We are at IRA Minneapolis this week. We've got author signings at our Red Brick Learning booth all three days--come by booth 1526 and say hi!
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Blog: Stone Arch Books (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
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Blog: OUPblog (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Politics, Current Events, A-Featured, Obama, Finance, ira, Zelinsky, 401(k), defined contribution, Add a tag
By Edward Zelinsky
Many important decisions are embedded in the federal budget proposed by President Obama. Among these are the President’s embrace of the defined contribution paradigm. That paradigm promotes retirement savings through individual accounts such as IRAs and 401(k) accounts.
The Internal Revenue Code currently provides a savers’ income tax credit for lower income individuals who contribute to IRAs and 401(k) accounts. The Obama budget proposes to expand this credit and make it refundable. In addition, the Obama budget proposes to establish administrative infrastructure in the Department of Labor as the first step toward requiring employers without pension or profit sharing plans to enroll their employees in workplace IRAs.
Together, these two proposals commit the Obama Administration to the existing system of individual accounts as the prime means of encouraging private retirement savings.
Some observers had predicted a retreat from individual accounts in light of the Crash of 2008 and the consequent decline of most participants’ 401(k) and IRA balances. However, the Obama budget indicates that such a retreat is, so far at least, not occurring. Indeed, the Obama budget, if adopted as proposed, commits the federal government even more deeply to the individual accounts of the defined contribution paradigm.
Something similar happened after the fall of Enron. Enron’s demise devastated the 401(k) accounts of many Enron employees who held large quantities of Enron stock in such accounts. Some observers predicted that this debacle would force reconsideration of the individual accounts of the defined contribution paradigm. But, like Holmes’s dog that did not bark in the night, no such reconsideration occurred.
Similarly, the Obama budget signals that, in the wake of the Crash of 2008, the federal government remains committed to individual accounts for retirement savings. President Obama proposes to double our bet on IRAs and 401(k) accounts, both by enriching the tax-subsidy for low income persons who contribute to such accounts and by making such accounts universal in the workplace.
This decision puts President Obama in potential conflict with his allies in the union movement. Today, the last bastions of the traditional defined benefit plan are the unionized work forces of state and local governments. Taxpayers thus find themselves paying taxes for lucrative defined benefit plans for unionized state and local employees. And now the Obama budget makes clear to these taxpayers that their retirement savings future is financing their own 401(k) accounts — even as these taxpayers fund often rich defined benefit pensions for government employees.
President Obama has not embraced President Bush’s rhetoric about an “ownership society.” However, there is in substance great continuity in the retirement savings policies embodied in President Obama’s budget and the prescriptions of the Bush Administration. The Obama budget, by expanding the savers’ income tax credit and moving toward universal IRAs in the workplace, embraces the defined contribution paradigm.
Edward A. Zelinsky is the Morris and Annie Trachman Professor of Law at the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law of Yeshiva University. He is the author of The Origins of the Ownership Society: How The Defined Contribution Paradigm Changed America.
Blog: A Year of Reading (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Poetry Friday, IRA, Phoenix, Add a tag
what I failed to capture
in 119 photographs
The cactus were so surprising and alien
The art was such a contrast
The blooms and bees and hummingbirds were filled with exuberance,
not mourning
the desert did not need me at all
The round up this week is at Mommy's Favorite Children's Books.
Blog: A Year of Reading (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
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Blog: TWO WRITING TEACHERS (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: education, Obama, McCain, IRA, Election 2008, education articles, Add a tag
I’ve blogged a bit about the upcoming election. Tonight’s final Presidential Debate will most likely focus on the economy (Rightfully so considering the DJII’s 733 point drop, the fact that people are losing their jobs left and right, and that states, like Massachusetts, are facing unprecedented budget deficits). However, as educators, it’s important [...]
