Economy:1-1-09 Microsoft planning big layoffs for January?

[WhipperSnapper]

Originally posted by: dmcowen674
You're doing a heck of a job Bushie

8-7-2006 Jobless claims rise to highest since March 2002

The number of newly laid off people signing up for jobless benefits last week climbed to its highest point in more than six years as companies cut back given the faltering economy.

Among the companies announcing job cuts in late July or early August were: General Motors Corp., Weyerhaeuser Co., and Starbucks Corp. Bennigan's restaurants owned by privately held Metromedia Restaurant Group, are closing, driving more people to unemployment lines.

Economists expect another half million jobs to be eliminated this year alone. The jobless rate could hit 6.5 percent by the middle of next year.

The country is getting pounded by many negative forces, the Federal Reserve said Tuesday.

"Labor markets have softened further and financial markets remain under considerable stress. Tight credit conditions, the ongoing housing contraction and elevated energy prices are likely to weigh on economic growth over the next few quarters," the Fed said.

Don't worry. I'm sure someone will chime in with the bromide about how the unemployment number is in fact the real amount of unemployment and how that's pretty close to maximum employment anyway. Also, they'll say that the economy is doing fine and that the solution to unemployment and underemployment is more and better education.

You're just one of those evil, Doomer and Gloomer's. Do you take pleasure in this news? Do you want America to fail?

(Just thought I'd get in there before someone who seriously means all of that chimes in, but perhaps someone's already said just that.)

 

[charrison]

Originally posted by: WhipperSnapper

Originally posted by: dmcowen674
You're doing a heck of a job Bushie

8-7-2006 Jobless claims rise to highest since March 2002

The number of newly laid off people signing up for jobless benefits last week climbed to its highest point in more than six years as companies cut back given the faltering economy.

Among the companies announcing job cuts in late July or early August were: General Motors Corp., Weyerhaeuser Co., and Starbucks Corp. Bennigan's restaurants owned by privately held Metromedia Restaurant Group, are closing, driving more people to unemployment lines.

Economists expect another half million jobs to be eliminated this year alone. The jobless rate could hit 6.5 percent by the middle of next year.

The country is getting pounded by many negative forces, the Federal Reserve said Tuesday.

"Labor markets have softened further and financial markets remain under considerable stress. Tight credit conditions, the ongoing housing contraction and elevated energy prices are likely to weigh on economic growth over the next few quarters," the Fed said.

Don't worry. I'm sure someone will chime in with the bromide about how the unemployment number is in fact the real amount of unemployment and how that's pretty close to maximum employment anyway. Also, they'll say that the economy is doing fine and that the solution to unemployment and underemployment is more and better education.

You're just one of those evil, Doomer and Gloomer's. Do you take pleasure in this news? Do you want America to fail?

(Just thought I'd get in there before someone who seriously means all of that chimes in, but perhaps someone's already said just that.)

Dont worry, it does not matter what the numbers are, you and dave will still complain about the bogus. No doubt employment is not headed in the right direction, but the world is not coming to an end either. Also consider one of the reasons for the jump in the this weeks first time claims, is that unemployment benefits got extended so people are refilling to get those benefits.

Some perspective

 

[dmcowen674]

I said crap like this would happen as the economy spirals down:

8-14-2008 Man fired from job at Target kills Ark. Democratic chairman

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. - Police and neighbors are struggling to explain why a man described as a loner drove more than 30 miles to Arkansas' Democratic Party headquarters and fatally shot its chairman hours after getting fired from his job.

Police said Timothy Dale Johnson, 50, of Searcy, barged into Bill Gwatney's office on Wednesday and shot him multiple times. There were no signs that Gwatney and Johnson, who was later shot dead by officers, knew each other.

A Target retail store in Conway had fired Johnson early Wednesday because he had written graffiti on a wall, police said. Before noon, Johnson was in Gwatney's office in Little Rock with a handgun.

Police said they could find no criminal record for Johnson.

Because of his position in the state party, Gwatney was a superdelegate to the Democratic National Convention this month in Denver. He declared his support for Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton after the Arkansas primary in February but endorsed Barack Obama after Clinton dropped out of the presidential race.

