MLK Weekend

Let's start with personality analysis, out of curiosity.  I have always known I'm a little Type A, but hoped to be well balanced-- however, I'm a dead match for 13 of the 16 signs, here.  Aaron matches 3 of them.  You guys?

In our first ever readers submission, Marni has highlighted this article for a little background and discussion of the Common Core.  While I hadn't really thought of it as a "Republican agenda,"  I must admit I enjoy the suburban white moms comment.  (The other side of that argument, to remain balanced).  For the record- I come somewhere in the middle ground of this debate.

Can you be addicted to making money?  Fascinating read.

Obama's pot talking points.

Just an FYI for you, Christina.  The super bowl is in 2 weeks.  It will be Denver against either San Francisco or Seattle.  I'm watching the game right now so I can't tell you who won.  Check the comments later. 

Also an FYI- no need to read the link unless you don't know who Avonte is, but it looks like, sadly, his remains were found the other day.  So heartbreaking. 

Interesting opinion from a scientist on global warning (although I know, I know, the extreme cold this winter disproved this altogether, right?  This quote really gets to me:  The urgency for action was underscored this past week by a draft United Nations report warning that another 15 years of failure to cut heat-trapping emissions would make the problem virtually impossible to solve with known technologies and thus impose enormous costs on future generations.

Speaking of the weather, I was going to tell you that Polar Vortex's little brother is coming this week- but apparently I'm not supposed to call it that.  By the way, if there was one picture that would make me not want to move to Chicago, it is this one:










Still deciding if Zoe is the right age for any of this-- Happy Birthday, Dr. Martin Luther King. 

Week of January 11th

Starting broad with some world related topics:
Ariel Sharon passed away yesterday at 85.

52 places to go.  Nice job, South Africa, with number 1, Tracy!  I want to visit so many of these places.  It seems that perhaps I need to find a way to be a moneymaker!

I was trying to get more information about fracking, so I thought you might need it too.   The article is BBC but the clearest I could find.  The impact domestically: here. 

Ok, heading to New Jersey--  so have you heard about the Chris Christie's staff traffic jam situation?  You can read this, or better yet, watch this.   The bad news for me is that now Aaron has legitimate fuel for his conspiracy theories he yells out every time there is traffic congestion or train delays!

 Some charter v district mobility rates-- and a demo of the newly designed former-gotham-schools-now-chalkbeat site. 

And, of course, what local all news wants you to know about, because of how critically important it is:  how the new mayor eats his pizza.

New Year, New News

Apologies for the delay in updating Christina-- I'm sure it made the holidays challenging!  Here we go!

Bloomberg, hero or villain?  I'm mixed on this too!  But my whole time in NY has been part of the Bloomberg era, starting from when I had dinner at his house in summer of '01 as a TFA corps member, and ending with 2013.  Interesting debate about whether the inauguration of De Blasio was warranted.  What do you think?  And this video, right here, shows a pretty sweet highlight, I'd say.  Farewell, Bloomberg- thanks for the good stuff!

And, our new friend?  Carmen.  Farina. Check out this stat:  As principal of Public School 6 in Manhattan, Fariña replaced 80 percent of her staff.  Hmm.

In midwestern news, somehow the Green Bay Packers sold out today's game and a stadium full of people will be sitting outside in negative temperatures-- possibly record cold, tons of schools already closed for tomorrow! (Tomorrow will be okay here but 13 degrees forecast for Tues!)





Did you hear (I'm guessing not) that recreational pot is legal in Colorado now?  Good moneymaker, states-- they made over $1 million on day one last week!

Something else I can't decide my opinion on-- cronuts.  I think I'm proud of my lack of desire to wait in line for one-- but, when I see this, I think- man, maybe they are just crazy good!

Happy New Year from Christina's news team!