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"", "points": null, "subscribe_on_post": 2, "moderator_can_edit": false, "is_remote": false, "is_verified": false, "missing_perm": "locked"}, "realtime_paused": false, "posts": {"2265280": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Of course, if you eliminate standards and refuse to test children, it is kind of hard to determine if any of them are learning.  I love how after spending $10K plus per child that the local school districts are insulted that the federal government actually expect them to teach children to read with an additional $10K from the Feds. <br><br>Of course, during the Clinton Adminsitraiton, the Democrats totally ignored education and that even in the blue states, the Democratic leadership refuses to send their children to public schools.  After years of being a community activist and a state Senator, Senator Obama has so little trust of the public schools that he sends his own daughters to a private  school that is over 85% white and Asians. <br><br>I did not hear one proposal that would make the public schools more like the the Chicago laboratory School.  Also, given the relationship that Democrats have for putting social engineering before academic learning, there is little that will be accomplished in a Democratic adminstration.  When given the chance, the Democrats in Louisville and Seattle put bussing  and diversity ahead of academic learning. <br><br>Of course, McCain is offering nothing on education because the Republicans gave up thinking about it years ago. The Repubicans decided that there is no way to talk about education without being called a racist, so they just stopped.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-09-10_14:40:28", "killed": false, "user_key": "superdestroyer", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2273027": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Ricorun,<br><br>I forgot about the question of who gets axed initially.<br><br>Everyone.<br><br>No severance, no nothing for teachers, administrators, janitors, bus drivers, everyone.<br><br>Out on the street.  Not a dime.<br><br>If the teachers want a job, they need to convince the parents of a few kids to hire them.<br><br><br>Remember, all the schools, from oldest to newest are bulldozed on day 1.  It is an important symbol.  When you burn the ships, there is no going back.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-09-10_19:44:39", "killed": false, "user_key": "jwest", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2270468": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "jwest -- you have no idea what you are talking about.  Just none.  I don't know what you do for a living, but I actually put myself through college by singing -- it's something I've loved doing since I was 5.  And let me tell you, there are the lone savants out there who are just born with it, but if you look at people as successful as professional broadway stars, most of them still go to their singing teachers weekly.  Even casual singers who just do it for fun can learn a lot by taking lessons, learning control, extending their range, learning to connect with an audience, fixing pitch problems.  In other words: your analogy is quite apt, but all the conclusions you draw from it are just totally, totally wrong. <br><br>Of course inner-city kids are capable of learning.  That's the whole point.  But to be an effective teacher (or an effective school system) for them requires a different skill set, a different cultural understanding, a different set of challenges, from teaching little rich white kids at a well-funded suburban school.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-09-10_16:47:23", "killed": false, "user_key": "roro80", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 2270065, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2262536": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Bravo. There are more important things to discuss than the latest fits of whining and lies from the dishonorable John McCain.<br><br>Since WW2, America had an economic advantage among Western powers. We had largely escaped the horrors of two world wars. While the other powers were rebuilding, we shot ahead of them. Now that the world has seen a period of relative peace, other nations are catching up economically.<br><br>If we are to maintain our position as an economic powerhouse, we'll need educated minds creating and running our industries.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-09-10_13:52:44", "killed": false, "user_key": "ChrisWWW", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 1, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2268809": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "<blockquote>Note to Chris \"bravo\" WWW. One needn't even leave this site to do the remedial work you've needed to do rather than lie and call my correct statements \"brazen assertions.\"</blockquote><br>DLS,<br>You here to lecture us on how the left is anti-science again? I'm sure you can come up with some quotes from the Discovery Institute to back you up.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-09-10_14:53:15", "killed": false, "user_key": "ChrisWWW", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 2, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2283395": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "jwest, your plan is insane.  Teaching kids to read, write, add and subtract might be ok under that system, but what happens after 3rd grade?  Do they have to find a teacher who happens to be an expert in literature, chemistry, history, biology, and geometry?  And what makes you think anyone with a solid skill set like that would open up a school in a low income neighborhood when they could go to the suburbs and charge even more?  Or work in an entirely different field?  What about school libraries, planetariums, computer labs, science labs, and gymnasiums?  What about art classes, theatre productions, band, chorus, sports, and clubs?  There's a heck of a lot more to school than simple basics.  Tearing all of that down is such a waste of valuable resources.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-09-11_08:54:36", "killed": false, "user_key": "Amanda", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2269460": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "ChrisWWW<br><br>You may want to look up Chlorine in water, food irradiation, medical research in general, vaccines, genetically modified foods, gulf war illness, or even cloud seeding.  The left has a long string of anti-science positions without even getting into the nature versus nurture argument since you wanted to mention evolution.  <br><br>Amanda,  If the public schools run year round but the elite prep schools run on a tradiational schedule, the prep school kids will have all of the summer internships, summer camps, and travel that make them look good on a college application. <br><br>Year round school will help inner city schools a little, will not affect middle class schools but would definitely hurt the suburban public schools that are able to compete with the private prep schools.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-09-10_15:37:15", "killed": false, "user_key": "superdestroyer", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2269717": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "I come from 3 generations of public educators and actually went to school during the Clinton administration, and it's pretty well agreed upon that the Clinton years were the best in many decades as far as public education goes.  Nobody ever advocated during those years (or now) that we should get rid of standards or testing, but right now, an elementary school student goes through something like 5 times the total testing hours than in the 80s, and the way the system is currently set up encourages cheating by the students and by the teachers, not to mention simply giving up the profession entirely if your area of expertise and interest is in teaching the lower-level kids who need the most help.  <br><br>As an example: under a system that rewards teachers on test scores only (like the current system), a teacher who has gone into teaching advanced classes (GATE, AP classes, magnet programs) will do very well, getting the smartest kids, most of whom have white, well-off parents who put pressure/give help to their kids to do well in school.  That teacher may not even need to put in a lot of extra hours, or have any problem getting parent involvement.  But a teacher who is really awesome in getting goof-off kids to finally buckle down and learn something, or a teacher who specializes in second-language students or special ed, will never get test scores like the GATE teacher, even if they are excellent at their job, put in tons of extra hours, have little to no parental involvement, have fewer resources, and may be fighting against other factors like their kids' poverty or legal status. <br><br>In other words, I just think a lot of people have no idea what it's like to be in education, and I'm always amazed that people think they're experts because they happen to be educated.  As if having had a lot of medical work makes one an M.D.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-09-10_15:54:04", "killed": false, "user_key": "roro80", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2269208": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Many simply want this issue kept at the state and local level where it really belongs.  A nicely shrunken federal government would be well overdue (without transferring current functions to other departments before some departmehts were eliminated, of course).<br><br>It remains to be seen if the recent upsurge by the Left has stamina; if it does, not only does this reinforce Obama's strong prospects for victory this year (and other Dems going to Congress in place of Republicans), but it does raise the question of to what extent the federal government will increase what it does \"for\" and often to its citizens.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-09-10_15:21:00", "killed": false, "user_key": "DLS", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2275994": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "jwest's philosophy of education reinforces my belief in the modern conservative movement being the belief system for sociopaths. And the hopelessly ignorant. We do not live in the times of Aristotle. A system like he proposes could never teach the sciences in a hands on way. The cost for laboratory equipment and space would be prohibitive.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-09-10_21:21:00", "killed": false, "user_key": "Jim_Satterfield", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 1, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2270877": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Roro80,<br><br>Everyone can sing at some level.  Those who can make a living from it have talent, those who don\u2019t have talent starve.<br><br>That is how teaching should be.  If you have the talent to do it you should prosper and continue in that field.  If you suck, you should get out and find a fish market to work in.<br><br>As you can see, I have no sympathy for any teacher who cannot produce results.  <br><br>Roro, the kids today are being left behind.<br><br><br><br>Amanda,<br><br>You don\u2019t need private schools.  As a matter of fact, toss the whole concept of \u201cschools\u201d out of your mind.<br><br>Imagine you are a teacher in Ohio and you believe you have the talent to teach kids.  You hear of this new concept in D.C. and decide to give it a try.<br><br>All you would need to do is move to D.C. and convince about 10 parents that you are the one who can get their children to learn.  You try to get 10 that live in the same neighborhood. <br><br>First thing you\u2019ll need is a place to teach.  Rent a storefront or an old house.  Fix and equip it the way you like.  Plan on feeding these kids at least twice per day, maybe three times \u2013 that\u2019s part of the deal with the parents.<br><br>Where\u2019s the money?  Vouchers at $15,000 per kid.<br><br>Rent \u2013 20,000<br>Catering -  12,500<br>Supplies \u2013 5,000<br>Utilities \u2013 6,000<br>Other \u2013 6,500<br><br>Salary \u2013 100,000<br><br>Not only are you a teacher now, you\u2019re a small business person.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-09-10_17:18:10", "killed": false, "user_key": "jwest", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "6403742": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Stem cells in an organism of the adult person are developed by a bone brain. It is their basic source, but it is far not the unique. Also stem cells are found out and in a fatty fabric, a skin, muscles, a liver, lungs, an eye retina, practically in all bodies and organism fabrics. They provide restoration of the damaged sites of bodies and fabrics.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2009-02-19_10:54:36", "killed": false, "user_key": "stvolkletki", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "10 months ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2272928": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Roro,<br><br>The first thing you need to accept is that what we have now in D.C. and Detroit is not working for 90% of the students.  It has not worked through every tinkering change for decades.  It\u2019s not a lack of money, it\u2019s a failure of the model.<br><br>To perpetuate this fraud of an educational system on these kids is a felony.  What could you do that is worse?  To want to rob these children of a chance at life just to perpetuate the salaries of teachers and administrators is an evil I have a hard time imagining.<br><br>Anything\u2026..I repeat, anything is better than what they have today.<br><br><br><br>Ricorun,<br><br>The results are standardized tests for proficiency in the basics.  There would be a test each year carried out by a third party.  Test results are posted on the web (without student names) for each teacher.<br><br>As for special needs kids, a monetary provision would be made to make it profitable to work with them in smaller numbers or even one-on-one, if the need be.  Testing would be commensurate with the disability.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-09-10_19:36:41", "killed": false, "user_key": "jwest", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2269347": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "DLS, take a break from the willful ignorance long enough to think about which candidate is trying to stay issue oriented (Obama) and which is bloviating and spinning like a top (McCain). Now consider this in light of target audiences. Next, revisit your silly question.<br><br>Amanda, that is a great analysis of what is needed in our educational system. It's clear you've given much thought to this issue and I wish your post was mandatory reading for the candidates.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-09-10_15:29:18", "killed": false, "user_key": "JSpencer", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 1, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2268966": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "<blockquote>Since then, I have a hard time believing that the Democrats really care about science.</blockquote><br>Stem cell research.<br>Evolution.<br>Global warming.<br>Alternative fuels.<br>Air quality.<br>Water quality.<br>Censoring data from NASA.<br>Censoring data from the EPA.<br><br>vs.<br><br>\"the raw data used to determine toxicity of population\"", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-09-10_15:03:36", "killed": false, "user_key": "ChrisWWW", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 1, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2270065": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "One of the first things that needs to thrown out is the definition of the word \u201cteacher\u201d.<br><br>Think of an analogy to a singer.<br><br>It doesn\u2019t matter how much specialized education someone gets in music, if the result you are looking for is how well someone sings.  On one hand you can have a person with a PhD in music who can\u2019t deliver a note to her audience, then on the other hand have a Barbara Streisand (who I personally think of as an idiot-savant) who has no formal training but is one of the best in presenting a song.<br><br>Teaching is an art.  It takes a remarkable talent to be able to transfer concepts and knowledge to someone else in a way that makes the student want to learn.  People with this talent should be rewarded far beyond what they are today.<br><br>On the opposite side, having degrees in education and advanced training has no bearing on how well some are able to deliver results we all seek.  If the talent isn\u2019t there, it\u2019s just a waste of time and money.<br><br>Some would like to blame the students, parents, society, buildings, neighborhood, sun spots, etc. etc.  Of course, we all agree that rich, white, two parent students from a good suburb are easier to teach, but that doesn\u2019t mean that inner-city kids are incapable of learning.  <br><br>The system doesn\u2019t need to be \u201cfixed\u201d, it needs to be scrapped.  When you have results this bad, it\u2019s time to start fresh with an out-of-the-box method.<br><br>How could it possibly be any worse?", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-09-10_16:19:00", "killed": false, "user_key": "jwest", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 1, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2268841": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "\"Though na\u00efve, liberals have good hearts.\"<br><br>Many don't even have good hearts when they are wrong and told that they're wrong.<br><br>Many have resented the 1980 rejection of liberalism to this day.  (I roll my eyes every time I hear Thom Hartmann say things were great prior to 1980, \"then along came Reagan...\"  It's much bigger, and better, than that, sir.)<br><br>More amusing is his hard-core true modern-liberal-since-the-true-origin-of-modern-liberalism world view: If people judged solely on the issues, \"There would not have been a Republican president since 1880 [eighteen-eighty].\"  That was today's gem on the radio during 12:00-12:30 Eastern time.)", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-09-10_14:55:52", "killed": false, "user_key": "DLS", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2268206": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Issues like lipstick and dead fish.  [snicker]<br><br>Note to Chris \"bravo\" WWW.  One needn't even leave this site to do the remedial work you've needed to do rather than lie and call my correct statements \"brazen assertions.\"<br><br>Look at the bright side, J. West, that sadly many on here cannot see and grasp: At least currently, the worst of the lot are not infesting other schools as well, such as has been done before not only with misnamed \"AIDS education\" but in the 1980s, as with one book I saw recently in downtown Detroit for resale (I declined to buy it) by Educators for Social Responsibility (Cambridge, MA), a book of lesson plan hints about teaching children in the 1980s about nuclear war (and the big, bad USA that was led by evil Ronald Reagan oppressing the sweet, innocent, misunderstood, morally and economically superior Soviet Union).  Remember \"nuclear education\"?  The worst of the worst has often infected schools outside our old central cities.<br><br>That (and warped environmentalism, for example, sometimes nowadays as well an activist condomanical \"sex education\" if permitted) is what kids are in danger of being taught rather than making them literate and numerate.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-09-10_14:49:32", "killed": false, "user_key": "DLS", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2269231": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Our education system needs a complete overhaul.  First off, school should be year-round with 200 class days per year instead of the current 180.  Have 4 10-week sessions with a 3-week break in between.  The last quarter of the academic year would also include 1 week for standardized tests used to evaluate individual student performance and teacher effectiveness.  All teacher in-service days can take place in the quarterly breaks and this way the kids actually retain everything they learn instead of spending the first month of every school year reviewing what thet forgot over the Summer.<br><br>We have to offer bigger salaries to our educators and school administrators, particularly in city schools.  Give bonuses to teachers with 10+ years of experience who take jobs in tougher schools.<br><br>Do not allow students to move on to the next level in a subject they haven't passed.  There will always be other students available to volunteer as tutors (it looks great on a college application) so matching up failing students with peers is a free and effective way to help them succeed.<br><br>Set up a diverse curriculum that includes physical education, fine arts, and foreign languages as well as English (grammar, spelling, and literature), History, Science, and Math at all grade levels.<br><br>Allow for concentrations at the high school level.  Kids who show a lot of promise in certain subjects should be able to take more of those classes if they can test at a passing level in another subject.  For example, if a kid can pass the standardized 11th grade English test at the beginning of the school year, s/he should be able to bypass that class in favor of taking an extra course in Math.<br><br>When it comes to inner city schools, a lot of times it isn't the money that's the problem, it's the neighborhood.  There are gangs, drugs, broken families, and a whole host of other problems that make it next to impossible for kids to succeed.  In Baltimore, they're running an experimental charter school program at two levels.  The first is keeping kids at the school until 5pm or later through various extra-curricular activities and homework labs.  The second is opening a public boarding school.  Instead of going home to an absent parent or drug-dealing older sibling, the kids can just stay in dorms at the school during the week.  This keeps them occupied and out of trouble, giving them an opportunity to succeed.  I would advocate implementing similar programs in any district with similar problems.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-09-10_15:22:22", "killed": false, "user_key": "Amanda", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 1, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2268470": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Spence,<br><br>This is my issue, so I\u2019m ready for anything.<br><br>In D.C., per pupil expenditures are over $16,000.  I\u2019m being dead serious when I say it\u2019s a damn shame that the kids can\u2019t make change for a dollar or, for that matter, spell dollar.<br><br>Though na\u00efve, liberals have good hearts.  It\u2019s for that reason that I firmly believe when they finally figure out what has been happening, they will spend the balance of their lives apologizing to everyone they meet for their previous democrat votes.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-09-10_14:50:23", "killed": false, "user_key": "jwest", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2269496": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "Chris,<br><br>The problem lies with:<br><br>Reading<br>Writing<br>Arithmetic<br><br>Forget everything else until these are solved.<br><br><br>Amanda,<br><br>Good thoughts, but still it\u2019s just nibbling around the edges.<br><br>Think of what could happen if the schools were eliminated in D.C. and Detroit as a pilot program.  Every one of them, regardless of age or condition.  Bulldozed to the ground whether they are 80 years old or the ribbon was just cut yesterday.<br><br>No schools.  No administration.  Nothing but a voucher for the full amount previously spent on education.  The only way a voucher can be cashed is to present a child who can pass the test for their age each year.<br><br>How would you handle it?", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-09-10_15:39:36", "killed": false, "user_key": "jwest", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 1, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2269246": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "\" limited critical thinking ability\"<br><br>You DARE ignore the Democrats' notorious Ignorance Bloc vote and so many whom the Democrats routinely exploit that the Republicans cannot and do not?<br><br>You've been incorrect or exhibited a distortion of many things, but that was especially bad lately.  I guess Palin's current successes have many more upset than I previously thought...", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-09-10_15:23:35", "killed": false, "user_key": "DLS", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2269120": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "As Chris shows, (and this surely must be obvious by now) the argument over which party considers science to be optional in the formation of policy is NOT one that favors the republicans.