URLs Du Jour (8/24/2005)

  • Constrained Katie has a mighty fine article discussing Forbes magazine's "dunce of the week: the National Education Association. This honor was bestowed on the NEA for its Wal-Mart boycott; Katie also links to and excerpts this Boston Globe op-ed from Michael Reitz. Key para:

    If the NEA's position on Wal-Mart were based solely on what is best for students, then surely the union would give some credit to a company whose low prices make school supplies, back-to-school clothing, and lunchbox snacks affordable for millions of families. Instead, … the NEA is concerned first and foremost with labor issues. By boycotting Wal-Mart, the NEA is expressing support for the unions trying (unsuccessfully, so far) to organize Wal-Mart workers; as the Boston Globe column argues, the boycott is a "union solidarity move". It is also trying to punish the Walton Family Foundation for supporting school choice efforts--efforts that challenge the teachers unions and all other members of the educational establishment.

    Yup. The NEA is barely even trying to pretend they're interested in education any more.

  • In my book, former Federal Election Commissioner Bradley Smith is a hero of liberty and free speech. Not surprisingly, he's widely despised by politicians of both parties. John Samples has a good article on Mr. Smith on the occasion of his return to professoring at Capital University in Columbus, Ohio.
  • Via Bruce Schneier: In Britain, leaving your Bluetooth-enabled laptop in your car is kind of like putting a big "Steal Me" sign on it.
  • Klingon Fairy Tales. Say no more, I'm there. (Via Geek Press.)

Last Modified 2012-10-26 10:05 AM EDT