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Willingham of the NYT points to the crisis in the U.S.as many adults with high school education lack even the most basic skills to understand or check facts. National Assessment of Education Progress tests show little progress over 30 years. He cites the tests from the National Assessment of Adult Literacy for 2003 showing 95% of the people could not compare two editorial opinions and check a table for the facts.  Willingham says the problems are the lack of vocabulary, the lack of knowledge of usable facts that writers assume the reader knows.   Building and providing knowledge intensive education early on in earlier grades is needed. Standardized tests need to check for this knowledge so that it builds up. Don't ask about random topics, if a child is taught knowledge on New Zealand, he should be tested with questions on New Zealand. The Common Core Standards neglect this importance of content intensive, content rich information in curriculums. Massachusetts improved education by emphasizing knowledge. High information texts should be used in early grades so that children pickup knowledge early on and build on this grade after grade. The important thing is no to see reading comprehension as a skill but something that is intertwined with knowledge, the more knowledge exposure one has early on the better so that reading comprehension grows quickly and advances. Willingham brings up the idea that technology is not the culprit, it is not the answer either. What is important is to correctly grasp the need for vocabulary and knowledge and push this in the early grades to get good reading comprehension that advances grade after grade. Also important is getting children excited about reading, to get their imagination to work with knowledge gained, so that they pursue reading inside and outside the classroom and become regular readers.  ...

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Guardian View in 2026 for Burnham:  people will not reward Labour for a new model of the state but for making life cheaper, easier, and more secure. Cutting unprotected departments, cutting public investment, is not the option. It is about making public services from water, energy, transport to education and healthcare work efficiently and better for ordinary people.

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This essay in the WSJ by Louise Aronson, geriatrician, professor of Medicine at UC San Francisco and author of "Elderhood, Redefining Aging, Transforming Medicine, Reimagining Life," and Teva Brender, UC resident in Internal Medicine, says age should not be a factor  in electing leaders, as over the last century life expectancy has grown by 25 to 35 years. People can be healthy into their eighties and modern medicine provides ways to tackle small physical, auditory or visual impairments. In addition these can be handled with strength training, better nutrition and social support, says Aronson. His point is that there has been an increase in "health span" the years we define as being healthy, a compression of morbidity, the disease at the end of life. As a result people can be productive for many years, early retirement is a bad idea economically and for the people themselves when they feel better working. When there is so much wisdom and experience that they can bring to the job, and when that  wisdom and experience is sorely needed by the nation, that guiding light has immense unreplaceable value. President Franklin Roosevelt was at such a time able to steer the nation in the 1930's through the Great Depression and the 1940's through the Second World War, even though he had disabilities. Aronson says the work of elected leaders is fundamentally cognitive and when the basic physical demands can be met it is possible for leaders to work successfully. ...

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Brett Lee recalls the one time when he was bowling very fast at 165 kmph and Sachin hit the ball for three fours in an over leaving Lee spellbound. Here he recalls his amazing friendship with Sachin and how it meant so much to him. Invited for dinner by Sachin they got to know each other off the field. Brett says of the encounters on the field "we respected each other."  As the Aussies meet India in Adelaide for the first Test this brings back memories of Aussie cricket over the years going back to Richie Benaud and Neil Harvey, Norman O'Neill. 

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Over half of all Americans don't care about age, and many voters see it as benefitting the country because of the experience. In Biden's case the longest serving Senate record in the US means getting things done. It all depends on the choice voters have. With Trump 78 years old as Election Day approaches, and Biden 81 years, the difference between the two becomes slight- result a wash. If Mr. Trump brings it up as "sleepy Joe" as he did in 2020 it may sound as old hat. A polling research firm Navigator showed Mr. Biden to a group and found 35% approval on the grounds of age, after being shown the State of the Union address with a feisty Biden energized to take on the Republicans the approval jumped to 55% on age alone. Other experts point to the deciding factor being not age but accomplishment. It is true for all Democrats and for the significant voting group of Independents and Moderates. Biden's list of accomplishments in making trillions of dollars of investments in the US trump all other concerns.  ...

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Food security for India comes with the achievements of agricultural scientist MS Swaminathan. Coming from Kumbakonam Tamilnadu, the eminent scientist's father was inspired by the movement of Gandhi for independence. Swaminathan took up the cause of farmers who were the vast part of the population of India in the 1920's when urbanization was just beginning. He studied at agricultural colleges in Coimbatore and New Delhi, and at Cambridge and U of Wisconsin, before heading the Agricultural Research Institute. By the late 1960's he was a leader in India's Green Revolution supported by the Kennedy and Johnson administrations in the US.

