“The only fence against the world is a thorough knowledge of it” — John Locke, 17th century English philosopher. * The Center for New Opportunity, a start-up incubator launched by some positive-thinking folks in Lansing, gets a nice write-up on The Atlantic Cities website. New phrase learned today – “low profit corporation.”: http://www.theatlantic.com/ technology/archive/2012/09/a-new-kind-of-startup-organization-for-a-new-kind-of-lansing/262614/ * The […]
Derek Melot
Derek Melot is a former assistant editorial page editor, columnist and reporter at the Lansing State Journal, where he covered state and local issues extensively, earning awards from the Associated Press and Michigan Press Association. The Oklahoma native moved to Michigan in 1999, and served as Bridge editor through mid-2013.
Posted inLand O Links
Land O Links
“Education can counteract the natural tendency to do the wrong thing, but the inexorable succession of generations requires that the basis for this knowledge be constantly refreshed” — Garrett Hardin, 20th century American conservationist. * Michigan teachers are a nearly perfect bunch, says a new state evaluation. Education Trust-Midwest says that a review that finds […]
Posted inLand O Links
Land O Links
“Doubt grows with knowledge” — Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, 18th century German poet. * Rep. Mike Shirkey, R-Clarklake, has filed a bill that would address what he termed “economic stonewalling” from government agencies confronted with Freedom of Information Act requests from the public. (Hat tip to Gongwer News Service.) The stonewalling technique, for the unitiated, is […]
Posted inLand O Links
Land O Links
“The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page” — St. Augustine (Born 354, died 430). * Is this good or is this bad? The House Fiscal Agency found that since the state has scaled back on money for “secondary road patrol” the number of traffic tickets has dropped, but […]
Posted inLand O Links
Land O Links
“Our knowledge is a receding mirage in an expanding desert of ignorance” — Will Durant, 20th century American historian. * The Municipal Employee Retirement System handles pension accounts for more than 700 local governments in Michigan, covering almost 90,000 retirees. Blogger Steve Harry has been looking into changes in the management ranks at MERS. Using […]
Posted inSuccess
It's been a year already? Bridge turns 1.
Bridge Magazine is a year old today. Can it just be a year ago that we were “discussing” the best name for a new online news and analysis magazine focused on Michigan’s pressing problems … Beacon, 42 North, Bridge? To celebrate the first of what we are planning to be many years covering Michigan events, […]
Posted inLand O Links
Land O Links
“The understanding of art depends finally upon one’s willingness to extend one’s humanity and one’s knowledge of human life” — Ralph Ellison, 20th century American author. * The Downtown Development Authority in Kalamazoo is looking to cut off funding for a police officer for the downtown area because it needs money to repay a $700,000 loan. […]
Posted inLand O Links
Land O Links
“Today knowledge has power. It controls access to opportunity and advancement” — Peter Drucker, 20th century American management guru. * Before a single class is held, most Michigan public schools will have seen their high-school football teams play two games. So, if it is vital to the state’s tourism industry that public school classes be banned […]
Posted inLand O Links
Land O Links
“Without knowledge action is useless and knowledge without action is futile” — Abu Bakr, seventh-century Islamic political leader. * The invaluable Citizens Research Council of Michigan did a two-year study of teacher training, retention and cost issues. The report was released this summer. One of its concluding points: “Teachers are now also facing increased risk of […]
Posted inLand O Links
Land O Links
“I think this is the most extraordinary collection of talent, of human knowledge, that has ever been gathered at the White House – with the possible exception of when Thomas Jefferson dined alone” — John F. Kennedy. * The way people speak around the Great Lakes is diverging from the rest of North America. “‘(T)he starkest […]