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-09-10_15:14:44", "killed": false, "user_key": "JSpencer", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 1, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2304964": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "jwest, your plan doesn't address the fundamental cause of inner city school failure.  It's worse than just throwing good money after bad on the system as is because it takes away all of the extra resources teachers have now that can help them at least try to reach these kids.  It also makes the assumption that the kids who are slipping through the cracks now are actually going to follow your plan, which they won't.  They drop out because they're poor and need to work, or they get mixed up in gangs, or they start using drugs, or their parents are beyond neglectful or abusive.  Sending that kid a voucher for $15 or $15000 isn't going to make a damn bit of difference because he's not going to use it.<br><br>Instead of shutting down what doesn't work for 80%, why don't we figure out what makes the other 20% successful?  Those kids come from the same neighborhoods, so why are they graduating while their neighbors drop out?  Maybe if we kept the at-risk students actually at the school for more hours and more days, they'd have fewer opportunities to slip through the cracks.  Maybe setting up boarding schools, providing meals, setting up work-study programs, and offering free tutoring services will make it possible for them to stay in school and finish their education.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-09-12_14:31:21", "killed": false, "user_key": "Amanda", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2272157": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "While acknowledging this conversation has gotten off track and has gone on too long, I've still got to say that most professionals have some sort of formal training that helps them get good at what they do.  You don't just wake up one morning and say, \"gee, I think I'll be an engineer!  I think I might have talent for that,\" and then go start an engineering firm the next day.  Why you think that scenario would work for teaching is beyond me.  Which is not to say, of course, that there aren't bad teachers out there who have been through the necessary school.   Not to mention that your proposed \"small business person\" model still doesn't account for the lower-level kids, who never would be accepted into these little businesses because their success is tied to the teacher's salary -- that pretty much turns lower-level students into a known poor business investment.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-09-10_18:31:09", "killed": false, "user_key": "roro80", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2285260": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "You get that you're basically describing a small private school, right?  A group of teachers pooling resources and banding together to give students a well-rounded education.<br><br>Inner city schools don't fail because they lack resources.  They fail because of the cultures surrounding them.  I went to public school in West Philadelphia for 5 years - the kids who fell behind were the ones who lived in the scariest neighborhoods, who had the most pressure from gangs, and who had the most messed up family lives.  When they showed up to school, they acted out, caused trouble, and brought their dangerous home lives into the building to affect everyone else.  Giving them vouchers and telling them to find their own teachers sure as hell isn't going to work for kids like that.  It doesn't matter how good the teachers are if the students never show up.<br><br>Your \"plan\" doesn't address that at all.  Voucher or no voucher, kids who get mixed up in gangs or drugs are not going to show up ready to learn every day to a teacher's office.  And forcing the teachers to go it alone or band together in small groups does not address the need for organized extra-curriculars - something that has been proven to keep kids out of trouble.<br><br>DC throws $16000 per student into the mess every year, but they don't address the real source of the problems in their school system.  Why not spend that money on restructuring the schools?  Set up dorms for public boarding schools.  Recruit volunteers to organize more extra-curricular activities.  Anything that keeps the inner city kids away from violence, drugs, and everything else that prevents them from succeeding in school.<br><br>Instead of tossing the whole system, why not look at places where it works?  Montgomery County, just outside of DC, has a hugely diverse student population including a lot of recent immigrants and people just barely getting by financially.  Yet they have a very successful education system that includes a lot of charter schools, tons of extra-curriculars, and increased student involvement in school decisions.  They consistently rank among the top districts in the nation for SAT scores, especially among minority students, and in graduation rates.  What do they do differently?  And how can we implement those changes elsewhere?", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-09-11_11:17:21", "killed": false, "user_key": "Amanda", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 2284128, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2268876": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Here's what I love - how the right abrogates any responsibility for the education problems in this country while they rail about it, and yet their presidential campaigns depend so much on an electorate with limited critical thinking ability. Interesting dichotomy there.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-09-10_14:57:44", "killed": false, "user_key": "JSpencer", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 1, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2268879": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Chris, what I wrote is self-explanatory, unrelated to your illogical response.  <br><br>Is Palin's boosting of the GOP still too hard to face?  What if it gets \"worse\"?", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-09-10_14:57:53", "killed": false, "user_key": "DLS", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2268882": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "ChrisWWW, <br><br>During the Clinton Administraiton, there were several controversies due to the refusal to release the raw data used to determine toxicity of population.  The Republicans pushed a bill forcing the government to publish the raw data. The Democrats opposed using sound science for toxicity modeling because it would show that many common pollutants were really not that dangerous.   Since then, I have a hard time believing that the Democrats really care about science. Also see genetically modified foods and food irradiation.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-09-10_14:58:06", "killed": false, "user_key": "superdestroyer", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2272211": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "jwest: <i>As you can see, I have no sympathy for any teacher who cannot produce results. </i> <br><br>I presume you're not limiting it to teachers, right? If not, I agree -- everyone should be offered millions of dollars in severance pay (and stock options) if they prove unable to make the grade.<br><br>By the way, what results are you talking about? That becomes especially relevant if you espouse some kind of voucher system. I'm not ruling it out, because I think competition is important. But it has to be real competition, don't you think? What good is it if private schools are not required to answer to a standardized requirement?", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-09-10_18:36:00", "killed": false, "user_key": "Ricorun", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2269908": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Oh, geez, I so wish I hadn't gone up the thread to see the argument about which party is actually \"pro-science\". I think my head just exploded.  Really, DLS?  REALLY??? Holy hell.<br><br>jwest -- I'm really curious about when you went to school, and what they taught in school at that time.  I mean, the 3 R's of course should make up the basics, but have you ever tried to get 35 8-year-olds to do nothing but drills for 8 hours?  It's not helpful to the kids, it's impossible to do, and there's no balance there.  Some of the things that Amanda was suggesting -- art, music, PE, foreign languages,etc  -- greatly enhance the 3 R's, break up the day, make things actually enjoyable for the kids and the teachers, and make for well-rounded and curious little people.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-09-10_16:07:41", "killed": false, "user_key": "roro80", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 1, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2270421": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "My vision of education doesn\u2019t allow for 35 8 year olds.<br><br>I doubt with a new system, any more than 10 kids of that age would ever be taught by one person.  On top of that, it would probably be the norm for a teacher to take the same group of kids from pre-school through 3rd grade.<br><br>In my world, if a kid left the house at 8:00am and walked to school, he would be in his desk no later than 8:05.  This is all possible by eliminating our failed public school system.<br><br>It would be hard for teachers in this new education environment to not to make in excess of $100,000 per year \u2013 from day 1 of their careers.<br><br>On the other hand, there will people who have spent their entire life as a teacher who will starve for lack of work.<br><br>Think of the possibilities.  <br><br><br>Ryan,<br><br>Don\u2019t think of this in the same old frame as before.  Think new and different.<br><br>You talk of underachieving students and who will take them.  What you\u2019re referring to is 90% of the students in both of these cities.<br><br>Special education students would of course have more money to work with.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-09-10_16:44:00", "killed": false, "user_key": "jwest", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 1, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2268793": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Superdestroyer -- I heard the following on NPR.  Tell me who the reactionaries are, as usual since 1980.<br><br><a href=\"http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=94394567\" rel=\"nofollow\">http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?st...</a>", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-09-10_14:51:37", "killed": false, "user_key": "DLS", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2263129": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "I agree, let the debate begin. A debate on ISSUES for a change instead of hot air.<br><br>jwest, if you feel yourself blowing around in the breeze it's because you're too far out on a limb.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-09-10_14:33:03", "killed": false, "user_key": "JSpencer", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 1, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2284128": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": true, "message": "Amanda,<br><br>The free market and common sense will take care of the grades past 3rd.<br><br>Try to think out of the box for a minute.<br><br>Remember, I\u2019m not advocating bulldozing the schools you went to that are working.  I\u2019m talking about two areas that are demonstrably failing in every sense of the word.  Libraries are only important to the kids in these cities as a place to sleep when they are homeless.  Let\u2019s teach them to read.<br><br>In my scenario, don\u2019t you think some enterprising educator might design a plan for 4th through 8th graders, perhaps with larger class sizes, more interaction with other educator\u2019s groups and with shared amenities?<br><br>How about in the higher grades of 9th through 12th?  Is it possible that someone would see the marketing (to parents and students) benefits of combining with other specialists in all the areas you mentioned to provide a well rounded education?<br><br>The best real teachers will flock to these two cities for a number of reasons.  One is that they could make more money than anywhere else.  Two is the challenge and the feeling that they are really making a difference.  Three is the freedom they would have to actually teach as opposed to stuctured mess they have today.<br><br>If you can just get past the idea what we have now is the only model for all students everywhere, I\u2019m sure you will be able to see the unlimited possibilities of this \u201cinsane\u201d plan.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-09-11_09:52:14", "killed": false, "user_key": "jwest", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 1, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2270568": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "And, er, who, pray tell, is going to pay for that?  \"What you're reffering to is 90% of the students in both of these cities\" doesn't make any sense to me as far as who will take the lower kids.  Of course, there's always the option of just giving up on them, letting them take to the streets...that sounds super.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-09-10_16:53:28", "killed": false, "user_key": "roro80", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 2270421, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2270563": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "jwest, if I had unlimited funds and could do something like that - truly start from scratch - I would.  But even with vouchers, there aren't enough private schools around to hold those kids.  Also, what happens to the kids who don't pass the test?  Do we just ignore them? <br><br>superdestroyer - opportunities for volunteering, internships, and extra-curriculars will still be available to anyone who goes for them.  They'll be shorter-term positions or after school.  Or, in some cases, there could be work/study programs where students go to class half the day and report to their internship for the other half and have the work experience count as school credit.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-09-10_16:52:59", "killed": false, "user_key": "Amanda", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": 2269496, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2269160": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "If you ask me (of course no one did, but I'll say it anyway), when you finish peeling the onion, the fundamental problem is that many people don't prize education. These days you're labeled an elitist if you go to good school -- the better the school and the better you do in it, the more elitist you are. It used to be that an elitist was a person that got into a good school by virtue of  legacy, got gentleman Cs, and still ended up a captain of industry or political power-broker. Now even over-achievers are considered elitists.<br><br>It used to be that science and high technology were recognized as the engines of innovation which propelled us into the future. Now they are often viewed with suspicion, if not downright ridicule. When I was growing up everyone wanted to be an astronaut or an engineer at JPL. Everyone wanted to be an Albert Einstein or a Thomas Edison. Now they just want to make money. Education doesn't trickle down anymore, only money does. <br><br>Perhaps I'm exaggerating, but I suspect it's not by much. It has been a long time since I heard someone extol the virtues of education for the sake of education. Rather, far too often these days the pursuit of higher education is driven by the profit motive -- assuming it is pursued at all. <br><br>Many things have been attempted to get our schools back on track. NCLB is just the latest. But IMO those attempts address the symptoms, not the disease. The disease is that education has been seriously devalued in the last couple of decades.<br><br>[I step back down off my soapbox]", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-09-10_15:17:37", "killed": false, "user_key": "Ricorun", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 2, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2269928": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "I support improving education but feel that the standards, resources, and responsibilities lie with the state and local governments working cooperatively.  If a collective of states want a common standard, that is fine as well -- but the power shifts from being top-down to bottom-up.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-09-10_16:09:37", "killed": false, "user_key": "gillmore", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2288370": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Thank you, Amanda, for a breath of sanity on this thread.  <br>jwest -- First, I think you're wrong that 90% of kids in public school right now fall through the cracks.  There are many, and that needs to change, definitely.  But let's not get rediculous with the numbers here.  Second, things were way, way better 8 years ago.  No Child Left Behind was the worst thing that could have happened to education.  I and many my age and older got an awesome education through the public system, but I graduated before NCLB. Third, As Amanda points out very well, your system is crazy.  It's not a matter of being beholden to the system, or some inability to think out of the box.  It's just that your idea is terrible, awful, unworkable, and pretty much would kill any chance this country has of having an educated population that can compete in the world.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-09-11_13:11:49", "killed": false, "user_key": "roro80", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2270198": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "I must say that Amanda and Ricorun's comments are absolutely spot on.  <br><blockquote><br>No schools. No administration. Nothing but a voucher for the full amount previously spent on education. The only way a voucher can be cashed is to present a child who can pass the test for their age each year.<br></blockquote><br>An unmitigated disaster. Who will take under-achieving children. No one because this system makes them worse than worthless.  What standards will be met? Do you expect all parents to be able to tell a good charter from a bad?<br>I have no problem with charter schools, but any one size fits all approach will fail, like our energy problems we need variety. And no, throwing money at the problem will not make it go away.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-09-10_16:29:29", "killed": false, "user_key": "RyanS", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2276215": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Jim,<br><br>Try to think in these terms.<br><br>What good is lab equipment to a group of kids from D.C. and Detroit of which 90% can\u2019t read, write or do simple math.<br><br>Let me teach them enough to have a little dignity in life and then I\u2019ll turn them over to the liberals for the interpretive dance class.<br><br>Every year for past 40 years we\u2019ve heard the totally democrat run cities and school districts say \u201cgive me more money and we will fix the problem\u201d.  The money is there.  D.C. spends over twice the national average and Detroit is close behind.  This system has failed.  If you care at all about these people, it\u2019s time for a radical change.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-09-10_21:40:53", "killed": false, "user_key": "jwest", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2262676": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Education for inner-city children is the issue most important to me.<br><br>McCain is ready for the debate.  What liberals have done to the mostly African American kids in the cities for generations is nothing short of criminal.  <br><br>With only 1 in 5 students graduating in D.C. and Detroit, with only a fraction of those being able to read and write at grade level, highlights how the democrats sold out to the teacher\u2019s union at the expense of these kids.<br><br>Obama can\u2019t defend the indefensible.  Let the debate begin.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-09-10_14:02:34", "killed": false, "user_key": "jwest", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2289276": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Amanda/Roro,<br><br>If you check my posts, you will see that I\u2019m speaking of D.C. and Detroit city schools, not the ones you have fond memories of.  In these two school systems, the graduation rate is 20%, but half the kids who graduate can\u2019t read or write at grade level.<br><br>Yes, the plan is for small, privatized operations.  I realize how crazy this must sound to liberals who have backed the current school systems for everyone, regardless of if it works or not.   <br><br>Since I\u2019m familiar with the numbers, I can tell you that the actual performance of the schools was worse prior to NCLB.  You might have seen a slightly higher graduation rate, but in terms of people who could actually read the number is lower.<br><br>So, here we are.  My plan is insane, your plan insures more generations of inner-city kids will be functionally illiterate.  Should we just agree to write these people off?  <br><br>Wait, I know\u2026\u2026How about you two help the democrats promise to fight terrible things like NCLB and promise to improve the schools in these two cities.  Even though there has not been a local or federal election in past 40 years that the same promise wasn\u2019t made, maybe this year it will change.<br><br>Or, perhaps one of you has an idea that hasn\u2019t been tried in a hundred variations before.  I\u2019m open to any idea that will work.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-09-11_14:19:25", "killed": false, "user_key": "jwest", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "2277909": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Continuing to throw ever more money blindly at education conforms to the one definition of insanity, repeatedly trying the same thing and expecting different results.<br><br>The false premise that all children are equally gifted, and differences in their academic results only reflect differences in their opportunites is another falsehood we refuse to acknowledge.<br><br>Changing away from the teaching methodologies used successfully for generations, starting in the 60's, that had allowed for the greater percentage of our brightest students to reach their maximum potential in favor of methods that brought everyone to a common level , but lower for the top students, is another factor. A related development was the decline of the vocational education tracks and schools.<br><br>Creating the current Federal college funding program has led to the combination of spiraling college costs, and more, but mediocre, colleges and universities trying to achieve the goal of a college degree for the greatest number of people by debasing the quality of those degrees, is yet another.<br><br>Meanwhile, in China and other countries, the traditional teaching methods, and value of a true quality education, continue to be maintained, and we fall further and further behind.<br><br>And yes, I know that our top colleges are still among the top in the world, but our own students (with in general the exception of children of first and second generation immigrants) find it more and more difficult to gain admittance to those schools without the playing field being tilted in their favor.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-09-11_00:04:00", "killed": false, "user_key": "AustinRoth", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": false, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}}, "integration": {"receiver_url": "http://themoderatevoice.com/disqus-blank.html", "theme": 4, "reply_position": true, "disqus_logo": false}, "timer": {"timer_url": "http://localhost:8005", "thread_id": "4387667", "user_id": "anonymous", "forum_id": "2724", "hash": 5422753557633752506}, "thread": {"total_posts": 0, "paginate": false, "per_page": 0, "slug": "we_don8217t_need_no_department_of_education", "num_pages": 1, "days_alive": 0, "realtime_paused": true, "id": 4387667, "num_posts": 45, "closed": true, "queued": false, "killed": false}, "reactions_limit": 10, "context": {"show_reply": false, "use_fb_connect": true, "forum_facebook_key": "8e626a1cbe92745e5f4435bb28791555", "use_yahoo": false, "subscribed": false, "use_twitter_signin": true, "use_openid": false, "realtime_speed": 5000}, "reactions_start": 0, "settings": {"debug": false, "disqus_url": "http://disqus.com", "media_url": "http://media.disqus.com"}, "media_url": "http://media.disqus.com"};
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Dsq.MEDIA_POST_RE = /&lt;!--\[(.*?)\]--(?:>|&gt;)/gim;



