@Shalmaneser: Nor should the church bless some vague but vogue proscription for the role of women in society; ya'll are asking the impossible.

My point, all along, was that formalized, legalistic, set-in-stone definitions for human sexuality, the role of women, etc., do more harm than good; they are an attempt, in 2013, to form a global protocol for understanding human thought and then instituting government edicts rules, and enforcement mechanisms to back up those protocols.

Anyone disagreeing with the current "state of the art" liberal notions are systematically attacked, ridiculed, baited, intimidated, etc. That's what is driving you, Shalmaneser. Even if you got what you wanted, you'd find it imperfect, overly-rigid -- dependent upon where you might be in your own life -- unappetizing, and not much of a remedy from everyone's native doubts and insecurity; do you not recognize the conceit among the young, and "hip," in America in their view that they have superior empathy, understandings and ethics? (It is THIS false-pride that is suborned by globalists, wishing to keep the formal "globalization" process going strong!) And what of the young who are taught, say, that homosexual behavior and relationships are equal to heterosexual relationships? (And the very public BSA debate -- staged by radicals -- was very much about suborning homosexuality among young males by targetting those who are, perhaps, questioning their own sexual feelings; and that is why you saw some parent "backlash!" Of course, the liberals just say, "You are born that way!" In reality, you are born human, which is saying something very different about the vagaries of human sexuality.)

If anything, critics of the church ought realize they have no superior knowledge; and certainly no superior experience in dealing with humanity;

@jtsim: well, for the record ... there IS opportunity in this Detroit crisis! But rebuilding economic opportunity in America will require both sacrifice and a new crop of pols who actually give a damn about the American people.

Hell yeah, indeed!

***

Here's another story I think is better than the one I included in the opening of this thread:

"DETROIT—The city of Detroit told some debtholders on Friday they will have to accept pennies on the dollar or risk getting drawn into the largest U.S. municipal bankruptcy ever.

Kevyn Orr, the bankruptcy lawyer hired by Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder to lead the restructuring of Detroit's troubled finances, told representatives of the city's creditors that the city plans to stop making payments on some of its debts, starting with a $39.7 million payment that was due Friday, and won't make payments in the foreseeable future on at least $2 billion in unsecured municipal debt as part of a move to save cash."

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1000142412788732468840457854537328254562...

***

Now, THAT is a negotiating strategy! It is the same one developed and developing nations around the world should use with creditors!

All of THIS is going to drive-up interest rates at the same time it flattens those other unsustainable credit bubbles out there!

Of course, AFTER DEFAULT, leaders will have to re-figure salaries, pensions, etc.; they'll have to re-think big public investments likes, say, the new ATL $1 Billion+ stadium. (YES, it may or may NOT be the best thing since sliced toast ... I don't know! Generally, however, gov'ts, in particular, ought to take LESS RISK, now, NOT more!).

Bottom-line: If policy-makers will quickly deal with default, and get fiscal balances on a sustainable course, you'd have a "serenity" dividend that would lower anxiety about future economic prospects; this would be better than the current ZIRP policy and attempting to gin-up fake "good" economic news to get consumers to go out and spend.

The OTHER: If the U.S., in the future, cannot or will not prop-up another speculative bubble, like the housing thing, then WHAT and WHERE will our economy be? Where or will we work?

THESE questions have not been asked; I'd expect the answer, though, will be a retreat to the past: More tariff protection for manufacturers and their workers; stricter policies regarding labor and capital flows. Most important of all: A new strategic (U.S. v. economic competitors) perspective on information and technology flows. TEETH to clamp down on "cheaters" around the globe.

Incentive: IF other nations want access to the "big rich" U.S. market, then they are going to have to play by the rules!*

*But the U.S. can't insist on THIS as long as we are a major international borrower; which, again, highlights the necessity of default and restructuring so we do not spend more than we earn ....

@Shalmaneser: Church authorities have the same voice you do. As for sexual identity, feelings, behavior, etc., no public or private institution can settle this "human" issue. sorry

@avenger: As you know, the church teaches that homosexual behavior is a sin; it also hews against the ordination of women, certain types of contraception, and opposes abortion. And, YES, this is why it is attacked and it's why a handful of misfits hopes to toss out the baby with the bath water. (But they do not admit their motives; IE, they are fundamentally dishonest.)