Add a CommentBlog: TWO WRITING TEACHERS (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: book list, books, reading, Read Aloud, writing workshop, reading workshop, IRA, Add a tag
I decided to transfer my old, messy, and incomplete book list that I kept on my Wiki to a GooglePages Website. I think I managed to record every single book I read aloud to my students this year by breaking out my read alouds into four categories: Reading Workshop Demonstration Texts [...]
Add a CommentBlog: TWO WRITING TEACHERS (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: reading, picture book, technology, IRA, Add a tag
Not literally, but I’m transporting my kids there through read alouds and through a PowerPoint Presentation I created of various neighborhoods and landmarks in Manhattan. The books we’re reading today, as part of Picture Bookpalooza, are: 1. Fireboat: The Heroic Adventures of the John J. Harvey 2. Mr. Belinsky’s Bagels 3. The Doorman 4. This is [...]
Add a CommentBlog: Happy Healthy Hip Parenting (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: travel, family, california, flat stanley, TLA, dallas, Atlanta, ira, school projects, Add a tag
My cousin's daughter - who is in the second grade - sent me a flattened version of herself and kindly asked me to share the sights of California with her (and her classmates). I was thrilled that she thought of me and even more excited to share with her the travel experiences that I was able to encounter on behalf of Kane/Miller.
I included photographs in the return shipment back to Armstrong Elementary from my recent trip to Dallas (TLA), Las Vegas (a personal adventure) and Atlanta (IRA).
As a young reader, and even now, I love discovering new places and adventures while reading a book. Oftentimes I learn more about myself and the way others live in different parts of the world, or within our own country.
If you have a travel experience that you would like to share with Kane/Miller readers (especially if it ties in with a children's book), please do. We're always looking for more ways to invite young people to explore the world around them.
Blog: Blue Rose Girls (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
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Last week I was traveling yet again, this time to Atlanta for the International Reading Association (IRA) conference. I have a soft spot for IRA, as it was the very first conference I attended, back when it was held in San Francisco. I think it was back in 2002--I was just an assistant editor and it was all new and exciting for me. This year, I was quite excited to check out Atlanta. My father has a PhD from Georgia Tech and was finishing up when I was born. We moved away when I was about 9 months old, so I have no memory of it, and haven't been back since. From the little I saw of it, it was a cool city, but I'll have to go back when I have more time to explore--I didn't end up leaving the downtown area all week.
It was quite different from last year's under-attended conference in Toronto. We had a heavily-trafficked booth, partially because of our booth location (right near the entrance), and perhaps also because everyone who skipped out last year came this year. This, added to the fact that one of our colleagues wasn't able to make it at the last minute, leaving us short-handed and scrambling, resulted in all of us being busy from morning till night. I found myself with barely a spare minute all week.
I hadn't quite been prepared to see the extent of the damage from the tornado that hit the downtown area in March. Some of the hotel rooms in the Omni were damaged, although mine was untouched. Jerry Spinelli said that one of the windows in his room was held together by duct tape. "But it seemed study," he said--he had pushed on it. (!) Thank goodness it held.
Here's the view from my hotel room. You can see some damage in the building on the left.
And here's a closer photo of another building with extensive damage (I think this is actually one of the towers of the Omni).
Here are a few pics of the booth:We had seven authors/illustrators at the fair: Jerry Spinelli, Gail Giles, Joan Steiner, and Jerry Pinkney for the first half, and then Wendy Mass, Chris Gall, and Sherman Alexie later in the conference.
I'm not going to give the detailed play-by-play of this year's conference, and I didn't end up taking as many pictures as I usually do, but here are a few highlights:
I had met fellow editor Stacy Whitman for the first time at last year's IRA, and we managed to meet up again this year for some ice cream in the CNN center food court. Here's Stacy, and she has a wrap-up of the conference and more pics on her blog here.
Because we were short one staff member, the only session I was able to attend was the one with Wendy Mass and Pam Muñoz Ryan, which was excellent. I hadn't heard either one speak before, and found both to be passionate, heartfelt, and poised.