var FragmentPacket = function(reader, writer, writer_url, is_child, receiveCallback) {
	var that = this;
	this.reader = reader;
	this.writer = writer;
	this.writer_url = writer_url;

	this.is_child = is_child || false;
	this.receiveCallback = receiveCallback;

	this._lastHash = null;

	this._accumMsg = '';

	this._lastSeqno = 0;

	this.MAX_DATA_LEN	= 1024;

	this.WAIT_TIME		= 10;

	this.READY		= 0x1;
	this.WRITING	= 0x2;
	this.FIN		= 0x4;
	this.ACK		= 0x8;

};

FragmentPacket.prototype.createListener = function() {
	var that = this;
	var listener = function() {
		that.recv();
	};
	return window.setInterval(listener, 10);
};

FragmentPacket.prototype.log = function(msg) {



};

FragmentPacket.prototype.recv = function() {
	var hash;
	if (/MSIE/.test(navigator.userAgent)) {

		hash = this.reader.name;
	} else {

		var hashIndex = this.reader.location.href.indexOf('#');
		if (hashIndex == -1) {
			return;
		}
		hash = this.reader.location.href.substring(hashIndex+1);
	}
	var flags = parseInt(hash.substring(0, 4), 10);
	var seqno = parseInt(hash.substring(4, 24), 10);
	var data  = hash.substring(24);

	if (this._lastHash !== hash) {
		this._lastHash = hash;
		this.log('recv: ' + hash);

		this.log(' flags: ' + flags);
		this.log(' seqno: ' + seqno + ' len: ' + hash.substring(4, 24).length + ' (' + hash.substring(4, 24) + ')');
		this.log(' data: ' + data + ' len: ' + data.length);

		this._lastSeqno = seqno;

		if (flags & this.WRITING) {
			this._accumMsg += data;
			this.sendFlag(this.ACK, seqno);
			if (flags & this.FIN) {
				this.log('recv finished: ' + decodeURIComponent(this._accumMsg));
				this.receiveCallback(decodeURIComponent(this._accumMsg));

				this._accumMsg = '';

				this.sendFlag(this.READY | this.ACK, this._lastSeqno);
			}
		}
	}

	return {
		flags: flags,
		seqno: seqno,
		data: data
	};
};

FragmentPacket.prototype.sendRawPacket = function(packet) {
	if (/MSIE/.test(navigator.userAgent)) {
		this.writer.name = packet;
	} else {

		this.writer.location.href = this.writer_url + '#' + packet;
	}

};

FragmentPacket.prototype.sendFlag = function(flag, seqno) {
	this.sendRawPacket(this._zerofill(flag, 4) + this._zerofill(seqno, 20));
};

FragmentPacket.prototype.send = function(msg) {
	this._send(0, encodeURIComponent(msg));
};

FragmentPacket.prototype._send = function(packetNum, msg) {
	var that = this;
	var recvBuf = this.recv();

	if (packetNum === 0) {

		if (!(recvBuf.flags & this.READY)) {
			this.log('client is not ready, waiting...');
			window.setTimeout(function() { that._send(packetNum, msg); }, this.WAIT_TIME);
			return;
		}
	} else {

		if (!( (recvBuf.flags & this.ACK) && (recvBuf.seqno === this._lastSeqno) )) {
			this.log('waiting for ack from client...');
			window.setTimeout(function() { that._send(packetNum, msg); }, this.WAIT_TIME);
			return;
		} else {
			this.log('received ack: ' + this._lastSeqno + ' ' + recvBuf.seqno);
		}
	}

	var flags = this.WRITING;
	var num_packets = Math.ceil(msg.length / this.MAX_DATA_LEN);
	this.log('num_packets: ' + num_packets);

	if (num_packets === packetNum) {

		this.log('message successfully sent!');
		this.sendFlag(this.READY | this.ACK, this._lastSeqno);
		return true;
	}

	this._lastSeqno++;

	if (packetNum == num_packets-1) {
		flags |= this.FIN;
	}

	var data = msg.substring(packetNum * this.MAX_DATA_LEN, (packetNum+1) * this.MAX_DATA_LEN);
	var packet = this._zerofill(flags, 4) + this._zerofill(this._lastSeqno, 20) + data;

	this.log('sending raw packet: ' + packet);
	this.sendRawPacket(packet);

	return this._send(packetNum + 1, msg);
};

FragmentPacket.prototype._zerofill = function(num, width) {
	var retval = num.toString();
	var retval_len = retval.length;
	for (var i = 0; i < width - retval_len; i++) {
		retval = '0' + retval;
	}
	return retval;
};

var PostMessagePacket = function(receiver, receiveCallback, id, receiverId) {
	var that = this;
	this.receiver = receiver;
	this.receiveCallback = receiveCallback;
	this.id = id;


	this.receiverId = receiverId;
};

PostMessagePacket.prototype.createListener = function() {
	var that = this;

	var listener = function(e) {

		if (!that.id) {
			that.id = e.data;
			return;
		}


		var id = e.data.split(';')[0];
		if (id !== that.id) {
			return;
		}
		var data = e.data.substring(e.data.indexOf(';') + 1);

		that.receiveCallback(data);
	};

	if (typeof window.attachEvent == 'function') {
		window.attachEvent('onmessage', listener);
	} else if (typeof window.addEventListener == 'function') {
		window.addEventListener('message', listener, false);
	} else {
		throw new Error('No method found to create event listener for PostMessagePacket.');
	}
};

PostMessagePacket.prototype.send = function(msg) {



	var needs_reget = false;
	try {
		if (typeof this.receiver.id == 'undefined' || typeof this.receiver.postMessage == 'undefined') {
			needs_reget = true;
		}
	} catch(e) {


	}
	if (needs_reget && typeof this.receiverId != 'undefined') {
		this.receiver = document.getElementById(this.receiverId).contentWindow;
	}

	var packet;
	if (!msg) {

		packet = this.id;
	} else {
		packet = this.id + ';' + msg;
	}
	this.receiver.postMessage(packet, '*');
};

PostMessagePacket._last_unique_id = null;
PostMessagePacket._get_unique_id = function() {
	var id = (new Date()).getTime();
	if (id == PostMessagePacket._last_unique_id) {
		id++;
	}
	PostMessagePacket._last_unique_id = id;
	return id.toString();
};

var JsonRpc = function() {

	this.ids = {};

	this.objectToJSON = function(obj) {
		var json = '';
		var results = [];

		if (obj === undefined || obj === null) {
			return 'null';
		}

		switch (obj.constructor) {
			case Object:
				for (var property in obj) {
					if (obj.hasOwnProperty(property)) {
						results.push(this.objectToJSON(property) + ': ' + this.objectToJSON(obj[property]));
					}
				}
				json = '{' + results.join(', ') + '}';
				break;
			case Array:
				for (var i = 0; i < obj.length; i++) {
					results.push(this.objectToJSON(obj[i]));
				}
				json = '[' + results.join(', ') + ']';
				break;
			case Number:
			case Boolean:
				json = obj.toString();
				break;
			case String:

				var specialChars = {'\b': '\\b', '\t': '\\t', '\n': '\\n', '\f': '\\f', '\r': '\\r', '\\': '\\\\'};

				json = obj.replace(/[\x00-\x1f\\]/g, function(match) {
					var ch = specialChars[match];
					return ch ? ch : '\\u00' + match.charCodeAt().toPaddedString(2, 16);
				});

				json = '"' + json.replace(/"/g, '\\"') + '"';
				break;
			default:

				json = 'null';
				break;
		}

		return json;
	};

	this.createHandler = function(send_func, registered_funcs) {
		var that = this;
		var handler = function(message) {

			try {
				var rpc = eval('(' + message + ')');
			} catch(e) {
				alert('bad JSON: ' + message);
				return;
			}
			if (rpc.method) {

				if (!registered_funcs[rpc.method]) {
					return;
				}

				var retval = registered_funcs[rpc.method].apply(null, rpc.params);
				if (rpc.id) {
					var response = {
						result: retval,
						error: null,	// TODO
						id: rpc.id
					};
					send_func(that.objectToJSON(response));
				}
			} else if(rpc.result) {

				if (!that.ids[rpc.id]) {
					return;
				}

				that.ids[rpc.id](rpc.result);
				delete that.ids[rpc.id];
			}
		};
		return handler;
	};

	this.execute = function(send_func, method, params, response_callback) {
		response_callback = response_callback || null;
		var id = (response_callback) ? (new Date()).getTime() : null;

		var request = {
			method: method,
			params: params,
			id: id
		};

		send_func(this.objectToJSON(request));

		if (id) {
			this.ids[id] = response_callback;
		}
	};
};
JsonRpc = new JsonRpc();

var ParentMessenger = function(childUrl, receiverUrl, container, receiveCallback) {


	if (navigator.userAgent.indexOf('Safari') >= 0 && parseInt(navigator.userAgent.substring(navigator.userAgent.indexOf('Version/') + 8), 10) == 3) {
		throw new Error("unsupported.");
	} else if (window.opera) {
		throw new Error("unsupported.");
	}



	if (!receiverUrl &&
		navigator.userAgent.indexOf('Gecko') >= 0 &&
		parseFloat(navigator.userAgent.slice(navigator.userAgent.indexOf('rv:') + 3, navigator.userAgent.indexOf('rv:') + 6)) < 1.9) {
		throw new Error("unsupported.");
	}


	if (/msie/i.test(navigator.userAgent) && !/opera/i.test(navigator.userAgent)) {


		if (document.domain == window.location.hostname) {
			receiverUrl = '';
		}
	}

	var that = this;
	this.childUrl = childUrl;
	this.receiverUrl = receiverUrl;
	this.container = container || document.body;

	this.packetHandler = null;


	this._ready = false;
	this._error = false;


	var _createReceiverForFragmentPacket = function() {

		that.receiver = document.createElement('iframe');
		that.receiver.src = receiverUrl;
		that.receiver.id = 'receiver_' + (new Date()).getTime();
		that.receiver.name = that.receiver.id;

		that.receiver.frameBorder = '0';
		that.receiver.frameSpacing = '0';
		that.receiver.style.borderStyle = 'none';

		var receiver_onload = function() {
			var receiver = document.getElementById(that.receiver.id).contentWindow;

			try {
				receiver.document.body.innerHTML = '';
			} catch(e) {

				that._error = true;
			}
			receiver.document.body.style.padding = '0px';
			receiver.document.body.style.margin = '0px';

			var child = receiver.document.createElement('iframe');
			child.id = 'child';
			child.name = 'child';
			child.src = that.childUrl;

			child.frameBorder = '0';
			child.frameSpacing = '0';
			child.style.borderStyle = 'none';
			child.style.width = '100%';
			child.style.height = '100%';
			receiver.document.body.appendChild(child);

			that.child = receiver.document.getElementById('child').contentWindow;
			that.receiver = receiver;

			that.packetHandler = new FragmentPacket(that.receiver, that.child, that.childUrl, false, receiveCallback);

			that._listener = that.packetHandler.createListener();

			that.packetHandler.sendFlag(that.packetHandler.READY, 0);

			that._ready = true;
		};

		that.receiver.onreadystatechange = function() {
			if (this.readyState == 'complete') {
				receiver_onload();
			}
		};

		that.receiver.onload = receiver_onload;







		if (Dsq.Utils.ie) {
			if (that.container.clientWidth === 0) {

				var _waitForWidth = function() {
					if (that.container.clientWidth > 0) {
						Dsq.Utils.fixIframesIE(that.container.id);
					} else {
						window.setTimeout(_waitForWidth, 100);
					}
				};
				_waitForWidth();

				that._once = false;
				that.receiver.onresize = function() {
					if (!that._once) {
						Dsq.Utils.fixIframesIE(that.container.id);
					}
					that._once = true;
				};
			}
		}

		that.container.appendChild(that.receiver);
	};


	var _createReceiverForPostMessage = function() {

		var receiver_onload = function() {

			that.packetHandler.send();
			that._ready = true;
		};

		var id = PostMessagePacket._get_unique_id();
		var receiverId = 'child_' + id;


		ParentMessenger['_receiver_onload_' + receiverId] = receiver_onload;

		that.container.innerHTML += '<iframe ' +
			'src="' + childUrl + '" ' +
			'id="' + receiverId + '" ' +
			'name="' + receiverId + '" ' +
			'onload="ParentMessenger._receiver_onload_' + receiverId +'();" ' +
			'></iframe>';

		that.receiver = document.getElementById(receiverId).contentWindow;
		that.packetHandler = new PostMessagePacket(that.receiver, receiveCallback, id, receiverId);
		that._listener = that.packetHandler.createListener();
	};

	if (typeof window.postMessage == 'function') {
		_createReceiverForPostMessage();
	} else {
		_createReceiverForFragmentPacket();
	}

};

ParentMessenger.prototype.sendMessage = function(message) {
	var that = this;
	if (!this._ready) {

		window.setTimeout(function() { that.sendMessage(message); }, 10);
		return;
	}
	this.packetHandler.send(message);
	return true;
};

Dsq.NewFrames = function(url) {
	this.url = url;
};

Dsq.NewFrames.prototype.init = function(onFailure) {
	var that = this;

	try {
		this.messenger = new ParentMessenger(this.url, Dsq.jsonData.integration.receiver_url, this.container, this.receive_callback);
	} catch(e) {
		if (typeof onFailure == 'function') {
			onFailure();
		}
	}

	if (typeof onFailure == 'function') {
		var iId = window.setInterval(function() {
			if (typeof that.messenger == 'undefined') {
				window.clearInterval(iId);
				return;
			}
			if (that.messenger._ready) {
				window.clearInterval(iId);
			} else if (that.messenger._error) {
				window.clearInterval(iId);
				onFailure();
			}
		}, 10);
	}
};

Dsq.NewFrames.prototype._execute = function(method, args, callback) {
	var that = this;
	if (typeof that.messenger == 'undefined') {
		return false;
	}
	JsonRpc.execute(
		function(msg) { that.messenger.sendMessage(msg); },
		method,
		args || [],
		callback);
	return true;
};

