My Beauty Best Teacher

In a paper Leonard Wantchekon & Nathan Jensen

...present empirical evidence suggesting a robust and negative correlation between the presence of a sizeable natural resource sector and the level of democracy in Africa. We argue that not only is resource abundance is an important determinant of democratic transition, but also partially determines the success of democratic consolidation in Africa. The results illuminate the fact that post-cold war democratic reforms have been successful only in resource poor countries such as Benin, Mali, and Madagascar. We argue that resource-rich countries such as Nigeria and Gabon can become democratic only if they introduce strong mechanisms of vertical and horizontal accountability within the state.

More here(pdf)

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• The Trust Deficit (my-beauty-best-teacher.blogspot.com)

Hart middle school in S.E. Washington is being reconstituted and as many of you know has been in the news throughout this school year with stories about DC teachers being assaulted, teachers teaching outside of their certification area, substitutes covering classes, overcrowded classes, unruly students, possession of handguns, violence and a lack of supports promised by Rhee's office. The Washington Teacher covered what was happening at Hart back in November 2008. Hart is a school which merged with P.R. Harris Educational Center this school year against the advice of parents and community activists. Hart's problems have been complicated by not having adequate funding to run the school. When these complaints surfaced in the news, Hart's principal was fired by Chancellor Rhee instead of being given the supports the school desperately needed. It should also be noted that Hart was not given the financial support that it was entitled and this was revealed after the Levy report documented that approximately 31 schools did not receive the funding they were entitled based on their student enrollment. How does one run a school without adequate funding is beyond me ?

I am posting a copy of an email that I received from a teacher at Hart middle school so that you can see based on this insider's experiences that Chancellor Rhee is following through with her promises to rid our school system of a significant core of our DC teaching force as revealed in her 5 year educational plan. No credible school system seeks to rid a significant majority of its workforce. Who really cares about our students and the chaos Rhee's actions and 5 year plan of mass terminations and buyouts will create? Certainly not Rhee and company.

I also have my doubts that certain elected teacher members of our Washington Teachers' Union (WTU) Executive Board care about what's happening on our educational landscape either. One such board member who ironically happens to teach at Hart middle school along with a group of board members fails to 'adequately represent' the teachers they are elected to serve. In some board meetings, certain board members read cook books and magazines while others consistently nod off to sleep. Some do not attend board meetings regularly and one board member makes it a point to prematurely motion to adjourn most board meetings in the midst of our trying to conduct business because she would rather go home than address hard core issues.

At last week's Thursday's executive board meeting, a core group of board members ignored the pleas of teacher colleagues' complaints from the trenches. Even in the face of allegations of discriminatory practices by the Rhee administration which surfaced, our union members' cries went unheard and this motley crew of disengaged board members refused to take any action on these complaints. This same group of board members failed to insist that our union president hear the questions/comments raised from a teacher visitor about the 90 day plan. They also are usually on the DL (down low) and don't vocalize any concerns to WTU President Parker on most issues of merit. In the matter involving our WTU General Vice President, Nathan A. Saunders' leave of absence - this group of board members were missing in action (MIA) even while community activists, parents, teachers and the media expressed their outrage at Parker for taking his blessed time to resolve this matter expeditiously.

I hope you, like me take these violations of due process more seriously than some of our lackadaisical executive board members, union president and Chancellor Rhee. Here's the email from my teacher colleague working in the trenches. Even though some members of our union, are falling asleep on the job, The Washington Teacher is listening . Keep sending me your emails c/o saveourcounselors@gmail.com The teacher's name has been removed in order to protect confidentiality.

A DC Teacher Speaks Out ....
"Hey Candi, I am a teacher at Hart middle school, and I read your blog. As you know, we were told at Hart that we had to either reapply for our jobs or become excess employees. I was placed on the excess list as well as many of my colleagues who either didn't reapply or opted out. The majority of teachers from the old regime at Hart (with the exception of two) are not coming back.

Anyway, I was just wondering if you had heard the news about all the other teachers being excessed. This week, the teachers at Kramer middle school , Kelly Miller Junior High, and Johnson Junior High were all excessed! These schools were not even on the list to be reconstituted. Then, Rhee allegedly went to Kelly Miller and told the teachers that, if the City Council did not get her 27.5 million back, then all the excessed teachers would be fired! I wonder why more people are not talking about this, because it is absolutely ridiculous!

When we go to these teacher fairs and tell them we are from Hart middle school, they look right past us as if we are invisible. A colleague of mine even told me that a school told him they were primarily only interested in teachers who were from "outside of DCPS". At Hart, the principal is walking around interviewing prospective teachers right in front of us for jobs for next year. The funny thing is, every single person he's interviewed (at least the ones that I know of) are from OUTSIDE of DCPS.

It is almost as if Michelle Rhee is purposely excessing all the teachers from restructured schools, replacing them with teachers from outside of the system, making it next to impossible for them to get jobs within the system, and then trying to use the 27.5 million as an excuse to terminate them. Meanwhile, students from at least 10 schools next year (and probably more that we don't even know about next year) will have to come back next year to buildings where they practically won't know a single adult working there! It will be absolute chaos!

Anyway, you are probably already aware of most of this, but I just wanted to give you a point of view from someone who works in one of the schools that's being reconstituted. I really hope that whatever scheme Rhee is pulling (as well as all of her other schemes) becomes exposed because this is absolute insanity!" (Posted by The Washington Teacher).

Sierra Leone's tourism promise and more-Tony Blair
Barclays Bank up to more fishy stuff?
A bid to strengthen Think Tanks.
Is corruption in Nigeria's DNA?
A tour of Nairobi.
Writing off sovereign debt and hampering growth-Thompson Ayodele in the Telegraph
Can we rein in the destabilizing effects of Natural Resources? Perhaps with the Natural Resource Charter contends Paul Collier.
Taju Tijani asks, where are the Black British Millonaires?
How Corporate America Really Views Africa.
The Guardian compares their Katine village project with MVP's. They should take a look at the Working Villages and learn from the successes of Songhai Centre.

Obama's Aunt Still Living in US and Defended by Democratic Donor Attorney From the "what ever happened to" file is this update on Zeituni Onyango (more commonly known by President of the United States Obama as Aunt Zeituni). You might remember her- I wrote about her in this post.

Onyango arrived from Kenya on a valid visa in 2000 and later applied for political asylum. Asylum seekers must show they face persecution at home. She did not, and so her request was rejected, and in 2004 she was ordered to leave the country. She defied this court order, and decided to break the law and live in this country illegally.

