This is in regards to Heather Joki's letter. Anyone who believes that there is not a bureaucrat already inextricably involved in a doctor's decisions regarding a patient's care must be blessed with rediculously wonderful group health insurance. In fact, I've had that "wonderful" kind of health insurance and decisions were still made by doctors with insurance plans on the brain.
Secondly, here's an article for the argument that universal coverage "doesn't work":
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Americans get the poorest health care and yet pay the most compared to five other rich countries, according to a report released on Tuesday.
Germany, Britain, Australia and Canada all provide better care for less money, the Commonwealth Fund report found.
"The U.S. health care system ranks last compared with five other nations on measures of quality, access, efficiency, equity, and outcomes," the non-profit group which studies health care issues said in a statement.
(...)
Per capita health spending in the United States in 2004 was $6,102, twice that of Germany, which spent $3,005. Canada spent $3,165, New Zealand $2,083 and Australia $2,876, while Britain spent $2,546 per person.
Here's the link to the application for Extreme Home Makeover if anyone knows this family well enough to fill it out. I think they're more than worthy. Good luck and best wishes.
I have to agree with Allstar...a few years ago when I was living in NYC, a young woman was shot and killed on the Lower East Side after being accosted by a couple of young thugs. They demanded money and she and her fiance brushed them off. She then yelled something to the effect of "What are you going to do? Shoot us?" and one of them shot her in the chest. They eventually caught the kid who fired the gun who, if memory serves, was only 14 years old. Here's a link to one of the articles about it:
This is not necessarily going to cost more money, East is already operating under the small school concept and is technically already three separate schools or "academies" within one building. Each school has it's own "Dean" or principal. I'm not sure about Chaney but I think that the same is true there. This is not to say that the small schools within East and Chaney are fully developed. In fact they are pretty much in name only but at least the cost should not change very much and it will allow these smaller schools to be developed as they should have been when they were first created several years ago.
With a "How We See It" Vindicator editorial from a few weeks back entitled "Positive news on Youngstown shouldn’t mask negative", I think the Vindy made itself pretty clear as to which Youngstown it portrays. I understand the sentiment but I still find it to be pretty insulting. I can't imagine saying that about anything or anyone. Imagine it - well don't let the positive aspects of your spouse/house/car/child outweight the negative. What?!
There are negative aspects to all communities in the "valley" depending on one's perspective. The usual suspects (crime, schools in academic watch, etc.) are an obvious problem for cities across the nation. However, there are negatives in the suburbs as well - a pervasive sense of superiority and entitlement, the lack of diversity, sidewalks and front porches as well as indemic racism. Depending on your personal philosophy and lifestyle some negatives trump others and we all choose to live where we do accordingly.
That said, I think that the teenager might have caused you to look at your paper with a more critical eye and you are now seeking people to make you feel better - to tell you that you're doing everything right with equal representation of the negative and positive aspects of the Youngstown area.
I have to say that I think you still have a lot of work to do in this department. I'm glad that this is on your radar and just remember that there is a lot of good happening in Youngstown and it might just be worth looking for before you publish another article on Boardman kids learning to knit and crochet.
I know this area well and am quite heartened to hear that someone is willing to clean up after the mess that was left when the hospital deal concerning these properties fell through last year leaving these buildings to rot.
I am disheartened, however, to see Hunter Morrison, someone who usually works against the negative perceptions of the city, refer to the location as one that “puts students at risk”. Currently, yes, I agree with him 100% that the neighborhood is a bit frightening. What is needed is exactly this kind of development to make the area less "risky".
Once the apartments are there, this neighborhood will be as safe as any other near campus. If the previous poster is correct and YSU is upset because it won't get to use the area for parking, then tough luck. Fifth Ave. does not need another YSU parking lot.
As for the 75 year tax abatement...I don't know. Maybe someone else will step up to the plate for that corner for less money/perks but as a Y-town taxpayer I think it's worth the money not to have to drive by those sorry, disgusting buildings anymore.
I'm sure there's more to the story, but from what I've heard/read so far, I'm for it.
This is an absolutely rediculous position. As a NYC high school teacher, I have witnessed the minimal positives and multiple negatives of the NCLB policy over the years.