Later that day I ran into Lisa Yee while on the floor. Earlier in the conference, I had asked someone if "Lisa Yee had taken out her Peepy" which I realize sounds a bit weird. But here we are, and yes, she took out Peepy. Lisa is holding up her iPhone which had almost this exact same picture on it (except, of course, without the iPhone)--too bad it didn't show up.
Wendy had three signings after her panel, one at our booth, one with Scholastic, and then one at the Anderson Book Shop booth. I got a call from her during her last signing. "You have to come over here and see what's going on," she said. She wouldn't tell me more. I made it over and took a double take. There was quite a crowd, cameras flashing, women squealing. Do you recognize the gentleman sitting next to Wendy?
It's Jeff Foxworthy! Needless to say, Wendy didn't get much attention at that particular signing (but at least her other two signings were great). She was a good sport about it, though, and came away with a signed book for her kids, and a story to tell.
It was a conference full of author signings (back to back to back to back on Tuesday), dinners, cocktails, authors, editors and other publishing folk, and of course books books books. I didn't have too much time to walk the floor, but I did manage to snag the new Sharon Creech (Hate That Cat) and Andrew Clements (Things That Are--although I haven't read Things Not Seen yet).
We ended the fair on a high note, with a signing by Sherman Alexie on Thursday morning. The last day of the fair is generally quiet, so it wasn't quite the frenzy that we were expecting (although a few die-hard fans started lining up over a half hour before the signing), but Sherman stayed in the booth for a full hour and a half signing away. And for you fans out there, you'll be happy to know that his follow-up to The Absolutely True Diary of the Part-Time Indian should be out next Spring.
Thankfully, I don't have any more work travels until ALA at the end of June, although the hectic schedule isn't ending. I'm scrambling to edit all of my Spring 2009 novels right now so that they can go into copyediting by the end of the month. And this afternoon is our library preview for our Fall 2008 books (read about some of our previous ones over at Fuse #8 here and here). Stay tuned to find out who our surprise guest will be.
Blog: TWO WRITING TEACHERS (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: writing, art, Lois Lowry, read aloud, IRA, Number the Stars, Add a tag
The Soldiers Are Everywhere Originally uploaded by teachergal We’re reading Number the Stars in Interactive Read Aloud right now. The kids love the book, even though they’re disgusted with the way the Nazis treated the Danish Citizens in Copenhagen. Hence, after reading Chapter Seven today, [...]
Add a CommentBlog: Barbara O'Connor (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
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The panel on Wednesday morning was so much fun - a real diverse group of styles, genres, personalities, etc. It's always great to finally meet authors whose work you've long admired.
The presentation was titled: Engaging Girls with Adolescent Literature: Let's Hear It for the Girls - moderated by Claudia Katz of National-Louis University in Skokie, Illinois.
Blog: Stone Arch Books (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: shows, IRA, Reader's Theater, Red Brick Learning, Add a tag
We’re at the International Reading Association’s national conference in Atlanta this week! Stop by the Red Brick Learning booth (#2817) to see the new products we’re working on with Red Brick Learning.
We’re launching our new Reader’s Theater at IRA. We are also doing a special punch card. Attendees can hear about our four featured products (one of which is Reader’s Theater) and enter to win a complete set of products of their choosing. We hope we’ll see you there!
Blog: Sarah After School (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
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I am in Atlanta, enjoying the post-podium high of a panel presentation: Reach Don't Preach! with Teri Lesesne, Tanya Lee Stone, Laura Ruby, and Sonya Somes.
We had a wonderful time!
(If anyone who took a picture, please email! I always forget my camera.)
The audience had so many great questions--I felt like we could have talked for another hour. It was really inspiring--talking to teachers on "the front line," trying new things, looking to recognize their students and mentor them. They had great stories--about the effect of books in the classroom. It was great to meet so many readers interested in YA fiction.