Somehow she was given a place to live in Boston (paid for by taxpayers) and lived there in poverty for several years in spite of having very wealthy relatives who were too greedy go give her any money (Barack Obama). Not much is known about her during this time period.

Several days before the election, the Times of London did research that American media outlets are unwilling to do and discovered her and broke the story. Afterwards, there was an intense investigation by the government into why this story was revealed, and she fled to Cleveland to avoid the spotlight.

After the election of her nephew, we next see Aunt Zeituni in Washington DC, partying it up and living the high life at Obama's inauguration bash. No expense was spared to give her the time of her life and let her enjoy the luxurious Renaissance Mayflower Hotel. Not sure who paid for this.

So what is Auti Zeituni up to now? Zeituni Onyango recently said goodbye to her Cleveland cousins and went back to Boston, where she has been winning court battles that could allow her to stay in America. She is being represented by Cleveland lawyer Margaret Wong and now says that the attention she has received will cause her harm if she were to be deported now, and so she should be allowed asylum. I am willing to bet a million dollars she gets it eventually.

One thing that is not mentioned by either the Cleveland Times or Michelle Malkin is that Margaret Wong is politically connected and has donated thousands of dollars to Democratic candidates over the years. She was likely picked because of her political connections to the Obama's aunt's lawyer, and is using her connections within the Democrat party to circumvent the normal course of law and win special corrupt favors from our government. If you would like to see the amount that Wong has given to the Democrats, click on this link to OpenSecrets.org and see for yourself. Search all cycles, Wong, Ohio, and you'll see a lengthy list of donations by Margaret Wong to Democrat candidates.

Interestingly enough, according to the Cleveland Times Obama's aunt came to see Margaret Wong "one day in early November." Could this have been on November 1, 5, 8, or 13? On those days, Ms. Wong made donations to Democrat candidates of significant amounts. Perhaps Ms. Wong was invited to the inauguration after her generous donation to the Democratic Party in December? Interesting. Don't believe me that there are connections between donating to the Democratic Party and winning favors from the Obama government? Sort the data by date and you'll see a highly coincidental timeline. Or talk to Chrysler dealerships about the importance of making donations to the thugs running our government now.

Paul Polak on Practical Poverty Solving Solutions:

Starring: Michelle Rhee, DC Public Schools Chancellor

Hey folks, it's almost that time of year again when DC schools approaches its final days as the school year comes to an end. In the interim, some principals have already faced Chancellor Rhee's 'meat axe approach' to termination while others have announced plans this week to resign or retire under what many believe are threats of more soon-to-be terminations by Rhee and company.

As you may recall, last year some targeted DC principals on Rhee's hit list left many parents and community activists baffled and questioning Rhee's guidelines for termination of local school principals. Even in cases when principals had performed well, Rhee's unconventional actions to fire these principals without as much as an explanation left many wondering how could this be happening ?


So far here's the short list of departing DC principals and their affiliated schools:

My sources report the following:

Principal terminated @ Anacostia Senior High School (school reconstituted)
Principal terminated @ Dunbar Senior High School (school reconstituted)
Principal will resign under threat of termination @Garfield Elementary School
Principal terminated @ Hamilton Center
Principal terminated @ Luke C. Moore Academy Senior High School
Principal terminated @Spingarn Senior High School

An anonymous blogger posted that the principal at Janey Elementary School resigned.

Another blogger asked the following questions:

"Why is the principal at Walls remaining? Since his arrival, the number of scholarships received by the students has decreased. In fact he received a rating of 37.

"Why is the principal of Brightwood remaining too..She really needs to go! She is a control freak who has not made AYP since she has been there...and the hispanic student's don't have anything to doo with her incompentence. The principal shuffle has to do with keeping the bad principal's and eliminating the good ones, it has nothing to do with improving DCPS, but destroying it. "

Feel free to keep me posted about DC's soon to be departing principals or drop me an email @ saveourcounselors@gmail.com with your departing principal tip. (Posted by The Washington Teacher).

Applauding makers, tradespeople and others like them, Matthew B. Crawford in the NYTimes:

There is good reason to suppose that responsibility has to be installed in the foundation of your mental equipment — at the level of perception and habit. There is an ethic of paying attention that develops in the trades through hard experience. It inflects your perception of the world and your habitual responses to it. This is due to the immediate feedback you get from material objects and to the fact that the work is typically situated in face-to-face interactions between tradesman and customer.

An economy that is more entrepreneurial, less managerial, would be less subject to the kind of distortions that occur when corporate managers’ compensation is tied to the short-term profit of distant shareholders. For most entrepreneurs, profit is at once a more capacious and a more concrete thing than this. It is a calculation in which the intrinsic satisfactions of work count — not least, the exercise of your own powers of reason.

more Here

Although picking Supreme Court judges based on their race, sex, and life story is a route to go, I don't think it is the best way to choose those people who sit at the top of our judicial branch. The Supreme Court is the unit of government that specializes in interpretation of the law and the Constitution, trying to discover if the laws and actions of our government conform to the accepted and legitimate supreme law of the land, the Constitution.

I myself dislike the idea of thinking of the Constitution as a 'living document'- what makes it legitimate is that it was voted on and accepted as it was by our ancestors, not as it was going to be- but even if you are partial to that mode of thinking, you should still be picking judges who can best investigate the growth and changes in the Constitution, not race, sex, or compelling life story. Those by no means disqualify you, but there are other factors to consider.

One is how frequently your decisions, which you have reached after careful consideration and deep thought, are upheld. If your best decisions and your best actions are frequently judged by others to be incorrect, poorly thought out, and bad decisions and actions, then that reflects poorly on you. Your best is being rejected as not good enough, and only the best should be on the Supreme Court, because there is no court higher than that one to correct your mistakes and bad calls.

On this issue Democrat President Obama's nominee Judge Sonia Sotomayor has been reversed 60% of the time by the Supreme Court. 5 of her decisions were worded poorly and decided poorly enough that the Supreme Court was forced to spend their precious time going over her work, and after review, the Supreme Court was forced to sigh in annoyance and overrule her decisions 3 times. From what I have read, that is a high ratio of reconsideration and a high ratio of overturns for a circuit court judge, and that ratio is about to get worse as yet another high profile decision that Sotomayor wrote is about to be taken up by the High Court and overturned in the next month or so.