Dsq.ReplyFrame = function(container, parent_post_id) {
	var that = this;
	this.container = container;
	this.parent_post_id = parent_post_id;

	var sendFunc = function(msg) {

		Dsq.Debug.log('Dsq.ReplyFrame.sendFunc');
		that.messenger.sendMessage(msg);
	};


	var postComment_onSuccess = function(response) {
		Dsq.jsonData.posts[response.message.id] = response.message.post_meta;
		if (!Dsq.jsonData.users[response.message.post_meta.user_key]) {
			Dsq.jsonData.users[response.message.post_meta.user_key] = response.message.user_meta;
		}


		var reply_position = (typeof(disqus_insert_wrt_sort) == 'undefined' 
			? (Dsq.jsonData.forum.reply_position ? -1 : null) 
			: (Dsq.jsonData.request.sort == 2 ? null : -1));
		
		if (response.message.post_meta.approved) {
			Dsq.Post.insert(response.message.post_meta.parent_post_id || reply_position, response.message.id, response.message.post_meta.message);
		}

		Dsq.Templates.postComment_onSuccess(response, parent_post_id, response.message.id);
	};

	var postComment_onFailure = function(response) {
		Dsq.Popup.popModal(response.message, 'Error');
		Dsq.Templates.postComment_onFailure(response, parent_post_id, response.message.id);
	};

	var editComment_onSuccess = function(response) {
		var post_id = parent_post_id;
		var message = Dsq.$('dsq-comment-message-' + post_id);
		
		message.innerHTML = response.message;
		Dsq.Templates.toggleEdit(post_id);
		Dsq.Templates.setLoadingButton(false);
	};
	
	var editComment_onFailure = function(response) {
		var post_id = parent_post_id;
		
		Dsq.Popup.popModal('Sorry, there was an error editing this comment.', 'Edit Error');
		Dsq.Templates.toggleEdit(post_id);
		Dsq.Templates.setLoadingButton(false);
	};

	var getUserByEmail_onSuccess = function(response) {
		var msg = response.message;
		var fields = Dsq.Templates.getFormFields(parent_post_id);

		if (msg.username) {

			Dsq.Templates.lightboxAuthenticate(parent_post_id, 'login', {
				'username': msg.username,
				'display_name': msg.display_name,
				'avatar_url': msg.avatar_url,
				'verified': msg.verified,
				'email': fields.email.value
			});
		} else {

			Dsq.Templates.lightboxAuthenticate(parent_post_id, 'register');
		}
	};

	var validateAuth_onSuccess = function(response, auth_choice) {
		Dsq.Templates.postComment(parent_post_id, null, true, auth_choice);
	};

	var validateAuth_onFailure = function(response, auth_choice) {
		var pid = parent_post_id ? '-' + parent_post_id : '';
		var msg = response.message;

		if (auth_choice == 'register') {
			var fields = ['email', 'username', 'password'];

			for (var i = 0; i < fields.length; i++) {
				var field = fields[i];
				var errorDiv = Dsq.$('dsq-' + field + '-errors' + pid);

				if (msg[field]) {
					errorDiv.innerHTML = msg[field];
				} else {
					errorDiv.innerHTML = '';
				}
			}
		} else if (auth_choice == 'login') {
			Dsq.$('dsq-lightbox-errors' + pid).innerHTML = '<p>We couldn\'t log you in. Please verify your login.</p>';
		}
		
		Dsq.Templates.setLoadingButton(false);
	};

	this.receive_callback = JsonRpc.createHandler(sendFunc, {
		'postComment.onSuccess': postComment_onSuccess,
		'postComment.onFailure': postComment_onFailure,
		'editComment.onSuccess': editComment_onSuccess,
		'editComment.onFailure': editComment_onFailure,		
		'getUserByEmail.onSuccess': getUserByEmail_onSuccess,
		'validateAuth.onSuccess': validateAuth_onSuccess,
		'validateAuth.onFailure': validateAuth_onFailure,
		'reload': function() { window.location.reload(); }
	});

	this.url = Dsq.Urls.REPLY +
		'?' + (new Date()).getTime() +
		'&f=themoderatevoice' +
		'&t=we_don8217t_need_no_department_of_education' +
		'&ff=' + Dsq.Thread.ff +
		'&default_text=' + encodeURIComponent(disqus_default_text) +
		'&ifrs=' + encodeURIComponent(disqus_iframe_css);
	if (this.parent_post_id) {
		this.url += '&parent_post=' + this.parent_post_id;
	}
};

Dsq.ReplyFrame.prototype = new Dsq.NewFrames(Dsq.ReplyFrame.url);

Dsq.ReplyFrame.prototype.post = function(author_name, author_email, author_url, authenticate, sharing_services, subscribe) {
	this._execute('postComment', [author_name, author_email, author_url, authenticate, sharing_services, subscribe]);
};

Dsq.ReplyFrame.prototype.edit = function(post_id, message) {
	this._execute('editComment', [post_id, message]);
};

Dsq.ReplyFrame.prototype.setState = function(parent_post_id, depth) {
	this._execute('setState', [parent_post_id, depth]);
};

Dsq.ReplyFrame.prototype.getUserByEmail = function(email) {
	this._execute('getUserByEmail', [email]);
};

Dsq.ReplyFrame.prototype.validateAuth = function(auth_choice, email, username, password) {
	this._execute('validateAuth', [auth_choice, email, username, password]);
};

Dsq.ReplyFrame.prototype.authenticateFacebook = function(session, forum_url) {
	this._execute('authenticateFacebook', [session, forum_url]);
};

	Dsq.Facebook = function() {
	var that = this;

	var handleSessionData = function(session) {

		var forum_url = Dsq.jsonData.forum.url;




		if (typeof disqus_facebook_forum != 'undefined') {
			forum_url = disqus_facebook_forum;
		}
		Dsq.frames.reply_0.authenticateFacebook(session, forum_url);
	};

	var onLogin = function() {
		FB.Connect.getSignedPublicSessionData(handleSessionData);
	};

	this.login = function() {
		FB.Connect.requireSession(onLogin, true);
	};
};
Dsq.Facebook = new Dsq.Facebook();


	






Dsq.Themes = {};

Dsq.Themes.narcissus = new function() {
	this.addPostContainer = 'dsq-form-area';
	this.textareaContainer = 'dsq-textarea-wrapper';



	
	this.header = function() {
		var comments_count, total_posts, num_posts;
		var html = '';
		var missing_perm_tmpl;

		if (Dsq.jsonData.request.missing_perm) {
			missing_perm_tmpl = Dsq.Templates.missingPermissions();
			if (missing_perm_tmpl) {
				html += '<div class="dsq-missing-permissions">' + missing_perm_tmpl + '</div>';
			}
		}

		total_posts = Dsq.jsonData.thread.total_posts;
		num_posts = Dsq.jsonData.thread.num_posts;

		if (total_posts) {
			comments_count = Dsq.FmtStrings.SHOWING_COMMENTS_FULL(total_posts, num_posts);
		} else {
			comments_count = Dsq.FmtStrings.SHOWING_COMMENTS_WITHOUT_PAGINATION(num_posts);
		}

		html += ' \
		<div id="dsq-comments-title"> \
			<h3>' + comments_count + '</h3> \
		</div> \
		';

		html += ' \
		<div class="dsq-options"> \
			<span class="dsq-item-sort">'
				+ Dsq.Strings.SORT_BY + ' \
				<select id="dsq-sort-select" onchange="Dsq.Thread.sortBy(this.value);"> \
					<option value="hot" ' + (Dsq.jsonData.request.sort == 4 ? 'selected="selected"' : '') + '>' + Dsq.Strings.POPULAR_NOW + '</option> \
					<option value="best" ' + (Dsq.jsonData.request.sort == 3 ? 'selected="selected"' : '') + '>' + Dsq.Strings.BEST_RATING + '</option> \
					<option value="newest" ' + (Dsq.jsonData.request.sort == 2 ? 'selected="selected"' : '') + '>' + Dsq.Strings.NEWEST_FIRST + '</option> \
					<option value="oldest" ' + (Dsq.jsonData.request.sort == 1 ? 'selected="selected"' : '') + '>' + Dsq.Strings.OLDEST_FIRST + '</option> \
				</select> \
				&nbsp; \
			</span> \
			<span class="dsq-subscribe-email"> \
				<img src="http://media.disqus.com/images/embed/email.png" style="width:12px;height:12px;vertical-align:middle"> \
				<span id="dsq-subscribe">'
					+ (Dsq.jsonData.context.subscribed
						? '<a href="#" onclick="Dsq.Thread.subscribe(0); return false">' + Dsq.Strings.UNSUBSCRIBE + '</a>'
						: '<a href="#" onclick="Dsq.Thread.subscribe(1); return false">' + Dsq.Strings.SUBSCRIBE_BY_EMAIL + '</a>')
				+ '</span> \
			</span> \
			<span class="dsq-subscribe-rss" style="width:12px;height:12px;vertical-align:middle"> \
				<img src="http://media.disqus.com/images/embed/bullet-feed.png" alt="" /> \
				<a href="http://themoderatevoice.disqus.com/we_don8217t_need_no_department_of_education/latest.rss">' + Dsq.Strings.SUBSCRIBE_BY_RSS + '</a> \
			</span> \
		</div> \
		';

		
		

		return html;

	};
	
	this.footer = function() {
		var html = '';

		html += Dsq.Templates.pagination();

		
		
			html += Dsq.Templates.realtime();
			html += Dsq.Templates.showThreadSettings();
			html += Dsq.Templates.postBox();

		html += Dsq.Templates.reactions();

		
			html += Dsq.Templates.trackbacks();
		


		if (Dsq.jsonData.request.is_global_moderator) {
 			html += ' \
				<div class="dsq-global-moderator-extras">'
					+ '<strong>shortname:</strong> ' + Dsq.jsonData.forum.url
					+ '<strong>thread id:</strong> ' + Dsq.jsonData.thread.id
					+ '<strong>thread slug:</strong> ' + Dsq.jsonData.thread.slug
				+ '</div> \
			';
		}

		return html;
	};
	
	this.realtime = function() {
		var html = '';
		
		if (Dsq.jsonData.realtime_enabled) {
			html += '<div id="dsq-realtime-options" class="dsq-options">'
					 + Dsq.Strings.REALTIME_UPDATING_IS + ' <strong id="dsq-realtime-status" style="text-transform: lowercase">' + Dsq.Strings.ENABLED + '</strong>. \
					 <a href="#" id="dsq-realtime-toggle" style="text-transform: capitalize"></a> \
					</div>';
		}

		if (!Dsq.jsonData.forum.streaming_realtime) {
			html += ' \
				<div style="display: none" id="dsq-realtime-alert" class="dsq-realtime-alert"><span id="dsq-realtime-queued"></span> <a href="#" id="dsq-realtime-show"></a></div> \
			';
		}
		
		return html;
	};

	this.showThreadSettings = function() {
		if (!Dsq.jsonData.request.is_moderator) {
			return '';
		}

		html = '<div id="dsq-thread-settings" class="dsq-thread-settings">' + Dsq.Strings.MODERATOR_OPTIONS;
		html += '<a href="#" onclick="Dsq.Thread.showSettings(); return false;">' + Dsq.Strings.SETTINGS + '</a>';
		html += '<a href="#" onclick="Dsq.Thread.showModeratorActions(); return false;">' + Dsq.Strings.MODERATE + '</a>';
		if (Dsq.jsonData.forum.reactions_enabled && Dsq.jsonData.reactions.length === 0) {
			html += '<a href="#" onclick="Dsq.Reaction.reportMissingReactions(); return false;">'
						+ Dsq.Strings.REPORT_MISSING_REACTIONS
						+ '</a>';
		}
		html +='</div>';

		return html;
	};

	this.postBox = function(post_id, use_fallback_iframe) {


		var html;
		var display_sharing_options = Dsq.jsonData.request.is_authenticated;

		if (!Dsq.jsonData.request.is_authenticated && Dsq.jsonData.forum.disqus_auth_disabled && !Dsq.jsonData.forum.allow_anon_post) {
			return '';
		}
		
		if (Dsq.jsonData.request.is_remote) {


			if (!Dsq.jsonData.request.sharing.hasOwnProperty(Dsq.jsonData.request.remote_domain)) {
				display_sharing_options = false;
			}
		}
		
		if (post_id) {
			var _meta = Dsq.jsonData.posts[post_id];
			var userData = Dsq.jsonData['users'][_meta.user_key];				
		}
		
		var pid = post_id ? '-' + post_id : '';

		var _requestUserInfo = function() {
			var html;



			var user_has_email = false;

			html = '<div class="dsq-request-user-info"> <!-- // If authenticated --> \
				<a href="' + Dsq.jsonData.settings.disqus_url + Dsq.Urls.LOGOUT + '?ctkn=' + Dsq.CSRF_TOKEN + '" class="dsq-request-user-logout">' + Dsq.Strings.LOGOUT + '</a> \
				<table> \
					<tr> \
						<td rowspan="2">'
							+ (!Dsq.jsonData.forum.disqus_auth_disabled ? '<a href="' + Dsq.jsonData.settings.disqus_url + Dsq.Urls.REQUEST_USER_PROFILE + '">' : '')
								+ '<img src="' + Dsq.Urls.REQUEST_USER_AVATAR + '" width="48" height="48" class="dsq-request-user-avatar">'
							+ (!Dsq.jsonData.forum.disqus_auth_disabled ? '</a>' : '')
						+ '</td> \
						<td class="dsq-request-user-name">'
								+ (Dsq.jsonData.request.is_remote
									 ? '<span class="dsq-badge-small dsq-badge-' + Dsq.jsonData.request.remote_domain + '">' + Dsq.jsonData.request.remote_domain + '</span>'
									 : (Dsq.jsonData.request.is_verified
											? '<span class="dsq-badge-small dsq-badge-verified">Verified</span>'
											: '<span class="dsq-badge-small dsq-badge-registered">Registered</span>'))
							+ (!Dsq.jsonData.forum.disqus_auth_disabled ? ' <a href="' + Dsq.jsonData.settings.disqus_url + Dsq.Urls.REQUEST_USER_PROFILE + '">' : '') 
								+ Dsq.jsonData.request.display_username 
							+ (!Dsq.jsonData.forum.disqus_auth_disabled ? '</a>' : '')
							+  (Dsq.jsonData.request.is_remote && user_has_email ? ' <small>(<a href="#" onclick="Dsq.Popup.remoteAccountSettings(); return false;">change settings</a>)</small>' : '')
							+  (!Dsq.jsonData.request.is_remote && !Dsq.jsonData.forum.disqus_auth_disabled ? ' <small>(<a href="' + Dsq.jsonData.settings.disqus_url + '/profile/info/" target="_blank">change name</a> or <a href="' + Dsq.jsonData.settings.disqus_url + '/profile/avatar/" target="_blank">picture</a>)</small>' : '')
						+ '</td> \
					</tr> \
					<tr> \
						<td class="dsq-request-user-stats"> \
							<span><big>' + Dsq.jsonData.request.comments_count + '</big> ' + (Dsq.jsonData.request.comments_count == 1 ? 'comment' : 'comments') + '</span> \
							<span><big>' + Dsq.jsonData.request.likes_count + '</big> ' + (Dsq.jsonData.request.likes_count == 1 ? 'like' : 'likes') + '</span> \
							<span><big>' + Dsq.jsonData.request.points + '</big> ' + (Dsq.jsonData.request.points == 1 ? 'point' : 'points') + '</span> \
						</td> \
					</tr> \
				</table> \
			</div> \
			';
			return html;
		};

		var _loginOptions = function() {
			var html;
			html = ' \
			<div class="dsq-authenticate"> \
				<p class="dsq-autheneticate-copy">'
				+ (Dsq.jsonData.forum.allow_anon_post
					? Dsq.Strings.YOU_ARE_COMMENTING_AS_A + ' <a class="dsq-help" title="Click for more information" href="#" onclick="Dsq.Popup.helpBadges(); return false">Guest</a>. ' + Dsq.Strings.OPTIONAL + ': ' + Dsq.Strings.LOGIN_BELOW + '.'
					: Dsq.Strings.REQUIRED + ': ' + Dsq.Strings.PLEASE_LOGIN_BELOW_TO_COMMENT + '.')
				+ '</p> \
				<ul class="dsq-login-buttons">'
					+ (!Dsq.jsonData.forum.disqus_auth_disabled ? '<li class="dsq-login-button"><a href="#" onclick="Dsq.Popup.login(); return false"><img src="http://media.disqus.com/images/themes/narcissus/login-disqus.gif" /></a></li>' : '')
					+ (Dsq.jsonData.context.use_fb_connect ? '<li class="dsq-login-button"><a href="#" onclick="Dsq.Facebook.login(); return false;"><img src="http://media.disqus.com/images/themes/narcissus/login-facebook.gif" /></a></li>' : '')
					+ (Dsq.jsonData.context.use_twitter_signin ? '<li class="dsq-login-button"><a href="#" onclick="Dsq.Twitter.startTwitterConnect(); return false"><img src="http://media.disqus.com/images/themes/narcissus/login-twitter.gif" /></a></li>' : '')
					+ (Dsq.jsonData.context.use_openid ? '<li class="dsq-login-button"><a href="#" onclick="Dsq.OpenID.requestURL(); return false" ><img src="http://media.disqus.com/images/themes/narcissus/login-openid.gif" /></a></li>' : '')
					+ (Dsq.jsonData.context.use_yahoo ? '<li class="dsq-login-button"><a href="#" onclick="Dsq.Yahoo.startYahooConnect(); return false"><img src="http://media.disqus.com/images/themes/narcissus/login-yahoo.gif" /></a></li>' : '')
				+ '</ul> \
			</div> \
			';
			return html;
		};

