I'm excited I managed to complete my reading goals last week. I finished reading Incarnation, and I finally read Seed which was such a great read. I'm giving away a copy of Incarnation, so be sure to fill out the rafflecopter before the giveaway ends tonight.
I just started reading The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater. It got really great reviews last week so I'm checking out what all of the buzz is about!
I may break down and read Ashen Winter by Mike Mullin this week. It's not released for another month almost, but I can hardly stand to wait any longer.
Otherwise, I will go where my reading mood takes me! I hope you guys have a really great week filled with lots of great reads.
Reading whatever you feel like is great. I tend to plan ahead, but this month I've been waiting to choose my next read until I've finished the one before it.
I think that's the best way to choose your next book. My mood shifts regularly between books.
I'm having trouble getting in The Raven Boys so far, but I'm going to give it more time. I really want to read Ashen Winter sooner than later!
I love that: I'll go where my reading mood takes me. Just how I feel this week too.
:D I'm trying to get back to listening to my mood more these days.
I've got 3 books I want to read, but sometimes I am easily tempted by others! ;o) Have a great week of reading.
Stiefvater is an excellent author - loved her werewolf series. REally written differently than whats out there right now.
The Raven Boys is the first book I've read by Stiefvater. She seems to have a big following, though.
I enjoyed the Shiver series so I am interested to see how readers are enjoying The Raven Boys. I tend to have a line up of review books so I rarely get to go where my reading mood might lead me. I may try that one month soon. Happy Reading!
I try to accept very few review books these days so I can read more for pleasure. Happy reading to you, too!
My reading is definitely dependent on my mood. That's why I tend to start a new book rather than finishing one I really, really should!
Oops, I do that, too!
I'm glad you accomplished your reading goals. My favorite book this week was Tuesdays at the Castle by Jessica Day George. Please come see what I'm reading now.
I finished a lot of books last week. I have no idea what I'm reading next.
Here's my It's Monday! What Are You Reading? I hope you will stop by!
Options are good - as long as you don't have the book plague and nothing sounds good!
I just picked up The Raven Boys and have heard great thinks about Ashen Winter!
You have a really great week, too!
I think I have Raven Boys for free from Amazon. The cover isn't that appealing but I heard it's great!
Love how you let the mood take you towards your next reads.. hate how my review schedule inhibits that option. Enjoy your week! Here's my Monday post.
SEED and RAVEN BOYS are both in my TBR stack as we speak. i have to do some catch up reading but once that's through I plan to dive into some horror since that's what I'm definitely in the mood for of late!
Hey, Becky! Horror is a GREAT mood to be in. :) You will definitely love Seed if you are in the horror mood.
I keep hearing great things about Raven Boys, I hope you're enjoying it.
I hear you. I have to be careful not to check a book out until I'm ready!
I love the cover of The Raven Boys!
I really want to read Raven Boys!! Its my mission to track it down this week to read next week.
I'm having that same mission with Ten right now. :) I hope you get a copy soon!
I have so much love for the Raven Boys!! I also have Ashen Winter, but I really need to read the first book first!
I'm hoping to get really hooked into The Raven Boys soon. Yes! You do need to read Ashfall!!
I hope you are enjoying your reads this week!
I can't wait to hear what you think of The Raven Boys.


Don't just wrap your presents this year... make a box to remember with your laser for your loved ones! Easily laser cut and assemble this gorgeous box and tags set with our free design files.
Download our design file (PDF or SVG) and insert into your laser program. Run the job and you will end up with four large side pieces and two slotted squares.
Notch the four rectangular side pieces into the smaller of the two square pieces to form an open box. Using preferably wood glue, glue the pieces together and press firmly together. Allow to dry.
Notch the remaining side pieces into the lid as you did with the bottom then glue.
Glue a decorative top panel to the box to hide the notches and give it a festive flair!
Step 5: Decorate With Paint, Glitter, and More!
Finish off the festive look by staining or painting the outside of the box and making it as decorative as you'd like! Throw some glitter on, stamp it with more snowflakes or glue more 3D decor on. Whoever you're giving it to is going to LOVE it!


text:
Q: AppDelegate - unrecognized selector sent to instance I'm a total Newbie to iOS programming and need to [quickly] port a Cordova application to iOS. I have encountered the error below while trying to replicate a project found here.
What could be the cause and how can I solve it without going deep into the code? (If possible)
AppDelegate getCommandInstance:]: unrecognized selector sent to instance <instance>
ebKit discarded an uncaught exception in the
webView:decidePolicyForNavigationAction:request:frame:decisionListener: delegate:
<NSInvalidArgumentException> -[AppDelegate getCommandInstance:]: unrecognized selector
sent to instance <instance>

Thanks.
[Edit]
AppDelegate.h has the lines below
@property (nonatomic, retain) IBOutlet UIWindow* window;
@property (nonatomic, retain) IBOutlet CDVViewController* viewController;

AppDelegate.m has
CGRect screenBounds = [[UIScreen mainScreen] bounds];
self.window = [[[UIWindow alloc] initWithFrame:screenBounds] autorelease];
self.window.autoresizesSubviews = YES;

and
[self.window addSubview:self.viewController.view];
[self.window makeKeyAndVisible];

[Edit]
This is the only portion of code that refers to getCommandInstance, which is mentioned in the error as can be seen above. This snippet is found in SQLitePlugin.m
-(CDVPlugin*) initWithWebView:(UIWebView*)theWebView
{
self = (SQLitePlugin*)[super initWithWebView:theWebView];
if (self) {
    openDBs = [NSMutableDictionary dictionaryWithCapacity:0];
    [openDBs retain];

    CDVFile* pgFile = [[self appDelegate] getCommandInstance: @"org.apache.cordova.file"];
    NSString *docs = [pgFile appDocsPath];
    [self setAppDocsPath:docs];

}
return self;

}

A: First your question is unclear but i assume that is should be
On AppDelegate.h
@property (nonatomic, strong) UINavigationController *navigationController;

On AppDelegate.m  I'm NOT sure but you may be write as
self.window.rootViewController = self.viewController;

It is wrong so, you need to change as like  this
    self.navigationController = [[UINavigationController alloc] initWithRootViewController:self.viewController];
    self.window.rootViewController = self.navigationController;

A: It seems that you simply should cast your application delegate from base class to the one from your project. For example, if this line causes crash
[[[UIApplication sharedApplication] delegate] getCommandInstance: someVar];

and your application delegate is, for example, MyAppDelegate, then just add cast
[((MyAppDelegate*)[[UIApplication sharedApplication] delegate]) getCommandInstance: someVar];

of course, in case of your own application delegate implements this method.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Q: Number of parallel build jobs in recursive make call I have a makefile which wraps the real build in a single recursive call, in order to grab and release a license around the build, regardless of whether the build succeeds. Example:
.PHONY main_target
main_target:
    @license_grab &
    @sleep 2
    -@$(MAKE) real_target
    @license_release

This works great, until I want to run the make in parallel. On some systems it works fine, but on other systems I run into the documented problem with the -j flag when passing options to a sub-make:

If your operating system doesn't support the above communication, then
  '-j 1' is always put into MAKEFLAGS instead of the value you
  specified. This is because if the '-j' option were passed down to
  sub-makes, you would get many more jobs running in parallel than you
  asked for.

Since I only ever have one recursive call, I'd really like to pass the -j flag untouched to the sub-make. I don't want to hard-code the -j flag (with a number) into the makefile, because the makefile runs on multiple machines, with differing numbers of processors. I don't want to use -j with no limit, because that launches a bunch of processes right away rather than waiting for jobs to finish. I tried using the -l flag when I build, but I found that the limit doesn't apply right away, probably because limits don't apply until make can start sampling.
Is there a way to force a sub-make to use multiple jobs? Or, a way to make the -l flag actually accomplish something?
I think I could do it using a makefile modification like using -@$(MAKE) $(JOBS) real_target, and invoking make like make JOBS="-j4" main_target.
But, I'd prefer to just use standard make parameters, not adding extra dependencies on variables. I'd also prefer to modify the makefile as little as possible.

A: There is no way to change this behavior on systems which don't support jobserver capabilities.  Something like your JOBS variable is the only way I can think of.
I'll point out a few things: first, I assume when you say other systems you mean Windows systems: that's the only commonly-used platform I'm aware of which doesn't support the jobserver.  If so, note that as of GNU make version 4.0, jobserver support is implemented on Windows.  So another option is to upgrade to a newer version of GNU make.
Second, the issues with the -l option were at least partly solved in GNU make version 3.81, where an extra algorithm was introduced to artificially adjust the load average based on the number of jobs make invokes.  You shouldn't see this issue any longer with versions of make after that.