It's doubtful church policy (or that of the military or BSA) can settle questions about sexual identity or the role of women in society; whether or not abortion is 'ok;' that radicals and a handful of activists believe; their quest is juvenile, unenlightened, and flawed; (I'd also call it cowardly, in addition to "dishonest.")

The institutional sanctions that are so decried are voluntary in the sense they would only be applied to people who choose to be church members; and as noted, the Vatican is full of homosexuals, but they are tolerated and held up as flawed human beings, not unlike, every other soul, btw.

All that said ... the most important mission of the church and its leaders is service to others and the establishment of role models for life and living; if they have over-reacted, at times, to provocations, and sometimes come across as "intolerant," these are errors that ought be corrected. In the world of sinners, none are more worthy than others.

The tough reality is that economic development is not the mission of the U.S. armed services.

Famous last words from the Columbus paper?

Despite a great surge in jobs, world-wide, much of the gain elsewhere has come from jobs lost by Americans. Even while our leaders can hamstring military policy they seem completely lost when it comes to restoring American competitiveness.

One could jump ahead and re-imagine the "death" panels a la "Obamacare," or simply focus on the experimental nature of the procedure and real-world uncertain outcome for patients and friends; I always thought what they did to Barney Clarke was a horrible, self-serving medical experiment better practiced on the operating doctors and friends than on the patient with the failing heart; but you know, they'd NEVER do that ....

The King wishes the young woman well; and to government, and those in it, only a matter of time before "the people" come together and cast ballots against these current office holders: Take the King's advice: "Get out now, and avoid the rush!"

Thanks, Charles! As usual, you are our eyes and ears, on the ground, and willing and able to alert us to peculiar and dangerous trends and people. For my money, car surfing is still more dangerous; though even that would be quite safe if we have various elected officials participate in the sport, maybe, atop NASCAR vehicles in the next major race. But I don't wish to spawn again, false hope; hasn't the Tea Party done enough of that already?!

It's not really the public school's mission to encourage student's social activism; nor is THAT encouragement a capable foil against mis-management that has led to do much political abandonment of the CCSD by parents, students, and ACC citizens.

I'd guess the parents thought the language was "age-inappropriate," and that Myra and the newspaper know that would be the conclusion should they choose to publish the offensive words; (and it may be why they have hidden, ironically, the ugly words, so far, in both the print and online editions).

@mcdawg: Very nice link, that one! Ironically, Abe's declared bent to wind the Yen aside, his nationalism suborns a more robust currency! It seems like two steps forward, followed by two steps backward.

NOW, then, lost in the shuffle may -- and I repeat "may" -- be the much more significant aspect that includes altering the Japanese Constitution to re-include national defense, and a more robust military. Enhanced militarism ought be the most compelling experiment recently to re-build the "listless" Japanese economy; after all, it worked so well in European and even Western nations during WWI and WWII.

THEN, domestic constituencies, if they support a modest "war" footing, might forgive currency and equity volatility; I'd guess this is Abe's hope.

If it works, Katy Bar the Door; if not, same thing!

@Shalmaneser: Why not contrast the ancient knowledge even within the Vatican of homosexual behavior with this new-age bent demanding incorporation of, say, "gay, straight, and transgender," identities into church, military, or doctrine of even BSA?

No church authority can definitely iron-out an individuals or groups sexual identities or affiliations; on the one hand, knowing about homosexual proclivities or behaviors among lay or even ordinate church members would seem to indicate at least a necessary basic feel for humanity.

The left misconstrues advancement of a "gay" agenda and enhanced social thought and tolerance; it is a self-serving delusion operating now in a time of high unemployment, anxiety, and doubts of future economic opportunity.

Very nice coverage from Shearer. Hudson touched many lives at UGA and let us hope that school can try to rear and retain more professors like him;

While BSA is certainly dependent on donated time and money, it's not THAT dependent.

Worse that this loss of support is the fact that many big corporations have deigned to line-up with official and unofficial groups advocating a certain agenda; it smells a lot like fascism.

Bachtel's notion harkens back to the debate in Gwinnett about running MARTA lines into the country: The concern was that the 'wrong' element might see it as a way to menace the otherwise innocent and naive folks already living there.