Clinton and her husband, former President and former Arkansas Gov. Bill Clinton, issued a statement calling Gwatney "not only a strong chairman of Arkansas' Democratic Party, but ... also a cherished friend and confidante."

Obama said: "Michelle and I are heartbroken to hear about the tragic loss of Chairman Bill Gwatney. We're praying for his family and friends and all who worked with him and loved him."

Democratic and Republican party officials said their offices would remain closed until Monday. A wreath featuring an elephant and donkey figures stood outside the Democratic headquarters Wednesday evening.

"Bill Gwatney was our friend, our party's leader, and so many times our party's conscience," the party said in a statement. "Our state and our party are better for all that Bill Gwatney has done."

Gov. Mike Beebe, a Democrat who served with Gwatney in the state Senate, joined a vigil at University Hospital after what he called a "shocking and senseless attack."

Gwatney was Beebe's finance chairman during the 2006 campaign, when Democrats swept all seven statewide offices.

"Arkansas has lost a great son, and I have lost a great friend," Beebe said. "There is deep pain in Arkansas tonight because of the sheer number of people who knew, respected and loved Bill Gwatney."

Karen Ray, executive director of the Republican Party of Arkansas, sent her workers home after the shooting "out of an abundance of caution."

"He was an admirable Arkansan and gave so much to this state and his party," GOP chairman Dennis Milligan said.

 

[dmcowen674]

The numbers keep getting more massive every month.

A large majoroty of America is becoming modern ghost towns before your very eyes:

8-14-2008 Home foreclosure filings up 55 percent in July

U.S. foreclosure activity in July rose 55 percent from a year earlier as a slump in once-sizzling housing markets forced yet more borrowers to default on their mortgages, according to a monthly report.

That means one in every 464 U.S. households received a foreclosure filing in July

Among 230 metro areas tracked, Cape Coral-Fort Myers, Florida, registered the highest foreclosure rate. One in every 64 households there received a foreclosure filing last month, more than seven times the national average.

By state, Nevada led the country with its foreclosure rate in July, as one in every 106 households received a foreclosure filing.

In California, one in every 182 properties received a foreclosure filing. Florida was third, with one in every 186, while Arizona's rate was one in every 195 properties.

Other states with foreclosure rates among the top 10 were Ohio, Georgia, Michigan, Colorado, Utah and Virginia.

 

[LegendKiller]

Originally posted by: dmcowen674
I said crap like this would happen as the economy spirals down:

Aren't we all so glad that The Great Prognosticator dave mcowen is around to tell us that some people are crazy.

What would we do without you?

 

[StageLeft]

I said crap like this would happen as the economy spirals down:

Great job. It's extremely hard to predict that with a recession come job losses and subsequent stresses that can drive people to unnatural acts. I don't know how you are so insightful, nobody else could have seen it coming

That means one in every 464 U.S. households received a foreclosure filing in July

Seems fairly low to me for some reason. However, either 15 or 25% of home sales are for foreclosed homes, I ready yesterday, which is very high. Also now a third of home owners are upside down on their house as opposed to 8-10% (?) that it was just several months ago, IIRC. I am one of the lucky few :heart:

 

[dmcowen674]

Originally posted by: LegendKiller

Originally posted by: dmcowen674
I said crap like this would happen as the economy spirals down:

Aren't we all so glad that The Great Prognosticator dave mcowen is around to tell us that some people are crazy.

What would we do without you?

You would keep listening to Bush, the GOP, Rush, Hannity etc that everything is perfectly fine?

 

[Pliablemoose]

Originally posted by: LegendKiller

Originally posted by: dmcowen674
I said crap like this would happen as the economy spirals down:

Aren't we all so glad that The Great Prognosticator dave mcowen is around to tell us that some people are crazy.

What would we do without you?

I'm constantly surprised Dave has not been more financially successful in life with his remarkable insight. :laugh:

 

[LegendKiller]

Originally posted by: Pliablemoose

Originally posted by: LegendKiller

Originally posted by: dmcowen674
I said crap like this would happen as the economy spirals down:

Aren't we all so glad that The Great Prognosticator dave mcowen is around to tell us that some people are crazy.