Another problem that I see with Sotomayor is what lawyers who argue in front of her write about her. Democrats freaked out and were hysterically upset about Justice Alito when he was nominated, and many Democrats voted against him after careful consideration of his record. Although pointing out that Democrats and liberals are total hypocrites is too easy, I think we need to compare what lawyers said about one in order to evaluate the other.

The "lawyers' evaluation" of Judge Alito that appeared in the Almanac of the Federal Judiciary:

Lawyers interviewed praised Alito's legal acumen. "He is exceptional." "He has brilliant ability." Alito is measured and judicial on the bench, according to lawyers. "He has a fine, nice demeanor--he couldn't have keener demeanor." "He is extremely polite and genteel." Alito is normally a moderately ctive panelist during oral argument, said attorneys. "He is fairly active and asks penetrating questions. Questions can be factual or hypothetical in nature." "He is active. He asks intricate questions, both factual and legal. His legal questions often grasp upon the intricacies of the law that you haven't grasped; it's often in your favor." Attorneys remarked that Alito has exceptional writing ability and uthors succinct, but thorough opinions. "His opinions are very detailed, analytical and thorough. His judgment is quite considered." "He is pretty good in terms of his writing."

For comparison, here is the "lawyers' evaluation" of Judge Sotomayor that appears in the Almanac of the Federal Judiciary:

Most lawyers interviewed said Sotomayor has good legal ability. "She is very good. She is bright." "She is a good judge." "She is very smart." "She is a good judge, but not quite as smart as she thinks she is." Sotomayor can be tough on lawyers, according to those interviewed. "She is a terror on the bench." "She is very outspoken." "She can be difficult." "She is temperamental and excitable. She seems angry." Lawyers said Sotomayor is very active and well-prepared at oral argument. "She is engaged in oral argument. She is well-prepared." "She participates actively in oral argument. She is extremely hard working and always prepared." "She dominates oral argument. She will cut you off and cross examine you." Lawyers interviewed said Sotomayor writes good opinions. "Her opinions are O.K, by and large." "She writes very clear and careful prose in her opinions." "Her writing is good." "Her writing is not distinguished, but is perfectly competent."

So, after comparing those two evaluations, I have to come to the conclusion that as a whole, Sotomayor is a competent judge who is okay to good. Is that really the best judge that Obama could come up with? Why would he decide to change the court by nominating an okay judge with a poor track record of being overturned?

Here is my theory. She is Hispanic, and Obama likes to play games with race and try to increase his political power by twisting and capitalizing on racist views. She is a women, and Obama feels that by nominating a women because she is a women he will be demonstrating that he does not discriminate. From the evaluations above, I think that Sotomayor is an angry women who has a bone to pick with the world- just like I think that Obama and his wife are angry people who have a bone to pick with the world (they sat in a church for most of their lives where they ate up this message).

Finally, Sotomayor has racist views- she feels that because of her race that she has certain advantages that others do not, that her race has made her different from other people, and Obama likes this, since he himself thinks the same way (for example, his pastor frequently said that blacks were inherently better at rap because of the color of their skin).

For these reasons, as a Senator, I would submit her fully to questioning to decide if she really does believe those statements of hers and if she is indeed a competent judge. Her race, sex, and compelling life story would play no role in my considerations.

Survey says- Raise taxes on wealthy! Yep, according to the Detroit News, the wise voters of Michigan, who have correctly decided to change the good times into bad ones by choosing Granholm and Obama, think that the best way to make the economy more prosperous is to hold a gun to rich people's head and demand money from them. After shaking down rich people for more change, voters will wonder why no one is investing any money or buying products, proving that sometimes, it is unwise to let liberals have political power.

Next piece of unwisdom- what do you do if you are a Democrat and restaurants and bars in Michigan are hurting, losing customers and going out of business? The same thing you do when car companies are in trouble- you hammer them even more with more regulations and fees! The Michigan House today voted to make it illegal to smoke in privately owned eating establishments, feeling that it is better to pay hundreds of government workers to walk around fining and arresting people for choosing to allow patrons in their business to choose whether or not to smoke than to have to smell smoke in a restaurant they choose to go to. Yep, that'll make things better- good call Democrats in Michigan House.

Not sure if you heard this next bit of news- it is being kept pretty quite and is getting lost in all the conversation about Sotomayor's judicial history and decisions- but Sotomayor would be Supreme Court's first Hispanic! I think she is a women too, although I haven't heard anything about that yet. For some reason I thought Alito was a Hispanic, but it turns out he was of Italian ancestry, which isn't even close. What ancestry was Roberts? Looking back, no one mentioned the racial/ethnic views of these candidates, and yet that is all liberals/Democrats talk about. Weird how obsessed they are about race- it is almost as if they judge people not based on the quality of their character, but by the color of their skin. Not wise.

Lastly, I have it from good authority (the Uncyclopedia) that Ted Kennedy once tried to invent the alcohol-fueled amphibious car with then-lover Mary Jo Kopechne, resulting in the drowning of Kopechne and the intoxication of Ted Kennedy. See the picture to the right? Not wise. He'll probably vote to confirm Sotomayor, supports outlawing smoking, and also supports raising taxes on the rich, thereby tying together this entire random post.

Nuhu Ribadu's testimony to the US Congress:

Next year, Nigeria will be half a century old. In 1960, the year I was born, my country attained Independence from Britain. The promise of independence was boundless and the famous Nigerian energy was all too evident. We were sure we would make it. Home to about 140 million of the West African region’s 220 million inhabitants, Nigeria’s demography alone elects it as a regional power.
Today, after one civil war, seven military regimes, and three botched attempts at building real democracy, there is one connecting factor in the failure of all attempts to govern Nigeria: corruption...[continue reading]

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• The latest joke-"Rebranding Nigeria" (my-beauty-best-teacher.blogspot.com)

We have a lot to learn about mayoral control from a NY teacher colleague. On Sunday, this NY teacher wrote a special story that appeared front and center in the New York Daily News titled: "Teacher Against Mayoral Control: All that power hasn't made things better." Sounds eerily familiar to what's happening right here in DC . I hate to be the one to say that NYC parents and teachers tried their darnedest to forewarn us. Here's to you for speaking out !

