Comments for Neil deMause http://demause.net If we write real loud, we can stop this rain Tue, 28 Oct 2008 04:19:38 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.3 Comment on Me on ESPN (for reals this time!) by Laurie http://demause.net/2008/10/26/154/#comment-115 Laurie Tue, 28 Oct 2008 04:19:38 +0000 http://demause.net/2008/10/26/154/#comment-115 I was surprised he didn't use the word tragedy (in reference to the Yankees leaving for wherever they might have left). After all, we're totally bereft over here without what's-their-names--you know, that NBA team we used to have... I was surprised he didn’t use the word tragedy (in reference to the Yankees leaving for wherever they might have left). After all, we’re totally bereft over here without what’s-their-names–you know, that NBA team we used to have…

]]> Comment on Whose economy is it, anyway? (Metro NY) by tom http://demause.net/2008/09/22/143/#comment-113 tom Tue, 23 Sep 2008 15:22:31 +0000 http://demause.net/2008/09/22/143/#comment-113 "Cheering bad times in hopes it will restore some sanity to our lives..." is exactly how I and probably many struggling workers feel about this Wall Street debacle. Don't get me wrong, I have friends in the finance industry and do hope they'll survive through this. It just frustrates me that our economy rises and falls with each risky bet Wall Street takes. And when there's a win, they get majority of the pot. There's a fundamental problem with how our economy is structured and that trickle down economics simply do not work. But good luck trying to convince our capitalist government that. I'm guessing in a few years after this bailout, the government will give back everything to Wall Street because a free-market works best...right. One of my coworkers (I work at a NGO) chastised me when I was ambivalent about the 500 points drop in the market. "You wouldn't be able to eat soon if this continues." I guess this is what has come down to: In order for the rest of us to eat, Wall Street must win!! “Cheering bad times in hopes it will restore some sanity to our lives…” is exactly how I and probably many struggling workers feel about this Wall Street debacle. Don’t get me wrong, I have friends in the finance industry and do hope they’ll survive through this. It just frustrates me that our economy rises and falls with each risky bet Wall Street takes. And when there’s a win, they get majority of the pot. There’s a fundamental problem with how our economy is structured and that trickle down economics simply do not work. But good luck trying to convince our capitalist government that. I’m guessing in a few years after this bailout, the government will give back everything to Wall Street because a free-market works best…right.

One of my coworkers (I work at a NGO) chastised me when I was ambivalent about the 500 points drop in the market. “You wouldn’t be able to eat soon if this continues.” I guess this is what has come down to: In order for the rest of us to eat, Wall Street must win!!

]]> Comment on New DoE School Choice Rules Increase Parental Anxiety (Village Voice news blog) by Laurie http://demause.net/2008/02/01/66/#comment-73 Laurie Tue, 12 Feb 2008 14:10:32 +0000 http://demause.net/2008/02/01/66/#comment-73 As far as I know, everyone who lists first does not get in ahead of anyone who lists second. I think that if a person who lists Smith School second does not get their first choice, and they live closer to Smith than someone who listed it first, that person might get admitted into Smith ahead of the person who listed it first. The enrollment info says, "Your child will be assigned to this second choice school if he/she has a higher priority (based on tiebreakers) than other children requesting the school." http://www.seattleschools.org/area/eso/faqs_elementary.html As far as I know, everyone who lists first does not get in ahead of anyone who lists second. I think that if a person who lists Smith School second does not get their first choice, and they live closer to Smith than someone who listed it first, that person might get admitted into Smith ahead of the person who listed it first. The enrollment info says, “Your child will be assigned to this second choice school if he/she has a higher priority (based on tiebreakers) than other children requesting the school.”
http://www.seattleschools.org/area/eso/faqs_elementary.html

]]> Comment on New DoE School Choice Rules Increase Parental Anxiety (Village Voice news blog) by neild http://demause.net/2008/02/01/66/#comment-71 neild Mon, 11 Feb 2008 01:07:39 +0000 http://demause.net/2008/02/01/66/#comment-71 So does Seattle also have a system where everyone who lists first gets in ahead of anyone who lists second or later? Because what I'm wondering about NYC (I've asked the DoE, and haven't heard back yet) is what happens if a student doesn't get into <i>any</i> schools - which actually seems pretty likely to happen a fair bit, given that the further you go down your list, the more schools will already be full by the time they get to you. So does Seattle also have a system where everyone who lists first gets in ahead of anyone who lists second or later? Because what I’m wondering about NYC (I’ve asked the DoE, and haven’t heard back yet) is what happens if a student doesn’t get into any schools – which actually seems pretty likely to happen a fair bit, given that the further you go down your list, the more schools will already be full by the time they get to you.

]]> Comment on New DoE School Choice Rules Increase Parental Anxiety (Village Voice news blog) by Laurie http://demause.net/2008/02/01/66/#comment-70 Laurie Sun, 10 Feb 2008 16:02:21 +0000 http://demause.net/2008/02/01/66/#comment-70 It sounds like someone from out of district who lists a school first would get in before someone in-district who lists it second. That could make people crazy--especially if it means ending up with a third- or fourth-choice school. Seattle parents are always debating whether to list a school as a first choice even if you don't think you have a good chance to get in; if you don't get in, then you won't get in to your second-choice school either because you failed to list it FIRST. Composing that sentence made my brain hurt. It sounds like someone from out of district who lists a school first would get in before someone in-district who lists it second. That could make people crazy–especially if it means ending up with a third- or fourth-choice school.

Seattle parents are always debating whether to list a school as a first choice even if you don’t think you have a good chance to get in; if you don’t get in, then you won’t get in to your second-choice school either because you failed to list it FIRST. Composing that sentence made my brain hurt.

]]> Comment on How many troops in a troop? by ctate http://demause.net/2007/10/29/44/#comment-23 ctate Mon, 29 Oct 2007 20:41:21 +0000 http://demause.net/2007/10/29/44/#comment-23 Yeah, the Post is just wrong. "Troop" is a collective noun. A single soldier is "a trooper." Yeah, the Post is just wrong. “Troop” is a collective noun. A single soldier is “a trooper.”

]]> Comment on Interview on this week’s CounterSpin by Neil deMause: The Website » Blog Archive » Hear me now! http://demause.net/2007/09/06/29/#comment-2 Neil deMause: The Website » Blog Archive » Hear me now! Fri, 07 Sep 2007 14:23:05 +0000 http://demause.net/2007/09/06/29/#comment-2 [...] Neil deMause: The Website If we write real loud, we can stop this rain « Interview on this week’s CounterSpin [...] [...] Neil deMause: The Website If we write real loud, we can stop this rain « Interview on this week’s CounterSpin [...]

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