NEW YORK TIMES: When the police bring the hammer down, whether on Occupy Wall Street in Manhattan’s Zuccotti Park in 2011 or outside the Democratic National Convention in Chicago in 1968, the response from conservatives tend to be fairly consistent: The protesters got what they had coming. But demonstrations this week over the shooting of […]
Pennsylvania’s public school staffing at 10-year low
PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE: The number of public school teachers and support staffers employed in Pennsylvania began falling the year before Gov. Tom Corbett took office and passed his first budget, according to state employment figures that show school staffing is at its lowest point in a decade. An attack ad this week by Democratic gubernatorial candidate […]
Why It’s Time to Legalize Prostitution
As with the drug trade, much of the violence associated with sex work is exacerbated by its illegality. Violent people are more likely to prey on sex workers, confident that they won’t be reported to police. This leaves workers dependent on pimps and madams for protection, which often leads to more violence.
Robin Williams was battling Parkinson’s, widow says (plus comment)
USA TODAY: Robin Williams, the beloved comic who committed suicide on Monday, was battling the early stages of Parkinson’s disease, it has been revealed by his widow, Susan Schneider. In a statement sent to the news media on Thursday, Schneider explains that the star’s sobriety was “intact” at the time of his death, calling him […]
Germany Puts Curbing Russia Ahead of Commerce
NEW YORK TIMES: Over recent months, something significant has happened in Europe: In the crisis over Ukraine, Germany has assumed leadership not just in its familiar fashion of trying to coax Russia away from belligerence and bluster, but also in standing firm and imposing sanctions on Moscow even if they hurt German business. Perhaps even […]
Why the Public Library Beats Amazon—for Now
WALL STREET JOURNAL: A growing stack of companies would like you to pay a monthly fee to read e-books, just like you subscribe to Netflix to binge on movies and TV shows. Don’t bother. Go sign up for a public library card instead… But it turns out librarians haven’t just been sitting around shushing people […]
Making the Case for High-Speed Rail
NEW YORK TIMES Editorial: Most American passenger trains, including Amtrak’s popular Acela service, run at speeds that are far slower than the superfast European and Japanese trains that can zip along at 200 miles per hour or more. The main reason is that, despite modest investments, American lawmakers have not given high-speed rail the priority […]
PSU Trustees back NCAA consent decree in opinion to ongoing legal talks.
HARRISBURG : The Penn State Board of Trustees adopted a resolution Wednesday supporting “full compliance” with the NCAA consent decree, adding the majority of the board’s opinion to ongoing settlement discussions over sanctions against the university.
Ron Tomalis probe demands continue
PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE: A day after the resignation of Ron Tomalis, special adviser to the governor on higher education, calls continued Wednesday for investigations into whether he was a “ghost employee” and into the state Department of Education’s email retention policy.
July retail sales stay flat
USA TODAY: …The Commerce Department said Wednesday retail sales were virtually unchanged from June, breaking a five month string of increases. Excluding motor vehicles and parts, retail sales rose 0.1%. The report came in below what economists had expected — 0.3% growth overall and, excluding autos, 0.4% growth, according to the median forecast in Action […]
Unlike Donetsk, peace comes to Dnepropetrovsk
Vladimir Putin and Russian official media today use the old tsarist term Novorossiya (New Russia) for describing southern regions of Ukraine. These territories along with Crimea were won from the Ottoman Empire by Catherine the Great in 18th century.
HARRISBURG PATRIOT-NEWS
In this case, though, no matter what Penn State alumni trustees may dream of accomplishing, the NCAA is not going to suddenly say, “Gee, we were wrong, We’re reinstating JoePa’s victories, restoring all scholarships, and lifting the bowl ban.”
Penn State trustees to meet to discuss NCAA lawsuit settlement
CENTRE DAILY / AP: Penn State’s board of trustees is holding a special meeting Wednesday, to consider a possible settlement in a lawsuit over how $60 million in fine money levied against the university can be spent… A Penn State spokesman confirmed last week that there have been talks in a lawsuit brought by state […]
U.S. Signals a Willingness to Help New Iraqi Government
NEW YORK TIMES: The United States would consider expanding military and political support for Iraq if Haider al-Abadi assumes the duties of prime minister and leads a multisectarian government, Secretary of State John Kerry and Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said on Tuesday. The gesture of support, which was made after a meeting with their Australian […]