		if (!Dsq.jsonData.context.show_reply) {


			if (!Dsq.jsonData.request.is_authenticated) {



				return '<div id="dsq-form-area" style="display:none"><div id="dsq-textarea-wrapper"></div></div>' + _loginOptions();
			} else {
				return '';
			}
		}

		html = ' \
		<div id="' + (post_id 
			? 'dsq-reply-post-' + post_id
			: 'dsq-new-post')
		 	+ '" class="dsq-post-area"> \
			<div class="dsq-dc-logo"> \
				<a href="http://disqus.com/comments" target="_blank"><img src="http://media.disqus.com/images/themes/narcissus/disqus-logo.png"></a> \
			</div>'
			+ (post_id 
				? '<h3>' + Dsq.Strings.REPLYING_TO + ' ' + userData.display_name + '</h3>'
				: '<h3>' + Dsq.Strings.ADD_NEW_COMMENT + '</h3>')
			+ (Dsq.jsonData.request.is_authenticated 
				? _requestUserInfo()
				: _loginOptions() )
			+ '<div id="dsq-form-area' + pid + '">'
			+ '<div class="dsq-textarea"> \
				<div class="dsq-textarea-wrapper" id="dsq-textarea-wrapper' + pid + '"></div> \
			</div>'
			+ (!Dsq.jsonData.request.is_authenticated
			? ' \
			<div class="dsq-post-fields"> \
				<table> \
					<tr> \
						<td class="dsq-post-fields-left"><div class="dsq-input-wrapper"><input id="dsq-field-name' + pid + '" type="text" value="' + (disqus_def_name ? disqus_def_name : (Dsq.jsonData.session.name ? Dsq.jsonData.session.name : Dsq.Strings.NAME + '" class="dsq-placeholder')) + '" onfocus="Dsq.Templates.handlePlaceholder(event, this, \'name\')" onblur="Dsq.Templates.handlePlaceholder(event, this, \'name\')" /></div></td> \
						<td class="dsq-post-fields-right"><div class="dsq-input-wrapper"><input id="dsq-field-website' + pid + '" type="text" value="' + (Dsq.jsonData.session.url ? Dsq.jsonData.session.url : Dsq.Strings.WEBSITE + ' (' + Dsq.Strings.OPTIONAL.toLowerCase() + ')" class="dsq-placeholder') + '" onfocus="Dsq.Templates.handlePlaceholder(event, this, \'website\')" onblur="Dsq.Templates.handlePlaceholder(event, this, \'website\')" /></div></td> \
					</tr> \
					<tr> \
						<td class="dsq-post-fields-left"><div class="dsq-input-wrapper"><input id="dsq-field-email' + pid + '" type="text" value="' + (disqus_def_email ? disqus_def_email : (Dsq.jsonData.session.email ? Dsq.jsonData.session.email : Dsq.Strings.EMAIL + '" class="dsq-placeholder')) + '" onfocus="Dsq.Templates.handlePlaceholder(event, this, \'email\')" onblur="Dsq.Templates.handlePlaceholder(event, this, \'email\')" /></div></td> \
						<td class="dsq-post-fields-right"> \
							<div class="dsq-subscribe"> \
								<a href="#" onclick="Dsq.Templates.chooseSubscribe(' + post_id + '); return false" class="dsq-subscribe-menu"><span id="dsq-subscribe-select' + pid + '">' + (Dsq.jsonData.request.subscribe_on_post ? Dsq.Strings.SUBSCRIBE_TO_ALL_COMMENTS_BY_EMAIL : Dsq.Strings.DO_NOT_SUBSCRIBE_TO_COMMENTS) + '</span> <small>&#9660;</small></a> \
								<ul class="dsq-panel" id="dsq-subscribe-menu' + pid + '"> \
									<li><a href="#" onclick="Dsq.Templates.setSubscribe(2, this, ' + post_id + '); return false">' + Dsq.Strings.SUBSCRIBE_TO_ALL_COMMENTS_BY_EMAIL + '</a></li> \
									<li><a href="#" onclick="Dsq.Templates.setSubscribe(0, this, ' + post_id + '); return false">' + Dsq.Strings.DO_NOT_SUBSCRIBE_TO_COMMENTS + '</a></li> \
								</ul> \
								<input id="dsq-subscribe-on-post' + pid + '" type="hidden" value="' + Dsq.jsonData.request.subscribe_on_post + '" /> \
							</div> \
						</td> \
					</tr> \
				</table> \
			</div>'
			: '')
			+ '<div class="dsq-post-footer"> \
				<div class="dsq-sharing-options" ' + (!display_sharing_options ? 'style="display:none;"' : '') + '> \
					<button type="button" class="dsq-button-small" onfocus="document.getElementById(\'dsq-post-button' + pid + '\').focus();"><span>' + Dsq.Strings.SHARING_OPTIONS + ' <small>&#9660;</small></span></button> \
					<div class="dsq-panel"> '
						+ (Dsq.jsonData.request.sharing.twitter !== undefined
								&& Dsq.jsonData.request.sharing.twitter.enabled === true
							? '<div><input type="checkbox" id="dsq-sharing-twitter' + pid + '"'
								  + (Dsq.jsonData.request.sharing.twitter.auto === true ? 'checked=true' : '') + '/> \
									<label for="dsq-sharing-twitter' + pid + '">' + Dsq.Strings.SHARE_ON + ' Twitter</label> \
								 </div>'
							: '')
						+ (Dsq.jsonData.request.sharing.facebook
								&& (Dsq.jsonData.request.sharing.facebook.enabled === true ||
										(Dsq.jsonData.request.is_remote && Dsq.jsonData.request.remote_domain == 'facebook'))
							? '<div><input type="checkbox" id="dsq-sharing-facebook' + pid + '"'
									+ (Dsq.jsonData.request.sharing.facebook.auto === true ? 'checked=true' : '') + '/> \
									<label for="dsq-sharing-facebook' + pid + '">' + Dsq.Strings.SHARE_ON + ' Facebook</label> \
								 </div>'
							: '')
						+ (Dsq.jsonData.request.sharing.yahoo !== undefined
								&& Dsq.jsonData.request.sharing.yahoo.enabled === true
							? '<div><input type="checkbox" id="dsq-sharing-yahoo' + pid + '"'
									+ (Dsq.jsonData.request.sharing.yahoo.auto === true ? 'checked=true' : '') + '/> \
									<label for="dsq-sharing-yahoo' + pid + '">' + Dsq.Strings.SHARE_ON + ' Yahoo!</label> \
								</div>'
							: '')
						+ (Dsq.jsonData.request.sharing.tumblr !== undefined
								&& Dsq.jsonData.request.sharing.tumblr.enabled === true
							? '<div><input type="checkbox" id="dsq-sharing-tumblr' + pid + '"'
									+ (Dsq.jsonData.request.sharing.tumblr.auto === true ? 'checked=true' : '') + '/> \
									<label for="dsq-sharing-tumblr' + pid + '">' + Dsq.Strings.SHARE_ON + ' Tumblr</label> \
								 </div>'
							: '')
						+ (Dsq.jsonData.request.sharing.wordpress !== undefined
								&& Dsq.jsonData.request.sharing.wordpress.enabled === true
							? '<div><input type="checkbox" id="dsq-sharing-wordpress' + pid + '"'
									+ (Dsq.jsonData.request.sharing.wordpress.auto === true ? 'checked=true' : '') + '/> \
									<label for="dsq-sharing-wordpress' + pid + '">' + Dsq.Strings.SHARE_ON + ' Wordpress</label> \
								 </div>'
							: '')
						+ (Dsq.jsonData.request.sharing.movabletype !== undefined
							  && Dsq.jsonData.request.sharing.movabletype.enabled === true
							? '<div><input type="checkbox" id="dsq-sharing-movabletype' + pid + '"'
									+ (Dsq.jsonData.request.sharing.movabletype.auto === true ? 'checked=true' : '') + '/> \
									<label for="dsq-sharing-movabletype' + pid + '">' + Dsq.Strings.SHARE_ON + ' Movable Type</label> \
							   </div>'
							: '')
						+ (Dsq.jsonData.request.sharing.typepad !== undefined
							  && Dsq.jsonData.request.sharing.typepad.enabled === true
							? '<div><input type="checkbox" id="dsq-sharing-typepad' + pid + '"'
									+ (Dsq.jsonData.request.sharing.typepad.auto === true ? 'checked=true' : '') + '/> \
								  <label for="dsq-sharing-typepad' + pid + '">' + Dsq.Strings.SHARE_ON + ' TypePad</label> \
							   </div>'
							: '')
						+ '<div><a href="' + Dsq.jsonData.settings.disqus_url + '/profile/connections/" target="_blank" class="dsq-configure-options">' + Dsq.Strings.CONFIGURE_OPTIONS + '</a></div>'
					+ '</div> \
				</div>'
				+ '<button type="button" class="dsq-button" id="dsq-post-button' + pid + '" onclick="Dsq.Templates.postComment(' + post_id + ', this, false)"><span>' + Dsq.Strings.POST_AS + ' '
				+ (Dsq.jsonData.request.display_username
					? Dsq.jsonData.request.display_username
					: Dsq.Strings.GUEST)
				+ '</span></button>'
				+ (post_id
					? '<button type="button" class="dsq-button" id="dsq-cancel-button' + pid + '" onclick="Dsq.Post.toggleReply(' + post_id +', this)"><span>' + Dsq.Strings.CANCEL + '</span></button>'
					: '')
			+ '</div>'
			+ '</div>' // end dsq-form-area
		+ '</div> \
		';
		
		return html;
	};




	this.appendPost = function(post_id) {
		var html = '<div id="dsq-append-post-' + post_id + '"></div>';
		return html;
	};

	this.postPrependHeader = function(post_id) {
		var html;
		var _meta = Dsq.jsonData.posts[post_id];
		var userData = Dsq.jsonData['users'][_meta.user_key];
		
		html = ' \
		<table> \
			<tr> \
				<td id="dsq-header-avatar-' + post_id + '" class="dsq-header-avatar" onmouseover="Dsq.Post.dropProfile(' + post_id + ')"> \
					<a id="dsq-avatar-' + post_id + '" class="dsq-avatar" href="' + userData.url + '" onclick="Dsq.Popup.popProfile(' + post_id + '); return false;">'
					+ (Dsq.jsonData.forum.show_avatar
					? '<img src="' + Dsq.jsonData.users[_meta.user_key].avatar + '" alt="" />'
					: '')
				+ '</a> \
				</td> \
				<td class="dsq-comment-header-meta"> \
		';

		
		return html;
	};
	
	this.postAppendHeader = function(post_id) {
		var _meta = Dsq.jsonData.posts[post_id];
		var html;
		var parent_display_name = '';
		
		if(_meta.parent_post_id) {

			var _parent_meta = Dsq.jsonData.posts[_meta.parent_post_id];

			if (_parent_meta) {
				var parentUserData = Dsq.jsonData['users'][_parent_meta.user_key];
				parent_display_name = parentUserData.display_name;
			}
		}

		html = ' \
		<img src="http://media.disqus.com/images/themes/narcissus/moderator.png" class="dsq-moderator-star" title="Moderator" /> \
		<span class="dsq-comment-header-time"><a href="#comment-' + post_id + '" onclick="Dsq.Popup.permalink(' + post_id + ')" title="Permalink">' + (_meta.is_realtime ? Dsq.Strings.JUST_NOW : _meta.date) + '</a></span> '
		+ (_meta.parent_post_id && parent_display_name
			? '<a href="#comment-' + _meta.parent_post_id + '" title="Jump to comment">in reply to ' + parent_display_name + '</a>'
			: '')
		+ '</td> \
		<td id="dsq-like-pts-' + post_id + '" class="dsq-comment-header-likes">'
		+ (_meta.points
			? _meta.points + Dsq.Utils.pluralize(_meta.points, ' person', ' people') + ' liked this.'
			: '')
		+ '</td> \
		</tr> \
		</table> \
		';
		return html;
	};

	this.preBody = function(post_id) {
		var html = '';
		return html;
	};

	this.postFooter = function(post_id) {
		var html;
		var _meta = Dsq.jsonData.posts[post_id];
		if(_meta.killed || !_meta.approved) { return ''; }
		
		html = ' \
		<div class="dsq-comment-footer" id="dsq-comment-footer-' + post_id + '"> \
			<div class="dsq-comment-footer-left">'
				+ (Dsq.jsonData.request.is_moderator || Dsq.jsonData.request.is_global_moderator
					? '<a href="#" onclick="Dsq.Templates.moderateOptions(' + post_id+ '); return false">' + Dsq.Strings.MODERATE + '</a>'
					: '')
				+ '<a href="#" id="dsq-post-report-' + post_id + '" class="dsq-post-report" onclick="Dsq.Post.report(' + post_id + ', false); return false;">' + Dsq.Strings.FLAG + '</a> \
			</div> \
			<div class="dsq-comment-footer-right">'
				+ (_meta.votable 
					? '<span id="dsq-like-' + post_id + '" class="dsq-like">'
					+ (!_meta.up_voted
						? '<button type="button" class="dsq-button-small" onclick="Dsq.Post.rate(this, ' + post_id + ', 1)" >Like</button>'
						: 'You liked this.&nbsp;&nbsp;')
					+ '</span>'
					: '')
				+ (_meta.can_reply && !_meta.has_replies && _meta.from_request_user
					? '<button type="button" class="dsq-button-small dsq-post-edit" onclick="Dsq.Post.edit(this, ' + post_id + ')" >' + Dsq.Strings.EDIT + '</button>'
					: '')
				+ (_meta.can_reply
					? '<span class="dsq-comment-footer-reply" id="dsq-comment-footer-reply-' + post_id + '" onclick="Dsq.Post.toggleReply(' + post_id +', this)"> \
						<button type="button" class="dsq-button-small">' + Dsq.Strings.REPLY + '</button> \
						<button type="button" class="dsq-comment-footer-reply-tab">' + Dsq.Strings.REPLY + '</button><span></span> \
					</span>'
					: '')
			+ '</div> \
		</div> \
		';
		
		return html;
	};



	
	this.showRetweets = function(id, limit, element_id /* Optional */) {
		var source, html = '';

		for (var i = 0, reaction; reaction = Dsq.jsonData.reactions[i]; i++) {
			if (reaction.id === id) {
				source = reaction.retweets;
			}
		}

		if (source) {
			if (limit === 0) {
				limit = source.length;
			}

			for (var j = 0; j < limit; j++) {
				var rt = source[j];
				html += '<a href="' + rt.url + '">' + rt.author_name + '</a>'	+ ((j === (limit - 1)) ? '.' : ', ');
			}
		}

		if (element_id === undefined) {
			return html;
		}

		var element = document.getElementById(element_id);
		element.innerHTML = html;
		return element;
	};

	this.showMoreReactions = function(reactions, has_more, start, limit) {
		var link = document.getElementById('dsq-show-more-reactions');
		var container = link.parentNode;
		container.removeChild(link);

		for (var i = 0, reaction; reaction = reactions[i]; i++) {
			var el = Dsq.Templates.generateReactionHTML(reaction);
			if (el) {
				container.innerHTML += el;
			}
		}

		if (has_more) {
			var d = Dsq.jsonData.settings.disqus_url;
			var f = Dsq.jsonData.forum.url;
			var t = Dsq.jsonData.thread.id;
			var s = start;
			var l = limit;

			var handler = 'Dsq.Utils.execScript(\'' + d + '/forums/' + f + '/more_reactions.js?t=' + t + '&s=' + s + '&l=' + l + '\', true); return false;';
			container.innerHTML += '<li id="dsq-show-more-reactions" class="dsq-show-more-reactions"><button type="button" class="dsq-button-small" onclick="' + handler + '">Show more reactions</button></li>';
		}
	};

	this.generateReactionHTML = function(reaction) {
		if (reaction.body === null || reaction.body == '') {
			return;
		}

