerned that one unintended consequence of S. 2695 would be to put both our current research publications and our research archives in jeopardy.

Given the widespread access to the scientific literature that already exists and the negative unintended consequences this bill will have on the academic community, we urge you to reconsider whether S.2695 is needed.

Thank you for considering our request.

Sincerely yours,

Robert R. Rich, MD, Senior Vice President and Dean, University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Medicine, Birmingham, AL

Richard P. Saller, Ph.D., Provost, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL

John R. Sladek, Jr., Ph.D., Vice Chancellor, Research, University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, Denver, CO

Kenneth L. Barker, Ph.D., Provost and Vice President for Research, SUNY Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY

Mary J.C. Hendrix, Ph.D., President & Scientific Director, Children’s Memorial Research Center, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL

Bruce A. Holm, Ph.D., Senior Vice Provost, SUNY at Buffalo and Executive Director, NYS Center of Excellence in Bioinformatics & Life Sciences, Buffalo, NY

Leonard R. Johnson, Ph.D., Vice Chancellor for Research, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN

Barbara A. Horwitz, Ph.D., Vice Provost-Academic Personnel, University of California, Davis, CA

Richard J. Traystman, Ph.D., Associate Vice President for Research, Planning, and Development, Associate Dean for Basic Science Research, Oregon Health and Sciences University, Portland, OR

David E. Millhorn, Ph.D., Vice President, Office of Research and Economic Development, University of Tennessee System, Knoxville, TN
###

About the DC Principles for Free Access

The DC Principles for Free Access to Science Coalition (http://www.dcprinciples.org/) represents more than 75 of the nation’s leading nonprofit medical and scientific societies and publishers. The not-for-profit publishers are committed to working in partnership with scholarly communities such as libraries to ensure that these communities are sustained, science is advanced, research meets the highest standards, and patient care is enhanced with accurate and timely information.
Would it be hypocritical to want public access to information
above and yet be opposed to online health information?

Of course they didn’t shake hands. Politics outside the U.S. are
not entirely different from inside the U.S. When things are not
going well, blame the other guy. Early on, Musharraf assisted
the United States, probably not received well by everyone in his
country. Probably a risk to his own safety. Not like the coup
that put him in power doesn’t come with its own risks.

Karzai agreed to take the job in Afghanistan with assurances
that U.S. and other international support would aid his efforts to
rebuild his country and provide reasons for countrymen to
accept more conventional means for economic development.

The prolonged struggle for success in Iraq has put a strain on
any related strategies in Pakistan and Afghanistan. Even our most
staunch supporter, Britain’s Prime Minister, Tony Blair has seen
his popularity wane as a consequence largely due to Iraq and the
war on terror.

Musharraf, Karzai Avoid Eye Contact,
Hand Shake During Bush Dinner

Thursday , September 28, 2006

AP
WASHINGTON — In a Rose Garden appearance arranged to show warmth and unity, the bickering leaders of Pakistan and Afghanistan shook hands with President Bush but not with each other.

Pakistani President Gen. Pervez Musharraf and Afghan President Hamid Karzai, whom Bush considers key bulwarks against Islamic radicalism in a volatile region, barely looked at one another as Bush appealed for cooperation against the common enemy of terrorism.

This is not a criticsm of the war on terror or the situation is Iraq.
Taken a step further, it seems little is being accomplished on any
level. With reports that vary on the relative strength of economy
and business in this country and a Congress that has been called
the least effective in a long time, little is getting done.

It also seems that the only answer given for curing failed policies
on all levels is to throw more money at it. Listening to Congress
on Cspan yesterday, more money was requested for AIDS and
financial aid for college tuition. More bickering was present for
parliamentary procedures and Congressional rules. Bickering and
asking for more money.

We spend 16% of gdp on healthcare or 1.9 trillion dollars. We
spend a half trillion dollars on education. Yet both are guilty of
poor performance at a ridiculous price.

Politicians beholding to lobbyists who represent special interest
and two main political parties who support and embrace practice
of this distorted process must change. An apathetic or complicit
public must take the responsibility to reform the process or it is
likely things will not change and only get worse. We are all
responsible for the direction and outcomes in this country. Like the
public officials we criticize, we must take a look at our own choices
and decide what is really best and not just what is in our own best
interests.