A: The problem is that for whatever reason my make does not support the job server, thus it does not pass the -j flag on in the $(MAKEFLAGS) variable. Since upgrading make to a version that does pass the flag is not an option, the solution is to pass the -j flag elsewhere. Just like the $(MAKE) variable can be abused to pass the -f flag, it can be used in the same way to pass the -j flag:
make MAKE="make -j4" main_target

This will start the main_target build with one job, but invoke make with 4 jobs on the sub-make process. Obviously, if you need a special make tool (the normal purpose of $(MAKE) then you'll need to specify it in the MAKE string as well as in the command.


text:
Rock Royalty Launches Sir Robin's New Boat
Saga Insurance named and champagne-d in run-up to Velux 5 Oceans
Sir Robin Knox-Johnston's Open 60 Saga Insurance was officially named by Queen drummer Roger Taylor at Gunwharf Keys, Portsmouth yesterday. The British yachtsman is preparing to race the newly-sponsored boat in the Velux 5 Ocean race this October.
It may be 37 years since Sir Robin, the oldest skipper in the 5 Oceans fleet, set the record as the first person to sail single-handed non-stop round the world, but the 67-year-old hasn't had much time to think about it:
'While there has been much curiosity about my position as the oldest skipper taking part, I have been far too busy living life and getting everything in place for a successful campaign to ponder the subject of age!'
Sir Robin has certainly been busy with the new project over the last few months; not only completing the necessary solo qualifying passage, but overseeing a major refit of the boat in preparation for the difficult offshore conditions that lie ahead.
You can see the yacht at Gunwharf Quays this weekend; next week Sir Robin and Saga Insurance will leave British waters to make final preparations in Bilbao, Spain, from where the race starts on 22 October.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Can anyone tell me whats wrong with picture?
Skill: Max reps of DU in 2 minutes.
Say no to drugs! Do it for your bestfriend.
OK crew here are times from Jan…if you did it then I expect that you will beat your time, if not then you have a 20 burpee penalty!
Next week I am opening up an 8:30-9:30 am wod time on Tues. & Thurs. Please let me know who to expect. New gym is coming along…we can all go out for a field trip on Sat. and check it out 🙂 We should be in there hopefully the 2nd week of March, which is just in time for the CrossFit games challenges! I put up a link on upcoming events with more information. We are hoping to do a swim wod next week lead by TMNT at the pool (always expect the unexpected in CrossFit). We still need to know if anyone wants to order sweatshirts with the new Dragonfire logo so I can get the order in and sizing. Cost will probably end up being $30.00 per sweatshirt (We will just charge what it costs us to have them made). Lastly I just want to say we are so very lucky to have such a great crew! Please keep up the neverending mobility work and eating healthy!
Skill: Two attempts to get your fastest 500 meter row.
Note: Plan for a swimming WOD at Gresham high school on Tuesday March 8 at 5:30 pm. Please RSVP for a head count. No extra charge for CFDF members. Remember to bring proper attire (No man thongs Ted!) Be ready to get our drown on! See you at the bottom.
Lift: warm up press then find your max.
Hung and I wanted to throw out a congratulations to Bob & Ted this week who both got their kipping pullup! They did both have pullups before but could not connect a kip so this is a big step to faster wods and awesome looking callused hands- GREAT WORK GUYS!
Here is a look at our new logo. This is not the final draft, but it should be very simular to this. Please let Michele or I know if you are interested in getting T-shirts, sweat shirts, and our work thongs made. We will just need your money…I mean your sizes, number of shirts, and color you prefer. I believe we will have, blue, white, and black to choose from. Just send an email to me at crossfitdragonfire@gmail.com with the information.
There will be a make up wod tonight if you come sometime around 5, at the latest around 5:45. You can make up a wod that you missed or you can do skill work.
These movements are not for time.
SAME WEIGHT FOR ALL THE LIFTS.