And the thai food at SPOON, is worth the taxi-ride across town!
I go home tomorrow...hopefully, to warm weather!
Blog: Happy Healthy Hip Parenting (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: ira, award-winning titles, travel, new clothes for new year's day, ziba came on a boat, my cat copies me, The Zoo, Atlanta, Add a tag
If you're in Atlanta this week for the convention, please stop by and say hello. We'll be in Booth 2357.
We'll be highlighting our recent releases from Spring 2008 as well as our recent award-winning titles: Ziba Came on a Boat, The Zoo, New Clothes for New Year's Day and My Cat Copies Me.
Blog: TWO WRITING TEACHERS (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: poetry, writing, voice, silence, IRA, aimee buckner, Martin Niemöller, Add a tag
We did a Poetry Pass for the first time during Interactive Read Aloud yesterday. I wanted to do it so that I could get the kids writing about a ‘heavy’ poem I presented them with, which is one of the texts in our voice/silence text set. They did a simply amazing job with responding, in [...]
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JacketFlap tags: blogging, writing, Write: It's good for you!, writer's notebook, IRA, independent writing projects, summer vacation, Linda B. Gambrell, reading, Add a tag
Linda B. Gambrell, President of the International Reading Association, has a great column in the April/May 2008 Issue entitled “Closing the summer reading gap: You can make a difference!” It’s a great column on ways teachers can help their present classes stave-off summer reading loss. (Something I fear every September when a new [...]
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JacketFlap tags: voice, Slice of Life Story Challenge, slice of life, silence, IRA, reading, Add a tag
I heard the clicking of heels on the hallway floor. The clicking was getting closer. It was Kate. She had come to talk about our upcoming Voice/Silence Interactive Read Aloud Text Set, for which we haven’t decided up on yet. We talked for a few minutes, both of us sitting atop [...]
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JacketFlap tags: reading, family, picture book, Allen Say, IRA, independent writing projects, Add a tag
Tomorrow’s Interactive Read Aloud includes Alan Say’s Book Grandfather’s Journey. Since our IRA Theme for the past two months has been immigration, I thought it would be nice to end out the unit with a book that the kids compile on their families (sort of as an unofficial independent writing project). I’m giving [...]
Add a CommentBlog: AmoxCalli (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Read Roger, Mrs. Valdemort, why have a blog if you can't have an opinion?, frightening and funny at the same time, Add a tag
Still laughing....
The comments are a riot too!
What beautiful photos. Love the alien catus. Glad you had a great time!
Beautiful. Might as well been another planet. I have never seen anything like these cacti.
I love the last line, "The desert did not need me at all."
Thanks for sharing. I hope you got your sun fix! I fear winter isn't over yet.
I love the desert. Thank you for sharing your beautiful photos!!
I love the beginning. Words and photographs: we all want to capture a special moments, but powerful as words and pictures may be, moments, in their full glory, can only be enjoyed in the present.
Sounds like you did!
love the contrasts
I love the last line, too. Thanks for sharing the thoughts and photos.
The desert needed you to share your gorgeous photographs with us. But maybe it just didn't know it...
Becky at Farm School
Beautiful! What a fruitful trip! Thanks for sharing your lovely photos and poetry with us.
GORGEOUS PHOTOS!
85 degrees, crystal clear AND exuberance? I could use all of that, right now! We used to live in New Mexico, and I sometimes miss the desert and its strange glory.
Gorgeous! I, too, love your last line.
You swept me away with your photographs and words.
What a needed sight as I look at at the dirty snow banks in Maine!
"The desert did not need me at all."
Great closing, Mary Lee. Sorry you came home to the cold and the wet.
Oh, my gosh, Mary Lee, thanks for that blue sky. In the middle of one more gray Seattle day, that blue gave me goosebumps -- beautiful!
Such reat photos....I am headed there on Thursday. Love the poems which accompany them.