Beltway Traffic Jam

Frist, you rotten b*****d !!! We really don’t care if it’s
the Democrats who drive this one up your stethescope.
If you’re so ethical, why is a doctor, one, a politician and
two, have you been involved in any health care reform?
Don’t lie, we know you haven’t. And we’re not talking
about that pathetic excuse for reform called the Medicare
Part D drug plan. We hope it did help Americans who do
not have any other help. But it was useless for many and
we’re all paying for it. Instead of tackling useful health
care reform, you keep sticking your nose into immigration.
Either pass HR4437 or shut the hell up. Your want of
brown nosing Bush or whining about Dems is your only
claim to fame other than butting into private health matters
in a public forum for headlines. Shame on you, Senator,
retire already.

Frist wants immigration vote this week

By HOPE YEN Associated Press Writer
© 2006 The Associated PressWASHINGTON — Maneuvering toward a pre-election showdown on immigration, Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist on Sunday said he would seek passage of legislation to secure the borders and predicted Democrats would resist.

“Right now I got a feeling the Democrats may obstruct it,” said Frist, R-Tenn.

The bill is all that is left of a comprehensive immigration proposal generally backed by President Bush that included provisions for a guest worker program and ways for an estimated 12 million illegal immigrants to work toward legal status and eventual citizenship.

The item below is an excerpt of the text from an article
at Yahoo News. It is from Real Clear Politics and is
listed as opinion. Specter was speaking at the National
Press Club. Whereever he speaks, he just doesn’t get
it when it comes to immigration reform.

Senator, it is obvious you will listen, as you say, to any
better idea, but that’s only if it is one you want. HR4437
was given to the Senate a long time ago, December 2005,
and you have done nothing.

Specter Speaks

On Immigration: Specter was clearly peeved at being bullied by the House, saying it seemed clear that “the House of Representatives doesn’t think much of the bicameral system.” Specter said he thought enforcement was vital and that he supported a fence, but that immigration reform shouldn’t be handled in such a “piecemeal” way. As Chair of the Conference committee on immigration Specter said he remained open to finding a comprehensive solution. “If somebody has a better idea,” he said, “I’m open to listen.”

With the announcement of Andrew Fastow’s sentencing, it seems
appropriate to display a lesser DOJ acomplishment. No doubt
someone will find it important. It would be better if their was an
outcry for this defendent’s poor taste, but the guilty plea will do.

t may not be a typographical error but it should be. Describling
the assailants as “men” is certainly only a technical description
based on biology or some purely physical specification. No one
can commit such an act and claim to be a man.

Safia Ama Jan did not deserve this fate but likely was aware of
the possibility. This indicates she had much more courage than
the two or more responsible for her death.

Afghan Women’s Activist Assassinated by Gunmen

If anyone out there has the ability to apprehend those responsible
for the death of Safia Ama Jan, they should do so. If anyone has
information about this, feel free to post it on this site. Crackpots
are requested to refrain as all posts are moderated. This is a real
request for people to demand justice.

Stanford Matthews
MoreWhat.com

It is difficult to believe anything Andrew Fastow says. But if his
testimony or any other information leads to holding all those
involved accountable, he should keep talking.

Coming clean should not reduce his sentence. It should simply
be the consequence of his misdeeds.

This is a prime example of investor rule number one. Don’t put
all your eggs in one basket. It is unlikely that individual investors
like employees of Enron were aware of the criminal behavior,
but they still should not have invested all their retirement funds
in one place as it was reported many of them did.

We publish a sort of ranking of most popular news
stories from time to time. The purpose is to express
our concern over what is popular. Our intent is to
raise the bar on the quality of information transmitted
and received over this medium. Since we started doing
this, we have been disappointed (go figure) more often
than impressed. As a matter of fact, this will be the
first time we’re impressed. So impressed that we are
providing the headlines that were on Google’s Most
Popular news items when this post was current.