text:
1topfinance
Home Economy Alabama NFL roundup: Marlon Humphrey on the money for Ravens
Alabama NFL roundup: Marlon Humphrey on the money for Ravens
Baltimore Ravens cornerback Marlon Humphrey signed a five-year contract extension worth a reported $98.75 million on Thursday. On Sunday, the former Hoover High School and Alabama standout showed why the Ravens were willing to make him one of the highest-paid cornerbacks in the NFL.
During Baltimore's 31-17 victory over the Washington Football Team, Humphrey reached a career high with nine tackles, broke up a pass and, in a play that's becoming his calling card, forced a fumble.
On a pass completed behind the line of scrimmage during Washington's second possession, Humphrey stripped the football from running back J.D. McKissic, a former standout at Central High School in Phenix City.
Ravens cornerback Marcus Peters recovered the loose football at the Washington 34-yard line. Two snaps later, former Alabama All-American Mark Ingram plunged into the end zone from 1 yard out for the game's first points.
"It seemed like they were having some success, and they were stopping our offense a little bit," Humphrey said, "so we were not playing great at the beginning, and I was able to get a turnover early on there and was able to catch us a little momentum, so it was really good to get a big play in that first quarter."
Humphrey has forced two fumbles in the past three games. He also had two forced fumbles last season, when he earned first-team All-Pro recognition.
"However way we can get a turnover, it's big for the team," Humphrey said. "We have analytics guys that show if you can get a turnover here, it equates to this many points and all these different things, so the biggest thing that you can have on defense is a defense that creates turnovers, whether it's an interception or a forced fumble or sack — that's not a turnover, but it's still a big (play). So whatever I can do and whatever the defense can do to get a turnover is always huge."
AFTER SIGNING BIG DEAL, MARLON HUMPHREY BATTLES TEARS TALKING ABOUT HIS DAD
Humphrey was among the 37 former Alabama players who got on the field on the fourth Sunday of the NFL's 101st season.
Ten other former Alabama players were at the Baltimore-Washington game:
· Jonathan Allen started at defensive tackle for Washington. Allen made three tackles.
· Washington defensive end Ryan Anderson (Daphne) made a tackle for loss.
· Anthony Averett started at cornerback for the Ravens. Averett reached a career high with five tackles and broke up a pass.
· Bradley Bozeman (Handley) started at left guard for the Ravens.
· Landon Collins started at strong safety for Washington. Collins made eight tackles.
· D.J. Fluker (Foley) started at right offensive tackle for the Ravens. Fluker filled in for All-Pro tackle Ronnie Stanley, who missed the past two days of practice because of a shoulder injury.
· Washington linebacker Shaun Dion Hamilton (Carver-Montgomery) made two tackles.
· Mark Ingram started at running back for the Ravens. Ingram ran for 34 yards and a touchdown on eight carries and caught a 3-yard pass.
· Daron Payne (Shades Valley) started at defensive tackle for Washington. Payne made five tackles and registered a quarterback hit.
· Washington wide receiver Cam Sims caught two passes for 17 yards. Sims entered the game with two receptions for 27 yards in his NFL career.
In the other Sunday games:
Carolina Panthers 31, Arizona Cardinals 21
· Kenyan Drake started at running back for the Cardinals. Drake ran for 35 yards on 13 carries. Drake left the game for the locker room after a hard hit on Arizona's final possession.
· Cardinals cornerback Dre Kirkpatrick (Gadsden City) made three tackles.
· Deionte Thompson started at safety for the Cardinals. Thompson made nine tackles and broke up a pass in his first start of the season. The second-year player had 22 tackles and no pass breakups in his 13 NFL games entering Sunday's contest. His previous game high for tackles was four.
Cincinnati Bengals 33, Jacksonville Jaguars 25
· Bengals cornerback Tony Brown played but did not record any stats.
· Cam Robinson started at left offensive tackle for the Jaguars.
· Jonah Williams started at left offensive tackle for the Bengals.
Cleveland Browns 49, Dallas Cowboys 38
· Amari Cooper started at wide receiver for the Cowboys. Cooper caught 12 passes for 134 yards and one touchdown. Cooper scored on a 20-yard play as Dallas took a 14-7 lead with 2:08 left in the first quarter. Cooper tied his career single-game high for receptions, matching his 12 receptions on Oct. 30, 2016. Cooper recorded his 21st 100-yard performance of his 81-game career and second of the season. Cooper also recorded the third 2-point conversion of his career, scoring on a run instead of a reception as Dallas cut Cleveland's lead to 41-38 with 3:42 to play.
· Trevon Diggs started at cornerback for the Cowboys. Diggs made eight tackles and registered his first NFL sack.
· Browns safety Ronnie Harrison broke up a pass.
· Cowboys cornerback Saivion Smith played but did not record any stats.
· Jedrick Wills started at left offensive tackle for the Browns. Cleveland ran for 307 yards, the most ever yielded in a game by Dallas.
· Browns linebacker Mack Wilson (Carver-Montgomery) made one tackle.
New Orleans Saints 35, Detroit Lions 29
· Lions defensive lineman Da'Shawn Hand made one tackle.
· Lions linebacker Reggie Ragland (Bob Jones) made six tackles, including his first sack of the season. Ragland entered the game with four tackles.
Minnesota Vikings 31, Houston Texans 23
· Texans quarterback AJ McCarron (St. Paul's Episcopal) did not play.
· Vikings tight end Irv Smith Jr. played but did not record any stats.
Seattle Seahawks 31, Miami Dolphins 23
· Dolphins defensive tackle Raekwon Davis played but did not record any stats.
· Jarran Reed started at defensive tackle for the Seahawks. Reed made two tackles.
· Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa did not play.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 38, Los Angeles Chargers 31
· Buccaneers tight end O.J. Howard (Autauga Academy) caught three passes for 50 yards and one touchdown. Howard scored on a 28-yard reception, but in the fourth quarter, he was carted off the field with a leg injury.
BUCS FEAR O.J. HOWARD SUFFERED SEASON-ENDING INJURY
· Chargers long snapper Cole Mazza handled the snaps on four extra-point kicks, three punts and two field-goal attempts.
· Chargers nose tackle Damion Square made two tackles.
Los Angeles Rams 17, New York Giants 9
· Dalvin Tomlinson started at nose tackle for the Giants. Tomlinson made two tackles, including one behind the line of scrimmage, and broke up a pass.
Indianapolis Colts 19, Chicago Bears 11
· Eddie Jackson started at safety for the Bears. Jackson made five tackles, including one behind the line of scrimmage.
· Ryan Kelly started at center for the Colts.
Buffalo Bills 30, Las Vegas Raiders 23
· Josh Jacobs started at running back for the Raiders. Jacobs ran for 48 yards on 15 carries and caught three passes for 25 yards. Jacobs' average of 3.2 yards per carry was the worst for a game during his NFL career.
· Raiders wide receiver Henry Ruggs III (Lee-Montgomery) was designated as a game-day inactive. Ruggs did not practice during the week and was listed on the Las Vegas injury report as having a knee/hamstring injury.
· Levi Wallace started at right cornerback for the Bills. Wallace did not record any stats before leaving the game with an ankle injury.
· Bills running T.J. Yeldon (Daphne) played but did not record any stats.
Philadelphia Eagles 25, San Francisco 49ers 20
· Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts had three carries for 18 yards. Hurts had a 14-yard run, but he also had a mishandled snap that lost 8 yards.
Week 4 of the 2020 NFL season started on Thursday night with the Denver Broncos' 37-28 victory over the New York Jets. Jerry Jeudy scored his first NFL touchdown on a 48-yard reception for the Broncos.
Week 4 concludes on Monday, when the New England Patriots visit the Kansas City Chiefs at 6:05 p.m. CDT and the Atlanta Falcons visit the Green Bay Packers at 7:50 p.m. CBS will televise the earlier game, and ESPN will televise the later game.
The Patriots-Chiefs game had been scheduled for Sunday, but a positive COVID-19 test from each team, including New England quarterback Cam Newton, caused the contest to be rescheduled.
FOR MORE OF AL.COM'S COVERAGE OF THE NFL, GO TO OUR NFL PAGE
Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1.
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text:
The Left's War Against Trump and the Media
Tags: Anti Science, Clinton, Congress, Congressional Black Caucus, Democrats, Demonstration, Donald, Elites, Fake News, Fascism, Fascist Threat, Hillary, Kings, Land Owners, Leftist, Manufaturers, Masses, Middle of the Road Voter Myth, Middle Voters, Political Center, President, Privileged Class, Queens, Represrntative Elijah Cummings, Republicans, Riots, Roman Catholic Church, The Church, Trump, Wealthy, Winston Churchill
Well, the leftist temper tantrum is a month old today so it only seemed right to acknowledge the courage, dedication and stamina of so many of these demonstrators to continue this long and with such enthusiasm, it is almost admirable. One might ask to what end they believe they are working towards but that would be silly, they have made that evidently clear. Their aim is to drive President Trump from office and put the rightful winner of the election in the Oval Office, Hillary Clinton. Somebody should inform them that there is a huge snag in their plan, that darned Constitution thing again. Drive Donald Trump from office and then there will be Mike Pence taking the Oath of Office. And should they then chase Mike Pence from office before he could have his appointment for his replacement through the Senate, something their allies in the Senate appear to be quite adept at doing, then the Speaker of the House, Paul Ryan, would become the President. I'm not sure if this force Trump from office idea has been completely thought out as each step appears to make things get even worse as people more familiar with how to get things through Washington come into power and each time with even further right views. As a matter of fact, if one goes through the entire list of progression you need to go really deep, wait a minute, no, Hillary Clinton is nowhere on that list whatsoever. Well, perhaps they have some other ideas on how to get Hillary Clinton or whomever they desire into the Oval Office, though short of a revolution I do not see how. We gave that idea a brief glancing concern in our article The Fascist Playbook is Being Repeated Now all in hopes that whoever and whatever is behind, pushing and financing these protests, and especially the senseless violence, are not hoping to force a revolution and end the great experiment in self-governance which is the United States of America.
There has always been a group of elitists who held that mankind is too ignorant, too stupid, too impatient, too selfish, too immature, too anything you could mention to be permitted the luxury of ruling themselves. Initially they were the royalty, the emperors, kings, queens, barons and the land owners. At the same time there was a second group who also believed mankind, including the ruling class of kings, queens, etcetera were too limited in all manner of ways to rule themselves; this was the Church centered in Rome. The kings and queens and their ilk figured their exceptional breeding made them the special chosen by Hashem to rule and this gave them the right and wisdom to rule. That idea does not even deserve argument as a simple perusing through the kings and queens and other nobles and one sees they were so wrong as many were seriously flawed and ignorant little people. The Church was a different subject as the Church could rely on a group intellect which gave them a better position for wisdom and proper rule but they too had a damning limitation, their reliance on the Bible as they interpreted it and their blindness to science and change. They saw science as a threat rather than a tool and refused to use any of its wisdom or ideas which had them living with falsehoods similar to the fake news of today. The Church splintered in the Protestant Reformation and never recovered their lost power and today only maintains an advisory role with merely a fragment of their former power. Now there are some elites with great wealth who believe their wealth means they have the superior abilities and should craft the society in their images. One such is George Soros who once stated, "I carried some rather potent messianic fantasies with me from childhood, which I felt I had to control otherwise they might get me into trouble." Just like those elitists from the past, today's wunderkind are just as clueless and blind to their weaknesses and faults which will have their attempts to guide humanity fail just as have the previous attempts. There is another group which has always believed they are actually the ones who should lead the whole of humankind as they have this concept where the savior is government and if only the government with its collective wisdom was granted ultimate power they could solve every problem and steer society through all the potential storms, threats and difficulties.
George Soros who once stated,
"I carried some rather potent messianic fantasies
with me from childhood, which I felt I had to control
otherwise they might get me into trouble."
This group is made up of predominantly the socialist, big government, regulation intensive leftists. These politically active individuals believe that they are correct and know the only solutions which could possibly work and insist that because of their superior intellects and greater education and other singular attributes, they should be the sole people to hold the reins of power. That is the problem, their selected candidate, Hillary Clinton, somehow was not as unbeatable as the media had painted her during the campaign. Making matters all the worse, the candidate who won the election was, according to the leftist elites, an idiot and incompetent buffoon full of bluster, braggadocios and simple minded to boot. They view President Donald Trump as completely unfit to hold the office of President and are willing to go to any extent to remove him from office and place somebody who is knowledgeable and competent into the Oval Office. One recent example comes from President Trump's claim that he has tried and tried to arrange a meeting with Maryland Representative and Chairman of the Congressional Black Congress Elijah Cummings stating inferring actuality that, "He [Congressman Elijah Cummings], wanted it [a meeting], but we called, called, called, called. They can't make a meeting with him. Every day I walk in I say, 'I would like to meet with him, because I do want to solve the problem.' But he probably was told by [Senator Chuck] Schumer or somebody like that — some other lightweight — he was probably told, 'Don't meet with Trump. It's bad politics.' And that's part of the problem with this country." It will be a matter of time, if it has not already happened, that some journalist or political figure will come out stating that they have talked with or have it on the highest authority that Donald Trump has not asked to meet Representative Cummings more than one reference in a speech somewhere or that Senator Schumer has not told Representative Cummings whether or not to meet with the President, that is if they refer to President Trump by his office or simply as Donald Trump as some have a habit claiming he is not dignified, intelligent, decent or sophisticated enough to deserve such reference. Apparently for Donald Trump winning the election was insufficient for him to have earned being referred to as President, imagine if such were to have been said of Hillary Clinton had she won the election by the Wall Street Journal or Glen Beck; the liberal media would come unglued.
Then there is the whole dust-up over "Fake News" and all which such entails. There have been some misleading stories and other simply made-up out of whole cloth stories either making the "Fake News" label valid or the entire "Fake News" story is "Fake News" all depending on which side of the political spectrum one resides. That is the basis of the problem in the United States, which we had pointed to first with The Mirage of the Unaligned Middle Voters back on June 17, 2011 and much later in Republicans Need a Real, Honest and True Blue Candidate on February 18, 2016, is the near complete lack of a true and palpable number of middle of the political spectrum voters. The American public has split nearly evenly and has polarized near completely. This has been the case for quite some time and everybody in the game understands this though often they wish to deny such and claim there is still huge numbers of middle of the road votes to be had. The media likes to pretend that there are votes to be gained by catering to the middle and running a campaign to match. Often we will see the Democrat candidate make speeches sounding out middle of the road principles and the media making a big deal about the Democrats playing it smart and running towards the middle. The reality is their voters are fully aware that it is all an act made to try and force the republican candidate to do likewise. Often this ploy in tandem with the media trumpeting the wisdom and campaign advisors who still remember what can only be called 'the good old days' when winning the middle of the road vote was essential and they advise the Republican to fish in those same waters as the Democrat using the old agenda that the true conservatives have no other choice and they may as well compete for the middle voters against the Democrats. The problem is in recent elections the conservative voters have been burned so often they stay home if they doubt the true intentions of the Republican candidate hoping that by doing so they can force the Republicans to nominate a true and real conservative. The Republicans, for reasons unknown, continued to play for the nonexistent center and lose with few exceptions. This last election Donald Trump refused to run to the center and simply stayed on his message and battled head to head with the media and his formula won.
The media is upset with President Trump because he did not fall for their trap of moving to the middle which would have cost him the election. They are upset that President Trump appears to have gotten the better of the media by winning the election. They have become even further enraged because President Trump refuses to let up on their biases and have been giving as good as he has gotten. They are furious that he defeated Hillary Clinton, the candidate they had all but elected a week before the election and that President Trump has not been humble in his victory and refuses to allow himself to be humbled by the media. He has called the media out for their lies and false accusations against him. The media simply wants President Trump to respect them as the holders of the holy grail by telling the stories as they see fit except President Trump just continues to insist on telling the stories his way and managing to get his side out to the people with or without the media. His Tweets drive them completely up the wall and into the crazy places of the attic as it allows President Trump access to his supporters without going through the formerly all-powerful media. He ignores them and then goads them whenever he deals with them. President Trump refuses to respect the media in the way they have grown accustomed to having politicians grovel. That President Trump basically used the media as an arm of his campaign by using a mixture of policy statements and completely ludicrous and taunting statements which they carried. The media saw Donald Trump as a series of insane commentary and ignored his policy statements while carrying them because they saw them as wrong-headed and unpopular while his supporters ignored his inane, insane, accusational statements which the media took as so important and loved his message and policy statements to heart and these won him the election. The election came down to the media and Democrat Party and Hillary Clinton using their tried and true personal attacks and characterization of Trump as a dangerous and evil, hateful and mean-spirited old fool while Trump ignored every nasty attack except for the occasional quoting of these nasty commentaries or mean coverage and otherwise stuck to his message pretending that he had seldom heard a discouraging word. In the end message won over accusations. The biggest drawing from the Trump campaign was the message on immigration while the most crucial is the one least talked about as if to talk about it is stepping on the third rail of journalism, but we are not journalists or normal, so here it is as plain as we can state it, the reason that Trump won. Donald Trump remembered from history that the British said much the same disparaging things calling Winston Churchill an old fool ringing the bells of war and hatred and seeing evil hiding behind every tree and that that same old fool saved the Western World from the evil clutches of fascism. Trump also sees a rising fascism in the world in the form of radicalized Islamic extremism and names it as such and Hillary Clinton claims there is no such threat and wanted to open the floodgates allowing in as many refugees from areas where just such threats are most rampant. Donald Trump saw the danger and Hillary Clinton did not thus Donald Trump won because he was willing to call things exactly as they appear and Hillary Clinton insisted on painting pretty pictures of Kumbaya and Shangri-La where nothing was wrong and everybody was playing nice together. That was the deciding factor and nobody really wants to talk about it in the media, nobody.