Teacher Against Mayoral Control: All that power hasn't made things better
By Arthur Goldstein

"As a teacher in an A-rated school, I believe mayoral control has been an absolute disaster. Absolute power corrupts absolutely. Our federal and state governments have checks and balances so no one person has total control, which is a synonym for dictatorship. City kids need reasonable class sizes and decent facilities. Under Mayor Bloomberg, class sizes just took their biggest leap in 10 years.

Some people say class size doesn't matter, but even the best teachers can give more attention to 20 kids than 34. The fewer kids I have, the more individual attention each one gets.

Under this mayor, charter schools get the best of everything, including small classes and new technology.

My high school was built to hold 1,800 but enrolls 4,450 students. My kids sit in a crumbling trailer, with no technology and often no heat in the winter. So much for efficiency. The mayor says it's his way or "the bad old days." That's a false choice. We need a system that works better than what we have.

We need a chancellor who works for the kids, not the mayor. The chancellor needs to fight for what's best for kids whether or not the mayor agrees. He can't do that if the mayor can fire him for not following his orders.

A few years ago, the mayor fired two members of the Panel for Educational Policy who had the nerve to disagree with him. Consequently, the PEP is a mayoral rubber stamp. No mayoral appointee dares to stand up for kids.

This mayor boasts about accountability. Teachers are accountable. Principals are accountable, but the only time the mayor is accountable is once every four years. That's not enough, particularly for a man who is prepared to spend $100 million to buy reelection and who scoffed at the voters by changing the term limits law they twice affirmed.

Four more years of this system guarantees the privatization and destruction of public education in New York City. That's a prospect we should all oppose."

Courtesy of NY Daily News. (Posted by The Washington Teacher).

In the Economist:

The country already gets 40% of its government budget in aid, but now it wants even more foreign cash to help it through the economic downturn. How much is enough? Tanzania’s president, Jakaya Kikwete, smiles grimly. “We’re trying to bring down our dependency, but we’re grateful for what we receive.”...[continue reading]

Listening to President Barack Hussein Obama talk on Memorial Day, I was moved.

"Why in an age when so many have acted only in pursuit of narrowest self-interest have the soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines of this generation volunteered all that they have on behalf of others?" he said. "Why have they been willing to bear the heaviest burden?"

"Whatever it is, they felt some tug. They answered a call. They said, 'I'll go.' That is why they are the best of America," Obama said. "That is what separates them from those who have not served in uniform, their extraordinary willingness to risk their lives for people they never met."

Of course, some of the power of the message is lost because Obama never served in the military, fought his hardest to resist any call to bear heavy burdens, and (before becoming President and acting this part) he generally spoke ill of the military and those who serve. Oh, and not to quibble, but many in the military I know are not fighting for someone they never met, but are fighting to keep our country of American values free for their parents, friends, and other people they have met- frequently soldiers talk about how it's more of a family value thing than a lawyer-lobbyist thing. And I also wonder why is 'this age' so different than those in the past- maybe Obama is once again showing that he feels he is the Messiah, the ender of ages and the beginning of a new age for man?

Even so, I was moved. Why do some choose to bear burdens? Why do some people feel a call to serve, to hold fast to unpopular ideas, and to make the hard and tough decisions in life? Why do some continue to bear the burden of holding to morals and values, when this world and the Democratic Party push for a nihilistic approach of doing whatever you feel like is okay? Why do some feel the need to talk about our Founding values, to hold firm to life, liberty, and freedom, and to push for good responsible government?

It is a lot easier to just throw money at our problems, especially when that money is was earned by someone else. It is a lot easier to preach 'compassion' for criminals, especially when it isn't your son or daughter that was raped or murdered. It is a lot easier to 'relate' than it is to make a tough decision and say 'someone broke the law and needs to be punished.' It is a lot easier to say 'give up your values and agree with us and be a moderate' than it is to stick to your values or to say abortion is wrong and gay marriage is wrong and gun ownership is good. Is is easy to get on a soapbox and say 'don't label people all you mean conservatives and evil Republicans', but much harder to say 'don't label people.' It is a hard burden that some choose to bear, and I too wonder why some feel the calling to do so.

Case in point. When asked "Would Jennifer Granholm make a good Supreme Court justice?", according to a Detroit News/WXYZ poll most Michigan residents say "yes!". Why would they say that? She has zero qualifications, and compared with Supreme Court judges now (both liberal and conservative) and in the past, her qualifications to be judge are severely lacking. Why would anyone even think she would qualified for judge, much less 'make a good one'?

Poll participant Sue Barber, an unemployed non-taxpayer sucking down social security, gives us some insight into how easy it is to say 'sure, whoever wants to be Supreme Court judge can if they want.' "She's very bright, well-educated, and an attorney" she said- why not make her a judge- it's really tough to tell a child 'no', and a lot easier to just go with the flow. Sue went on to add that she is impressed by the fact that Granholm pretends to be an impartial decision-maker ("a genuine capacity to look at all sides of an issue") but likes the fact that after all this charade, she always goes with a pure liberal philosophy ("evaluate fairly"). "She's not just a doctrinaire like some of the other justices on the court"- as if having no moral and ethical base were something to admire- and it's not true anyways, because she is liberal to the core (although perhaps liberal is the same as no moral or ethical base).

Another case in point. Look at the lack of discipline in this newspaper editorial written by a Democratic hack pretending to be a news story:

The Grand Old Party is on wobbly legs these days in Michigan as voters drift away and those left behind are locked in an ideological debate about the path to reverse its sagging fortunes. Increasingly, the battle for the heart and soul of the Republican Party is pitting social and religious conservatives who unflinchingly tout an anti-abortion, anti-gay, family platform at the expense of most everything else, against the traditional fiscal conservatives and moderates who would rather focus on a smaller, less intrusive government that takes less from taxpayer wallets and finds ways to create jobs.

This author likes the fact that 'voters drift away'- drifting in the currents of liberalism is a freeing experience- you can be a child again and indulge in your every want and desire. Sadly, those voters that 'drift away' and vote Democrat are now seeing the results of that- a country and society that is getting less and less every day. It is much harder to stand up in the water and say 'I am not going to drown, I am going to fight, I am going to bear whatever burden to make this nation better.'

It is really tough to be unflinching in the face of evil. History has shown this to be the case- most of times, when faced with difficult decisions and a hostile and aggressive foe, the natural impulse of man is to run. That is what the Democrats do- they run and hide and pretend that it is okay to poke a hole in a 8 month old baby's brain and call it 'choice.' They flinch back from making a tough decision and saying 'get a job and work.' Rather than saying 'you committed a crime and must go to jail,' they jerk back, fearful and afraid, and cower to the criminal and say 'compassion'.

