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Karen Schell

Bloomington, MN
Commenter for
4 years 17 weeks

Recent Comments

Posted on 03/26/09 at 12:52 pm in response to Minnesota community members ponder what to do to address continuing racial achievement gap

Ron Gotzman says: "Instead of continued funding for this trickle down education system, that funds unions and hopes it trickles down to the kids. Let us invest in kids directly. Let us make kids a special interest group and not unions."

Indeed, the article even notes that "to qualify for the bucks, Haycock says, states will have to identify strong and weak teachers". It's virtually impossible to get rid of the dead weight due the NEA and like organizations fighting to keep the worst...

Posted on 03/25/09 at 02:50 pm in response to New snow, winds complicate fight against surging Red River

"Despite all the changes since 1997, a certain level of anxiety among people who experienced that historic flood is understandable, Vein said."

A "certain level of anxiety"?

I suspect when folks lose everything they have they might be just a _tad apprehensive_ about a repeat. Concern shouldn't be underplayed, we're not talking about forces over which we have ultimate control. Mother Nature and this big, old planet have the final word.

Posted on 03/25/09 at 02:41 pm in response to Obama meets the press again: Fluent, dull, persistent

Folks are already getting weary of the Obama media oversaturation. The only news to come out of this was that he switched from his usual teleprompter to wide-screen TV teleprompters. Even that didn't help - it would seem even some in the fawning tingling-leg media faithful are starting to question the emperor re:his new clothes.

Posted on 03/25/09 at 03:00 pm in response to AIG's big bonuses: Do companies really need them?

"And don't forget that moral consciousness did not seem to strike the AIG executives until they were prodded by a national uproar and a measure of frontier justice."

We also have to keep in mind the "outraged" was manufactured and exported from the Obama administration which, though it had been fullly aware of the bonus payments, only later decided that faking "outrage" was a politically expedient road to divert away from the core issues.

I'd venture most folks are not in favor...

Posted on 03/23/09 at 05:22 pm in response to As newspapers go away, our shared community is dispersing

"we will no longer have to "share" opposing points of view via a mass medium. "

There have been several studies that show this is not, in fact, what happens. People who participate in forums of one particular viewpoint actually are more exposed to opposing arguments than those who do not participate in such forums. - Ross Williams

Good point. Also, it would be accurate to note the way it is-has been is that people already don't 'share opposing points of view' when it comes to...

Posted on 03/14/09 at 01:50 pm in response to Anxious homeowners watch and wait as Congress debates foreclosure bill

Life has consequences and we all have to adapt to whatever comes our way. People who have made the right choices in life should not be forced to bail out those who make bad choices.

Posted on 03/14/09 at 01:41 pm in response to You'll miss the newspapers when they're gone

Unfortunately the politicization of the print newspaper media assisted in the demise of many of them. People can easily get their preferred "spin" on the news from a multitude of sources and those who just want the news sans spin likewise go elsewhere.

And I think there's a bit of dark irony in turning to an online resource for the "eulogy".

Posted on 02/04/09 at 10:18 am in response to AM830 seeks midday host ... in Star Tribune classifieds

WCCO was foolish in dumping the talent they had - the listeners had a known, friendly quantity. I don't expect they will do as well with revolving-door hosts, especially total newbies who just blew into town.

Posted on 02/01/09 at 10:42 pm in response to Obama's ban on torture: Minnesotans played a role

Well, now we can all sleep much better after the next mass murder attack on Americans because at least the terrorists, who plan and commit it, will have felt no discomfort.

Posted on 01/30/09 at 07:12 pm in response to House passes stimulus package

Hi Gail -

I'm not sure how well links work, but you can check the NYT story titled "House Passes Stimulus Plan With No G.O.P. Votes" if the link doesn't work:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/29/us/politics/29obama.html

(Wherein it reports 2 Republican plans that were voted down)

Or you see "Stimulus Likely to Pass House, but...