Daily Archives: March 3, 2007

Open thread

March 3, 20071:05 a.m.

By Phillip Brownlee | Filed under Open thread | Comments (40)

Most Guard units are ‘not ready’

March 3, 20071:03 a.m.

Here is another cost of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan that Kathleen Sebelius and other governors have been warning about: Equipment and personnel shortfalls are undermining the readiness of Army National Guard units to respond to domestic emergencies. A preliminary report released this week by a congressional commission rated 90 percent of National Guard units nationwide as “not ready.”
“We can’t sustain the (National Guard and reserves) on the course we’re on,” said Arnold L. Punaro, chairman of the Commission on the National Guard and Reserves.
Posted by Phillip Brownlee

By Phillip Brownlee | Filed under Iraq | Comments (13)

HPV vaccine debate will be back

March 3, 20071:02 a.m.

State lawmakers likely won’t do anything more this session with a bill to mandate that Kansas sixth-grade girls be vaccinated against the human papillomavirus, which causes 70 percent of cases of cervical cancer. Until Kansas is ready to rejoin the raging national debate about such mandates, our lawmakers have some things to think about, starting with new research indicating the infection rate among women is about two-thirds higher than previously thought. One alarming point exposed by the HPV debate — how little trust people have these days in the FDA. As our editorial Friday noted, vaccine backers can keep educating Kansans about HPV and the vaccine. “And if lawmakers want to do something about children’s health this session, they can proceed with the primary seat-belt law for teens, seek ways to further improve the state’s solid 83.8 percent childhood immunization rate, and stop stalling on Gov. Kathleen Sebelius’ call to insure all Kansas kids from birth to age 5.”
Posted by Rhonda Holman

By Phillip Brownlee | Filed under Health and safety | Comments (35)

Are you smarter than an eighth-grader? In 1895?

March 3, 20071:01 a.m.

Think the questions on the Fox network’s “Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?” are difficult? Try this eighth-grade final exam from Salina schools, dating from 1895. I didn’t even know what some of the questions on the test are asking. (What is phonemic orthography? Is “orthography” really a word?)
Some of the questions are outdated. I don’t think eighth-graders nowadays know how to draft a bank check, a promissory note or a receipt — maybe I missed that day when I went through eighth grade. They should know how big a bushel of wheat is; that’ll come in handy on the arithmetic section.
Posted by Ross Stewart

By Phillip Brownlee | Filed under Education | Comments (44)

Welcome new plans for a well-known building

March 3, 20071:00 a.m.

The SC Telcom building. The KSB&T building. The Guild Plaza Hotel. The Wichita Royale. The Wichita Plaza. Or the home of the former Wichita Club. By whatever name, the 19-story, 44-year-old downtown landmark building, whose verdant sixth-floor pool area was one of the city’s best party places, deserves to see more action again. So it was great to learn more this week about the plans that the “Minnesota Guys” of Real Development have for the building, including a $5 million-plus renovation to get it into shape for more business tenants and possibly another hotel. Just more evidence that downtown Wichita is rebounding in a big way.
Posted by Rhonda Holman

By Phillip Brownlee | Filed under Wichita events | Comments (13)