This author tries to pretend the battle is within the Republican party- but reveals that what the battle really is is between the Republican party and the Democratic party- the author says moderates want a "less intrusive government that takes less from taxpayer wallets and finds ways to create jobs"- in other words, according to him moderate Republicans are willing to pay 40% in taxes, give up most of their freedoms, and support a government that spends taxpayer money on government boondoggles. Those aren't moderate Republicans- those are Democrats.

Don't give in to this garbage. Don't drift away. Be strong. Get a backbone. Stand up. Bear the burden. Our Founding Fathers were not the most popular bunch, especially with the established interests and the international community. Take heart in that. Others out there show us the way- show us that burdens can be born, that courage can fight down the impulse to flinch back from evil, and that if you truly want to change the world and have hope for the future, you need to unflinchingly vote conservative Republican in every election.

Paul Baloyi of Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA) stated recently:

...There seems to be no shortage of funds for conferences and international dialogues," he said. "But there are billions of dollars that have been earmarked for projects that Africa needs, and [we] are still waiting [for them] to be made available...[continue reading]

Madeleine Bunting in the Guardian writing about sports and its trust building potential:

...this is where football comes in. It brings people together; it builds relationships, sometimes between groups who have had reason to be suspicious of each other. It is the same principle as corporate team-building exercises. The best way for people to get to know and get on with each other is to play a game...[continue reading]

Image of Katine Actors football Photograph courtesy of Dan Chung

Paul Kagame in the FT:

We appreciate support from the outside, but it should be support for what we intend to achieve ourselves. No one should pretend that they care about our nations more than we do; or assume that they know what is good for us better than we do ourselves. They should, in fact, respect us for wanting to decide our own fate...[continue reading]

As a teacher in a public school in Michigan, I naturally belong to the Michigan Education Association (MEA) and National Education Association (NEA). I have a radical idea that since I pay my dues to these groups, I am part of them, and since I vote in all the elections, I am a constituent of these groups, and thus these groups should be responsive and open to my views. You're probably thinking that's a rather naive view, but I choose to look at the world in a more positive and less cynical way, and work my hardest to make the world the way it supposed to be. Because of this, I have become more and more active in the MEA and NEA.

So it was with great interest that I read this secret report that was written by a conservative Republican teacher who was at the National NEA Conference in 2005. Here are some excerpts from this report:

“Intrigue, New-Age philosophy, adventure, conflict, deception, cunning craftiness, courage, heroism, and victory in the face of defeat” Never did I dream that I would be using such words to describe my weeks experience attending the 2005 national NEA conference held in Los Angeles, July 1-6. Such words fit the description of an action-packed movie like Star Wars not spending six days in a convention center surrounded by 9,000 liberal delegates. However, I soon discovered that the wheeling and dealings that go on behind the scenes at the NEA are very much like a Star-Wars episode with the plot centered around a small group of Conservative teacher- “rebel warriors” trying to penetrate and influence for good the gigantic, powerful, out-of-control, spinning in space, ultra-liberal battle-star NEA.

The NEA conference began with an ecumenical, Pluralistic, New-Age sounding prayer. I was quite shocked to even see a prayer listed on the program. I thought the NEA was opposed to schools having prayers because of “separation of Church and State.” But then I listened to the prayer. It was definitely different than any prayer I had ever heard before. It was given by David Sanchez, the Vice President of the California Teacher’s Association. Sanchez invoked the blessings over the conference of just about every god in the universe. He mentioned “Buddha, Allah, the Great Spirit, Gaia,” and, in all fairness, he even included the God of the Christians and Jews.

In the song that the 9,000 delegates were asked to join in singing to show patriotism on the 4th of July, “I’m Proud to be an American,” the last stanza was changed. Instead of singing, “God Bless the USA,” the delegates saw that the words had been changed on the big screens overhead and now read, “We love the USA!” Christian teachers who were part of the Conservative Educators Caucus were very upset that God was removed from one of their favorite songs. No one else seemed to make any mention of it.

The Academic and Professional Freedom Amendment. This amendment was asking for the academic freedom of students, that teachers would “welcome intellectual pluralism and the free exchange of ideas by providing an unprejudiced learning environment. The Association does not condone the indoctrination of students through intimidation, unfair grading practices, withholding of information, or by any other means.” One would think that most teachers and the NEA would agree with these words. But, that was not the case. Before any speeches could be given in support of it, a lady from the Higher Education group called for it to be referred to committee. The vote was quickly taken and passed, and the amendment was gone, never to be heard from again.

The other CEC (Conservative Education Caucus) (sponsored) amendments were all lumped together to be heard late in the afternoon of the last day. Those presenting their resolutions were at the mikes ready to go. Suddenly we heard NEA President Reg Weaver’s voice come on the mike instead, stating that he had a huge stack of slips asking for the next three amendments to be referred to committee. He then called for the vote. It passed, and all the conservative amendments were sent off to committee. And that was that! No other proposals presented by any caucus at the convention were treated like that.

Last year at the 2004 NEA convention, a new member of the Republican Caucus, Shawna Adams, got her self nominated to run for president against the conservative incumbent President, Diane Lenning. (Adams) has never been seen at any Republican meeting, nor can her name be found on any Republican rolls. On the day of the voting, Adams showed up with many friends who signed up to be new members, paid their dues, and then voted, all for Adams. She won, of course. She has now brought into the Republican caucus many liberal ideas that they would never have gone along with before.

As long as it did not smack of conservatism then every strange resolution, amendment, and proposals were allowed to be heard and over 80 were passed. Here are just a few of the amazing liberal topics that were allowed to go before the delegation and are now on record as having been approved by the majority of those present: Boycott Wal-Mart, Re-educate and re-program poor misinformed Republican members, Support Affirmative Action, and Anti-war efforts to get our troops out of Iraq.

This report, if true, and to be fair I have not yet had a chance to personally be silenced and hated by the NEA, is troubling. There are 2.7 million members of the NEA- all teachers, all in the classroom every day educating your children. They belong to, and most support, an organization that is shockingly and radically liberal.