Cat Stevens criticizes pope on Islam

With shuttle back on Earth, NASA looks ahead

Spinach Illnesses Rise as Inquiry Continues

Toppled PM May Have Removed Assets From Thailand

Shock tactics in war of the consoles

ISS Chemical Leak Under Control

Hammond’s fears over future of Top Gear

Skeleton Sheds Light on Ape-Man Species

Hamas Says It’s Serious on Power Share

Target to follow Wal-Mart’s lead with $4 prescriptions

Future of High-Speed Train Questioned

JFK Detention Angers Venezuelan Official

Pressure mounts on Hungary Premier

HP’s new challenge: Repair the damage

Tanning cream may ward off skin cancer

Thousands hear call to disband Hezbollah

Huey Long’s Legacy

There was only one unnecessary story found
in the most popular at Google News, so we
left it off this list.

The list was impressive indeed. Not that we
have an opinion worth sharing on Cat’s call
related to the Pope. But the fact that people
during the time this most popular was tallied
had read some better than usual offerings was
encouraging. We won’t mention the items that
were read when we were disappointed as that
would only provide accidental creedence to the
content. And maybe we’ll give a little credit to
the news media. Maybe they provided more
worthwhile content during that time but we’d
only be guessing. We hope it was more due to
the choices of readers. See ya.

CIA probes French claim that
bin Laden has died of typhoid
By Glen Owen and Peter Allen

The fate of Osama Bin Ladenwas
the subject of intense debate last
night after a leaked intelligence
report claimed he had died of
typhoid.

But the document was quickly
contradicted by a security source
in Saudi Arabia - where the Al
Qaeda leader was born, and many
of his family still live - who said
he was still alive, but extremely
unwell. The French security
region of Pakistan last month.

from MoreWhat.com staff:
If they don’t know if he is alive or dead, they don’t know where he is.
If they don’t know where he is they can’t catch him. But maybe they
don’t watn to catch him. Maybe he really does the war on terror good
in the eyes of the Bush Admin. if he is still running around out there.
Ok, walking with a cane and looking silly. But then there is the multi-
million dollar reward for turning him in. You gotta really love being
a terrorist not to go for that cash. How much? (25 million) Well,
Osama, that’s one way to measure loyalty……..or fear.

Do you get a real secure feeling reading the following
press release from Majority Whip Roy Blunt?

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Thursday, September 21, 2006
BLUNT: “WE MUST SECURE OUR BORDER”
WASHINGTON– House Majority Whip Roy Blunt (Mo.) today issued the following statement in support of three major pieces of border security legislation that passed the House of Representatives: “We must secure our border to maintain our nation’s security. We are a nation at war against an enemy that has vowed to exploit every weakness we have. It is essential to our national security that we account for everyone entering our country. “We can all agree that our nation’s immigration system is fundamentally flawed, but securing the border must be our first priority. Today we took several important steps to secure our border because border security is national security.” The three bills passed by the House of Representatives today:H.R. 6094, the Community Protection Act of 2006 Detains Dangerous Aliens Who Are Unable to be Deported Expedites the Removal of Alien Criminals Detains and Deports Alien Gang Members H.R. 6095, the Immigration Law Enforcement Act of 2006 Reaffirms the Authority of State and Local Law Enforcement to Enforce Immigration Laws Increases Prosecution of Alien Smugglers Imposes “Catch & Return” Instead of “Catch & Release” H.R. 4830, the Border Tunnel Prevention Act of 2006 Criminalizes the Construction and Financing of Border Tunnels # # #

They can pass laws but can’t do anything about whether
or not they’re enforced? Then why pass the law? Or better
yet, is there a method to render enforcement as compulsory?
Or is this the long awaited Immigration Kabuki Dance?

The excerpts and links below are the result of a search gone
wild. The original topic of the search was health care. A blog
post at the Hill’s Congress Blog prompted the initial search.

The overall displeasure, disappointment and/or anger with our
politicians whenever they try to sound concerned about various
public issues is the primary driver on our latest search. Looking
for data on health care to use in a rebuttal provided a result from
The National Coalition on Health Care.

While trying to determine the validity of the answers found on
their website we noticed on the Board of Directors, none other
than Tommy Thompson. Former Secretary of HHS as well as
Governor of Wisconsin, Thompson has his current professional
status listed as partner at Gump Strauss Hauer and Feld, LLP.