What would we do without you?

I'm constantly surprised Dave has not been more financially successful in life with his remarkable insight. :laugh:

No kidding. You'd think he'd be able to keep a job for more than a half a year with his incredible ability to predict he'd lose it in such a short time.

I am sure we'll see him in the Forbes list one of these days. Ask him, he can probably even estimate the magazine issue he'll be featured in.

 

[LegendKiller]

Originally posted by: dmcowen674

Originally posted by: LegendKiller

Originally posted by: dmcowen674
I said crap like this would happen as the economy spirals down:

Aren't we all so glad that The Great Prognosticator dave mcowen is around to tell us that some people are crazy.

What would we do without you?

You would keep listening to Bush, the GOP, Rush, Hannity etc that everything is perfectly fine?

Because I obviously do that. Nice strawman.

 

[yuppiejr]

Originally posted by: dmcowen674
As predicted by yours truly:

8-4-2008 Satellite TV Sees First Quarterly Subscriber Loss Ever

Dish loses 25,000 TV customers to economy, competition

Dish network added 170,000 new satellite subscribers. This quarter? Not so much.

According to the company's latest earnings report, the satellite company lost 25,000 video customers, leaving them with 13.79 million subscribers total.

It's notable because this is the first time a U.S. satellite TV operator has ever posted a quarterly subscriber loss.

According to an SEC filing by Dish, the losses were caused by "weak economic conditions, aggressive promotional offerings by our competition" and HD competition by rivals.

Holy shit, DIRECTTV - NOOOO. You're right, total proof that we're in recession...

Ouch, I think I just hurt my eyes rolling them harder than the optic nerves can handle.

I don't think I've heard of any company (or individual) who's performed poorly in the last 2 years and not cited "the economy" as the cause. I don't buy it any more than I buy the housing crisis being anything more than people being stupid with their money. Unless you were dense it should be absolutely no surprise that years and years of housing price inflation and irresponsible lending would eventually lead to a crash.

The #1 reason cited in my county for home foreclosure by the local housing authority was "poor budget management skills." Sounds to me like a personal accountability crisis rather than a housing market crisis.

 

[yuppiejr]

Dave, don't forget that tomorrow is the 15th - homey go get your check!

 

[StormRider]

Originally posted by: dmcowen674
I said crap like this would happen as the economy spirals down:

8-14-2008 Man fired from job at Target kills Ark. Democratic chairman

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. - Police and neighbors are struggling to explain why a man described as a loner drove more than 30 miles to Arkansas' Democratic Party headquarters and fatally shot its chairman hours after getting fired from his job.

Police said Timothy Dale Johnson, 50, of Searcy, barged into Bill Gwatney's office on Wednesday and shot him multiple times. There were no signs that Gwatney and Johnson, who was later shot dead by officers, knew each other.

A Target retail store in Conway had fired Johnson early Wednesday because he had written graffiti on a wall, police said. Before noon, Johnson was in Gwatney's office in Little Rock with a handgun.

Police said they could find no criminal record for Johnson.

Because of his position in the state party, Gwatney was a superdelegate to the Democratic National Convention this month in Denver. He declared his support for Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton after the Arkansas primary in February but endorsed Barack Obama after Clinton dropped out of the presidential race.

Clinton and her husband, former President and former Arkansas Gov. Bill Clinton, issued a statement calling Gwatney "not only a strong chairman of Arkansas' Democratic Party, but ... also a cherished friend and confidante."

Obama said: "Michelle and I are heartbroken to hear about the tragic loss of Chairman Bill Gwatney. We're praying for his family and friends and all who worked with him and loved him."

Democratic and Republican party officials said their offices would remain closed until Monday. A wreath featuring an elephant and donkey figures stood outside the Democratic headquarters Wednesday evening.

"Bill Gwatney was our friend, our party's leader, and so many times our party's conscience," the party said in a statement. "Our state and our party are better for all that Bill Gwatney has done."

