Economics in One Lesson, Preface to the New Edition.

Preface to the "New" (1978) edition:

The first edition of this book appeared in 1946. Eight translations were made of it, and there were numerous paperback editions. In a paperback of 1961, a new chapter was added on rent control, which had not been specifically considered in the first edition apart from government price-fixing in general. A few statistics and illustrative references were brought up to date.

Otherwise no changes were made until now. The chief reason was that they were not thought necessary. My book was written to emphasize general economic principles, and the penalties of ignoring them-not the harm done by any specific piece of legislation. While my illustrations were based mainly on American experience, the kind of government interventions I deplored had become so internationalized that I seemed to many foreign readers to be particularly
describing the economic policies of their own countries.

Nevertheless, the passage of thirty-two years now seems to me to call for extensive revision. In addition to bringing all illustrations and statistics up to date, I have written an entirely new chapter on rent control; the 1961 discussion now seems inadequate. And I have added a new final chapter, "The Lesson After Thirty Years," to show why that lesson is today more desperately needed than ever.

H.H.
Wilton, Conn.
June 1978

Read Economics in One Lesson by Henry Hazlitt by clicking on the title.

Back to School: Do You Know What Your Child is Learning?

Article excerpt:

In their text The Living World (Fifth Edition, McGraw Hill, 2008) evolutionary apologists George Johnson and Jonathan Lobos rehearse the usual lies. Students are told that “Microevolution Leads to Macroevolution” with the giraffe’s neck serving as the example of how small change is supposed to accumulate to the large-scale change evolution needs.

Of course this is a long-standing, well-known problem for evolution. Mechanisms for large-scale change are speculative for it does not appear merely to be the result of repeated rounds of microevolution. Johnson and Lobos, of course, inform the student of none of this.

The giraffe example is also useful in explaining evolution’s concept of biological variation. The text explains that according to evolution variation arises independent of need or experience via mechanisms such as random mutation.

Contrary to such evolutionary dogma, it has been known for decades that variation is sensitive to experience and need. Evolutionists have resisted this and the text again leaves the student ignorant of the science.

Such misrepresentations of science, as damaging as they are, pale in comparison to Johnson’s and Lobos’ next move. The apologists make a pathetic attempt to enlist the fossil record as powerful evidence for evolution, and end up with only the usual religious dogma.

They write:

If the theory of evolution is not correct, on the other hand, then such orderly change is not expected.

Very interesting. And how do evolutionary clowns know so much? From where did Johnson and Lobos learn such ultimate truths? If evolution is not correct then such orderly change is not expected? Tell us more.

For the rest of the article, go here:

Darwin's God: Back to School: Do You Know What Your Child is Learning?

Former President Ronald Reagan on health care

Scientists discover antibody that kills 91 percent of HIV – SmartPlanet « The Stem Cell Blog

adult stem cell

Paving the way for an AIDS vaccine, scientists have discovered two potent antibodies, the strongest of which can neutralize 91 percent of HIV strains.

Researchers from the Vaccine Research Center at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases discovered the antibodies in the cells of a 60-year-old African-American gay man, whose body made the antibodies naturally.

“We have used our knowledge of the structure of a virus—in this case, the outer surface of HIV—to refine molecular tools that pinpoint the vulnerable spot on the virus and guide us to antibodies that attach to this spot, blocking the virus from infecting cells,” VRC director Gary Nabel said in a statement.
Last year, an HIV vaccine demonstrated roughly 30 percent efficacy. This new discovery triples the potency.

The announcement comes just over a week before the International AIDS Conference in Vienna.
The scientists found the antibodies, named VRC01 and VRC02, using a molecular device they developed — an HIV protein that the scientists modified so it would react only with antibodies specific to the site where the virus binds to cells it infects.

The researchers were able to determine the atomic-level structure of VRC01 when it’s attached to HIV, allowing them to design components of a potential vaccine that could teach the human immune system to make similar antibodies that could feasibly prevent infection by the vast majority of HIV strains worldwide.

The United Nations has estimated that more than 33 million people had HIV in 2008. An estimated 2.7 million contracted the virus that year. Led by NIAID scientists Peter Kwong, John Mascola, and Gary Nabel, the research team screened some 25 million cells to discover 12 that produced the antibodies, reports the Wall Street Journal.

One question is whether scientists will be able to successfully use the antibodies to develop a vaccine to protect against AIDS.

Another is how quickly the antibodies can influence the human body to produce its own. It’s entirely possible that they could take months or years — another hurdle.

For now, the researchers plan to test the new antibodies in several ways. According to the Journal report, that includes:

Directly administering them like a drug;
Applying them as a “microbicide” gel before sexual intercourse;
Boosting an infected patient’s existing drug regimen.