What these states did was strategic. They figured they would do what they needed to do and placed their bets on the fact that somewhere down the line the law would be ammended in order to *fully fund* its mandates.
As it stands right now, all of the monetary requirements of NCLB come out of the district and state budgets. The Title One money that meeting AYP gets a district was not increased in order to pay for the extra services required by the law and that money is spent for the same services years after year. There is no way to pay for twice the services with the same amount of money.
The goals of NCLB are admirable but the way the law is constructed is fatally flawed.
First of all I would invite all Ohioians to take a look at New York's standardized exams available online. Our exams make Ohio's tests look like child's play. That inequity alone is a flaw. Leaving the construction of the exams up to the inividual states translates into extremely dumbed down exams being held equal to very difficult exams.
Second, consider the following scenario. My school, 90% free /reduced lunch (a government measure of poverty) 100% minority with many recent Spanish-speaking immigrants, for three years did not make AYP only because the passage rates for our ESL (English as a Second Language) population could not pass the English Regents exam in higher and higher numbers as the law requires. This means we were passing all other subjects - with a 90% poverty rate but still were labeled a "failing school" because of a very small population that was new to the country failing an ENGLISH TEST! Meanwhile, my father-in-law's school in PA was also labeled a failing school. Why? Because they could not get there 10% free and reduced lunch kids to pass their math or English exams.
Get my point? Both schools labeled failing when we, in NYC were able to get kids to pass exams harder than those in PA in a school with 90% poverty. But we were held on the same level as a school who could not even move along it's few students in the poverty bracket. Does that make any sense?
The goals of NCLB are spot on but this law needs to be overhauled and then fully funded.
Posted on July 27 at 3:42 p.m.
Again, this is for Heather Joki and those who feel / think as she does:
Today's Fresh Air program on NPR interview with Maggie Mahar.
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story...
Posted on July 27 at 1:36 p.m.
This is in regards to Heather Joki's letter. Anyone who believes that there is not a bureaucrat already inextricably involved in a doctor's decisions regarding a patient's care must be blessed with rediculously wonderful group health insurance. In fact, I've had that "wonderful" kind of health insurance and decisions were still made by doctors with insurance plans on the brain.
Secondly, here's an article for the argument that universal coverage "doesn't work":
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Americans get the poorest health care and yet pay the most compared to five other rich countries, according to a report released on Tuesday.
Germany, Britain, Australia and Canada all provide better care for less money, the Commonwealth Fund report found.
"The U.S. health care system ranks last compared with five other nations on measures of quality, access, efficiency, equity, and outcomes," the non-profit group which studies health care issues said in a statement.
(...)
Per capita health spending in the United States in 2004 was $6,102, twice that of Germany, which spent $3,005. Canada spent $3,165, New Zealand $2,083 and Australia $2,876, while Britain spent $2,546 per person.
Entire article here:
[www.reuters.com]
Posted on May 6 at 8:45 p.m.
Well, to be fair "Irishfan", swear words and/or unsavory TV programming can't be used to kill people. I'm just sayin'...
Posted on March 24 at 12:33 p.m.
Here's the link to the application for Extreme Home Makeover if anyone knows this family well enough to fill it out. I think they're more than worthy. Good luck and best wishes.
http://a.abc.com/media/primetime/xtremeh...
Posted on February 20 at 9:01 a.m.
I have to agree with Allstar...a few years ago when I was living in NYC, a young woman was shot and killed on the Lower East Side after being accosted by a couple of young thugs. They demanded money and she and her fiance brushed them off. She then yelled something to the effect of "What are you going to do? Shoot us?" and one of them shot her in the chest. They eventually caught the kid who fired the gun who, if memory serves, was only 14 years old. Here's a link to one of the articles about it:
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/01/28/nyregi...
Posted on August 21 at 9:32 a.m.
This is not necessarily going to cost more money, East is already operating under the small school concept and is technically already three separate schools or "academies" within one building. Each school has it's own "Dean" or principal. I'm not sure about Chaney but I think that the same is true there. This is not to say that the small schools within East and Chaney are fully developed. In fact they are pretty much in name only but at least the cost should not change very much and it will allow these smaller schools to be developed as they should have been when they were first created several years ago.
