Money and Computing
My Wish List: Where is Aladdin When I Need Him? More Specifically, Where is His Fabled Magic Lamp?
Rose Madeline Mula writes: Where is Aladdin when I need him? More specifically, where is his fabled magic lamp? Unfortunately, it’s been missing for so long that if I ever do find it, probably it won’t work because it will be coated with tarnish. So polish it, you say. Not very likely ... Have you seen my silverware drawer? Of course, the prospect of having all my wishes granted would be a powerful incentive. If and when I ever do find — and polish — the lamp, I’ll be ready. My wish list is on the launch pad and ready to blast off. more »
Dream Center Closure: Chairman Scott Asks Department of Education to Clarify Role in Collapse of For-Profit School
The letter details newly obtained documents suggesting that the Department of Education enabled Dream Center to mislead students regarding the accreditation status of two Dream Center-owned schools. The documents also reveal that despite knowledge of Dream Center’s false claims of accreditation, the Department did not immediately require the for-profit company to take corrective action. Instead, the Department supported efforts to retroactively accredit the institutions in question by rewriting Department policy. more »
Bureau of Land Management Plans Across West Favor Development, Reduced Protections and Minimal New Safeguards — and Ignore Agency’s Own Findings
In the past four months, BLM has released six draft plans covering more than 20 million acres in Alaska, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, and Oregon. The Pew Charitable Trusts’ review of these plans reveals that in each of the alternatives preferred by the agency, BLM significantly reduced protections that have been in place for decades and proposed minimal new safeguards for only a fraction of 1 percent of the areas. In addition, BLM proposes opening vast acres in these planning areas to energy and mineral development. more »
On the Buses with Older Warrior Women
Diane Girard writes: I ride city buses frequently and so do many seniors in my town, especially the older women. Fortunately, we have good public transit, because for some of us it is our only transportation except for the occasional taxi ride. The women I will mention here don’t resemble Xena, the Warrior Princess. They go about their business mostly unnoticed and uncelebrated except perhaps by their kindred. So, why do I refer to these older women I know a little about, the women who tell me personal stories, as warriors? Because they are honorable fighters. They get on with their lives, with grace in most cases and with smiles, almost always. more »