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This report in The Guardian shows that nature can be prescribed as therapy by doctors taking a lot of pressure off the overburdened national health services of many countries. It is proven that even two hours of walks in nature settings can make a huge difference for mental health. Three decades of industrial progress and urbanization have left most countries with a new generation that has lost the benefits of this type of energizing and invigorating exercize, that does a ton of good for physical and mental health just when it is most needed during a massive pandemic.

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Electrolux acquires GE's appliance business for $3.3 billion in 2014. This follows competitor Whirlpool's acquisition of a majority stake in Italian company Indesit for $1 billion in 2014. The deal would raise Electrolux market share in the U.S. to 37% from about 20%. The CEO of Electrolux, Keith McLoughlin, says this enables Electrolux to use GE's capacity for washing machine production in the U.S. to avoid import duties of about 33% for imports from Mexico. He says GE's posiiton as the top maker for home builders in the U.S. is a major plus.

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Ed Wallace is very much on target when he says the esteem and loyalty has faded with the new generation replacing the older generations in the U.S. automobile market. The two generations have completely different perceptions of GM and Ford. He gives the background and paints the picture of their world, the perceptions and feeling of the older generations loyal to Detroit cars. His conclusion that this is gone forever may not be entirely true, as nostalgia cars or cars which go back to an earlier era may still have customer appeal. The perceptions also vary across regions, and is true for the west and south and other parts of America which have a higher proportion of foreign brands.

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SEC 38 page draft report on its investigation of the ratings agencies shows internal e mails confirming a lot of what was suspected- huge increases in workload but no adequate increases in staff, changing criteria for ratings to win business, and the willingness to issue ratings even when it was "ridiculous" or when "we should not be rating it". One S&P e mail between managers in the collateralized debt obligations group openly says it is creating an "even bigger monster- the CDO market. Let's hope that we are all wealthy and retired by the time this house of cards falters."

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With 686 million doses of vaccine given to people over age 18 India has now given more vaccine doses to people than all the G7 nations combined- this includes US, France, Germany, Italy, Japan. About 7 million doses were given on a recent day in the first week of September 2021. About half of the population of 1.2 billion people is vaccinated with one dose and 17% are fully vaccinated.

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With Hong Kong affected by the protests, then the crackdown by China, the pandemic, large companies that used it as a base for operations in China are now shifting to Singapore,Shanghai and other locations. Except for finance, retail and other industries are moving out of Hong Kong. Shanghai is seen as more connected to the Chinese economy. And for others Hong Kong is no longer as global now with its integration into China.

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Hugh Schofield of the BBC gives this analysis of the televised national debate between Macron and Le Pen on April 20. BBC also gives a video of the debate. On the economy and cost of living- Macron said actions he has taken to put a cap on fuel prices and tax exemption for pay bonuses were fairer and more effective than Madame Le Pen's ideas. Le Pen said she would cut the VAT on energy. Macron said a cap on fuel prices was "twice as effective as dropping the sales tax." Le Pen said she will cut taxes, and no tax for under 30's.  On Europe and Russia- Macron said Le Pen was one of the first leaders to recognize Russia's annexation of Crimea. "You are speaking to your banker when you speak to Russia," Macron said referring to a bank loan from Russia. He also said that the French did not look to Russia for finance, when Le Pen said she was turned down by French banks. On the European Union- Macron argued that Le Pen's idea of "a Europe of nations" would spell the end of the European Union and that "you are selling a lie." Schofield says Macron avoided the trap of coming across as too arrogant or technocratic, sometimes even holding back.  ...

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During the period of lockdown there were some positive changes and people are now looking at how some of these positive changes can be preserved. Drastically cut air pollution and the impact on health is one of these positive changes. People with difficulty breathing in the pollutants in the air had symptoms relieved and now dread going back to the pollution levels they had to get used to. For some lockdown has even given them a break from illness. Many people who experienced the clean air and calm of this period of the virus  are now asking how this can be preserved. In cities like Birmingham polluted air is known to reduce lifespans by 7 months for children. In the UK this is particularly true of the Midlands region with its road and air traffic industries, where there is a nostalgia for the calm people had from the experience of living and working from home. The stresses of capitalism and the rush and pace of life being muted for a while, and a bigger focus on the collective wellbeing and the community. In London and other parts of the UK there is the national debate on how one can continue to make the intelligent choices in the way we live and in the tradeoffs between health and wealth.    ...