		if (reaction.author_name === '') {
			reaction.author_name = '&nbsp;';
		}

		if (reaction.url === '') {
			reaction.url = reaction.get_service_url;
		}

		var item = '<li class="dsq-comment dsq-reaction" id="dsq-reaction-' + reaction.id + '">'
			+ '<div class="dsq-comment-header"> \
			<table> \
			<tr> \
			<td class="dsq-header-avatar"> \
			';

		if (reaction.author_url && reaction.author_url !== '') {
			item += '<a target="_blank" href="' + reaction.author_url +'" class="dsq-avatar">';
		}

		if (reaction.avatar_url && reaction.avatar_url !== '') {
			item += '<img src="' + reaction.avatar_url + '"/>';
		} else {

			item += '<img src="' + Dsq.jsonData.media_url + '/images/noavatar92.png"/>';
		}

		var service_icon = (reaction.get_service_name == 'trackback' || reaction.get_service_name == 'pingback' ? 'rss' : reaction.get_service_name.replace(' ', ''));
		item += (reaction.author_url && reaction.author_url !== ''
				? '</a>'
				: '')
			+ '</td>'
			+ '<td><cite class="dsq-comment-cite">' + reaction.author_name + '</cite> <span class="dsq-comment-header-time">' + reaction.date_created + '</span></td>'
			+ '<td class="dsq-comment-header-likes"></td>'
			+ '</tr></table></div>' // end dsq-comment-header
			+ '<div class="dsq-reaction-header" \
				<table> \
					<tr> \
						<td class="dsq-reaction-header-left">'
							+ '<img class="dsq-service-icon" src="' + Dsq.jsonData.media_url + '/images/reactions/services/' + service_icon + '.png" />'
							+ ' From <a class="dsq-service-name" target="_blank" href="' + reaction.url + '">' + reaction.get_service_name + '</a> '
							+ 'via <a href="' + reaction.source_url + '">' + (reaction.source == 'backtype' ? 'BackType' : 'UberVU') + '</a>'
						+ '</td>'
						+ '<td class="dsq-reaction-header-right">';

			if(reaction.retweets) {
				var num_retweets = reaction.retweets.length;
				if (num_retweets > 0) {
					if (num_retweets == 1) {
						item += 'One more retweet from <a href="' + reaction.retweets[0].url + '">'  + reaction.retweets[0].author_name + '</a>';
					} else {
						item += (num_retweets + ' more retweets from ');
						item += '<span id="dsq-reaction-retweets-' + reaction.id + '">';
						var n_tweets = (num_retweets > 3) ? 3 : num_retweets;
						item += Dsq.Templates.showRetweets(reaction.id, n_tweets);
						if (n_tweets != num_retweets) {
							item += '</span> <a onclick="Dsq.Templates.showRetweets(' + reaction.id + ', 0, \'dsq-reaction-retweets-' + reaction.id + '\');'
								+ 'this.parentNode.removeChild(this); return false;" href="#">Show all</a>';
						}
					}
				}
			}	
			item += '</td></tr> \
			</table> \
			</div>' // end dsq-reaction-header
			+ '<div class="dsq-comment-body"> \
				<div class="dsq-comment-message">' + reaction.body + '</div>'
			+ '</div> \
			<div class="dsq-comment-footer"> \
				<div class="dsq-comment-footer-left"> \
				</div>'
				+ (Dsq.jsonData.request.is_moderator || Dsq.jsonData.request.is_global_moderator 
					? ' \
					<div class="dsq-comment-footer-right"> \
						<button type="button" class="dsq-button-small dsq-hide-reaction" onclick="Dsq.Reaction.hide(' + reaction.id + ')">Hide</button> \
					</div>'
					: '')
			+ '</div>'
		item += '</li>'; /* Reaction HTML ends */
		return item;
	};

	this.reactions = function() {
		var html, reaction;

		if (Dsq.jsonData.reactions === undefined || Dsq.jsonData.reactions.length === 0) {
			return '';
		}

		html = '';
		for (var i = 0; reaction = Dsq.jsonData.reactions[i]; i++) {
			var item = Dsq.Templates.generateReactionHTML(reaction);
			if (item) {
				html += item;
			}
		}

		if (Dsq.jsonData.has_more_reactions) {
			var d = Dsq.jsonData.settings.disqus_url;
			var f = Dsq.jsonData.forum.url;
			var t = Dsq.jsonData.thread.id;
			var s = Dsq.jsonData.reactions_start;
			var l = Dsq.jsonData.reactions_limit;

			var handler = 'Dsq.Utils.execScript(\'' + d + '/forums/' + f + '/more_reactions.js?t=' + t + '&s=' + s + '&l=' + l + '\', true); return false;';
			html += '<li id="dsq-show-more-reactions" class="dsq-show-more-reactions"><button type="button" class="dsq-button-small" onclick="' + handler + '">Show more reactions</button></li>';
		}

		return '<h3 id="dsq-reactions-title" class="dsq-h3-reactions">Reactions</h3><ul id="dsq-reactions" class="dsq-reactions">' + html + '</ul>';
	};
	
	this._popupGeneric = function(content) {
		return ' \
		<div class="dsq-popup-container"> \
			<table> \
				<tbody> \
					<tr> \
						<td class="dsq-popup-tl"></td><td class="dsq-popup-b"></td><td class="dsq-popup-tr"></td> \
					</tr> \
					<tr> \
						<td class="dsq-popup-b"></td> \
						<td class="dsq-popup-body"> \
							<div class="dsq-popup-content"> \
								<div class="dsq-popup-title"> \
									<button type="button" class="dsq-button-small" style="float:right" onclick="Dsq.Popup._closePopup(null, true)">Close</button>'
									+ content['header'] 
								+ '</div>'
								+ content['body']
							+ '</div> \
							<div class="powered-by"><a href="http://disqus.com/comments/">Powered by <img src="http://media.disqus.com/images/embed/disqus-logo.png" alt="Disqus Comments" style="margin-bottom:-5px" /></a></div> \
						</td> \
						<td class="dsq-popup-b"></td> \
					</tr> \
					<tr> \
						<td class="dsq-popup-bl"></td><td class="dsq-popup-b"></td><td class="dsq-popup-br"></td> \
					</tr> \
				</tbody> \
			</table> \
		</div> \
		';
	};



	
	this.chooseSubscribe = function(post_id) {

		var pid = post_id ? '-' + post_id : '';
		var menu = Dsq.$('dsq-subscribe-menu' + pid);
		
		menu.style.display = menu.style.display == 'block' ? 'none' : 'block';
		
	};
	
	this.setSubscribe = function(value, el, post_id) {

		var pid = post_id ? '-' + post_id : '';
		var input = Dsq.$('dsq-subscribe-on-post' + pid);
		var select = Dsq.$('dsq-subscribe-select' + pid);
		var menu = Dsq.$('dsq-subscribe-menu' + pid);
		
		select.innerHTML = el.innerHTML;
		input.value = value;
		this.chooseSubscribe(post_id);
	};
	
	this.getFormFields = function(post_id) {

		var fields = {};
		var pid = post_id ? '-' + post_id : '';
		var name = Dsq.$('dsq-field-name' + pid);
		var email = Dsq.$('dsq-field-email' + pid);
		var website = Dsq.$('dsq-field-website' + pid);
		var username = Dsq.$('dsq-field-username' + pid);
		var password = Dsq.$('dsq-field-password' + pid);

		fields = {
			'name': name,
			'email': email,
			'website': website,
			'username': username,
			'password': password
		}
		
		return fields;
	}
	
	this.validateFields = function(post_id) {
		
		if(Dsq.jsonData.request.is_authenticated) { return true; }
		
		var fields = Dsq.Templates.getFormFields(post_id);
		
		var nameField = fields.name;
		var websiteField = fields.website;
		var emailField = fields.email;
		
		websiteField.value = (websiteField.value == Dsq.Templates.placeholder['website']) ? '' : websiteField.value;
		
		var v = [{

			validator: Dsq.Validators.name,
			value: nameField.value
		}, {

			validator: Dsq.Validators.email,
			value: emailField.value
		}, {

			validator: Dsq.Validators.url,
			value: websiteField.value
		}];
		
		return Dsq.Validators.validate(v, function(e) { Dsq.Popup.popModal(e, 'Oops...') } );
	};
	
	this.checkExistingUser = function(post_id) {
		var fields = Dsq.Templates.getFormFields(post_id);		
		Dsq.Popup.loading(post_id);
		
		if (post_id) {
			Dsq.frames['reply_' + post_id].getUserByEmail(fields.email.value);
		} else {
			Dsq.frames['reply_0'].getUserByEmail(fields.email.value);
		}
	};

	this.validateAuth = function(el_clicked, post_id, auth_choice) {
		var fields = Dsq.Templates.getFormFields(post_id);
		var email = fields.email ? fields.email.value : '';
		var username = fields.username ? fields.username.value : '';
		var password = fields.password ? fields.password.value : '';
		
		Dsq.Templates.setLoadingButton(el_clicked, post_id);
		
		if (post_id) {
			Dsq.frames['reply_' + post_id].validateAuth(auth_choice, email, username, password);
		} else {
			Dsq.frames['reply_0'].validateAuth(auth_choice, email, username, password);
		}
	};

	this.lightboxUpdateEmail = function(post_id, new_email) {
		var fields = Dsq.Templates.getFormFields(post_id);
		fields.email.value = new_email;
	};

	this.lightboxAuthenticate = function(post_id, auth_choice, auth_data) {
		var title, body;
		var pid = post_id ? '-' + post_id : '';

		if(typeof(auth_data) == 'undefined') {
			var auth_data = Dsq.Templates.getFormFields(post_id);
		}

		d = auth_data;

		switch(auth_choice) {
			case 'register':
				var suggestedUsername = d.name.value.replace(/[^a-zA-Z0-9-]/g,'').toLowerCase();
			
				title = Dsq.jsonData.forum.allow_anon_post ? 'Optional:' : 'Required:';
				title += ' Register a <img src="http://media.disqus.com/images/embed/disqus-profile.png" alt=Disqus Profile" />';

				body = ' \
				<ul class="dsq-lightbox-register-reasons"> \
				<li>Verify your comments</li> \
				<li>Edit and delete comments</li> \
				<li>Manage comments and replies</li> \
				</ul> \
				';

				body += ' \
				<div class="dsq-lightbox-auth-fields"> \
					<table> \
						<tr> \
							<td>Email</td> \
							<td><input type="text" value="' + d.email.value + '" onchange="Dsq.Templates.lightboxUpdateEmail(' + post_id + ', this.value)" /><div id="dsq-email-errors' + pid + '"></div></td> \
						</tr> \
						<tr> \
							<td>Username</td> \
							<td><input id="dsq-field-username' + pid + '" type="text" value="' + suggestedUsername + '"/><div id="dsq-username-errors' + pid + '"></div></td> \
						</tr> \
						<tr> \
							<td>Password</td> \
							<td><input id="dsq-field-password' + pid + '" type="password" /><div id="dsq-password-errors' + pid + '"></div></td> \
						</tr> \
					</table> \
					<div class="dsq-lightbox-switch-auth"><a href="#" onclick="Dsq.Templates.lightboxAuthenticate(' + post_id + ',\'login\'); return false">Login instead</a></div> \
				</div> \
				<div id="dsq-lightbox-errors' + pid + '" class="dsq-lightbox-errors"></div> \
				<div class="dsq-lightbox-submit"> \
					<div class="dsq-lightbox-auth-post"><button type="button" class="dsq-button" onclick="Dsq.Templates.validateAuth(this, ' + post_id + ',\'' + auth_choice + '\')">Register and Post comment</button></div>'
					+ (Dsq.jsonData.forum.allow_anon_post
						? '<div class="dsq-lightbox-auth-skip"><button type="button" class="dsq-button-small" onclick="Dsq.Templates.postComment(' + post_id + ', this, true)">Just post as a Guest</button></div>'
						: '')
				+ '</div> \
				';
				break;
			case 'login':
				title = Dsq.jsonData.forum.allow_anon_post ? 'Optional:' : 'Required:';
				title += ' Login to your <img src="http://media.disqus.com/images/embed/disqus-profile.png" alt=Disqus Profile" />';
				body = '';
				
				if(d.avatar_url) {
					body += '<div class="dsq-lightbox-recognized"><table><tr>';
					body += '<td><img src="' + d.avatar_url + '" alt="" /></td>';
					body += '<td><span class="dsq-badge ' + (d.verified ? 'dsq-badge-verified' : 'dsq-badge-registered') + '">' + (d.verified ? 'Verified' : 'Registered') + '</span></td>';
					body += '<td>Hey <strong>' + d.display_name + '</strong>, is that you? Login below to claim this comment.';
					body += '</tr></table></div>';
				}

				body += ' \
				<div class="dsq-lightbox-auth-fields"> \
					<table> \
						<tr> \
							<td>Username or Email</td> \
							<td><input id="dsq-field-username' + pid + '" type="text" value="' + (d.avatar_url ? d.username : '') + '" /></td> \
						</tr> \
						<tr> \
							<td>Password <a href="http://disqus.com/forgot" target="_blank">(cannot log in?)</a></td> \
							<td><input id="dsq-field-password' + pid + '" type="password" /></td> \
						</tr> \
					</table> \
					<div class="dsq-lightbox-switch-auth"><a href="#" onclick="Dsq.Templates.lightboxAuthenticate(' + post_id + ',\'register\'); return false">Register instead</a></div> \
				</div> \
				<div id="dsq-lightbox-errors' + pid + '" class="dsq-lightbox-errors"></div> \
				<div class="dsq-lightbox-submit"> \
					<div class="dsq-lightbox-auth-post"><button type="button" class="dsq-button" onclick="Dsq.Templates.validateAuth(this, ' + post_id + ',\'' + auth_choice + '\')">Login and Post comment</button></div>'
					+ (Dsq.jsonData.forum.allow_anon_post
						? '<div class="dsq-lightbox-auth-skip"><button type="button" class="dsq-button-small" onclick="Dsq.Templates.postComment(' + post_id + ', this, true)">Just post as a Guest</button></div>'
						: '')
				+ '</div> \
				';
				break;
			default:
				break;
		}
		Dsq.Popup.lightbox(body, title, post_id);
		Dsq.$('dsq-field-username' + pid).focus();
	};
	
	this.buttonsToRestore = [];
	this.setLoadingButton = function(btn, post_id) {
		var pid = post_id ? '-' + post_id : '';
		if (btn) {

			var loadingBtn = document.createElement('button');
			loadingBtn.id = btn.id + '-loading';
			loadingBtn.innerHTML = '<img src="http://media.disqus.com/images/loading-lite.gif" alt="" /> ' + Dsq.Strings.JUST_A_MOMENT;
			loadingBtn.className = btn.className + ' dsq-post-loading';
			btn.parentNode.appendChild(loadingBtn);
			btn.style.display = 'none';
			var cancelBtn = Dsq.$('dsq-cancel-button' + pid);
			if(cancelBtn) { cancelBtn.style.display = 'none'; this.buttonsToRestore.push(cancelBtn); }
			this.buttonsToRestore.push(btn);
		} else {

			var buttons = this.buttonsToRestore;
			for(var i = 0; i < buttons.length; i++) {
				buttons[i].style.display = 'inline';
				Dsq.Utils.deleteNode(Dsq.$(buttons[i].id + '-loading'));
			}
		}
		
	};

	this.postComment = function(post_id, el_clicked, force, auth_choice) {
		var append_id = post_id ? '-' + post_id : '';
		var fields = Dsq.Templates.getFormFields(post_id);

		if (Dsq.Templates.validateFields(post_id)) {

			if (!Dsq.jsonData.request.is_authenticated && !force &&
				((!Dsq.Utils.readCookie('skipped_auth') && !disqus_skip_auth && !Dsq.jsonData.forum.disqus_auth_disabled) || !Dsq.jsonData.forum.allow_anon_post)) {
				Dsq.Templates.checkExistingUser(post_id);
				return false;
			}
			var params = [];
			if (!Dsq.jsonData.request.is_authenticated) {
				params.push(fields.name.value,
					fields.email.value,
					fields.website.value);

				if (auth_choice == 'login' || auth_choice == 'register') {
					params.push({
						auth_choice: auth_choice,
						username: fields.username.value,
						password: fields.password.value,
						email: fields.email.value
					});
				} else {
					params.push(null);
				}

				params.push(null /* sharing options */, Dsq.$('dsq-subscribe-on-post' + append_id).value);
			} else {
				var service_checked = function(name) {
					var el = Dsq.$('dsq-sharing-' + name + append_id);
					return (el !== null && el.checked === true) ? '1' : '0';
				};
				params.push(null, null, null, null, {
					tw: service_checked('twitter'),
					fb: service_checked('facebook'),
					tr: service_checked('tumblr'),
					wp: service_checked('wordpress'),
					mt: service_checked('movabletype'),
					tp: service_checked('typepad'),
					yh: service_checked('yahoo')
				});
			}

			var frame = Dsq.frames['reply_' + (post_id ? post_id : 0)];
			frame.post.apply(frame, params);

			if (el_clicked) {
				Dsq.Templates.setLoadingButton(el_clicked, post_id);
			}
			
			if (force) {
				Dsq.Utils.createCookie('skipped_auth', true);	
			}
			
		} else {
			return false;
		}
	};

	this.editComment = function(el_clicked, post_id) {
		var edited_message = Dsq.$('dsq-edit-textarea-' + post_id).value;