Posted on August 12 at 11:33 a.m.
With a "How We See It" Vindicator editorial from a few weeks back entitled "Positive news on Youngstown shouldn’t mask negative", I think the Vindy made itself pretty clear as to which Youngstown it portrays. I understand the sentiment but I still find it to be pretty insulting. I can't imagine saying that about anything or anyone. Imagine it - well don't let the positive aspects of your spouse/house/car/child outweight the negative. What?!
There are negative aspects to all communities in the "valley" depending on one's perspective. The usual suspects (crime, schools in academic watch, etc.) are an obvious problem for cities across the nation. However, there are negatives in the suburbs as well - a pervasive sense of superiority and entitlement, the lack of diversity, sidewalks and front porches as well as indemic racism. Depending on your personal philosophy and lifestyle some negatives trump others and we all choose to live where we do accordingly.
That said, I think that the teenager might have caused you to look at your paper with a more critical eye and you are now seeking people to make you feel better - to tell you that you're doing everything right with equal representation of the negative and positive aspects of the Youngstown area.
I have to say that I think you still have a lot of work to do in this department. I'm glad that this is on your radar and just remember that there is a lot of good happening in Youngstown and it might just be worth looking for before you publish another article on Boardman kids learning to knit and crochet.
Posted on June 2 at 6:16 p.m.
Sorry, I misread the article earlier. It's only a 10 year tax abatement at 75%. Even better as far as I can tell.
Posted on June 2 at 6:13 p.m.
I know this area well and am quite heartened to hear that someone is willing to clean up after the mess that was left when the hospital deal concerning these properties fell through last year leaving these buildings to rot.
I am disheartened, however, to see Hunter Morrison, someone who usually works against the negative perceptions of the city, refer to the location as one that “puts students at risk”. Currently, yes, I agree with him 100% that the neighborhood is a bit frightening. What is needed is exactly this kind of development to make the area less "risky".
Once the apartments are there, this neighborhood will be as safe as any other near campus. If the previous poster is correct and YSU is upset because it won't get to use the area for parking, then tough luck. Fifth Ave. does not need another YSU parking lot.
As for the 75 year tax abatement...I don't know. Maybe someone else will step up to the plate for that corner for less money/perks but as a Y-town taxpayer I think it's worth the money not to have to drive by those sorry, disgusting buildings anymore.
I'm sure there's more to the story, but from what I've heard/read so far, I'm for it.
Posted on May 23 at 7 a.m.
This is an absolutely rediculous position. As a NYC high school teacher, I have witnessed the minimal positives and multiple negatives of the NCLB policy over the years.
What these states did was strategic. They figured they would do what they needed to do and placed their bets on the fact that somewhere down the line the law would be ammended in order to *fully fund* its mandates.
As it stands right now, all of the monetary requirements of NCLB come out of the district and state budgets. The Title One money that meeting AYP gets a district was not increased in order to pay for the extra services required by the law and that money is spent for the same services years after year. There is no way to pay for twice the services with the same amount of money.
The goals of NCLB are admirable but the way the law is constructed is fatally flawed.
First of all I would invite all Ohioians to take a look at New York's standardized exams available online. Our exams make Ohio's tests look like child's play. That inequity alone is a flaw. Leaving the construction of the exams up to the inividual states translates into extremely dumbed down exams being held equal to very difficult exams.
Second, consider the following scenario. My school, 90% free /reduced lunch (a government measure of poverty) 100% minority with many recent Spanish-speaking immigrants, for three years did not make AYP only because the passage rates for our ESL (English as a Second Language) population could not pass the English Regents exam in higher and higher numbers as the law requires. This means we were passing all other subjects - with a 90% poverty rate but still were labeled a "failing school" because of a very small population that was new to the country failing an ENGLISH TEST! Meanwhile, my father-in-law's school in PA was also labeled a failing school. Why? Because they could not get there 10% free and reduced lunch kids to pass their math or English exams.
Get my point? Both schools labeled failing when we, in NYC were able to get kids to pass exams harder than those in PA in a school with 90% poverty. But we were held on the same level as a school who could not even move along it's few students in the poverty bracket. Does that make any sense?
The goals of NCLB are spot on but this law needs to be overhauled and then fully funded.