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George Washington shown in the early parts of the Seven Years War (1756-1763) that drove the French from Quebec and North America. In these early battles Washington fought in the Pennsylvania country near Pittsburgh under the British commanders against the Indians and the French. This taught George Washington many things about a war in America's vast forests, the risks and dangers, the best way to keep on fighting a long war in which the British would eventually fail to prevail. After defeat on 2 nights on frozen ice on a lake fleeing French and Indian forces Washington survives, and grasps the idea of divine providence in the struggle against colonial powers France and then Britain. This prepared Washington for a different strategy in the war against the British, learning from the defeats of the British by Indians in forest conditions with quick offense and quick retreats and no large engagements. The entire war was characterized by this quick offense, strategic retreats, and preserving the American army's strengths, as an approach to conduct the fight. Montgomery tried a direct march on Quebec and failed in the early days of the war of independence against British forces. This also reinforced Washington's strategic approach that the British would only lose in a long drawn out war under certain conditions, to avoid direct engagement with large armies or decisive battles till the right moment. Washington enlisted a young French officer Lafayette as a commander in his army knowing the importance of the French to neutralize the British naval power on the seas. When this stage was reached Washington could quickly move his army north to surprise the British by surrounding their forces under Lord Cornwallis resting at Yorktown, Virginia after being harassed in small engagements by American forces in the South. For that to happen Washington had the logistics feat to accomplish of moving cannon and forces up rivers and forests to the north, something practiced in the Pennsylvania region in the fight against the French and their Indian allies. The early part of the war the engagement with the French and Indians was formative for Washington and is the experience that is covered in the book "Young Washington," now made into a movie. The night spent on the frozen river in Pennsylvania country fleeing the Indians and French and surviving was always for Washington an act of divine protection. It may be also the reason why Washington saw his role not as his own but for a larger purpose, leading to handing over his appointment as commander in chief back to Congress in Annapolis in 1783 after the war had ended and peace treaty was signed. We refer to this as a defining moment in The First Letter from the Editor for Lyrarc.com, reflecting on divine protection and the responsibility that goes with it for the Nation that should never be forgotten. ...

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WSJ Editorial Board on the closure of Hormuz and US efforts to strike Iranian coastal missile sites to open it after Iran's IRGC rejected the terms of the Memorandum to open Hormuz. What purpose did the Memorandum serve? DJT let JD Vance come up with a negotiated settlement -accepting efforts of Pakistan, Turkey and Qatar  to mediate a way out to open Hormuz- to make some concessions such as ending Iran sanctions, and opening oil markets to Iranian oil exports, ending the naval blockade, putting nuclear weapons development for negotiations during the 90 day period after the ceasefire.  The IRGC military inside Iran accepted it under pressure from the elected president Pezeshkian and Turkey, Pakistan. Yet its approach has been to accept one day and the following day issue statements contradicting this the next day. Some of the clauses were kept deliberately vague on the insistence of IRGC or worded in a way that IRGC could point to their interpretation and reject efforts for a ceasefire  and opening Hormuz. In the light of this experience 2 conclusions were reached by the US- the IRGC makes decisions for Iran not the elected president Pezeshkian and IRGC does not want to open Hormuz except by charging tolls as away to finance its missile operations. In this kind of a situation how does the US respond effectively without getting into a land conflict that distracts US from its domestic goals of building a strong economy, cost of living action, and rebuilding US infrastructure? This Editorial says Schumer's effort to block defense bills does not serve the national interest. Schumer's point to exercise caution to focus on domestic goals of rebuilding the US economy serves the Nation well, yet continuously blocking the president to gain in the midterms is not a good strategy. Lyrarc points out that the best way is for the US to continue the naval blockade if Iran won't allow Hormuz to be opened to all ships without tolls. And step two would be to find enough alternative sources of oil to make up for the 20 million barrels from Hormuz. Some of this could come from reducing use of oil and gas which China has done by importing less oil from 12.5 million barrels a day to 8.5 million barrels a day, effectively doing without the 4 million barrels a day it got from Hormuz. By doing this the US can avoid the effort to open Hormuz through alternative sources of oil supplies,  avoid being drawn into a prolonged conflict it does not need. Achieving its objectives on nuclear and Hormuz in a different way exercizing patience and using wisdom alongside strength. That course means the US would work with the European Union, UK, China, India, oil companies and other oil producing regions to forgo Hormuz oil as Lyrarc has proposed as the most effective answer to threats about Hormuz, and continuing the naval blockade.  ...