To begin walking down that path, the VRC has contracted with a company to produce an antibody that’s safe for humans. “Antibodies are like people: every single one is unusual in its own specific way,” said VRC structural biologist Peter Kwong to Nature. “These antibodies are freaks of nature.”
The research was published Thursday in the online edition of the journal Science.

via The Stem Cell Blog

Conservative Teachers Challenge NEA on Moral Issues

This is why we need to stop spending federal money on education and let private entities take over. The average per-student spending in the US, I believe, is around $11,000. It would be cheaper in the long run if we just gave every household with school-age children 11K per year to spend on education - however they choose to spend it, whether that be private school, homeschooling, or some type of community school. Wow! Just think of the field trips we could take for 11K per child - or even 10K per child, since that's a nice, round number!

There was drama at this year’s National Education Association meeting because of the courage and commitment of a relatively small group of Christian and conservative teachers who introduced amendments to overturn the union's liberal policies on several key issues.

The amendments were defeated in secret ballots by the 9,000-strong delegation.First, teacher Christine Nowak from New York introduced an amendment to the by-laws that would prohibit the NEA from taking any position on the issue of abortion. This would include lobbying, filing amicus curiae briefs in support of pro-abortion court cases, and would mean revision of the NEA Resolution I-16 (Family Planning) to clarify that NEA's support for family planning does not include support for abortion.

The reason for the “no position” is the sentiment of many teachers that involvement in these issues is simply not appropriate use of teacher union dues. And many of the taxpayers who fund local teachers’ salaries agree.The amendment vote by secret ballot was defeated with 30 percent in favor, 70 percent against. A similar measure at the 2009 meeting was also defeated.Another amendment called for a similar stance by the NEA on the issue of homosexuality. This amendment, introduced by Ohio teacher Ruth Boyatt, would require that the NEA take no position on the issue of same-gender marriage. It too failed by a vote of 30 percent to 70 percent.

The influence of homosexual and “transgender” teachers was quite visible. Not only was there a booth by the NEA’s “GLBT” Caucus, but one sign announced a “Drag Queen” Caucus. A transvestite beauty contest is rumored to be on the schedule for next year’s meeting.The Ohio delegation includes many homosexual activists, according to reports from a teacher who attended the Ohio caucus meeting. One teacher rose at the meeting to praise the high number of Ohio teacher delegates who voted against the measure seeking “no position” on same sex marriage, despite its having been introduced by one of the Ohio delegation. Plans are in the works for a separate Ohio “GLBT” caucus as well.

The state affiliate, the Ohio Education Association, threw its support in 2009 behind House Bill 176, a measure to add homosexuality and cross-gender behavior to Ohio’s civil rights laws, a so-called “non-discrimination” measure. The bill, which passed the Ohio House but has not been considered by the Ohio Senate, would apply to employment practices in schools. The OEA also opposed the statewide ballot measure affirming traditional marriage in 2004. The constitutional amendment was approved by Ohio voters.

H/T: EDUCATION WATCH INTERNATIONAL

How to Choose an Algebra Curriculum by Maria Miller

This is a post by Maria Miller, author of the Math Mammoth curriculum. She describes in great detail what to look for in an algebra curriculum and why those features are needed.

In a nutshell, I recommend for most homeschooling parents to use a textbook along with some video instruction.

Why a textbook? Because it is good for students to learn to use a regular algebra textbook at this stage of their studies. It helps prepare them for any further studies (whether college or vocational) where they need to learn on their own, reading a textbook.

Also, good textbooks include not only basic exercises but also challenging ones. If you decide to go with some online algebra curriculum or video instruction, a regular textbook can act as a reference and as an additional problem "bank" for those challenging problems. You can also use it to check that your student is really getting instruction in all the typical algebra 1 topics.

Why videos? Because those replace the component that is present in regular classroom: the teacher explaining concepts and ideas. Learning algebra from a textbook alone might be too difficult for some students. If the parent cannot explain the math, videos will help bridge the gap. In today's world, there exist MANY free websites with algebra videos that can be used. And, some companies provide videos tailored to a specific textbook.

In this article, I first explain some basic options for algebra 1 in a homeschool setting. Then, three textbooks are described in more detail. The article also lists free algebra video websites, algebra online curricula, and gives a link to algebra tutorial website list.

For the rest of the post, go here:
Homeschool algebra 1 curriculum - recommendations for home schooling high school math

The Public Square Broadcast for 7/10/10

Dr. John Lennox

I am always hesitant to mix politics and religion and homeschooling.  However, as you know, sometimes they become sort of entangled with each other - especially when it comes to the teaching of science in the homeschool setting.  John Lennox has a way of showing how Christianity and science are not mutually exclusive ideas.