Gov. Mike Beebe, a Democrat who served with Gwatney in the state Senate, joined a vigil at University Hospital after what he called a "shocking and senseless attack."

Gwatney was Beebe's finance chairman during the 2006 campaign, when Democrats swept all seven statewide offices.

"Arkansas has lost a great son, and I have lost a great friend," Beebe said. "There is deep pain in Arkansas tonight because of the sheer number of people who knew, respected and loved Bill Gwatney."

Karen Ray, executive director of the Republican Party of Arkansas, sent her workers home after the shooting "out of an abundance of caution."

"He was an admirable Arkansan and gave so much to this state and his party," GOP chairman Dennis Milligan said.

This situation seemed more wacko-related than economy-related. The guy was a loner who was fired from his job because he had written graffiti on the job -- not because of the economy.

 

[Capt Caveman]

Originally posted by: StormRider

Originally posted by: dmcowen674
I said crap like this would happen as the economy spirals down:

8-14-2008 Man fired from job at Target kills Ark. Democratic chairman

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. - Police and neighbors are struggling to explain why a man described as a loner drove more than 30 miles to Arkansas' Democratic Party headquarters and fatally shot its chairman hours after getting fired from his job.

Police said Timothy Dale Johnson, 50, of Searcy, barged into Bill Gwatney's office on Wednesday and shot him multiple times. There were no signs that Gwatney and Johnson, who was later shot dead by officers, knew each other.

A Target retail store in Conway had fired Johnson early Wednesday because he had written graffiti on a wall, police said. Before noon, Johnson was in Gwatney's office in Little Rock with a handgun.

Police said they could find no criminal record for Johnson.

Because of his position in the state party, Gwatney was a superdelegate to the Democratic National Convention this month in Denver. He declared his support for Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton after the Arkansas primary in February but endorsed Barack Obama after Clinton dropped out of the presidential race.

Clinton and her husband, former President and former Arkansas Gov. Bill Clinton, issued a statement calling Gwatney "not only a strong chairman of Arkansas' Democratic Party, but ... also a cherished friend and confidante."

Obama said: "Michelle and I are heartbroken to hear about the tragic loss of Chairman Bill Gwatney. We're praying for his family and friends and all who worked with him and loved him."

Democratic and Republican party officials said their offices would remain closed until Monday. A wreath featuring an elephant and donkey figures stood outside the Democratic headquarters Wednesday evening.

"Bill Gwatney was our friend, our party's leader, and so many times our party's conscience," the party said in a statement. "Our state and our party are better for all that Bill Gwatney has done."

Gov. Mike Beebe, a Democrat who served with Gwatney in the state Senate, joined a vigil at University Hospital after what he called a "shocking and senseless attack."

Gwatney was Beebe's finance chairman during the 2006 campaign, when Democrats swept all seven statewide offices.

"Arkansas has lost a great son, and I have lost a great friend," Beebe said. "There is deep pain in Arkansas tonight because of the sheer number of people who knew, respected and loved Bill Gwatney."

Karen Ray, executive director of the Republican Party of Arkansas, sent her workers home after the shooting "out of an abundance of caution."

"He was an admirable Arkansan and gave so much to this state and his party," GOP chairman Dennis Milligan said.

This situation seemed more wacko-related than economy-related. The guy was a loner who was fired from his job because he had written graffiti on the job -- not because of the economy.

Seriously, how is this incident relevant to the topic? He should seriously read the articles before he posts.

 

[Xavier434]

Our country really needs these housing issues to stop. It is causing so many issues including having a major impact on our education since a great amount of funding for education comes from property taxes. The overall impact is far worse than the .coms. Tons of counties are having a really hard time funding even the basics for their schools. It's bad enough that the US is ranked 22 in the world when it comes to education. We are right under Belgium...

 

[LegendKiller]

Originally posted by: Xavier434
Our country really needs these housing issues to stop. It is causing so many issues including having a major impact on our education since a great amount of funding for education comes from property taxes. The overall impact is far worse than the .coms. Tons of counties are having a really hard time funding even the basics for their schools. It's bad enough that the US is ranked 22 in the world when it comes to education. We are right under Belgium...