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The DJT Putin talks in Alaska lead to both sides agreeing that there would be another meeting and the goal would not be a ceasefire but an effort to reach a peace settlement. The media NYT, WSJ, Washington Post and others present it as a failure to reach a ceasefire. Yet ceasefires can be broken and with a better understanding and mutual respect after personal discussions, US and Russian leaders can help setup a lasting peace. Principal stumbling blocks of Ukraine after a long bruising fight is wary and skeptical of Russian intentions and Russia after suffering huge losses seeks to present its side and make some gains. Also emerging from the talks is abetter understanding of what the Russian side wants and is willing to accept. Putin accepts the need for European troops in Ukraine to ensure a lasting peace. The US does not want to get involved in a European war and the European peacekeeping force would have US military support but no US troops on the ground, something the Russian side is willing to accept. ...

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Rural America has the same percentage of Americans that are prone to fringe views as urban America about 27%, the rest are simply trying to find ways to meet severe health, educational, lack of investment in rural areas by government, and cost of living challenges, that other communities have, says Nicholas Jacobs, professor of Colby College. He knows rural America as he shows in his new book -The Politics of Place and the Disuniting of America. Jacobs lives in rural Maine and has both studied reams of data and himself lives in a rural area. Here is the truth he says- Rural America is suffering from chronic health conditions, health worker and hospital shortages, limited employment opportunities and infrastructure deficits, rural schools suffering from funding gaps and teacher shortages. Similar to urban, yes, yet even worse, and need understanding not recrimination. What JFK rightly called, a policy "to lift all boats," from his speech in Arkansas, saying rural Arkansas was as much the Nation, as Massachusetts. He warns Americans to be careful what they listen to about rural America in talk shows or in books written to get audiences from one segment of the population or the other, with gross mischaracterizations of Rural America and its so called rage, with condescending views about people simply struggling to make sense of all the change some of it for the worse going on around them- in this period of Beaverbrook television or internet media. Beaverbook television is after a press baron in the last century in Britain who saw it fit to take advantage of crises of any sort to sell tons of newspapers for a profit, along the way promoting any bias that he had regardless of whether it was proven right or wrong. At one point UK press barons including Beaverbrook, controlled 13 million circulation the most in the world in 1947. Today instead of newsprint it is in book, television, social media or the internet video formats. This can concoct narratives of people that do not exist by using polls that are inadequate, and superficial understanding, with no effort to look for credible answers to difficult questions, and no effort to look for solutions that "lifts all boats," in America and in the World. ...

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The unexplainable situation of Peter Murrell's embezzlement of 400,000 pounds, when he was chief executive of the Scottish National party while wife Nicola Sturgeon was head of Scottish government. The loss of reputation and honor in Britain as Scotland struggled with 14 years of austerity, Brexit policies, and from the failed leaders from Labour that brought deindustrialization and the 2009 financial crisis. The loss of credibility that Scotland could better manage its own affairs as an independent state than it could as an autonomous part of Britain that it has been for centuries, in an arrangement that made Scotland and integral part of the idea of Britain in the world from the British Empire to the Brtish Commonwealth. Scotland's population of 5 million people with main industrial hubs of Glasgow and Edinburgh is relatively small compared to the population of England with 59 million people and industrial hubs in Leeds, Birmingham, Manchester and London. Since the Act of Union tht brought Scotland into union with England as Great Britain in 1707, Scotland has depended on the industrial strength of England and its significantly larger financial and people resources. The autonomous arrangement preserves Scottish culture and identity inside the region, yet gives Scotland a better relationship, more access to benefits with the world as part of Great Britain's much larger presence.  ...

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July 4th for the 250th of America was celebrated in the Badlands of North Dakota under Mount Rushmore and the carvings of Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln and Theodore Roosevelt, the presidents who defined this Nation. "There is a silence over the Badlands and the whole universe over Kansas was still by the whisper of a prayer," these are the opening lines of the Song of the Badlands by Rich Mullins. Senator Cramer of North Dakota said these lines with much emotion as he opened the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library in Meduro, North Dakota for America 250th on July 4th. This is the region under God's skies, land stretching out forever under the sky in stillness, almost desolate till the sun rises and it all comes to life. The region Teddy Roosevelt went to as a young person for healing in the 1880's  (1884-1887) after the loss of his mother and first wife within days. Relevant Magazine shows in this description of the North Dakota territory what the place does in inviting prayer. TR then took this silence and this prayer into the vast project of building America as the leader of the nations of the world by 1900 and the turn of the century. This is the inspiration for America on the 250th, this July 4th. ...