Quote of the Day: Bill James on Trust

"We have a better society when we can trust one another. And wherever and whenever there’s an evaporation of systems based on trust I think there’s a loss to society. I also think that one evaporation of trust in society tends to feed another, and that we would have a better society if we could, rather than promoting fear and working to reduce the places where terrible things happen, if we could promote trust and work on building societies in which people are more trustworthy. I think we’re all better off in a million different ways if and when we can do that."

- Bill James, being interviewed by Freakonomics (quote appears at the very end of the podcast. Transcript here)

Quote: Education Reform Fault Line - Conor Williams

"Here's the basic fault line dividing the education reform trenches: One side believes that the best way to improve the education system is to focus on improving instruction. The other believes that the best way to improve the education system is to focus on addressing the ways that poverty affects schools with high percentages of low-income students."
   -- Conor Williams - (source)

Quote of the Day: Paul Brooks

Written text is a primitive but powerful form of virtual reality.
  - Paul Brooks

Quote of the Day: Bruce Schneier

In theory, theory and practice are the same; but in practice they're very different. - Bruce Schneier

Quote of the Day: Bil Lepp

When you can separate individuals from institutions you often find real people. - Bil Lepp From Punching the Lard

Quote of the Day: Juliet B. Schor

"We've got the worst of Capitalism and Socialism. We have private gains and socialized losses." - Juliet B. Schor Interview on the Diane Rehm Show at approx 19:45

Quote of the Day: Anna Stone

"Improvisation, if you don't have something worthwhile to say, is just hot air." (Anna Stone, English Teacher Extraordinaire speaking on the importance of knowing the subject and the historic context before relying on oratory skills.)

Quote of the Day: Plastic

"Humanity's plastic footprint is probably more dangerous than its carbon footprint." -- Charles Moore, Ocean Researcher Source

Quote of the Day: Steve Forbes

"People say, 'Well, when you make it, you should give back.' ... But 'give back' sounds like you took something that didn't belong to you."    -- Steve Forbes