Election Leaves Need for Safe Spaces
Filed under: 2016 Elections,2020 Election,24/7 News Reporting,Administration,Apocalypse,Appointment,Cabinet,Civil Disobedience,Civilization,College,College Campus,Congress,Consequences,Demonstrations,Donald Trump,Elections,Equal Responsibility,Equal Rights,Equal Treatment,Equality,Extreme Leftist,Facebook,Fascism,Free Speech,Government,Hate,Hillary Clinton,House of Representatives,Human Rights Activists,International Politics,Israel,Leftist Pressures,Liberals,Mainstream Media,Media,Media Bias,Multiculturalism,Political Identity,Politically Correct,Politically Incorrect,Politicized Findings,Politics,President,Protests,Republican,Riots,Secular Interests,Senate,The Donald,Tribe,United States,World Media,World Opinion — qwertster @ 3:27 AM
Tags: Apocalypse, College Students, Coloring Books, Demonstration, Donald Trump, Election, Hillary Clinton, President, Puppy Cuddling, Really, Riots, Safe Spaces, Shock Therapy, United States
This election of Donald Trump to be the next President of the United States has really stressed me out. I am reeling and in dire need of a series of safe spaces in near every place which I visit. I go get coffee at my usual place and there it is in my face, Donald Trump will be President come January 20, 2017. Dinner out, more Trump is pushed in my face. Where are my safe spaces like all those lucky college children have access to while their professors cancel exams and hold weep-ins instead of lectures. Even going to the grocery store and you pass the newsstand where you are reminded about President elect Trump and all that entails and there will always be somebody who just has to discuss the election and if unlucky the checkout person who might just decide to want to speak about the election knowing I blog on politics. There is absolutely no way to run to a safe place when at the checkout counters. One cannot escape waiters, especially those who know you blog politics, from their asking your take on Donald Trump. Where are my safe spaces from these people who insist on knowing what my advice is to survive the coming apocalypse known as the Trump Presidency? Where do I go to escape these hurt feeling leftists who automatically believe because I appear intelligent (and who knows, I might actually be intelligent, but that is not for me to claim) I must be appalled by Trump winning the election. Honestly, we who actually are glad that Trump won need safe places from these leftists who believe that Trump won without anybody actually supporting his candidacy. They even believe that there cannot be anybody in their lives who might support Trump. Then, lastly, why am I being so silly as everybody knows that supporters of Trump are not allowed in safe places. Trump supporters are evil and must be shrieked at in a fashion eerily resembling the pod people from Invasion of the Body Snatchers.
Then there are the ongoing horrors on the faces when these mind-numbed people finally figure out the bored and fed up look on your face is not your traumatized look due to Trump being elected but your growing impatience with people assuming you could never have supported such a person. Funny, that is how I feel about people who voted for Hillary Clinton. These infantile people think that if they continually bombard you with question on how you can explain how each appointee can be explained or even pretend to have any experience which would qualify them for each position. Really? Like how can a retired general who commanded military intelligence could ever be considered qualified to be security advisor since he did not take the right elective courses, attend Columbia, Harvard or Yale, and obviously does not possess the sensitivity to feel the right direction and how to softly apply American presence in such a manner as to not upset any snowflakes who are currently coloring books, playing with play-dough, cuddling puppies and sipping herbal teas hoping to continue at these projects until somebody sensitive is elected to the Presidency.
There has to be a way to permit those so taken out-of-sorts by a simple election not agreeing with their perceived correct choice, to opt out of any future election. As their ability to understand any differing opinion than their own is to opt out of any activity within the real world and allow them to continue with their puppy cuddling, coloring-book coloring, tea sipping and joint primal screaming sessions insulated from the real world so it does not hurt them and their influence does not harm the rest of us. There are those who chose Hillary Clinton for actual reasoning and who can actually explain why they did so and also explain why the idea of a President Trump is troubling to them rather than simply repeating the accusations of Trump is a racist, hater, idiot, fascist, not nice, evil, the devil, scary or any of any number of one to three word slogans which can be seen on the vast majority of protest signs. Mind you, the signs with the big red hearts followed by Trumps Hate or Love Trumps Hate are so intelligent except how do they apply to the election of Donald Trump? Are they implying that Love is Trump or that Trump Hates or are they simply using a phrase they saw and thought was like way kewl and just so smart that it had to be the thing. Bad news for these brilliant minds, it is absolutely meaningless as we all wish that Love Trumps Hate and do not see where that implies anything about the President elect except that the word Trumps contains the letters T-R-U-M-P in the sign and thus might imply something about the President elect, but sorry, it doesn't really mean anything obvious and definitely that Trump Hates as the chant which has accompanied these signs implies. Signs are supposed to be intuitively obvious and not confusing or vague as you are conveying a message and not a trite saying which everybody would love to actually describe an actual truth in life. We all hope that Love (or big heart) Trumps Hate but we do not automatically equate that with Trump Hates as we do not just take the last words from the sign and move the 's' from Trump to hate and feel so smug and smart.
Safe Space with Puppy Cuddle
Now here is some advice for these people who are all bent and forlorn. Start looking for a candidate who can garner the support of more people than Hillary Clinton was capable of snaring. Hint, Elizabeth Warren might be a better candidate as would Bernie but they are both very extreme in their beliefs and many Americans do not share their beliefs. Many Americans do not agree with everything Trump has said but many believed that the one thing Donald Trump would be capable of doing is choosing solid and qualified people to advise him and be responsible for the different areas and Cabinet posts. Work to find candidates for position less lofty than President and see if during the next elections you can win back the House of Representatives or the Senate and then work with a President Trump to assist in the recovery necessary in both the economy and in the United States international standing. Democrats should be seen as desiring a better America rather than striving for an extremist agenda which does not function, and candidates who believe the United States is a necessary force for good and what is right in the world and forges a greater peace. The exit from the world over the past eight years or so has brought disaster down on many parts of the world including many allies in Europe, Asia, Africa and elsewhere. Work toward a constructive presence and not simply choose to find reasons to tear the nation apart and complain that things are not going just as you desire because you need to take effort and compromise in order to make friends and win elections. Ideologues usually find their way difficult and opposition strong while those willing to listen to others and work together accomplish far more. The last though, let us all work to make a President Trump as successful taking America forward and improving all our lives and making the United States important again as when America acts with means which prove important, the world usually wins. America has been one of the greatest forces for good and it would be horrific if America ever became a force for evil, and Donald Trump does not desire an evil future for America no matter what you may have heard. At least wait and see what he does and judge him on his actions and policies and not on hearsay from people who refuse to even grant the man any chance to prove he is not the bringer of the Apocalypse.
How Will Europe Handle Unlimited Terror
Filed under: Absolutism,Administration,Allah,Amalekites,Appease Islamic Interests,Appeasement,Arab Appeasement,Arab World,Blood Libel,Civilization,Conflict Avoidnce,Coverup,Domestic NGOs,Elections,Equal Rights,Equal Treatment,Equality,Europe,European Governments,European Union,Foreign NGOs,France,Germany,Government,Great Britain,Greece,Hate,Hungary,Intifada,Islam,Islamic Pressure,Islamic State,Islamic State,Israel,Israeli Interests,Jihad,Leftist Pressures,Mainstream Media,Meaning of Peace,Media Bias,Nationalist Pressures,NGO,Politically Correct,Politicized Findings,Politics,Religion,Religious Pressures,Rioters Pressure,Secular Humanist,Sharia,Shooting,Stabbing,Taqiyya,Victims — qwertster @ 2:20 AM
Tags: Arabs, Britain, Demonstration, Europe, France, Germany, Government Response, Hard Law Enforcement, Islam, Israel, Muslims, NGO Enablers, Passivity, Respect Strength, Rioting, Scandanavia, Shooting, Sign of Weakness, Stabbings, Throwing Rocks
The unsettled Arab refugees are not committing terrorism, they are simply demonstrating. That is how they demonstrate, that's all, nothing more. What Europe is experiencing now is simple unrest which will die down over time and as the weather cools. Demonstrators, almost without exception, tend to demonstrate only when the weather permits and once the mercury drops below 10oC the demonstrators will thin out and soon be so few that three police is all that will be needed to monitor their antics. If they were to get media coverage there would often be more reporters than demonstrators. But once spring comes and the weather tops 20oC then the numbers start to return and the demonstrations next summer will very likely qualify to be called riots. But even that is not the worst of what Europe will soon be facing. Europe needs to understand that the influx of refugees has only just begun and will slow until next spring when they will follow the frost line as they head north into Germany, France, Britain and the Scandinavian nations where the life is the easiest and the benefits the most generous. But even with the best of benefits, the most gracious hospitality, the nicest neighborhoods, accommodations for Islam as good as any Middle Eastern nation, and department after government department going head over heels to provide and meet even the most contrary set of demands will only strengthen the image of weakness as polite and caring social services is the most definitive sign of weakness to the Islamist.
Let us explain. By going the extra distances to meet or exceed their grandest expectations, this will simply produce further demands. If the government and the people continue to try and meet even the most absurd and grand of demands, the Islamists will interpret such action as being fed by an innate fear which drives this high level of accommodation and striving to please. The Middle East Islamist mindset expects minimal efforts to meet the mere minimalist needs of the people as their governments were designed more to enrich the klepto-politicians rather than meet the peoples' needs. The European rush to meet and even exceed expectations is inconceivable and is interpreted as the ruling class being so fearful of their presence that they actually are not stealing most of the funds for themselves but instead actually providing everything promised and then some. That can only be undeniable proof that these Europeans are just as weak willed and timid, as these refugees had been told they were, thus the demands will simply continue to grow while their feeling of power will grow and this will lead to rioting as this is the first step in their uprising to conquer these lands for Allah. As soon as they have determined, whether accurately or because of misunderstandings, that the local and national government officials, and thus also the people, are dutifully cowed and showing the complicity of timidity, the Islamist instigators who were sent to organize the young men, which appeared to make up the bulk of the refugees by some miracle of nature, will instigate starting the terror war for Europe which will commence soon thereafter. This will present the European media a conundrum as they will want to display the Muslims as the wretched and destitute who have been given the short rift in life which supposedly explains their anger, something that the European media has often claimed causes the terrorism in Israel included with the assumption that Israelis detest the Arab Palestinian and the mistreatment by the Jews is what drives the terrorism. Obviously the treatment given by the Europeans has been the epitome of caring affection with largess and benefits showered generously covering every accommodation required, requested or anticipated yet still not preventing terrorist attacks which do resemble the current third intifada stabbing marathon and the horrific terror spree across Jerusalem and throughout the rest of Israel.
Islamists Flying the Black Flag of the Islamic State Assaulting Greek Police with Murderous Intents from all Appearances
What will the reaction be across the nations of Europe? That will all depend on which party is in power during the coming rioting and terrorism replete with stone throwing, stabbings, firebombings, muggings and potentially shootings. Should the more leftist parties such as the Social Democrats or even more leftist of the parties be in power inactions and policy lock-up will be the result. If, on the other hand, a right wing nationalist party heads the ruling coalition then law enforcement might just be granted a green light to do whatever is required to restore order. But even with a rightist government run coalition in power, it is possible that the more centrist parties in such a coalition might take a more cautious approach to the problem thus hindering any actual use of overt force to quell the riots, stabbings, rock throwing, firebombings and other attacks such that limited police actions such as tear gas and possibly water cannons will prove ineffective against the terrorist acts which are actually life threatening. Needless to point out that should there be a terrorist suicide bombing with a sizeable loss of life then all bets are off as long as there is a reasonable government in power. Still, sufficiently left leaning governance which abhors the governmental use of deadly power would prove to have insufficient actions to really end the threats. Whatever the makeup of the government, after a full summer of such terrorism and sufficient death toll, the next election will see the elections of right wing, nationalist, law and order parties across all of Europe. The result will be a bloodletting should such terrorism and rioting continue as the government elected on an enforce the law and take no prisoners campaign, such a government could easily react by calling out the military to support the police or to enforce the law through use of martial law. Either way, the military is not a police force, they are not well trained in limited use of force and when facing potentially deadly force used against them a military unit is far more likely to shoot first and never ever consider asking questions before, during or after. After the first time the military lets loose with deadly force against rioters there will be a potential for a backlash against such use of deadly force that the government will quite possibly be forced into a state of inaction as they will be uncertain as to what the public actually desires and is willing to support. Such a response is also almost guaranteed as leftish NGOs will be waiting for just such a scenario to take advantage and attempt to push for the return of a leftist, peace at any cost, give the rioters and terrorists whatever it takes to make them happy as supplication with ice cream is always preferable to tear gas and bullets.
Water cannon used on Islamic Rioters as Hungarian Police Attempt to Restore Order After Rioting
There is something almost poetic about what is coming down the pike for the Europeans who have been riding Israel about their reaction to such violence from the Arab Palestinians. There has been the accusation of Israel as racist, though Israel has Arabs, Muslims, Christians, Druze, Ethiopians, and the Menashe from India included in the IDF and all other aspects of society. There has been Europeans accusing Israel of being an Apartheid State which is even more ridiculous than the charge of racism and for much the same reasoning. Then there have been the claims that Israel has been practicing genocide against the Arab Palestinians but as they have gone from less than three-quarters of a million to over five million in numbers the Israelis have been doing one horrific job and have probably the worst efficiency rating of any group in actually carrying out genocide. Trust that the Israeli Defense Force is far too competent to have such disastrous results if their efforts really were to genocidally eliminate the Arab Palestinians. The idea to boycott any business beyond the Green Line because they are profiteering on Arab Palestinian lands actually works against those very Arab Palestinians as many are employed by those companies who the Europeans are boycotting. Who do you think will lose their jobs if those companies all relocated to within the Green Line and many of their Arab Palestinian employees having no pass to enter within the Green Line would be left without employment. Further, the Israeli companies provide the second highest paying positions, higher paying than even the Arab Palestinian Security Forces and only lower than the payments made to terrorist's families who are in Israeli prisons for murdering more Israelis. If the aim was to help the Arab Palestinians and prove that peace does have a chance, then the Europeans would be supporting and encouraging such enterprises. But despite the facts on the ground, we have heard and read stories from the media in Europe and the United States where the stories often begin with the shooting death of an Arab Palestinian for undetermined reason, they were simply shot dead leaving a wife, kids, heartbroken parents, a sick brother or sister needing an operation or any humanizing softening of the story making their case one for sympathy and buried somewhere within the story it is mentioned that the now victim of horrific cruelty by Israeli police, IDF or vigilante overzealous citizens had just previous to their death been shooting, running-over, stabbing or hacking Israeli civilians at a bus stop, light rail station or other gathering place where the potential for carnage was higher right before being shot and was only shot to end their killing spree. Then there is this Arab Palestinian who set himself on fire pictured below.
Arab Palestinian Sets Self on Fire Attempting to Throw Molotov Cocktail
There has been an instigating infrastructure already in place across Europe waiting for just the right time when there would exist sufficient young men who were unfamiliar with European society and the different moral codes and accepted lifestyles and so many other societal differences between Western Judeo-Christian ethos and Islam. Such individuals are primed weapons which simply need the right circumstances and goading to turn a frustrated youth into a riotous, violent weapon of jihad who only needs to be aimed at the soft underbelly of Europe to extract revenge for all the slights they have been convinced they were suffering at the hands of the Europeans. Of course the Europeans will be completely puzzled and confused unable to come to grips with this situation. They will try to find where they fell short in assisting these obviously angered refugees who the Europeans believed they had provided for their every conceivable detail except one, the complete surrender of their culture and beliefs that all men are created equal, replacing it with the even simpler code of each man for themselves, a far more primitive and less developed and uncomplicated, straight-forward culture.