This whole idea that we need to prop up RE values to keep the tax base up is ridiculous. Here's an idea, STOP WASTING MONEY! Look at NY, Patterson is hacking and slashing in every corner of the government to avoid taxes, and he's a fricking democrat. If we focused on "essentials" rather than bridges to nowhere, we'd be in a better position. Not to mention reductions in government boondoggles in foreign countries.

Money won't solve the issue with education anyway.

 

[JD50]

Originally posted by: LegendKiller

Originally posted by: Xavier434
Our country really needs these housing issues to stop. It is causing so many issues including having a major impact on our education since a great amount of funding for education comes from property taxes. The overall impact is far worse than the .coms. Tons of counties are having a really hard time funding even the basics for their schools. It's bad enough that the US is ranked 22 in the world when it comes to education. We are right under Belgium...

This whole idea that we need to prop up RE values to keep the tax base up is ridiculous. Here's an idea, STOP WASTING MONEY! Look at NY, Patterson is hacking and slashing in every corner of the government to avoid taxes, and he's a fricking democrat. If we focused on "essentials" rather than bridges to nowhere, we'd be in a better position. Not to mention reductions in government boondoggles in foreign countries.

Money won't solve the issue with education anyway.

Agreed. Some of the best funded schools are some of the worst schools, see most inner cities for a good example. Well, I know Baltimore is like that, I'm assuming it's the same across the country, I could be wrong.

 

[yuppiejr]

Originally posted by: LegendKiller

Originally posted by: Xavier434
Our country really needs these housing issues to stop. It is causing so many issues including having a major impact on our education since a great amount of funding for education comes from property taxes. The overall impact is far worse than the .coms. Tons of counties are having a really hard time funding even the basics for their schools. It's bad enough that the US is ranked 22 in the world when it comes to education. We are right under Belgium...

This whole idea that we need to prop up RE values to keep the tax base up is ridiculous. Here's an idea, STOP WASTING MONEY! Look at NY, Patterson is hacking and slashing in every corner of the government to avoid taxes, and he's a fricking democrat. If we focused on "essentials" rather than bridges to nowhere, we'd be in a better position. Not to mention reductions in government boondoggles in foreign countries.

Money won't solve the issue with education anyway.

Agreed about money & education - the public education system today is an endless pit for money without results to match and it's time to fix the fundamental problem with the system rather than continuing to feed the beast. Fact is, $7,000 to $13,000 PER STUDENT a year to educate a young mind in the K-12 grade level is plenty - the issue here is the inefficient way in which funds are currently being used, not a lack of them. We need to refocus the education system on teaching practical skills (reading, writing, math, science, finance, etc..) and get the teacher's union out of the way so our educators are focused on educating kids rather than hanging on for tenure and guaranteed pay raises regardless of merit.

 

[LegendKiller]

Originally posted by: yuppiejr

Originally posted by: LegendKiller

Originally posted by: Xavier434
Our country really needs these housing issues to stop. It is causing so many issues including having a major impact on our education since a great amount of funding for education comes from property taxes. The overall impact is far worse than the .coms. Tons of counties are having a really hard time funding even the basics for their schools. It's bad enough that the US is ranked 22 in the world when it comes to education. We are right under Belgium...

This whole idea that we need to prop up RE values to keep the tax base up is ridiculous. Here's an idea, STOP WASTING MONEY! Look at NY, Patterson is hacking and slashing in every corner of the government to avoid taxes, and he's a fricking democrat. If we focused on "essentials" rather than bridges to nowhere, we'd be in a better position. Not to mention reductions in government boondoggles in foreign countries.

Money won't solve the issue with education anyway.