YET, Bachel negates his own premise when he notes that UGA commuters already can accomplish the same thing by jumping in the car. And what about the thousands of dawg fans who somehow make it into Athens on fall saturdays?

In reality, the dearth of user-friendly transportation in Athens probably tracks -- and this will come as a great surprise to many local leaders and citizens -- to the fact that Athens has had lately very few if any elected officials who had regional or state-wide influence and real power.

In comparision to places like Augusta, Columbus, Atlanta, Macon, Valdosta, and even Gainesville, the Classic City comes in almost dead-last in the transporation infrastructure component. The difference, again, is the fact that Athens' leadership is consistently underperforming whenever it takes a break from chest-beating, and telling folks how much it loves Athens and itself.

The 10 loop, such as it is, was contructed in phases as local pols had to be content with many half-loaves and sometimes just scraps. Ironically, it has been mostly local liberal influences that have undermined Athens' regional influence; they have targetted able leaders like the former Doug McKillip's for outsters while installing junior league but politically-correct one-trick ponies in their stead.

As is, when it comes to planes, trains, and automobile-infrastructure, Athenians have "heard it all before." Study, and more study; and study some more!

Mr. Bachtel can worry about the economics of student partying but the real issue is whether or not Athens has a competitive infrastructure that negates some significant barriers to doing business in Athens. We need a limited access connection to an interstate; and dedicated rail lines that make travel quicker, safer and more energy efficient.

But again, given our collective lack of political power and divided politics, locally, no one should worry too much about the sort of growth -- and potential problems -- that might arise should ATH decide even to compete with regional Georgia hubs.

@Lee Becker: Thanks for the link ...

@Shalmaneser: No, I think this liberal activism is akin to mowing the lawn while one's home goes up in a raging inferno.

Specifically, on sexual identity and feelings: The left, and not the right, is the one demanding that public and private institutions such as the Catholic church and U.S. military and BSA, settle and bless a peculiar mindset. That is, perhaps, well-intentioned, but wrong-headed; it seems juvenile, definitely NOT enlightened.

Such a process ought at least be suspended until resolution of the criminal charges; otherwise, voters are free to "recall" the representative.

With economic uncertainty in the developed nations -- U.S. and EU -- one wonders if Russia is feeling its own sense of satisfaction?

In addition to a phased amnesty for the millions now in the country illegally, the "reform" effort increases the number of highly educated workers who can come to the U.S. The human rights issues are well noted, but not a single word is said about the plight of unemployed U.S. citizens who will have to compete with the "new legals" for jobs. What about highly educated computer engineers and others who will now compete for jobs with workers willing to work for much less money?

Despite rhetoric on the left and right, the reform effort simply continues the open-door policy that has flooded the U.S. labor market with excess supply at the very moment jobs in American have become scarcer. If the Bill passes Obama claims victory and goes about amending the rule to make illegals eligible for U.S. benefits sooner; if the Bill fails, Obama continues to NOT enforce the current policy. What is the point other than to make life harder for working people in America while calling them xenophobes, bigots, and worse?

“I would strap myself to a tower any day,” she said. “If one of those towers ever did come down, it would be the least of our concerns.”

I nominate Ms. Morris for the "American Beauty" Real Estate award for courage and service above and beyond the call of duty. Realtors willing to put their lives on the line to gain a commission are all too rare, imo!

Carter does a good job summing-up the situation about "Common Core."

What the public ought realize, first, however, is that many political leaders and some in education have blamed GA's recent economic decline on "failing schools."

Reform efforts, including this most latest standard, have a long history in GA and the U.S. and almost always are tied to a fear that U.S. competitiveness and living standards are losing ground v. our economic competitors around the world.

It is very important, now, for the public to understand clearly at least one thing: The loss of economic opportunity in America for middle income Americans was NOT caused by the failure of K12 or "higher" education but by the failure of our elected representatives to bolster U.S. competitiveness.

Simply put, our leaders, including Clinton, Reagan, both Bushes, and now Obama have worked to make the U.S. less competitive by instituting polices on trade, labor and capital flows that place the U.S. and U.S. workers at a disadvantage.

Strategic investments in education -- like paying teachers or professors more -- can improve the process and help the standard of living; but they can only do so if complementary policy s are in place to bolster U.S. competitiveness.