Donald Trump has gone to extraordinary lengths to keep his former longtime personal bodyguard Keith Schiller happy – and well compensated. Trump hired Schiller to a security job in the White House, and after that didn't work out, Trump had the Republican National Committee hire Schiller for a high paying pretend job. Now Schiller has a whole new problem.
Back in 2017, Keith Schiller testified under oath that when he accompanied Donald Trump to Russia in 2013, the Kremlin offered prostitutes for Trump, but Trump didn't want them. This stood in direct contrast with the Christopher Steele dossier, which asserts that Trump accepted the prostitutes, and the Kremlin secretly videotaped it all, popularly known as the "Pee Pee Tape." We still don't know what the truth is, but we do know that it's just come to a head.
This week the House Intelligence Committee turned over the transcripts of Schiller's testimony, along with testimony from several other Trump associates, to Special Counsel Robert Mueller. We don't know if Schiller told the truth or committed perjury during his testimony. But we do know that at least some of the people involved committed perjury.
So it stands out as notable that, just two days after Robert Mueller got his hands on Keith Schiller's transcript, the mainstream media is suddenly putting Schiller at the editorial forefront. CNBC is reporting tonight that the RNC is still paying Schiller an obscene amount of money to do nothing. This prompted Rachel Maddow to ask on-air tonight if the payments have been to keep Schiller from telling the truth.
Is it a grand coincidence that the media has suddenly gotten its hands on scandalous new updates about Keith Schiller, just as Robert Mueller has gotten his hands on a transcript that – if perjured – will allow him to arrest Schiller at any minute? Stay tuned, because this could certainly be more than coincidence.