Agreed about money & education - the public education system today is an endless pit for money without results to match and it's time to fix the fundamental problem with the system rather than continuing to feed the beast. Fact is, $7,000 to $13,000 PER STUDENT a year to educate a young mind in the K-12 grade level is plenty - the issue here is the inefficient way in which funds are currently being used, not a lack of them. We need to refocus the education system on teaching practical skills (reading, writing, math, science, finance, etc..) and get the teacher's union out of the way so our educators are focused on educating kids rather than hanging on for tenure and guaranteed pay raises regardless of merit.

part of the problem is gearing all education towards a standardized test. It doesn't work for our system. If we had something akin to Germany's system, whereby kids were slotted a bit easier (which is, IMHO, not a great way of working the system), then it might work. However, now we have teachers not teaching what should be a well-rounded curriculum and, instead, focusing on passing the exams, which are narrow.

 

[yuppiejr]

Originally posted by: Xavier434
Our country really needs these housing issues to stop. It is causing so many issues including having a major impact on our education since a great amount of funding for education comes from property taxes. The overall impact is far worse than the .coms. Tons of counties are having a really hard time funding even the basics for their schools. It's bad enough that the US is ranked 22 in the world when it comes to education. We are right under Belgium...

If we are suddenly seeing a shortage of funds in the public school system due to a lack of property tax revenue I have to ask what happened to all the money they collected for the years home values were skyrocketing?

 

[Capt Caveman]

Originally posted by: JD50

Originally posted by: LegendKiller

Originally posted by: Xavier434
Our country really needs these housing issues to stop. It is causing so many issues including having a major impact on our education since a great amount of funding for education comes from property taxes. The overall impact is far worse than the .coms. Tons of counties are having a really hard time funding even the basics for their schools. It's bad enough that the US is ranked 22 in the world when it comes to education. We are right under Belgium...

This whole idea that we need to prop up RE values to keep the tax base up is ridiculous. Here's an idea, STOP WASTING MONEY! Look at NY, Patterson is hacking and slashing in every corner of the government to avoid taxes, and he's a fricking democrat. If we focused on "essentials" rather than bridges to nowhere, we'd be in a better position. Not to mention reductions in government boondoggles in foreign countries.

Money won't solve the issue with education anyway.

Agreed. Some of the best funded schools are some of the worst schools, see most inner cities for a good example. Well, I know Baltimore is like that, I'm assuming it's the same across the country, I could be wrong.

Correct, you are wrong. Inner city schools get much less in funding compared to schools in suburban towns. And I know in MA, the best public school systems are in the suburbs.

 

[yuppiejr]

Originally posted by: LegendKiller

Originally posted by: yuppiejr

Originally posted by: LegendKiller

Originally posted by: Xavier434
Our country really needs these housing issues to stop. It is causing so many issues including having a major impact on our education since a great amount of funding for education comes from property taxes. The overall impact is far worse than the .coms. Tons of counties are having a really hard time funding even the basics for their schools. It's bad enough that the US is ranked 22 in the world when it comes to education. We are right under Belgium...

This whole idea that we need to prop up RE values to keep the tax base up is ridiculous. Here's an idea, STOP WASTING MONEY! Look at NY, Patterson is hacking and slashing in every corner of the government to avoid taxes, and he's a fricking democrat. If we focused on "essentials" rather than bridges to nowhere, we'd be in a better position. Not to mention reductions in government boondoggles in foreign countries.

Money won't solve the issue with education anyway.

Agreed about money & education - the public education system today is an endless pit for money without results to match and it's time to fix the fundamental problem with the system rather than continuing to feed the beast. Fact is, $7,000 to $13,000 PER STUDENT a year to educate a young mind in the K-12 grade level is plenty - the issue here is the inefficient way in which funds are currently being used, not a lack of them. We need to refocus the education system on teaching practical skills (reading, writing, math, science, finance, etc..) and get the teacher's union out of the way so our educators are focused on educating kids rather than hanging on for tenure and guaranteed pay raises regardless of merit.

part of the problem is gearing all education towards a standardized test. It doesn't work for our system. If we had something akin to Germany's system, whereby kids were slotted a bit easier (which is, IMHO, not a great way of working the system), then it might work. However, now we have teachers not teaching what should be a well-rounded curriculum and, instead, focusing on passing the exams, which are narrow.