That might not surprise you, but just saying "all teachers are liberal" glosses over the fact that when teachers stand up to speak about the right to life, they are shouted at and screamed at by spittle-spewing liberals at NEA conferences. It glosses over the fact that when a conservative teacher stands up to ask that students not be brainwashed and intimidated, they are the bad guys, they are the ones shunned and marginalized, and they are the ones to be silenced. It is bizzaro world in the NEA- good is bad, bad is good, and the goal of teachers and their teacher organization is not to educate your child in math, English, and science, but to re-educate them in liberal values and beliefs.

Just saying "yeah, I know teachers are liberal" is not enough. You need to know each one of these examples above, you need to really see the liberalness of the NEA for each individual crime against the morality and decency of our society. And you need to pass on this information to others. Anyone who has a child in education, anyone who pays their taxes for education, should know- must know- what they are supporting. Please pass this post along to others or link to it on your pages- as I become more active in the NEA, I'd like to think that someone will be there beside me, that more will gather behind me, and we can re-make the NEA so that it is no longer a radical promoter of all the worst liberal views.

Kelechi Amadi-Obi, Uchechukwa James-Iroha, Toyosi Odunsi, Amaize Ojeikere, Emeka Okereke & Toyin Sokefun the photographers behind the :

Artists' collective, Depth of Field (DOF), live and work in Lagos, Nigeria. They have developed a remarkable track record of collaborative practice. The six artists who make up DOF assign themselves a weekly theme and meet a week later to hold a critical session on the resulting images. Their work largely centres on the vibrant street life of Lagos-SLG

photo courtesy of Kelechi Amadi-Obi

WND has done some interesting math that demonstrates that teachers have below average intelligence:

In 2001, the National Center for Education Statistics reported the average SAT score for intended education majors to be 481 math and 483 verbal. Only those interested in vocational school, home economics and public affairs scored lower.

But while the SAT is considered to be a generally reliable intelligence test, the 2001 SAT is not the same SAT that many of us took prior to attending university. Those 2001 scores on the 1996 SAT, which was replaced this year by the New SAT 2005, are equivalent to pre-1996 SAT scores of 451 math and 403 verbal. In case any education majors are reading this, 451 plus 403 equals a cumulative score of 854.

Examining an SAT-to-IQ conversion chart calculated from Mensa entrance criteria, a combined 854 indicates that the average IQ of those pursuing an education major is 91, nine points lower than the average IQ of 100. In other words, those who can't read teach whole language.

I would have to agree with this assessment. Don't misunderstand me- I'm not saying that all teachers are idiots and lack below average IQ's. I'm just saying that most teachers I have met would not have been successful in construction, plumbing, high finance, law, or most other endevors. Myself, I only missed a single question on the MTTC tests (the teacher certification tests), but I know many teachers had to take them several times before they could get a passing score.

You all do realize that in order to teach a subject in school, you need 30 credits for a teaching major and 20 credits for a teaching minor. Some teachers teach in their minors- that means they took maybe 5 classes in the subject matter they are teaching, or less than one year of training. Can you imagine doing your job- nah, being an expert in your job and training others in it- with less than one year of training?

Schools really are the blind leading the blind, churning out masses of uneducated voters every day, who fall for Democrat memes easily because of their ignorance and stupidity.

Graduation speeches and notes written in yearbooks have become shockingly boring and tedious. A lot of politicians and famous people think that a good graduation speech is to give a speech that encourages people to 'give back,' 'hope,' respect others,' and other empty meaningless thoughtless pointless advice. Students, staff, and faculty write such empty stuff in yearbooks like 'good luck,' 'work hard,' 'be safe,' and other ideas that could be offered by a random person on the street. These are not the thoughts from those who would guide us correctly- these are not the writings of those who know us and wish to steer us correctly.

What do I write in yearbooks or speak about at graduation? I've chosen to go the route of giving shockingly radical messages about fighting for liberty, being a true patriot, and always holding true to life, liberty, and property.

"Man is born free, but everywhere is in chains- liberty and freedom are the exceptions that defy the rule of human existence, and it is up to you to fight for them," I write to one student.

To another student I write "Do not forget that your views on government, on the policies of government, on the role of government on society, are Revolutionary- they shock the established order who wish you to be in bondage, and they speak to the deeper truths about man- that all men are equal, that all are endowed with certain rights, that these rights are life, liberty, and property, and that government exists only to protect these rights. Keep being a true patriot."

A couple students of mine, who would have failed out of the class and school if I had not forged a personal relationship with them that encouraged them to find something of interest about government and go from there, wanted me to sign their yearbooks. They are very interested in 2nd amendment rights. I wrote "The tree of liberty might need to be cleaned by the work of patriots in the future- keep learning, keep becoming educated, work hard, and remember that when the time comes, we'll need good men to step up and fight for freedom."

I wonder sometimes if students will look back on my words and be inspired. I hope so.

K'naan (via last.fm)

NPR on K'Naan

News from Somalia usually involves violent warlords, or pirates hijacking ships off the coast. Other than that, average Somalis don't have much of a voice. But a rapper from Somalia named K'Naan is trying to change that, and in the world of hip-hop, he's become an artist to watch.
K'Naan grew up in Mogadishu, on what he calls "the meanest streets in the universe." In one song on his new album, he calls his hometown the "risky zone," full of pistols and Russian revolvers.

K'NAAN "T.I.A" music video directed by: NABIL from nabil elderkin on Vimeo.

Xeni Jardin of Boing Boing profiles the work of artist Romuald Hazoumé:

Romuald Hazoumé...transforms salvaged materials into symbols of spiritual power...Starting in the mid-1980s, Hazoumé began creating works made from a locally ubiquitous type of plastic container -- I've heard them referred to as "jerry cans?" Basically, you see them everywhere in Benin, used and reused and reused to store everything from palm oil to water to gasoline...[continue reading]

From centrality to banality: perhaps no other event in modern American history has gone from being contentious to being forgotten as quickly as the war in Iraq. Remember the war? It consumed a trillion American dollars, devoured a hundred thousand Iraqi lives, squandered a country's reputation, and destroyed an American presidency. Given the retreat of the American press--the first American withdrawal from Iraq, you might say--one could almost be excused, in the spring of 2009, for forgetting that 140,000 American troops are still fighting and dying there.

That's the beginning of this excellent book review/article by Dexter Filkins of The New Republic. Many people have forgotten about the Iraq War, a war that our nation was close to losing, that an entire political party (Democrats) were determined to lose, and yet, now a fragile victory has been secured by Bush, Cheney, and other brave Republicans. Obama has not pulled us out of Iraq, in spite of the many who voted for him based on that reason above all, and he is not going to pull us out of Iraq, in spite of change and hope, because he knows that because of the actions of George Bush, victory is now possible in Iraq.