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Fairtest in the News
MCAS: Making the Massachusetts Dropout Crisis Worse
by FairTest
"I think a lot of people are going to drop out if they fail this test. If they feel they're not going to make it to college, why bother trying?"
– Lacy Langevin, New Bedford High School, Class of 2003
"We'll have a graduating class of 10."
– Crissy Rodrigues, New Bedford High School, Class of 2003
A cloud hangs over many Massachusetts students. Beginning with the Class of 2003, all students must pass the state's high stakes test – MCAS – in order to graduate. Based on patterns emerging from other states, Massachusetts dropout rates – already too high – are about to get worse. With 33% of the state's Latino students and 24% of the state's African American students entering ninth grade at risk for dropping out before graduation, many schools and districts now face a crisis of growing proportions.
Massachusetts dropout patterns paint a picture of growing gaps between the educational "haves" and "have nots." Those who face the greatest challenges in life are increasingly at risk of leaving school with less formal schooling.
High-stakes testing betrays the most vulnerable students in the Commonwealth. Far from fixing the problem of students who graduate without skills, linking MCAS scores to graduation threatens to push the most vulnerable students out of school altogether. As MCAS policies narrow opportunity for individual students, they also jeopardize the future welfare of students' communities.
What do we know about the Massachusetts dropout picture in the era of MCAS?
Higher dropout rates are a predictable consequence of high stakes testing. African American, Latino, and urban students, already dramatically over-represented among students who both drop out and fail MCAS, bear the greatest cost of such testing.
As MCAS testing fuels higher grade retention rates, students are already dropping out earlier in their high school years, with dropout numbers rising in the middle grades.
While students already at risk are most endangered, many good students who work hard, pass their courses, and aspire to post-secondary education – but who fail MCAS – will join the ranks of school dropouts.
As more students leave school with less education, and as fewer reenroll in school, entire communities will need to address the needs of a growing population of young adults whose levels of educational attainments exclude them from many employment and educational opportunities.
While MCAS drives more students out of school, lack of state funding and the absence of leadership for dropout prevention constitute an abandonment of the state's most vulnerable students and their schools.
When large numbers of students already conclude that "school is not for me," what are the chances that the threat of withholding a diploma will bully similarly vulnerable students into higher test scores and turn them into "graduates with skills?"
Widening gaps, growing vulnerability
In the 1998-99 school year, 9,188 Massachusetts students dropped out of school. According to the Massachusetts Department of Education's annual reports, "Dropout Rates in Massachusetts Public Schools," this is the highest number of students dropping out since 1993. Overall, the Department of Education (DOE) projects that 14% of the Class of 2002 will drop out before graduation.
Multi-year trends are clear: As those students most likely to attend schools with fewest resources for learning encounter a policy that requires particular MCAS scores for graduation, many will turn away from school earlier in their high school careers. Analysis of data available in DOE reports highlights a growing problem for the state overall and particular districts.
African American and Latino students are dramatically over-represented among dropouts in Massachusetts. Although only 17% of Massachusetts students in grades 9-12 are Latino or African American, 40% of those dropping out of school are Latino or African American. In 1998-99, Latino students made up 9% of all the state's students enrolled in grades 9-12 but
represented 24% of all dropouts. African American students made up 8% of students enrolled in grades 9-12 but comprised 16% of all dropouts.
Among students who drop out, the proportion of Latino and African American students is growing. Although the population of Latino and African American students in Massachusetts high schools has consistently remained at 17% for four years, the percentage of Latino and African American students represented in the dropout population has increased. In 1995-96 and 1996-97, Latino and African American students already comprised 34% of all dropouts. This percentage rose to 36% in 1997-98. By 1999, 40% of the dropouts were Latino and African American.
Among students who drop out, the proportion of students dropping out with less than a 9th grade education is increasing. In 1995-96, 1996-97, and 1997-98, 23% of dropouts left school in 9th grade. By 1999, 25% of the state's dropouts came from the ninth grade. The state does not include the number of students dropping out before reaching high school in its official reports. However, data obtained for particular high risk urban schools indicate growing numbers of students are leaving school with less than a ninth grade education.
The percentage of 9th grade dropouts who reenroll in school is declining. Students who leave school in ninth grade are increasingly out of school for good. In 1995-96, 21% of 9th grade dropouts reenrolled in school; in 1996-97, 15% reenrolled; in 1997-98, 16% reenrolled. By 1999, only 14% of 9th graders who dropped out reenrolled in school.
Students from urban districts comprise a disproportionate number of the state's high school dropouts, and the percentage of dropouts from a small number of urban communities is growing. Boston, Springfield, Worcester, New Bedford, Lowell, and Lawrence together consistently enroll 15% of all the state's high schools students. In 1996-97, 32% of all dropouts came from these districts; 1997-98, 35% of all dropouts from grades 9, 10, 11, and 12 came from these districts. By 1999, 39% of all dropouts came from these six districts. Of all the 1999 dropouts, 18.4% came from Boston alone, up from 15% in 1996. Half (51%) of Massachusetts dropouts now come from only 14 districts, mostly urban.
As thousands of students receive "Failing" MCAS scores, the "holding power" schools offer the most vulnerable students is stretched to the breaking point. In the face of dwindling hope they will pass MCAS, fewer dropouts will return to school. With no state resources available for dropout prevention, entire communities inherit a set of social problems that persist for years to come.
Faced with "Failing" MCAS scores, many good students who play by the rules, pass their courses, and contribute to their schools begin to doubt their academic identity and ability to complete high school, let alone post-secondary education.
Allyson is 16, an energetic sports-lover and B+ student at her local high school, with a special drive to succeed in school. "My brother dropped out, and my sister, too. I want to be the first person in my family to graduate from high school," she says.
By all accounts, Allyson will realize her dream and graduate in 2002 with an admirable academic and extracurricular record. Enrolled in her school's "high level" classes in English and History in her sophomore year, she earned "A"s on specific assignments and maintained an overall "B+" average. A passionate athlete, she is a disciplined runner. A regular volunteer at her local shelter for homeless adults, she also works at the local shopping mall every other weekend and during the summer. She aims for a college degree and imagines herself as an entrepreneur, managing her own day care center or auto repair business.
Allyson has taken MCAS twice, in eighth and tenth grades. Despite her record as a good student, she says, "I thought about dropping out around the time we took MCAS [in May 2000]. If the test counted for me to graduate, like it's going to this year, I probably would have. But I knew if I could just get through those hours of testing, it would be over, and I wouldn't have to think about it again."
Although her MCAS scores will not "count" for graduation, Allyson takes MCAS very seriously. Three months into her ninth grade, Allyson received her grade 8 scores: "Needs Improvement" (230) in English, "Failing" (200) in Math. That year, her school assigned her and others who had "failed" in eighth grade to daily "MCAS classes" where each quarter's curriculum focused on a different section of the MCAS. Allyson put a lot of faith in these classes: She says, "I worked so hard for my MCAS classes, I spent a lot of time in the library, hoping to do well on the test." As of September 2000, she has not yet received her scores, but she says, "I'm fairly certain that I failed at least one section."
Allyson is thankful that her class is not the first for whom MCAS scores will "count" toward graduation. "A lot of students who don't pass MCAS are going to drop out next year," she predicts. As for her classmates, she says, "MCAS makes students think they are stupid."
Do high stakes tests motivate all students?
In a major report published by the American Educational Research Association, researchers Thomas Kellaghan, George Madaus, and Anastasia Raczek (1996) asked the questions: Do high-stakes tests motivate all students? and What do tests motivate students to do? They found that high-stakes testing can actually undermine motivation, especially for students who already have a tenuous hold on schooling. Even for motivated students, examinations may not lead to the desirable outcomes – higher levels of achievement and problem-solving, intrinsic moti- vation, general competence, or self-determination – that are key to nurturing an informed citizenry and a skilled workforce. Good students we interviewed around the state say they value school. Eighth or ninth grade was the "best year ever" for some. Still, many see MCAS as a "mental block" that some believe will be difficult to surmount. Some believe that MCAS is "a plan to stop city kids from going to college." Many see MCAS as a "set up to tell you you're stupid."
Sylvie belongs to the Massachusetts Class of 2003, the first class required to pass MCAS before
graduating. Friendly and reserved at the same time, Sylvie describes herself as serious, hardworking, and creative, both in and outside of school. She sings in her church chorus, attending rehearsals faithfully, and she volunteers at her church convention.
Sylvie has consistently had a "B+" grade average in school. She loves to read, and her favorite book is the award-winning Push. In eighth grade, she won her school's award for good grades and behavior. In 9th grade, her grades improved further. She cites her math skills as a particular strength, and her report card shows "A"s in both Math and English.
Still, Sylvie was not overly confident about MCAS, and in eighth grade, she regularly stayed after school to attend the MCAS prep classes her favorite teacher offered. Despite her effort, she scored "Needs Improvement" in English and "low Fail" in Math. She now worries about how she will fare when MCAS "counts." Describing testing as "horrible because it's long and confusing," she says, "College students do well on these questions." In light of her MCAS scores, she believes her teachers now see her in terms of what she does not know rather than what she does know. "Teachers always liked me," she says, "But MCAS made us look stupid. Most of the things I learned weren't on the MCAS." "I'm afraid that I won't graduate," she adds. "I don't know what you have to know to do well. MCAS made me want to drop out."
The MCAS dilemma: "Feel stupid" or leave
Good students we interviewed understand that the lack of a diploma is a disaster. Still, many who have already failed MCAS once do not view the "opportunity" to repeat that failure as a strong motivator for working harder.
Given the choice of retaking a test that makes them "feel stupid" and the prospect of repeated humiliating failures, many students are likely to dismiss the possibility of passing "some day" and bow out of testing – and school – altogether. Predicting the reactions of classmates who fail, one tenth grader says, "Some [students] will stay, but one day they're going to give up." Another reports, "A lot of kids are going to get discouraged. Some will keep trying, but a lot will struggle to get to school." One says, "I'll go back to Barbados. I'll get my diploma there." Nor do students we interviewed have much faith in retesting. Indeed, testing conditions they have already encountered encourage neither hope or effort: "Everyone's in the cafeteria bunched together on cold chairs. You can't do your best that way," explain students from one Boston high school.
Policy makers have sold MCAS as a necessary "stick" to get students to work hard and take school seriously. But contrary to policy rhetoric, for a portion of students who are already working hard, MCAS is as likely to drive them away from school as to motivate them to work harder.
The predictable push-out consequences of high-stakes testing
The Massachusetts dropout problem is no puzzle. Reporting findings from a major national longitudinal database, University of Wisconsin researchers Gary Wehlage and Robert Rutter (1986) have emphasized, "The process of becoming a dropout is complex because the act of rejecting an institution as fundamental to the society as school must also be accompanied by the belief that the institution has rejected the person." Repeating a grade, punitive attendance practices, school exclusion, and labeling and placement in low-track classes are among the school experiences that contribute to a student's belief that "school is not for me."
High-stakes testing also sabotages schools' "holding power," especially in schools enrolling large numbers of vulnerable students. Researchers from the National Board for Educational Testing and Public Policy (Clarke, Haney, & Madaus, 2000) summarize these correlations:
Nine of the ten states with the highest dropout rates in the country tie test scores to decisions about graduation. In contrast, none of the ten states with the lowest dropout rates have such a policy.
Data from the National Educational Longitudinal Survey (NELS:88) indicates that high-stakes testing in grade 8 contributes to higher dropout rates before tenth grade among students attending schools with proportionately higher numbers of low-income students.
In Florida, a study of students' tenth, eleventh, and twelfth grade records found that the likelihood of dropping out increased significantly among students with moderate grades (1.5-2.5 on a 4-point scale) who failed the state's graduation test.
Likewise, an exhaustive study of Texas enrollment data over 20 years found that disparities in grade progression and graduation were exacerbated just prior to and throughout the years of testing for graduation in that state (Haney, 2000). Specifically:
During the first year of Texas graduation testing in 1991, the proportion of students progressing from ninth grade to graduation on time declined dramatically, a drop 50% greater for African American and Latino students than for white students. Although white students have recovered "normal" pre-testing progression rates, African American and Latino students have not done so, leaving wider gaps in educational attainment between white students and African American and Latino students. Sixth graders in Texas are now less likely to reach grade 12 than in the years prior to high stakes testing; only 70% of African American and Latino sixth graders do so.
Overall, research suggests that high-stakes testing policies set the stage for higher dropout rates. Among vulnerable students in particular, high-stakes testing may exert a push-out effect so that students who would otherwise be expected to complete school instead experience greater chances of leaving without a diploma.
The coming "train wreck:" Asleep at the switch
Despite foreseeable increases in dropout rates, the Massachusetts DOE has failed to take even the most basic steps to anticipate, monitor, and address the impact of MCAS on the state's dropout problem, especially in relation to the state's most vulnerable students.
State leadership is lacking to address the coming "train wreck." The Massachusetts Department of Education has no staff person responsible for leading dropout prevention efforts at the state level.
The Department of Education's budget provides no funding directed toward dropout prevention. Funding for "remediation" is no substitute for support for reforms and programs designed specifically to lower dropout rates.
The Massachusetts DOE's dropout reports are inadequate for monitoring the impact of MCAS on the state's most vulnerable students.
Massachusetts has not reported dropout data for special education students since 1994-95.
Massachusetts does not report dropout rates for students learning English as a second language and has never done so.
Massachusetts does not report dropout numbers for students who drop out of school before reaching ninth grade. These students are not counted in official dropout reports.
In the absence of dropout data disaggregated for the most vulnerable groups, including students with disabilities, students who are learning English as a second language, and students who turn 16 in the middle grades, the legislature and community cannot assess the impact of MCAS on dropout trends in Massachusetts.
In the era of high-stakes testing, the DOE must assume responsibility for addressing, reporting, and monitoring state and district dropout rates in a manner that fully accounts for the dropout problem statewide and in individual communities.
Choosing equity
The state should immediately suspend the policy of linking MCAS scores to high school graduation. States, districts, and schools make choices regarding the policies and practices they adopt. To choose current policy is to choose higher dropout rates.
The state must renew its commitment to dropout prevention. The state should ensure that leadership responsibility is assigned within the Department of Education to develop an overall dropout prevention strategy, allocate funds for programs and technical assistance targeted to districts with weak holding power, and improve state monitoring and reporting of dropout rates, focusing on the impact of MCAS on the state's most vulnerable students.
The state should begin immediately to work with local districts and professional associations to design a multi-faceted assessment system that will improve learning for all students. Such a system should strengthen accountability by monitoring students' basic skills statewide and engage learning by promoting local approaches grounded in real student work. (See CARE's proposal for an Authentic Accountability System at http://www.fairtest.org/ARN/masspage.html.)
Clarke, M., Haney, W., Madaus, G. (2000). High Stakes Testing and High School Completion. NBETPP Statements 1(3). Chestnut Hill: Boston College, Center for the Study of Testing.
Kellaghan, T., Madaus, G., and Raczek, A. (1996). The Use of External Examinations to Improve Motivation. Washington, DC: American Educational Research Assoc.
Haney, W. (2000). The Myth of the Texas Miracle in Education. Education Policy Analysis Archives, Vol. 8, No. 4: http://epaa.asu.edu/epaa/v8n41/.
Wehlage, G.G. and Rutter, R. (1986). Dropping Out: How Much Do Schools Contribute to the Problem? Teachers College Record 87 (3): Spring: 374-392.
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text:
The annals of history in the making
New Egypt, new media
By Osama Diab
Egyptians will no longer tolerate paying for the state-run newspapers that peddled Hosni Mubarak's propaganda.
A few hours before the ousting of the former president Hosni Mubarak, the Tahrir Square protesters were described in Egypt's state-run media as "vandals" and "hooligans". A few hours after Mubarak's fall, the "vandalisers" had become "heroes", and what was previously described as "chaos instigated by foreign powers" had suddenly become "a glorious revolution".
None of this impresses young Egyptians who – unlike older generations – have become accustomed to seeking out more neutral sources of information. They are increasingly fluent in alternative media, whether it's social media such as YouTube, Facebook and Twitter, or the newly emerging independent newspapers that suffered under the former regime and are seen as one of the reasons behind the 25 January revolution.
Sales of state-run papers have fallen quite drastically – partly because of the growth in independent media but also because of the way they sugar-coated Mubarak's unpopular regime. One of the more outrageous examples came last September when al-Ahram doctored a photograph taken during the Israel-Palestine peace talks in Washington to suggest that 82-year-old Mubarak was leading the negotiations.
The most loyal readers of the state-run press come from older generations who have a nostalgic attachment. Meanwhile, the young people who now represent the majority of the market prefer independent media – even foreign media such as the BBC, al-Jazeera and The Guardian – to get a more accurate picture.
There are no reliable circulation figures for the state-run press in Egypt. Rafik Bassel, a media analyst and chief executive of Smartcomm advertising agency, says al-Ahram claims a circulation of 800,000 on weekdays and 1,000,000 on Fridays. He doubts this claim and suggests the real figure is 140,000 on weekdays of which 40,000 are subscriptions paid for by the government and distributed to officials around the country.
"Advertising in state-run newspapers has been mandatory for businesses close to the previous regime," Bassel added. "Large companies, banks and services were ordered to publish ads … not to mention obituaries, 'congratulation' ads, etc."
Mostafa Sakr, the chairman and editor of the independent al-Borsa daily (who used to work for al-Ahram's economic magazine) told me that not only has the circulation of all state-run newspapers plunged seriously, but their influence has declined too. According to Sakr, people want sources of information they can trust – which is why sales of the independent newspaper al-Shorouk doubled during the revolution, reaching a circulation of about 150,000 a day.
Even in the online world, independent media have proved more successful. Al-Youm al-Sabea news website was named as the Middle East's top online newspaper by Forbes. Al-Ahram, the highest-ranking state-run newspaper on the list, came in 24th place.
Economically speaking, these increasingly unpopular media outlets have become a financial burden on the Egyptian treasury. Taxpayers were paying the regime to provide them with lies and propaganda. A report from the Central Auditing Agency in 2008 accused Rose al-Youssef newspaper of wasting public money, since 74% of its printed copies were returned unsold, making its actual sales less than 2,500 a day. Rose al-Youssef, like many other state-run media, has a long and proud history that was severely polluted by its affiliation to unpopular, corrupt regimes.
The future situation of these outlets is still unclear. However, the supreme council of armed forces, which is in charge of Egypt until a new president is elected in August, has ordered the dissolution of the information ministry – something the opposition had long been calling for. The ministry was regarded as the government's means for controlling the media and limiting its freedom.
Many journalists have also demonstrated at the syndicate of journalists, calling for the dismantling of the higher council of journalism, a government body controlled by parliament which is in charge of – and owns – Egypt's seven state-funded newspapers.
Whatever the future of these publications, the status quo should not be an option. Some of these papers, such as Rose al-Youssef, circulate in the low thousands and get funding in the tens of millions. With new, independent, credible and economically successful models of newspapers, the state-run press should be something of the past.
If they can be made profitable they should probably be privatised so they can break free from the government's grip and develop a more independent tone. If they cannot be profitable (which is more likely) then there is no reason for them to stay and be the burden they are. "If the state stops funding [its] newspapers, they will collapse in a heartbeat," Bassel said.
Egyptians have long paid a huge bill to be told lies. It's time to do something more with this money. The era of communist-style propaganda is over in Egypt and the disparity between the content provided by state-run and independent newspapers has already narrowed since the fall of Mubarak's regime.
Starting a new era in Egypt should come with a new set of media practices and allow trusted names to lead a less stagnant media scene, replacing newspapers whose editorial policies were developed secretly in state security offices on presidential orders.
This column appeared in The Guardian Unlimited's Comment is Free section on 10 March 2011. Read the related discussion. Reprinted here with the author's permission. © Osama Diab. All rights reserved.
Tags: advertising, al ahram, al-borsa, al-shorouk, al-youm al-sabea, bbc, egypt, egyptian revolution, facebook, freedom, hosni mubarak, israel-palestine, journalism, media, middle east, news, opposition, press freedom, revolution, tahrir square, twitter, young people
Mobile revolution in the Middle East (1)
A tale of two media (0)
The danger of an elected dictatorship in Egypt (4)
The Arab media paradox: Free expression amid repression (0)
Prisoners of our guilty consciences (0)
Egyptian government fears a Facebook revolution (0)
Egypt's rebels without a pause (0)
Posted by KhaledDiab at 10:49 Tagged with: advertising, al ahram, al-borsa, al-shorouk, al-youm al-sabea, bbc, egypt, egyptian revolution, facebook, freedom, hosni mubarak, israel-palestine, journalism, media, middle east, news, opposition, press freedom, revolution, tahrir square, twitter, young people
Islam for the Politically Incorrect
With Islam one of the most controversial and misunderstood issues of our time, the task of telling the truth from the post-truth and weeding out the alternative facts has become more urgent than ever.
Khaled Diab's highly readable and necessarily controversial book tackles all the hot topics relating to Islam uncompromisingly and head on. This book's thematic chapters take you on an in-depth tour of Islam – its people, politics, history, culture, philosophy and mind-spinning diversity.
On Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Islam-Politically-Incorrect-Foreword-Donald/dp/1908531800
Ray of Hope
Gifted, list-making teen Jacob joins Ray, a PR-exec and wannabe Shaman with a mysterious past on a road trip of truly Biblical proportions that ends in Hope – the one in Maine, not the Rambo film one.
Blog Rating
Palestinian exiles: When home becomes a foreign land
When Muslims make merry at Christmas
Living in a nightmare: Gaza's unending tragedy
Arab exiles: Fleeing nightmares or chasing dreams
Bordering on inhumanity: How Slovenia and Croatia illegally deport refugees and migrants
Khaled Diab's tweet nothings
Khaled Diab
@DiabolicalIdea
@KarlreMarks I find the West's tribalism alarming. aljazeera.com/indepth/opinio…
How about all those Iranians chanting: "They killed our geniuses and replaced them with clerics."? The clowns are as much in Tehran as they are in Washington twitter.com/khamenei_ir/st…
I do wish Trump and Khamenei would grow up. Their people are more important than their wounded egos. twitter.com/realDonaldTrum…
khaledelbalshy
@khaledelbalshy
قائمة اعضاء حزب التحالف الشعبي الاشتراكي المحبوسين والمتهمين بالانضمام لجماعة إرهابية او مشاركة جماعة إرهابية فى تحقيق اهدافها 1- محمد رمضان الاسكندرية 7/2019 2- عبد الناصر اسماعيل الجيزة 9/2019 3- سليمان... facebook.com/10000068166216…
Retweeted by Khaled Diab
This is a 'fire whirl' or 'fire devil' in New South Wales. It is a whirlwind caused by the #AustralianBushfires which can suck in smouldering debris and combustible gases and transport them, thereby starting new fires. pic.twitter.com/1Cs8gAFBsQ #Australia
Ghent has become a joy to navigate on foot and by bike, and a place where cycling for my son is fun and safe. It has become busier... with pedestrians. It can be challenging finding a free parking space... for your bike. More cities should follow suit. twitter.com/guardian/statu…
The Amish's rejection of the modern world and their insistence on living in a selfmade time warp may appear quaint, but the community's secretiveness and patriarchy inflicts unbearable suffering on many women, who endure horrendous sexual abuse #MeToo cosmopolitan.com/lifestyle/a3…
White supremacists and Islamist extremists have much more in common than a penchant for choosing similar names for their groups. In fact, the parallels between them are haunting and troubling. chronikler.com/reflections/be… #Virginia #virginiamilitia
"Federal prosecutors said the three suspects were members of the neo-Nazi group The Base." Do you know what the Arabic for The Base is? It's al-Qaeda. So these neo-Nazis are quite literally homegrown American al-Qaeda!!! reuters.com/article/us-usa…
Mustafa Kassem was detained in 2013 because he happened to be in the same neighbourhood as a Muslim Brotherhood camp. No serious efforts were made by the US government to get him released. He died after six years of unjust imprisonment. twitter.com/washingtonpost…
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© 2009-2019 The Chronikler and Khaled Diab Suffusion theme by Sayontan Sinha


