Month: February 2012

The causes of the protests in Afghanistan

From SALON: … Protesters in Kabul interviewed on the road and in front of Parliament said that this was not the first time that Americans had violated Afghan cultural and religious traditions and that an apology was not enough. “This is not just about dishonoring the Koran, it is about disrespecting our dead and killing our children,” said Maruf Hotak, 60, a man who joined the crowd on the outskirts of Kabul…

The Digital Revolution and Higher Education

From PEW INTERNET: This report is based on findings from a pair of Pew Research Center surveys conducted in spring 2011. One is a telephone survey of a nationally representative sample of 2,142 adults ages 18 and older. The other is an online survey, done in association with the Chronicle of Higher Education, among the presidents of 1,055 two-year and four-year private, public, and for-profit colleges and universities…

College lecture is so yesterday

USA TODAY Column:  The debate about the worthiness of college never ends. Some claim it’s a waste of time. Some say it’s a must. But for $50,000 a year, you’d like to think you’re getting something in return. As for this lecture thing, it appears students today want to be involved. They want to be […]

U.S.: North Korea Agrees To Suspend Nuclear Activities

From the HUFFINGTON POST / AP: The United States says North Korea has agreed to suspend uranium enrichment and agree to a moratorium on nuclear and long-range missile tests. State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland also said Wednesday the North has agreed to alllow International Atomic Energy Inspectors to verify and monitor the moratorium on uranium enrichment and confirm disablement of its nuclear reactor at Yongbyon.

EPA Asks for $14M for Fracking Studies

INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS TIMES:  Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lisa Jackson asked the House subcommittees on energy and power on Tuesday for $14 million in order to fund collaborative studies on hydraulic fracturing with other federal agencies… “As I’ve mentioned before, natural gas is an important resource which is abundant in the United States, but we must […]

Pennsylvania needs to act on egg production issue

PATRIOT-NEWS Opinion:  …Animal rightists hold that conditions at big chicken farms are inhumane and others believe the primary consideration is to assure hungry Americans their morning meal, over easy. The dispute has engaged the Humane Society of the United States and United Egg Producers, an industry group, in a costly legal and political struggle. The […]

M.I.T. Expands Its Free Online Courses

From the NEW YORK TIMES: While students at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology pay thousands of dollars for courses, the university will announce a new program on Monday allowing anyone anywhere to take M.I.T. courses online free of charge — and for the first time earn official certificates for demonstrating mastery of the subjects taught.

Sen. John McCain: Romney May Be Too Wounded to Win in November

NEWSMAX:   ….the GOP’s 2008 presidential candidate called on all four candidates left in the race to tone down the intra-party attacks and concentrate on policies. “This is like watching a Greek tragedy,” McCain told the Boston Herald, saying that negative campaigning and increasingly personal attacks “should have stopped long ago.” “Any utility from the debates […]

Home Prices Hit New Depths

WALL STREET JOURNAL:  Home prices fell to fresh lows in December, but economists say that a drop in the number of homes listed for sale could help stabilize prices in parts of the country this year. Home prices fell by 4% last year, according to the Standard & Poor’s/Case-Shiller index that tracks 20 metro areas. […]

GM poised to take 7% stake in Peugeot

FINANCIAL TIMES: General Motors and PSA Peugeot Citroën are poised to announce an alliance that will see the US carmaker take a 7 per cent stake in its French counterpart and involve the companies building products and buying supplies together, two people briefed on the talks said on Tuesday. PSA is planning a rights issue […]