Karen Cyphers - page 6

Today on Context Florida, Doug Clifton states that some Common Core opponents are proof that the standards are needed, i.e., only for “those whose reading comprehension and analysitical skills are broken” do the standards equal a “communist plot”. Then, Pierre Tristam writes that its “time to get rid of Florida’s suicide Republicans” taking specific aim at his own congressman, Ron DeSantis, who represents northeast Florida. Writing with informed optimism, Ben Kirby suggests that prospects for Florida Democrats look promising —…

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If only 10 percent of cars on the roads were self-driving, they could reduce traffic deaths by 1,000 per year and produce nearly $38 billion in economic and other savings, according to a new study. If 90 percent of vehicles were self-driving, close to 22,000 lives per year could be saved, ringing in economic and other benefits at a massive $447 billion. This is because over 90 percent of all crashes are due to driver error, and over 40 percent…

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Today on Context Florida, Barney Bishop suggests that the Democrats are beginning to develop a “back bench” of elected Democrats who have a chance at winning back the governor’s mansion in the future — namely, he says, Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn. Bishop writes: “Suffice it to say that for Florida Democratic loyalists, they don’t really care who their candidate is so long as he (there won’t be a “she”) can guarantee a win” …. an interesting line considering the only…

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Are economists jerks? According to Robert Frank, a Cornell economist, his profession squashes cooperation and generosity, and he thinks he has data to prove it. In a Tuesday column for Huffington Post, Wharton professor Adam Grant explores research on economists and social behavior, and I’ll summarize. One study found that economics professors give less money to charity than professors in other fields such as history, physics, chemistry, biology or philosophy. It also found that economics professors were more than twice…

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Today on Context Florida, Ed Moore calls out that some folks missed the lessons of kindergarten, applying Robert Fulghum’s “all I need really need to know…” to Congressional leaders. Following with similar disdain for the “extreme element” of the right, Steve Robinson writes that we are in a new era of Know-Nothings, repeating the 19th century history of a loud political faction. Then, Darryl Paulson asks whether Alex Sink will be the successor to Bill Young; and Bob Sparks offers…

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Today on Context Florida, Julie Delegal sums up her six part series on Common Core State Standards, talking about the politics surrounding implementation and what’s to come for the program in Florida. Then, Darryl Paulson writes about the “Cruzifiction of the Republican Party” and a few hard learned lessons in ideological politics; and Daniel Tilson argues that Florida’s Republican congressional delegation should be held accountable for shutdown damage. Finally, Martin Dyckman shares the story of a meeting with Congressman Bill…

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All Children’s Hospital in St. Petersburg mourns the loss of Congressman Bill Young as strongly as any in the community, having been impacted by his legacy in countless ways over the years. Perhaps most notably, it was with Young’s leadership and vision that the National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP) registry was created in 1986.  Young was touched by his friendship with a young All Children’s cancer patient who was unable to receive a potentially lifesaving bone marrow transplant for lack…

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