Notes: Nothing too noteworthy on this one. James was in town so we went for an easy dive. Got a bit cold towards the end… tempted again to get a hooded vest of some description (but then winter's not that long in Sydney). For the first time in ages I didn't mess up on batteries and had a functioning camera, but Chowder bay is a difficult place to get decent photos because of all the suspended matter in the water. The only decent ones are of James.
Equipment: All own gear (24 lb weight). Rented 12.2 l steel tank from Plunge – generous airfill as always. Cleaning (well drying) the gear was easier with new BCD hangar and accessories hangar, bought cheap in NYC (check out the price of these in an Aussie dive shop and you'll see what I mean).


Source: (2004) In David R. Karp and Thom Allena, eds., Restorative Justice on the College Campus: promoting student growth and responsibility, and reawakening the spirit of campus community. Springfield, Ill. : C.C. Thomas. Pp. 259-267.
Pat Oles is Associate Professor of Social Work and Dean of Student Affairs at Skidmore College in Sarasota Springs, New York. Through interaction with ideas in this book and from his own experience at Skidmore, he concludes this volume with reflections on restorative justice in college and university settings. Specifically, he participated with other faculty, students, and staff in developing Skidmore's restorative approach to campus discipline, the Integrity Board. During this process, they all wrestled with questions about how judicial systems could promote caring and compassion and simultaneously deter hateful and destructive behavior on campus. In this chapter then, Oles considers the benefits of a restorative approach from am institutional perspective, challenges to restorative justice in such a setting, and the value of a restorative approach especially with respect to contemporary students.