It no longer really matters whether Bush was brilliant or stupid, a man who listened to reason or an idiot savant struck, Forrest Gump-like, by a fleeting insight. Whatever one's view of the war, it is impossible to deny that in the eleventh hour Bush was right.

That's the message that this article conveys, as it is a review of a book called The Gamble: General David Petraeus and the American Military Adventure in Iraq, 2006-2008, by Thomas E. Ricks. In 2006, the Democrats surged to political power by arguing that we need to surrender and pull out of Iraq. The generals on the ground were in the news every day talking about our loss in Iraq, the Democratic Party was working their hardest to assure our defeat there, and a good chunk of the American people were slapping stickers on their cars that said "Run away and hide" (or "coexist"- same thing) and chanting in crowds "Lose the War" (or "end the war"- same thing).

And Bush defied them. This article does a good job though of not giving Bush all the credit- in reality, Bush was desperate for anyone who could save him, could rescue our nation from his previous bad decisions, and into that void appeared the typical savior of America- everyday American hero's. A couple generals, chief among those David Petraeus, stepped forward to say that they could win. In every war that America has ever been in, someone always steps forward past liberals and Democrats and says that they can do it- they can win the unwinnable war. And they do. That's the greatness, the exceptionalism, of America.

I highly recommend you read this review, and even pick up the book. It is a great look back on the last couple years, defying the rhetoric of the left and shedding light into areas the main stream media keeps dark. Enjoy!

A snapshot of the African Leadership Academy covered earlier:

Via theglobeandmail:

Anyone who has ridden an escalator and bothered to pay attention has seen and likely ignored little signs suggesting riders hold the grimy handrail. But in Montreal's subway system, the friendly advice has taken on the force of law, backed by a $100 fine.

Bela Kosoian, a 38-year-old mother of two, says when she didn't hold the handrail Wednesday she was cuffed, dragged into a small holding cell, and then fined. She was riding an escalator down to catch a 5:30 p.m. subway when an officer instructed her to hold on to the rail. She replied, “I don't have three hands.” (she was holding other items). That's when the officer demanded identification so he could write her ticket.

Ms. Kosoian started arguing. The officers handcuffed her and threw her into a small holding cell. The officers searched her bag and gave her a $100 ticket for failing to hold the banister and another $320 ticket for obstruction of justice. The handcuffs bruised Ms. Kosoian's wrists and an officer's boot scraped skin off the top of her foot.

Sometimes when we are talking in my class about how bad America has gotten, my kids say that they'll just go somewhere else. "Where?" I ask, and they always say Canada. No offense to our northern neighbors, but your country is worse than ours is, even though ours has been getting totalitarianism too. Freedom, liberty, and justice are fragile flowers struggling against the forces of tyranny and injustice, and most of the times they lose. Here, in Canada, we have a great example of how Canada is worse than the USA.

A law abiding citizen is harassed, injured, insulted, and fined for not holding a safety rail. What crime did she commit? If she had indeed injured herself, so what? It is a far greater crime to give the police the kind of power they displayed here than it is for a person or two to be injured riding the escalator. Remember that, next time there is a vote to give more power to our government for 'our safety'- the greatest threat to your safety is the Frankenstein monster of a government that you yourself created.

Via Committee for Justice Blog :

CFJ has learned from a reliable source that Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm, reportedly on President Obama’s Supreme Court short list, boarded a flight from Detroit to Washington, DC last night. If Granholm is coming to DC for an announcement of her nomination to the Court, we’ll know as soon as this morning. If she’s coming to DC to interview for the job, it serves as confirmation that she is on the short list. In either case, it’s worth taking a look at her record, including the scandals that have plagued her.

CFJ says that for SCOTUS, Granholm's role in the economic disaster that is Michigan really is not going to be that important. Although she has been incompetent and mismanaged the state into the worst in the nation every year of her administration, that kind of resume is actually something the Obama team looks favorably on. And her opposition to traditional marriage and support of abortion are just policy differences- the kind that Obama says don't really matter, and that we should all just be nice about and agree with him since they aren't worth much (that's the point of his Notre Dame speech, right?). And her lack of experience in anything judicial isn't going to hurt her either- the Obama team favors putting people with no experience over those with experience- then Obama doesn't feel bad being so inexperienced at his job.

The real scandals that CFJ points to that might knock her off the list (allowing someone with a cleaner record of no experience and empathy to become an activist liberal Supreme Court judge)are her tax problems (Obama doesn't want to look bad by appointing yet another tax cheat) and her record while acting as Corporation Counsel for Wayne County. As CFJ mentions, after Granholm's time in that office, the FBI and state auditors have been busy for years, cleaning up the corruption of her administration, including the awarding of no-bid and grossly-expensive contracts to her husband's businesses by Wayne County.

Check out the full post here.

In reviewing Wangari Maathai's The Challenge for Africa and Zambian Dambisa Moyo's Dead Aid Francis Fukuyama argues that:

Both women see sub-Saharan Africa's fundamental problem not as one of resources, human or natural, or as a matter of geography, but, rather, as one of bad government. Far too many regimes in Africa have become patronage machines in which political power is sought by "big men" for the sole purpose of acquiring resources—resources that are funneled either back to the networks of supporters who helped a particular leader come to power or else into the proverbial Swiss bank account. There is no concept of public good; politics has devolved instead into a zero-sum struggle to appropriate the state and whatever assets it can control.

He concludes:

...both at least focus on the real core of the problem, which is the region's level of political development. In this realm, solutions are going to have to come from within the region itself. It is a positive first step for the discussion to shift away from what the outside world owes Africa and toward what Africans owe themselves.

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• Bright Continent (nytimes.com)

Profiles In Courage
Angry over budget cuts, L.A. teachers planned a 1 day strike to protest teacher lay offs outside their school district's headquarters . Even though a judge issued a restraining order against the 1 day strike, teachers protested cutbacks through an organized sit-in, city-wide sick-out and hundreds of high school students walked out of classes in acts of civil disobedience. Their slogan read " One Day's Pay 4 The Kids of L.A." (pictured right ). Updated reports indicate that fourty-five in total were arrested outside school district offices including L.A. Teachers' Union President, A.J. Duffy (pictured above) on Friday, May 15, 2009.