		Dsq.Templates.setLoadingButton(el_clicked, post_id);
		Dsq.frames['edit_' + post_id].edit(post_id, edited_message);
	};

	this.toggleEdit = function(post_id) {
		var body = Dsq.$('dsq-comment-body-' + post_id);
		var message = Dsq.$('dsq-comment-message-' + post_id);

		if (!Dsq.Post.stateEditToggled[post_id]) {


			message.style.display = 'none';
			if (Dsq.$('dsq-edit-' + post_id)) {
				Dsq.$('dsq-edit-' + post_id).style.display = 'block';
			} else {

				var edit_area = document.createElement('div');
				edit_area.id = 'dsq-edit-' + post_id;
				edit_area.className = 'dsq-edit dsq-textarea';
				edit_area.innerHTML = ' \
				<div class="dsq-textarea-wrapper"> \
					<textarea class="dsq-edit-textarea" id="dsq-edit-textarea-' + post_id + '">' + message.innerHTML + '</textarea> \
				</div> \
				<div class="dsq-save-edit"> \
					<button type="button" onclick="Dsq.Templates.editComment(this, ' + post_id + ')" class="dsq-button-small">Save Edit</button> \
				</div> \
				<div id="dsq-edit-iframe-' + post_id + '" style="display: none"></div> \
				';

				body.appendChild(edit_area);

				if (!Dsq.frames['edit_' + post_id]) {
					var _meta = Dsq.jsonData.posts[post_id];
					Dsq.frames['edit_' + post_id] = new Dsq.ReplyFrame(Dsq.$('dsq-edit-iframe-' + post_id), post_id);
					Dsq.frames['edit_' + post_id].init();
					Dsq.frames['edit_' + post_id].setState(post_id, _meta.depth);
				}
			}
		} else {

			message.style.display = 'block';
			Dsq.$('dsq-edit-' + post_id).style.display = 'none';
		}
		
		Dsq.Post.stateEditToggled[post_id] = !Dsq.Post.stateEditToggled[post_id];
	};
	
	this.edit = function(el, post_id) {

		Dsq.Templates.toggleEdit(post_id);
	};

	this.toggleReply = function(post_id, button) {
		
		if(!this.stateReplyToggled[post_id]) {

			if (Dsq.$('dsq-reply-post-' + post_id)) {
				Dsq.$('dsq-append-post-' + post_id).style.display = 'block';
			} else {
				Dsq.$('dsq-append-post-' + post_id).innerHTML = Dsq.Templates.postBox(post_id);
				var container = Dsq.$('dsq-textarea-wrapper-' + post_id);
				if (!Dsq.frames['reply_' + post_id] && container) {
					var _meta = Dsq.jsonData.posts[post_id];
					Dsq.frames['reply_' + post_id] = new Dsq.ReplyFrame(container, post_id);
					Dsq.frames['reply_' + post_id].init(function() {

						Dsq.$('dsq-append-post-' + post_id).innerHTML = Dsq.Templates.postBox(post_id, true);
						Dsq.$('dsq-form-area-' + post_id).innerHTML = '';

						var theme = (typeof disqus_frame_theme == 'undefined') ? 'default' : disqus_frame_theme;
						Dsq.Iframes.showReplyIframeInContainer(Dsq.$('dsq-form-area-' + post_id), post_id, {theme: theme});

					});
					Dsq.frames['reply_' + post_id].setState(post_id, _meta.depth);
				}
			}
			Dsq.$('dsq-append-post-' + post_id).className = 'dsq-append-post';
			Dsq.$('dsq-comment-footer-reply-' + post_id).className = 'dsq-comment-footer-reply-active';
			
		} else {

			Dsq.$('dsq-append-post-' + post_id).style.display = 'none';
			Dsq.$('dsq-append-post-' + post_id).className = '';
			Dsq.$('dsq-comment-footer-reply-' + post_id).className = 'dsq-comment-footer-reply';
		}
		
		this.stateReplyToggled[post_id] = !this.stateReplyToggled[post_id];

		if(Dsq.Utils.ie && this.stateReplyToggled[post_id]) {

		}

		Dsq.Events.fire(Dsq.Events.REPLY_IFRAME_TOGGLED, {
			postId: post_id,
			opened: this.stateReplyToggled[post_id]
		});
	};
	
	this.moderateOptions = function(post_id) {
		var _meta = Dsq.jsonData.posts[post_id];
		var userData = Dsq.jsonData['users'][_meta.user_key];
		
		if(!Dsq.jsonData.request.is_moderator && !Dsq.jsonData.request.is_global_moderator) { return false; }

		var html;
		
		html = ' \
		<div class="dsq-moderate-options"> \
		<table>'
		+ (_meta.email ? '<tr><td>Email</td><td>' + _meta.email + '</td></tr>' : '')
		+ (_meta.ip ? '<tr><td>IP address</td><td>' + _meta.ip + '</td></tr>' : '')
		+ '<tr> \
			<td>Actions</td> \
			<td><ul>'
			+ (Dsq.jsonData.request.moderator_can_edit
				? '<li><a href="#" onclick="Dsq.Post.edit(this, ' + post_id + '); Dsq.Popup._closePopup(null, true); return false;">Edit Comment</a></li>'
				: '')
			+ '<li><a href="#" onclick="Dsq.Post.removePost(' + post_id + ', 1); Dsq.Popup._closePopup(null, true); return false;">Delete Comment</a></li> \
			<li><a href="#" onclick="Dsq.Post.reportSpam(' + post_id + '); Dsq.Popup._closePopup(null, true); return false;">Mark Spam</a></li> \
			<li><a href="#" onclick="Dsq.Popup.blacklist(' + post_id + '); return false">Block User</a></li> \
			</ul></td> \
			</table> \
		</div> \
		';
		
		html += '<p>Go to the full <a href="http://disqus.com/comments/moderate/" target="_blank">moderate panel</a> for more options.</p>';
		
		return Dsq.Popup.popModal(html, 'Moderate Options', post_id);
	};
	
	this.placeholder = {
		'class': 'dsq-placeholder',
		'name': Dsq.Strings.NAME,
		'email': Dsq.Strings.EMAIL,
		'website': Dsq.Strings.WEBSITE + ' (' + Dsq.Strings.OPTIONAL.toLowerCase() + ')'
	};
	
	this.handlePlaceholder = function(evt, el, key) {
		var placeholder = Dsq.Templates.placeholder[key];
		var className = Dsq.Templates.placeholder['class'];
		
		switch(evt.type) {
			case 'focus':
				if(el.value == placeholder) {
					el.value = '';
					el.className = '';
				}
				break;

			case 'blur':
				if(el.value == '') {
					el.value = placeholder;
					el.className = className;
				}
				break;
			default:
				break;
		}
	};
	
	this.paginate = function(page, el_clicked) {

		var extra_params = '';

		if(typeof disqus_per_page != 'undefined') {
			extra_params += '&per_page=' + disqus_per_page;
		}
		if(typeof disqus_sort != 'undefined') {
			extra_params += '&sort=' + disqus_sort;
		}

		Dsq.$('dsq-pagination').innerHTML += '<img src="http://media.disqus.com/images/loading-small.gif">';
		
		if(el_clicked) {
			Dsq.Templates.setLoadingButton(el_clicked);
		}
		
		Dsq.Utils.execScript('http://disqus.com/forums/themoderatevoice/thread.js'
			+ '?slug='	+ 'we_don8217t_need_no_department_of_education'
			+ '&p='		+ page
			+ extra_params);
	};
	
	
	this.rate = function(el, id, vote) {


		if(Dsq.jsonData.request.is_authenticated || Dsq.jsonData.forum.allow_anon_votes) {
			if(vote == 1) {
				Dsq.$('dsq-like-' + id).innerHTML = '<img src="http://media.disqus.com/images/loading-small.gif">';
			}
			Dsq.Utils.execScript('http://disqus.com/forums/themoderatevoice/vote.js'
				+ '?post_id='    + id
				+ '&vote='        + vote);
		} else {
			Dsq.Popup.login('To rate, please log in');
		}
	};

	this.voted = function(post_id, points, vote) {

		Dsq.$('dsq-like-pts-' + post_id).innerHTML = points + Dsq.Utils.pluralize(points, ' person', ' people') + ' liked this.';

		if(vote) {
			Dsq.$('dsq-like-' + post_id).innerHTML = 'You liked this.&nbsp;&nbsp;';
		}
	};




	this.postComment_onSuccess = function(response, parent_post_id, post_id) {
		var approved = response.message.post_meta.approved;

		if (parent_post_id) {
			Dsq.Post.toggleReply(parent_post_id);
		}

		Dsq.Popup._closePopup(null, true);
		
		if (approved) {
			Dsq.Post.incrementPostCount();
			Dsq.Post.outlineComment(post_id);
		} else {			
			var unapproved_msg = 'Thanks for posting!\
	 Your comment must be approved by a moderator before appearing here.\
			';
			Dsq.Popup.popModal(unapproved_msg, 'Comment awaiting approval', post_id);
		}

		var sharing_results = response.message.sharing_results;
		var sharing_errors = '';
		for (var service in sharing_results) {
			if (sharing_results.hasOwnProperty(service) === true) {
				if (sharing_results[service].error === true) {
					sharing_errors += service + ', ';
				}
			}
		}

		if (sharing_results.facebook && sharing_results.facebook.callback) {
			FB.ensureInit(function() {
				FB.Connect.streamPublish('', sharing_results.facebook.attachment);
			});
		}

		if (sharing_errors !== '') {
			var message = 'Your comment was posted, but there were errors sharing with the following connections: ';
			message += sharing_errors.replace(/,\s$/, '');
			message += '<p><a href="' + Dsq.jsonData.settings.disqus_url + '/profile/connections" target="_blank">Configure your connections here</a></p>'
			Dsq.Popup.popModal(message, 'Sharing options');
		}

		Dsq.Templates.setLoadingButton(false);
	};

	this.postComment_onFailure = function(response, parent_post_id, post_id) {

		Dsq.Templates.setLoadingButton(false);
	};
};




// TODO: It might be faster to use string methods to find all <li (...) </li> blocks and pass to Dsq.PostHandler manually.
Dsq.CommentsHandler = function(str, head, post_id, content, tail, offset, s) {
	var prepend_post = Dsq.Templates.prependPost(post_id);
	var append_post = Dsq.Templates.appendPost(post_id);

	content = content.replace(Dsq.POST_RE, Dsq.PostHandler);
	Dsq.Templates.postLoopCounter++;
	head = Dsq.Templates.Filters.commentContainer(post_id, head);
	return prepend_post + head + content + tail + append_post;
};

Dsq.PostHandler = function(str, h_head, post_id, h_content, h_tail, b_head, b_content, b_tail, offset, s) {
	var prepend_header = Dsq.Templates.postPrependHeader(post_id);
	var append_header = Dsq.Templates.postAppendHeader(post_id);
	var prepend_body = Dsq.Templates.preBody(post_id);
	var append_body = Dsq.Templates.postBody(post_id);
	var append_footer = Dsq.Templates.postFooter(post_id);

	b_content = b_content.replace(Dsq.POST_BODY_RE, Dsq.PostBodyHandler);
	return h_head + prepend_header + h_content + append_header + h_tail + b_head + prepend_body + b_content + append_body + b_tail + append_footer;
};

Dsq.PostBodyHandler = function(str, head, post_id, content, tail, offset, s) {
	content = Dsq.Templates.Filters.commentContent(post_id, content);
	return head + content + tail;
};

Dsq.MediaPostHandler = function(str, args, offset, s) {
	args = args.split(' ');
	if(args[0] == 'seesmic') {
		return '<br />' + Dsq.Templates.mediaSeesmic(args[1], args[2]);
	}
	return '';
};


/**
 * Shorcuts
 */
Dsq.$ = function(element) { return document.getElementById(element); };
Dsq.$b = document.body || document.getElementsByTagName('body')[0];


/**
 * Dsq.Debug: Logging functions.
 */

Dsq.Debug = new function() {this.log=function(s){};this.profile=function(f){if(typeof f == 'function')return f();else return eval(f);};};


/**
 * Dsq.Urls: URL paths
 */
Dsq.Urls = new function() {
	this.LOGIN = '/profile/login/';
	this.LOGOUT = '/logout/';
	this.REPLY = 'http://themoderatevoice.disqus.com/we_don8217t_need_no_department_of_education/reply.html';
	this.REQUEST_USER_PROFILE = '/AnonymousUser/';
	this.REQUEST_USER_AVATAR = 'http://media.disqus.com/uploads/forums/2724//avatar92.jpg';
};
// Dsq.Urls

/**
 * Dsq.Validators: Validation for form fields
 */
Dsq.Validators = new function() {
	this.VALID_EMAIL_RE = /^[a-z0-9\-\_\+]+(\.[a-z0-9\-\_\+]+)*\@(([a-z0-9\-\_\+]+(\.[a-z0-9\-\_\+]+)*)+\.[a-z]{2,}|([0-9]+\.){3}[0-9]+)$/i;
	this.name = function(name) {
		var error = false;

		if(typeof Dsq.Templates.placeholder !== 'undefined' &&
		   name == Dsq.Templates.placeholder.name) {
			error = true;
		}
		if(name.length <= 1) {
			error = true;
		}

		if(error) {
			return "Please enter a name to comment.";
		} else {
			return true;
		}
	};
	this.email = function(addr) {
		if(Dsq.Validators.VALID_EMAIL_RE.test(addr)) {
			return true;
		} else {
			return "Please enter a valid email to comment.";
		}
	};
	this.url = function(addr) {
		if(!addr || addr.indexOf('.') != -1) {
			return true;
		} else {
			return "Please check your website URL (this field is optional).";
		}
	};

	this.validate = function(bulk_validation, failure_callback) {
		failure_callback = failure_callback || function(e){ alert(e); };

		for(var i = 0; i < bulk_validation.length; i++) {
			v = bulk_validation[i];
			ret = v.validator(v.value);
			if(ret !== true) {
				failure_callback(ret);
				return false;
			}
		}
		return true;
	};
};

/**
 * Dsq.Utils: Generic utility functions.
 */
Dsq.Utils = new function() {
	this.ie = /msie/i.test(navigator.userAgent) && !/opera/i.test(navigator.userAgent);
	this.ie7 = (document.all && !window.opera && window.XMLHttpRequest) ? true : false;
	this.ie6 = (!window.XMLHttpRequest) ? true: false;
	this.webkit = navigator.userAgent.indexOf('AppleWebKit/') >= 0;
	this.gebiFromElementCollectionCache = {};
	this._styleSheet = null;

	this.gebiFromElement = function(el, id, tag) {
		// This only method only helps IE.
		if(!this.ie) {
			return Dsq.$(id);
		} else {
			var cacheKey = el.id + '-' + tag;
			tag = tag || 'div';
			if(typeof this.gebiFromElementCollectionCache[cacheKey] != 'undefined') {
				collection = this.gebiFromElementCollectionCache[cacheKey];
			} else {
				collection = el.getElementsByTagName(tag);
				this.gebiFromElementCollectionCache[cacheKey] = collection;
			}

			for(var i = 0; i < collection.length; i++) {
				if(collection[i].id == id) {
					return collection[i];
				}
			}
			return null;
		}
	};

	this.execOnReady = function(func) {
		var node = document.createElement('document:ready');
		try {
			node.doScroll('left');
			func();
			node = null;
		} catch(err) {
			setTimeout(function() { Dsq.Utils.execOnReady(func); }, 10);
		}
	};