Quotes from the broadcast:

"Well, as I said to you earlier, it's a question of what is important in life.  For me, it's having an integrated worldview.  I don't want my science to be in one little compartment that never meets my Christian faith.  Either God is the God of the universe and He's the God of my life, or He's nothing.  And so, it's having that integration - and also talking to people about it - because, it seems to be perfectly logical, if the Christian faith is true, then it's something you want to share.  What could be bigger and more exciting than to introduce people to the God that invented the atom ultimately?"
  

(During a debate with Richard Dawkins)  "The danger of training children to be fanatics by not allowing them to question is a very serious one, and I'm so glad that I had parents who encouraged me to think. And part and parcel of the Christian faith was that thinking."


Now, you asked us to imagine with John Lenin a world without religion. Now, I'd like you to imagine with John Len-NOX a world without athiesm - with no Stalin, with no Mao, with no Pol Pot - to name the heads of the three officially athiestic States. A world with no Gulag, no culture revolution, no killing fields. I think that would be a world worth imagining, too."


"..ethics are worldview-dependent.  You will take a very different view of a human being if you believe, for example, that the human cell is simply an agglomeration of complex molecules.  You'll take a very different view if you believe, on the other hand, that that cell has all the potential of becoming an adult human being made in the image of God.   And what we're going to have to do, it seems to me, is think very hard about the foundation of  ethics.  Otherwise, people will just say, 'Who said so?..."


"The meaning makes all the difference, and the worldview makes all the difference."   


"The resurrection of Jesus Christ a miracle - something supernatural - for me, constitutes the central evidence upon which I base my faith - not only that athiesm is a delusion, but  justice is real, and our sense of morality does not mock us."


Listen to The Public Square.

Listen to Dr. Lennox debate Richard Dawkins

What a precocious pachyderm!

Forget grade levels, KC schools try something new

I wonder how this "new" idea will mesh with the move for national standards, which says that all students should be learning the same thing in the same grades?

Forget about students spending one year in each grade, with the entire class learning the same skills at the same time. Districts from Alaska to Maine are taking a different route.

Instead of simply moving kids from one grade to the next as they get older, schools are grouping students by ability. Once they master a subject, they move up a level. This practice has been around for decades, but was generally used on a smaller scale, in individual grades, subjects or schools.

Now, in the latest effort to transform the bedraggled Kansas City, Mo. schools, the district is about to become what reform experts say is the largest one to try the approach. Starting this fall officials will begin switching 17,000 students to the new system to turnaround trailing schools and increase abysmal tests scores.

Read more at The San Francisco Chronicle

Forget grade levels, KC schools try something new

"Learning More Deeply by Learning Less"

As I plan for the upcoming school year, this subject has crossed my mind - -in fact, it's like the author was reading my mind!  In this age of "information overload", it's difficult not to just hop on the computer and explain everything to your child - or, at least, make them think that ALL of the answers might lie in the computer...

Excerpt:

I have a tendency to over-educationalize everything, to turn everything into a formal lesson. For some time, I have been wrestling with the value of unanswered questions, simple wonder and how to build a more reflective homeschool. Sometimes, I’ve decided, it is better to experience, to ponder and to be filled with wonder rather than to have immediate access to a deluge of information.

Learning More Deeply by Learning Less — Heart of the Matter Heart of the Matter

Poulenc Sonata for Flute and Piano Cantilena

Just beautiful! Thank you, Barb-Harmony Art Mom!

School house Rock - Fireworks

"The Theology of the Declaration of Independence"

Excerpt:

The point here is that because your right to life and liberty are from God, no one can legitimately enslave or kill you, even if you consent to it. This was not a mere incidental addendum idea, it was central to Lockean political philosophy, which maintained (as the declaration does) that the government derives its powers from the consent of the governed. If a person can consent to be killed or enslaved then they can consent to the government enslaving them also to having the arbitrary power to kill them and hence tyranny can be
legitimate.

The reason tyranny is illegitimate is because, “No body can give more power than he has himself; and he that cannot take away his own life, cannot give another power over it.”

The declaration then makes a metaphysical claim: God exists.

It makes an epistemological claim about faith and reason: that belief in God is rational independent of proof.

It makes an implicit claim of political philosophy: religion is not a private thing that should not influence public life but rather, theological claims should influence public life.

Finally it makes a moral claim; that consenting adults do not have a right to do whatever they like with their own bodies, rather there are “Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God” that bind all human beings, that they are compelled to follow even if all parties consent otherwise.

Governments are legitimate to the extent in which they respect these laws.

For the rest of this excellent article, go here:

The Theology of the Declaration of Independence MandM

Citizenship: The Pursuit of Happiness

NEVER take your American citizenship for granted!

How to Teach Science with Candy!

Mr. Q strikes again! Another winning science lesson that your kids are sure to enjoy!  What are the main ingredients in every candy?  What's the difference between a sauce, a fudge, a caramel, a butterscotch?   Find out in this yummy lesson!


How To Teach Science… With Candy (Part I)