Here's the thing - if you want to know if you are succeeding at educating kids you have to have SOME form of test against which to measure performance. The teacher's lobby likes to bag on this idea because it suddenly makes them accountable after years of status-quo churning out union tenured educators who do a shit job. While I agree the tests have to be structured in a way that encourages learning and not memorization, I have to ask how you would measure the success of your education system without some form of standardized test to ensure teachers are spending time teaching kids the right skills?

I learned a lot of useless huggy-bear shit in high school that has no practical application in life so I am pretty sure there's opportunity to improve. God forbid teachers have to spend time actually teaching and be measured on their performance like the rest of the working world outside of the public sector.

 

[LegendKiller]

Originally posted by: yuppiejr

Originally posted by: Xavier434
Our country really needs these housing issues to stop. It is causing so many issues including having a major impact on our education since a great amount of funding for education comes from property taxes. The overall impact is far worse than the .coms. Tons of counties are having a really hard time funding even the basics for their schools. It's bad enough that the US is ranked 22 in the world when it comes to education. We are right under Belgium...

If we are suddenly seeing a shortage of funds in the public school system due to a lack of property tax revenue I have to ask what happened to all the money they collected for the years home values were skyrocketing?

yeah, how did the government possibly surivive before they raised appraisals on appreciating homes while using increased tax % during the housing boom?

 

[JD50]

Originally posted by: Capt Caveman

Originally posted by: JD50

Originally posted by: LegendKiller

Originally posted by: Xavier434
Our country really needs these housing issues to stop. It is causing so many issues including having a major impact on our education since a great amount of funding for education comes from property taxes. The overall impact is far worse than the .coms. Tons of counties are having a really hard time funding even the basics for their schools. It's bad enough that the US is ranked 22 in the world when it comes to education. We are right under Belgium...

This whole idea that we need to prop up RE values to keep the tax base up is ridiculous. Here's an idea, STOP WASTING MONEY! Look at NY, Patterson is hacking and slashing in every corner of the government to avoid taxes, and he's a fricking democrat. If we focused on "essentials" rather than bridges to nowhere, we'd be in a better position. Not to mention reductions in government boondoggles in foreign countries.

Money won't solve the issue with education anyway.

Agreed. Some of the best funded schools are some of the worst schools, see most inner cities for a good example. Well, I know Baltimore is like that, I'm assuming it's the same across the country, I could be wrong.

Correct, you are wrong. Inner city schools get much less in funding compared to schools in suburban towns. And I know in MA, the best public school systems are in the suburbs.

How much do inner city schools spend per student compared with how much suburban schools spend per student?

 

[LegendKiller]

Originally posted by: yuppiejr
Here's the thing - if you want to know if you are succeeding at educating kids you have to have SOME form of test against which to measure performance. The teacher's lobby likes to bag on this idea because it suddenly makes them accountable after years of status-quo churning out union tenured educators who do a shit job. While I agree the tests have to be structured in a way that encourages learning and not memorization, I have to ask how you would measure the success of your education system without some form of standardized test to ensure teachers are spending time teaching kids the right skills?

I learned a lot of useless huggy-bear shit in high school that has no practical application in life so I am pretty sure there's opportunity to improve. God forbid teachers have to spend time actually teaching and be measured on their performance like the rest of the working world outside of the public sector.

A lot of that huggy-bear "shit" you might have learned can be valuable lessons in other areas. I certainly agree that a lot of crap is taught, but also a lot of good stuff too, which has been hacked out due to not fitting with standardized tests.

All I am saying is that we can't take our current system and layer in standardized tests and expect it to work. It just doesn't fit into this system. If we revamped it to fit around testing and allocation of students to different forms of education, it would work.

Germany's system, while not ideal, works rather well with the standardized testing, as does Japan's system. However, they fail in allowing under-achievers who improve, to also improve their status. It's a much more "rigid" system that doesn't really allow the "American dream" to happen.

However, those systems do place accountability on the students and parents, rather than the teachers. It motivates them to achieve the needed level of performance to attain a goal, rather than shoving responsibility onto the teachers to "get" the kid to that level.

We have to face the fact that not everybody needs HS physics or chemistry.