Here's to you United Teachers' of Los Angeles (UTLA) President Duffy and all of the L.A. teachers and students for taking a stand in the best interests of teaching and learning ! An L.A. public school student said it best when discussing the cutbacks : "We care about the teachers," Jasmine Guerrero, a senior, said in a phone interview. "But it's more about us. One teacher for 45 students, it's not a productive learning environment." Here's the story as reported courtesy of the LA Times, written by Jason Song and Howard Blume:

Anger over budget cuts boils over at L.A. schools
"United Teachers Los Angeles President A.J. Duffy was arrested at a protest outside the school district headquarters. Hundreds of teachers call in sick and hundreds of high school students walk out of classrooms. The teachers union president is among 39 arrested at a sit-in outside L.A. Unified headquarters.

The head of the Los Angeles teachers union was among 39 people arrested Friday during a sit-in outside the school district headquarters, one among dozens of peaceful protests around the city by teachers and students outraged by plans for deep cuts in education spending."Don't raise class size!" the protesters chanted before Los Angeles Police Department officers moved in to break up the demonstration.

Is all this really for the children?
United Teachers Los Angeles President A.J. Duffy was among those who had raised his fist in response to police requests to disperse, and who was bound with plastic handcuffs and taken away in an LAPD bus for booking on a charge of blocking a public street. All of those arrested were later released.The protesters' ire was stoked by plans for layoffs of as many as 2,500 Los Angeles Unified School District teachers, the consequence of billions of dollars in statewide cuts to education.

Schools throughout L.A. were disrupted as hundreds of teachers called in sick and hundreds of high school students walked out of classrooms to protest the cutbacks at the district, the nation's second-largest after New York City. Supt. Ramon C. Cortines said after the protests that Duffy and a top aide had met with him the day before to suggest a compromise: The district would spend more of its federal stimulus money than planned in the coming year, forestalling the need for any teacher layoffs, and the union would agree to concessions, such as a wage freeze or unpaid furloughs.Cortines said he was open to such a deal, and that he might be able to offer jobs as long-term substitutes to laid-off teachers.Duffy had no comment on those negotiations.Danis Cybulski, a fourth-grade teacher at Aldama Elementary School in Highland Park, said she could accept a pay freeze or furlough days."I would stand behind the union as long as class sizes aren't increased and wasteful spending stopped," she said.Earlier in the week, a judge issued a restraining order prohibiting the teachers union from holding a one-day strike to protest the budget cuts.Cortines said the headquarters demonstration had not violated the order because the teachers involved were either on a break between semesters at year-round schools or had arranged for substitute teachers.

The superintendent, however, said he was not happy with the civil disobedience."I don't think that's the kind of image I want for our system," he said.The school district reported that it had 3,152 requests for substitute teachers, or roughly 700 more than usual for a Friday in May.Students walked out of class at several high schools and held sit-ins in support of teachers.About 500 students at Garfield High School in East Los Angeles held a sit-in Friday morning in the school's central yard. Later, they moved to the athletic field bleachers, and the school provided a sound system so they could discuss why they didn't want teachers laid off. Garfield could lose 13 English and social studies teachers. At Jordan High School in South Los Angeles, about 200 students gathered in the quad to show solidarity with teachers, and the campus was put on lock down in what Principal Stephen Strachan called a routine security measure.When students refused to go back into class, Strachan said, he gave them a microphone and about 15 students spoke out about the proposed layoffs."I'm very proud of our kids and their willingness to cooperate," he said. Hundreds of students also walked out at Maywood Academy. And scores of students chose not to return to their classrooms after a morning break at Franklin High School in Highland Park. " (Pictures/article courtesy of http://www.latimes.com/) Posted by The Washington Teacher.

Ghana's "...Private Enterprise Foundation is a member-based organization and national center for advocacy and promotion of private enterprise. It undertakes policy based research for making effective representation to government in order to influence policies and regulations towards the creation of an enabling environment for a private sector led economic growth..."

Nuhu Ribadu on PBS discusses being bribed and more:

via African Loft
For related information visit Nuhu Ribadu Trust

From Lindiwe Majele Sibanda in the Guardian:

Farming First calls on world leaders to take action by developing a locally sustainable value chain for global agriculture. It emphasizes the need for knowledge networks and policies centred on helping subsistence farmers to become small-scale entrepreneurs, and it proposes six interlinked imperatives for sustainable agriculture: safeguarding natural resources, sharing knowledge, building local access, protecting harvests, enabling access to markets and prioritising research imperatives...[continue reading]Watch related videos here

Today the Detroit News glows over an article that says that the auto industry is happy to be getting 3 percent of the money that will be raised over the next 6 years by the government's new 'cap and trade' scheme. It is projected to raise $15 billion dollars for the auto industry.

I'm no expert in math, but if 15 billion is only 3 percent of the money that our government means to suck out of economy, that means the House is passing a tax scheme that will levy $500 billion in new taxes over the next 6 years. That means that this 'cap and trade' scheme is in effect a half trillion dollar tax increase on US citizens.

This $500 billion is a lot of money (enough money to put in place a 'revenue-neutral' national healthcare scheme). Where will it come from? The money will come from auctions for permits to produce more energy and grow America, and will come from fines of those companies that meet the demand of our vibrant industry and citizens and increase energy and growth beyond what the government arbitrarily sets as the cap. The energy companies will suffer only in that their profits might be lowered- but times are tough for all companies, and there is pressure to increase profits for every firm, so soon those costs of doing business that the government is imposing with little reasoning or logic will be passed on to consumers.

The people who will suffer from this scheme are the auto companies, who will find that the $15 billion does little to stem the hundreds of billions they bleed when consumers are no longer allowed to purchase the cars they want to purchase or are forced into buying expensive hybrids. The auto companies will lose jobs, investors will lose money, and society will suffer.

The people who will suffer the most from this cap and trade tax scheme are anyone who uses power in their lives, to power their dishwashers and microwaves and computers and businesses. They will have to pay the increased costs, lowering their cost-competitiveness and efficiency, and putting them at a further disadvantage vs firms in other nations that do no have to bear these government imposed burdens. The poor and those on fixed incomes will be hit especially hard by this scheme, as they will find it difficult to pay electric and gas bills.

And the benefits of this scheme are inconclusive at best. Perhaps less pollutants will be emitted, and a tiny little bit of harmful waste will be emitted into the atmosphere. This perhaps will stop the Earth from warming.