The article listed below describes one task to which Tommy’s
partnership is involved. They would like the judge to reduce
the sentence to probation.

Former Enron Executive Sentenced

Delainey Aided Prosecutors in Fraud Trial of Lay, Skilling

Washington Post Staff Writer
Tuesday, September 19, 2006; Page D03

A former high-ranking Enron Corp. executive was sentenced
to 2 1/2 years in prison yesterday by a federal judge who
acknowledged the official’s cooperation with prosecutors but
refused to give him the substantial break he requested.

The next article is a good read. It can actually cause some
illness. If the state of politics in general does not make you ill,
the added feature of politics and lobbyists should.

WORD ON THE K STREET

Washington’s Once And Future Lobby

Sunday, September 10, 2006; Page B01

an excerpt from the article:

Former congressman Bill Paxon (R-N.Y.) remembers fondly
when he was looking for work as a lobbyist in 1998 and
interviewed at Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP. “It was
such a pleasure,” he said. He sat down with senior partner
Robert S. Strauss, who told him, “Bill, we’re not in this for
the short term. We want to hire people who will offer quality
advice to quality clients for a long period of time.” And, Paxon
said, “that’s proven true.” He has been a senior adviser at the
firm since 1999. He is also part of a lobbying family; Paxon’s
wife, former congresswoman Susan Molinari (R-N.Y.), is
chairman of a firm named the Washington Group.

Another article below on just how smug and misleading
stories related to lobbying have become.

NanoViricides Retains Top Law Firm;

Preparingfor Rapid Growth,

Company Rounds out Business Roster

Our post on health care, no doubt, will be delayed as explained in
the beginning about getting side tracked to this post. But we will
say now that the:

National Practitioner Data Bank & Healthcare Integrity and
Protection Databank of

The Health Resources and Services Administration of

the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services that was once
run by Tommy G. Thompson does not easily relinquish data from
the databanks to the general public whose taxes paid for the above
and on whose behalf this is done. But we can probably work up
some reasonable data to share with you anyhow. We also hope to
provide some info and links for you on the state of lobbying. That
would be our 51st state now. All hail the State of Lobbying.

We understand it is unlikely that anyone residing on the third rock
from the Sun is unaware of the existence of lobbyists. Hell, y’all
know most of them because they were once elected officials or in
some other “public service”. Can we complain about them being
fully engaged in “private service” now. Damn right we can! We
would like to do our part. That will include coming back with some
useful documentation on the care and feeding of wild lobbyists. In
between and in the meantime we will submit what we feel are also
timely and helpful posts. And again we would remind y’all that you
can provide some relatively painless effort and submit your thoughts
or suggestions for some public pressure on our representatives and
their counterparts in the private sector at MoreWhat.com. You can
submit here in the blog comments or at the following URL’s

http://morewhat.com/phpbb/ our bulletin board or forum

http://morewhat.com the main site with menu links to blog and forum.

Again as with Senator Frist, Indiana GOP Representative Mike Sodrel,
who is up for re-election in November, assumes the position. His PR
posture on border security is as lame as the rest of Congress. Calling
this 700 mile boondoggle meaningful is just one more repetitive dance
to convey a false message that Congress will do anything about national
security, border control and immigration enforcement.

Each sound bite, press conference or campaign message about protecting
the U.S. and enforcing the rule of law is an empty promise. The proof is
unenforced laws of the psat, including immigration reform from 1986 and
not passing HR4437 in the Senate. However, it may have been a moot
point based on the track record of no enforcement.

We suggest, as difficult as it might be, to vote against every incumbent on
the ballot. You may not wish to abandon your expectation of voting for a
candidate based on what you think they can do for you personally. But if
you really think about it, unless you are one of a select few with enough
power and influence to be of use to politicians, you likely have not or will
not benefit from voting for an incumbent. You would be better served in
this one election to send the only message Congress will understand.

Vote them out of office. Perhaps their replacements will be smart enough
to take the hint. That they have one term to prove themselves. The easiest
term limit tool is the ballot.