The Cruze has been getting nearly as many awards as its sibling, the headline-making 2011 Chevrolet Volt, which we all know by now is an extended range plug-in hybrid, which also happens to cost more than twice the price of the Cruze.
Chevrolet's tagline for the Cruze is "Get Used to More", and the guys at GM say the Cruze has more engineering quality, more fuel efficiency, more safety equipment, and therefore more value than other vehicles in its segment. Things like ten airbags, including front knee airbags, a first in this car segment, keyless entry, stability control, traction control, anti-lock brakes, leather interiors, OnStar and more.
The safety features helped the International Institute of Highway Safety (IIHG) make the 2011 Chevrolet Cruze a Top Safety Pick, and it's gotten the top five-star rating from the National Highway Safety Administration (NHTSA) NADA Guides has just named it the January "Car of the Month". The Cruze has been a hit in Europe, where small cars are more popular than in the United States. Ford also is doing well with the 2011 Ford Fiesta, the top-selling compact in Europe, with similar fuel efficiency and pricing.
My advice is to opt for the new 2011 Chevrolet Cruze Eco model, with a new Ecotec 1.4L I-4 turbo engine with variable valve timing. GM predicts this model will get 40 mpg on the highway and an equally impressive 28 mpg city fuel economy. That means Cruze Eco's highway fuel economy beats the non-hybrids in this segment, including the 2011 Honda Civic. And, it gets better fuel economy even than larger hybrids, including the Ford Fusion Hybrid, Nissan Altima Hybrid and Toyota Camry Hybrid, which also cost more.
Cruze already logged more than four million miles worldwide, making it one of the most real world-tested GM products prior to a U.S. launch. The U.S. and Canadian versions of the Cruze will be built in Lordstown, Ohio, where GM invested $350 million to get ready for its production.
Read more of my car and travel articles on High Gear Media Car and Travel Guide.


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