In a real sense, we cannot improve our education system before we fix the problems in trade, labor and capital;

On the one hand, standards can force Principals and APs to finally take note of teachers who are actually working hard and doing their jobs; but they also can turn teachers into mere technicians who read from a script and "teach to the test." This latter effect, means, over time, our schools see fewer subject-qualified well-educated and effective teachers; and more specialists with paper degrees, high pay, and little clue about education. There is plenty of money for coaches and SPED teachers who have few real benchmarks to reach, but enjoy better working conditions and higher pay than the teachers who are supposed to produce real results.

The best solution for now is not to imagine what would be best for public schools; but to see public schools as merely one option and allow them to compete with private schools, home schooling and many other options. Too much emphasis on public schools has resulted in raft after raft of laws, rules and regulations that have done much more harm than good. Much of that was unneeded as well, because, again, the education system hadn't failed us; what failed us was our political class who decided to undermine U.S. competitiveness, outsource jobs, and then turn around and blame the whole thing on teachers and schools!

I wonder if the Snowden affair might be a turning point for low-information pro-Bama voters?

After all, Snowden, himself, held out hope that President Obama might intervene and set policy back on a Constitutional course respective of the Bill of Rights, and the privacy of Americans. Only when he became convinced that Obama was "part of the problem" did he spill the beans, and run-off to Hong Kong!

Another way to view government surveillance is to imagine an embattled political leader working hard to retain his own power and purview over the policy apparatus. When surveillance efforts and methods are ratcheted upwards, smart observers ought sense desperation among those leaders. (And if their grip on power ends, what then?)

In America, and around the world, leaders and the media have joined arms to disinform average citizens about the state of affairs; on the one hand they say things are improving; on the other hand, they install an electronic surveillance machine more capable and more pervasive than anything the world has ever known!

This suggests to the King, that there are more problems than there are solutions; and that failed political leaders are beginning to feel the heat; and acting in desperation to keep a grip on things.

Obama was so high and mighty before he took office when he spoke in favor of privacy interests; now, he just says, "it's legal!" He's a fake, is what he is ...

Japan remains the "Mikey" a la the LIFE cereal commercial from a few years back ...

First, they agreed to allow a significant inflation in the value of the Yen at Jim Baker's Plaza Accords; many argue, too, this led directly to the boom and bust in Japanese realty values; and thus directly contributed to the "balance sheet recession" that, so far, has not been remedied; in fact, debt has grown as the government has transferred private debt to the public ledger;

Despite all the concrete poured -- more per sq mi of territory than anywere else in the world! -- the "stimulus" recommendation -- again, from Western economists like Paul Krugman -- didn't work and dug the hole deeper.

NOW you have Mr. Abe, once again, listening to esteemed Western economists and reportedly looking to double the money supply and thus halve the value of the Yen!

Interestingly, Japanese bankers have been "surprised" at the way their equity market has become very volatile and the way lenders have bid up interest rates on BOJ bonds!

They seem to believe they can devalue their currency by 50 percent and stick investors with a 50 percent loss and everything will work out ok! Aside from turmoil in the bond markets, one wonders if the political authorities believe fixed-income Japanese citizens will fair well when their incomes are cut neatly in half! (Either they will spend all they have and quickly; they will commit hari kari; or they will ask their leadership team to jump from a very tall building and without a parachute!)

And now, American economists wish the U.S. would import not only Japanese cars but their wacky, wont-work, digs the hole deeper, brand of voodoo economics?

You are correct about their relatively mild economic situation; but they were a surplus country for many years and they had a lot of savings; which, by the way, people are supposed to do: Save for a rainy day!

Putting this policy in place in America -- generating much higher inflation -- ought to finish off, for good, middle and low income Americans!

No thank you!

This time, Mikey's got a funny look on his face, and is running for the bathroom to do God only knows what!

***
"I'd suggest in lieu of this "ancient text" from the era when Japan was essentially a "protected" economy that one read instead "The Price of Inequality" by the author of the NYT piece."

No! I wanted readers to click on the link and realize the text was written just before the Japanese economy went into a tailspin! IN OTHER WORDS, economic fortunes can be turned around in a very short period of time and that can happen when policy-makers take dumb advice!

