The New York Times reports that parents are happy to have a choice in schools in the Washington, DC, area, despite no immediate increase in student performance in the first year.
I find an increase in performance something that should come gradually. Parents need time to evaluate school performance and choose schools that perform better. [...]
Reuters reports (link dead) that a girl has gone to High Court in Great Britain to overturn her school’s ban on jewelry, so she can wear a “purity ring” that symbolizes her commitment to abstaining from premarital sex.
Lydia Playfoot, 16, from West Sussex, says the silver ring is an expression of her faith and [...]
HT: Club for Growth
The House has released reports on pork projects for Financial Services (PDF) and the Department of Interior (PDF). The reports are scanned PDFs, so I may not have found all the Ohio earmarks.
National Park Service
Fire Fighters’ Hall, Columbus
$100,000
Pryce
Spring Hill Historic Home, Massillon
$100,000
Regula
Cuyahoga Valley National park
$1,750,000
Regula
Environmental Protection Agency
Village of Rushville for Sewage Infrastructure [...]
The Christian libertarian who goes by “Vox Day” interviewed Congressman Ron Paul (R-TX) about his run for the presidency. Several points that he espouses hit home with me. He’s not an open-borders libertarian: defense is a legitimate government function. He’s not a pro-choice libertarian: aggression on a child in the womb is still aggression. [...]
Rep. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) reports on the Hill’s Congress Blog that she has proposed a Balanced Budget Amendment. The out clauses seem kind of weak:
This Balanced Budget Amendment contains many safeguards to ensure the necessary flexibility in case of war, natural disaster or an economic downturn. The balanced budget requirement is waived during times [...]
