Something to Know - 14 December

1.  In an effort to find revenue that we (the government) should be getting, the matter of getting royalties for all the metals mined from public lands has been identified.   We are not getting any money, because we are not collecting in.  So, some curious legislator has decided to push this.  Let's see what special interests lobby to shut this down:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/mining-firm-profits-from-public-lands-remain-a-mystery-new-gao-study-shows/2012/12/11/c3416110-43c1-11e2-8061-253bccfc7532_print.html

2.  Charles Blow has a very interesting and meaningful column here.  It concerns the emergence of the Hispanic Minority into the majority in the not too distant future.   How the current majority copes is of great concern.  It will take every measure of a maturing democracy to be able to adjust.  Just as we adjust to climate changes, less dependency on fossil fuels, and the ever-changing upward economic and political powers of former 3rd world countries, we in the USA are changing in our ethnic representation.   Acceptance or rejection of these changes, and how we go about it, will determine the continuing development or destruction of the United States of America:

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/13/opinion/blow-the-meaning-of-minority.html?nl=todaysheadlines&emc=edit_th_20121213&_r=0&pagewanted=print

3.  You really have to hand it to the Republicans.  They are tone deaf on matters that are of interest to the public concern.  Boehner and McConnell are unpopular for their stance in sticking with tax cuts for the rich, and now the senate GOP is balking at approving the president's request for the full-funding for the victims of Hurricane Sandy:

http://www.nationalmemo.com/republicans-continue-to-delay-sandy-aid/

4.  Had enough talk about the impending fiscal cliff and all the speculations of who is giving in and what is really going to get compromised?   Well, here is Eugene Robinson speculating that it is all going to happen, and that we are going over:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/eugene-robinson-ready-to-jump-from-fiscal-cliff/2012/12/13/69eecf5a-4568-11e2-9648-a2c323a991d6_print.html

5.  Excellent column by Timothy Egan.   You all know the cries about how we need to produce more scientists and engineers - well, yes we do.  However, it is a good understanding of the Liberal Arts, and in particular history - our own history - that we need to be familiar with.   This piece explains all about what you should know.  There is one historian up in Albany who will be glad to tell you how important it is:

http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/12/13/egan-in-ignorance-we-trust/?ref=opinion&pagewanted=print

6.  Steve Lopez speaks to an issue that faces us all - when should our aging parents' license to drive a car be curtailed?   Most of us have already been through that, and the younger readers of this journal will need to discuss this.  In reality, we need to look at ourselves.  I am 71, as are most of my friends that I have been running with all my life.   I need to know when I am told that it is time to give it up, because I will be familiar with the consequences:

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-1212-lopez-keys-20121212,0,6898615,print.column

--
Juan

"Ethics are so annoying. I avoid them on principle."
       -- Darby Conley

"One of the few good things about modern times: If you die horribly on television, you will not have died in vain. You will have entertained us."
       -- Kurt Vonnegut

"Never try to tell everything you know. It may take too short a time."
       -- Norman Ford

"Rock journalism is people who can't write interviewing people who can't talk for people who can't read."
       -- Frank Zappa