Long-term economic sustainability and prosperity generally take many years to achieve; the boom-and-bust Frankenstein economy is ALWAYS a matter of get-rich-quick policy fixes that are NEVER sustainable!. Like Japan, people are NOT starving in America, though wages have fallen and many are unemployed. Don't make a bad situation worse with half-baked, experimental measures designed to "turn the economy back on" in a matter of days or months.

In America we are hostage to proud, conceited financial engineers and economists longing to prove their worth, and perform miracles! We'd be better off jettisoning them into deep space, and allowing the economy to re-start on its own.

@Shalmaneser: Rallying cry of Marx, huh?

For me, the pitch was to tamp-down any accusation that the King was simply another immigrant-hating GOP party member.

BUT, in a real sense we have only domestic constituencies, in America, and other states who could possibly re-implement nativist immigration policies; I think instead of this, we'll continue to call these groups bigots, and further open the doors to a free flow of excess labor.

Recent revelations about the ability of the U.S. government to gather data against political opponents -- and the IRS Tea Party Inquisition -- both signal a surging, robust counter-intelligence effort designed to punish, intimidate and persecute domestic critics both of U.S. policy and global technocratic policy.

On the left, there is still confusion about what is up; they are content to believe they stand-up, again, for civil rights for new immigrants and against racial profiling and xenophobia. Instead, they are dupes working in support of global policies that have done so much to harm working Americans and others around the planet.

As global "touchy-feely" liberal progroms are announced and implemented at higher and higher rates -- such as the effort, globally, to legalize gay marriage; expand equal rights to women around the world; etc. -- enlightened liberals believe they are a part of something really big that is finally bringing justice to the oppressed here and around the globe; but on the ground in Greece and in America and elsewhere, real lives and opportunity are declining, not expanding; freeing gays to marry and women to drive are cold comfort when the bottom-line living experience is ground into the dust,. STILL, liberals cannot get past their sense of pride, entitlement and enlightenment to take a look at the net effects not of the gay rights movement, but of the OTHER -- along for the ride -- effects of globalization.

Globalization Agenda:
Free flow of labor, capital and trade goods across country borders to bolster capital returns and the profits of global bankers who manage the entire affair. Net effect: Transformation of the relationship between labor and capital; capital is advanced by undermining labor.

Problem: Global labor market depression; transfer of wealth from workers not employed in monopolies; transfer of wealth and power to global elites and technocrats. Ultimately, unsustainable as domestic constituencies -- say in Greece -- rise up and march political leaders to the gallows.

@EducateGeorgia: Votes? Do you mean to ask which side (GOP v. Democrat) will 'win' the majority of the 'new' voters? Or do you mean to ask if the Bill will get enough votes to pass?

Rush has claimed it is all about democrats attempting to gain a voting majority by driving more hispanic voters into their camp; as I noted, above, latin immigrants are often more conservative than the democratic party so it's unlikely either establishment would see clear majorities; it's a wash, probably.

Even though both Presidents Hoover and Roosevelt did crack down on immigration quotas, I'd guess the situation, then, was different in the sense that prior to the crisis -- over a period of say, about two decades -- both of our political parties, especially the Presidents, actively worked to undermine enforcement of the rules and suborned an illegal population now variously estimated to number from 10-13 million.

I'd guess either the bill passes, and another round of amnesty ensues, or the bill doesn't pass AND the same thing occurs because the Executive will continue to undermine, and not enforce the current rules: Then "reform" IS pointless!

This ought mean the U.S. faces both an oversupply in labor and a surge in separatist politics (as latins fight for power v. native blacks and whites) simultaneously. Of course, such separatism is nothing new and easily tolerated when the economy and labor force is fully employed; the difference, at the present time, is the fact that so many Americans are un or under-employed. THAT means higher tensions and an increased likelihood of actual fights between different groups in the battle to gain and keep jobs. Over time, if job opportunity remains flat or even declines, one would expect a rising surge of separatist politics that further divides large ethnic groups including whites, blacks and hispanics. In one sense, this would be a maturation of American politics along the lines of what we see in more diverse countries around the planet. Most Americans still believe they live in a "melting pot," and have little experience or knowledge about the reality of identity politics -- and their implications, including racial and ethnic tensions; etc.

@mpd0.59: Well, I heard the July food bank distribution will allot t-bone steaks on a first come, first serve basis. Would you mind reviewing the legal filings and letting me know if the rumor is "less than honest, blatantly misleading, or out right frauds?"