	// Courtesy of http://www.quirksmode.org/js/cookies.html
	this.createCookie = function(name,value,days) {
		if (days) {
			var date = new Date();
			date.setTime(date.getTime()+(days*24*60*60*1000));
			var expires = "; expires="+date.toGMTString();
		}
		else var expires = "";
		document.cookie = name+"="+value+expires+"; path=/";
	};

	this.readCookie = function(name) {
		var nameEQ = name + "=";
		var ca = document.cookie.split(';');
		for(var i=0;i < ca.length;i++) {
			var c = ca[i];
			while (c.charAt(0)==' ') c = c.substring(1,c.length);
			if (c.indexOf(nameEQ) == 0) return c.substring(nameEQ.length,c.length);
		}
		return null;
	};

	this.eraseCookie = function(name) {
		Dsq.Utils.createCookie(name,"",-1);
	};

	this.deleteNode = function(node) {
		if(node) {
			this.deleteChildren(node);
			if(typeof node.outerHTML != 'undefined') { node.outerHTML = ''; }
			else if(node.parentNode) { node.parentNode.removeChild(node); }
			delete node;
		}
	};

	this.deleteChildren = function(node) {
		if(node) {
			for(var x = node.childNodes.length-1; x >= 0; x--) {
				var childNode = node.childNodes[x];
				if(childNode.hasChildNodes()) { this.deleteChildren(childNode); }
				if(typeof childNode.outerHTML != 'undefined') { childNode.outerHTML = ''; }
				else node.removeChild(childNode);
				delete childNode;
			}
		}
	};

	this.findPos = function(obj) {
		var curleft = 0;
		var curtop = 0;
		if (obj.offsetParent) {
			do {
				curleft += obj.offsetLeft;
				curtop += obj.offsetTop;
			} while (obj = obj.offsetParent);
		}
		return [curleft,curtop];
	};

	this.getWindowSize = function() {
		var windowWidth = -1;
		var windowHeight = -1;

		if(typeof(window.innerWidth) == 'number') { //Non-IE
			windowWidth = window.innerWidth;
			windowHeight = window.innerHeight;
		} else if(document.documentElement) { // IE 6+ in 'standards compliant mode'
			windowWidth = document.documentElement.clientWidth || document.body.clientWidth;
			windowHeight = document.documentElement.clientHeight || document.body.clientHeight;
		}

		return [windowWidth, windowHeight];
	}

	this.getScrollPos = function() {
		var scrollWidth, scrollTop;

		if(document.documentElement && (document.documentElement.scrollTop || document.documentElement.scrollWidth)) {
			scrollWidth = document.documentElement.scrollWidth;
			// IE is weird here.  If no doctype is provided, document.body.scrollTop is 0,
			// otherwise document.documentElement.scrollTop is 0.
			scrollTop = document.documentElement.scrollTop || document.body.scrollTop;
		} else if(document.body.scrollTop && document.body.scrollWidth) {
			scrollWidth = document.body.scrollWidth;
			scrollTop = document.body.scrollTop;
		}

		return [scrollWidth, scrollTop];
	}

	this.addEventListener = function(instance, eventName, listener) {
		var listenerFn = listener;
		if (instance.addEventListener) {
			instance.addEventListener(eventName, listenerFn, false);
		} else if (instance.attachEvent) {
			listenerFn = function() {
				listener(window.event);
			};
			instance.attachEvent("on" + eventName, listenerFn);
		} else {
			throw new Error("Event registration not supported");
		}
		return {
			instance: instance,
			name: eventName,
			listener: listenerFn
		};
	};

	this.removeEventListener = function(event) {
		var instance = event.instance;
		if (instance.removeEventListener) {
			instance.removeEventListener(event.name, event.listener, false);
		} else if (instance.detachEvent) {
			instance.detachEvent("on" + event.name, event.listener);
		}
	};

	this.fixIframesIE = function(id) {
		var disqusThread = Dsq.$(disqus_container_id);
		var iframes = disqusThread.getElementsByTagName('iframe');

		if(id) {
			var container = Dsq.$(id);
		} else {
			var container = Dsq.$('dsq-content');
		}

		for(i = 0; i < iframes.length; i++) {
			if (container) {
				iframes[i].style.width = container.offsetWidth;
			}
		}
	};

	this.getElementsByClassName = function(oElm, strTagName, strClassName) {
	/* Credit: Jonathan Snook [http://www.snook.ca/jonathan], Robert Nyman [http://www.robertnyman.com] */
		var arrElements = (strTagName == "*" && oElm.all)? oElm.all : oElm.getElementsByTagName(strTagName);
		var arrReturnElements = new Array();
		strClassName = strClassName.replace(/\-/g, "\\-");
		var oRegExp = new RegExp("(^|\\s)" + strClassName + "(\\s|$)");
		var oElement;
		for(var i = 0; i < arrElements.length; i++) {
			oElement = arrElements[i];
			if(oRegExp.test(oElement.className)) {
				arrReturnElements.push(oElement);
			}
		}
		return (arrReturnElements);
	};

	this.postToUrl = function(url, post_data, opt_redirect) {
		var form = document.createElement('form');
		var iframe_container = document.createElement('div');
		var id = 'dsq-temp-iframe-' + (new Date()).getTime();

		form.method = 'POST';
		form.action = url;
		if (!opt_redirect) {
			form.target = id;
		}
		iframe_container.innerHTML = '<iframe style="display:none" name="' + id + '" id="' + id + '"></iframe>';

		for(var key in post_data) {
			if(post_data.hasOwnProperty(key)) {
				var input = document.createElement('input');
				input.name = key;
				input.type = 'hidden';
				input.value = post_data[key];

				form.appendChild(input);
			}
		}

		Dsq.$b.appendChild(iframe_container);
		Dsq.$b.appendChild(form);
		form.submit();
	};

	// Strips integer id from id of element in the form ('some-id-###')
	this.extractId = function(e) {
		var chunks = e.id.split('-');
		if(chunks.length <= 1) {
			return 0;
		} else {
			var retval = parseInt(chunks[chunks.length-1]);
			return !isNaN(retval) ? retval : null;
		}
	};

	this.getStyle = function(el, styleProp) {
		if(el.currentStyle) {
			var y = el.currentStyle[styleProp];
		} else if(window.getComputedStyle) {
			var y = document.defaultView.getComputedStyle(el, null).getPropertyValue(styleProp);
		}

		if(y == 'transparent' || y == '') {
			this.getStyle(el.parentNode, styleProp);
		} else {
			return y;
		}
	};

	this.execScript = function(url, append_qs, container) {
		var script = document.createElement('script');
		append_qs = typeof append_qs == 'undefined' ? true : append_qs;
		container = container || Dsq.container;

		if(append_qs) {
			var j = (url.indexOf('?') >= 0) ? '&' : '?';
			url += j + (new Date()).getTime();
		}
		script.type = 'text/javascript';
		script.charset = 'UTF-8';
		script.src = url;
		container.appendChild(script);
		return script;
	};

	this.pluralize = function(num, singular, plural) {
		return (num != 1) ? plural || 's' : singular || '';
	};

	this.getRequestParams = function(queryString /* optional */) {
		var pairs, tuple;
		var params = {};

		queryString = queryString || window.location.search.substring(1);
		pairs = queryString.split('&');

		for (var i = 0, pair; pair = pairs[i]; i++) {
			tuple = pair.split('=');
			params[tuple[0]] = (tuple[1] || true);
		}

		return params;
	};

	this.addCssRule = function(selector, styleText, index) {
		var stylesheet;
		index = index || 0;

		if(!this._styleSheet) {
			var styleEl = document.createElement('style');
			document.getElementsByTagName('head')[0].appendChild(styleEl);
			this._styleSheet = styleEl.sheet;
			if(!this._styleSheet) {
				// IE does not like our newly created stylesheet.
				this._styleSheet = document.styleSheets[document.styleSheets.length-1];
			}
		}
		stylesheet = this._styleSheet;

		if(stylesheet.insertRule) {
			var ruleText = selector + ' { ' + styleText + ' }';
			if(index == -1) {
				index = stylesheet.cssRules.length;
			}
			stylesheet.insertRule(ruleText, index);
		} else if(stylesheet.addRule) {
			stylesheet.addRule(selector, styleText, index);
		}
	};

	this.forEachIn = function(obj, callback) {
		for(var key in obj) {
			if(obj.hasOwnProperty(key)) {
				callback(key, obj[key]);
			}
		}
	};

	this._interpolateGlobalContext = {
		// values that get used a lot and are global to the request
		'profile_url': Dsq.Urls.REQUEST_USER_PROFILE,

		'disqus_url': Dsq.jsonData.settings.disqus_url,
		'media_url': Dsq.jsonData.settings.media_url,
		'request_username': Dsq.jsonData.request.username,
		'request_display_username': Dsq.jsonData.request.display_username,
		'forum_name': Dsq.jsonData.forum.name
	};

	this.renderFromContextStack = function(key, contexts) {
		// Returns the first instance of `key` in the array of objects `contexts` or else ''
		for (var i=0; i<contexts.length; i++) {
			if (contexts[i][key] !== undefined) {
				return String(contexts[i][key]);
			}
		}
		throw new Error('key ' + key + ' not found in context');
	};

	var that = this;
	this.interpolate = function(fmt, opt_localContext) {
		// Interpolate `fmt` named-format string with an assumed global context.
		// Based on `interpolate` in django.views.i18n
		var contextStack = [opt_localContext || {}, that._interpolateGlobalContext];
		return fmt.replace(/%\(\w+\)s/g, function(match){
			return that.renderFromContextStack(match.slice(2,-2), contextStack);
		});
	};

	this.stripTags = function(s) {
		// Removes HTML tags from `s`
		return s.replace(/(<([^>]+)>)/g,"");

	};

	this.assert = function(b) {
		if (!b) {
			throw new Error('Assertion error.');
		}
	};

};
// Dsq.Utils

/**
 * Dsq.Popup: Popup helper functions.
 */
Dsq.Popup = new function() {
	this.timeHide = new Array();
	this.timeShow = new Array();
	this.activePopup = {};
	this.profileCache = {};
	this.statusCache = {};

	this.showTimer = function(post_id) {
		// clear the hide timer
		clearTimeout(this.timeHide[post_id]);

		// start the timer
		if(!Dsq.Popup.profileIsOn && !Dsq.Thread.adminIsOn) {
			this.timeShow[post_id] = setTimeout("Dsq.Popup.popProfile(\"" + post_id + "\")", 400);
		}
	};

	this.hideTimer = function(post_id) {
		// clear the show timer
		clearTimeout(this.timeShow[post_id]);
	};

	this.updateProfile = function(username) {
		// Callback from /embed/profile.js
		if (this.statusCache[username]) {
			var statusEl = Dsq.$('dsq-profile-status-' + username);
			statusEl.innerHTML = this.statusCache[username];
			statusEl.style.display = 'block';
		}

		if (this.profileCache[username]) {
			var _cache = this.profileCache[username];

			var _genhtml = function(text) { return '<span><big>' + text + '</big></span>'; };
			var _no_comments = _genhtml(Dsq.FmtStrings.NUMBER_OF_COMMENTS(_cache.comments_count));
			var _no_likes = _genhtml(Dsq.FmtStrings.NUMBER_OF_LIKES(_cache.likes_count));
			var _no_points = _genhtml(Dsq.FmtStrings.NUMBER_OF_POINTS(_cache.points));

			var statsEl = Dsq.$('dsq-popup-profile-user-stats-' + username);
			statsEl.innerHTML = '';

			if (Dsq.jsonData.users[username].registered) {
				statsEl.innerHTML = _no_comments + _no_likes;
			}
			statsEl.innerHTML += _no_points;

			var activeSites = '';
			for (var i = 0; i < _cache.active_sites.length; i++) {
				var site = _cache.active_sites[i];
				activeSites += '<li><a href="' + site.url + '"> \
					<img src="' + site.favicon + '"/ width="16" height="16"/></a>\
					<a href="' + site.url + '">' + site.name + '</a></li>';
			}
			if (activeSites !== '') {
				Dsq.$('dsq-popup-profile-active-sites-' + username).innerHTML = activeSites;
			} else {
				Dsq.$('dsq-popup-profile-active-sites-' + username).innerHTML = 'This site.';
			}

			var moderatedSites = '';
			for (var i = 0; i < _cache.moderated_sites.length; i++) {
				var site = _cache.moderated_sites[i];
				moderatedSites += '<li><a href="' + site.url + '"> \
					<img src="' + site.favicon + '"/ width="16" height="16"/></a>\
					<a href="' + site.url + '">' + site.name + '</a></li>';
			}
			if (moderatedSites !== '') {
				Dsq.$('dsq-popup-profile-moderated-' + username).innerHTML = moderatedSites;
			} else {
				Dsq.$('dsq-popup-profile-moderated-wrapper-' + username).innerHTML = '';
			}
		}

		// Reposition popup after full HTML is rendered
		if(Dsq.Popup.activePopup && Dsq.Popup.activePopup.el) {
			Dsq.Popup.initPopup(Dsq.Popup.activePopup.el, Dsq.Popup.activePopup.id, Dsq.Popup.activePopup.type);
		}

	};

	this.showCookieMsgs = function() {
		var title = '';
		var message = '';
		var numAlerts = 0;

		Dsq.Utils.forEachIn(Dsq.jsonData.cookie_messages, function(k, v) {
			if (!v) return;

			switch(k) {
				// Cookie: Twitter
				case 'post_twitter':
					if (v === 'error') {
						title = 'Twitter Error!';
						message += '<li id="dsq-msg-twitter-error">Oops, we couldn\'t tweet this comment. Please check your <a href="http://disqus.com/account/services">account settings</a>.</li>';
					} else {
						var _msg = v.split(':');
						title = 'Tweeted!';
						message += '<li id="dsq-msg-twitter-success">Your comment was successfully tweeted. <a href="http://twitter.com/' + _msg[0] + '/status/' + _msg[1] + '">Click here to view the tweet</a>.</li>';
					}
					break;
				// Cookie: Unapproved Post
				case 'post_not_approved':
					title = 'Comment awaiting approval by a moderator';
					message += '<li id="dsq-msg-post-not-approved">Your comment must be approved by a moderator before appearing here.</li>';
					break;
				// Cookie: Profile Found
				case 'post_has_profile':
					title = 'Use your existing commenter profile';
					message += '<li id="dsq-msg-post-has-profile">You have just posted your commment as a <span class="dsq-badge-guest">Guest</span>, but you may already have a <span class="logo-disqus">Disqus</span> Profile.<br /><br /><a href="http://disqus.com/claim">Log in and claim this comment!</a></li>';
					break;
				case 'user_created':
					var _data = v.split(':');
					title = 'Profile created!';
					message += '<li id="dsq-msg-user-created">You have just created a <span class="logo-disqus">Disqus</span> Profile, the best way to claim, manage, and track your comments all over the web. \
					<br /><br />A confirmation is being sent to <strong>' + _data[1] + '</strong>. Please check for this email in order to verify your profile. \
					<ul class="dsq-list-tick"> \
						<li>Your username is <strong>' + _data[0] +'</strong>. <a href="http://disqus.com/people/' + _data[0] + '/" target="_blank">Click here to view your public profile</a>.</li> \
						<li>Be sure to set your profile picture, as well as connect your <span class="dsq-badge-facebook">Facebook</span> and <span class="dsq-badge-twitter">Twitter</span> accounts. <a href="http://disqus.com/account/" target="_blank">Click here for account settings</a>.</li> \
					</ul> \
					</li>'
					break;
				default:
					break;
			}
			numAlerts++;
		});

		if(numAlerts > 1) {
			message = '<ul class="dsq-list-bluebullet">' + message;
			message += '</ul>';
			title = 'Thanks for posting!';
		}
		if(numAlerts > 0) {
			if(typeof(disqus_cookie_msgs) == 'function') {
				disqus_cookie_msgs(message, title);
			} else {
				Dsq.Popup.popModal(message, title);
			}
		}
	};

	this.helpBadges = function(post_id) {
		var html = ' \
			<ul class="dsq-popup-help"> \
				<li><span class="dsq-badge dsq-badge-verified">Verified</span> has a <span class="logo-disqus">Disqus</span> Profile with a confirmed email address.</li> \
				<li><span class="dsq-badge dsq-badge-registered">Registered</span> has a <span class="logo-disqus">Disqus</span> Profile, but has not yet confirmed his or her email address.</li> \
				<li><span class="dsq-badge dsq-badge-guest">Guest</span> is not logged in with any account and has not claimed his or her comments.</li> \
				<li class="dsq-help-otheraccts">Other accounts</li> \
				<li><span class="dsq-badge dsq-badge-facebook">Facebook</span> is using his or her Facebook profile via Facebook Connect.</li> \
				<li><span class="dsq-badge dsq-badge-twitter">Twitter</span> is using his or her Twitter profile via Twitter Sign-in.</li> \
				<li><span class="dsq-badge dsq-badge-openid">OpenID</span> is using his or her OpenID.</li> \
			</ul> \
		';

		this.popModal(html, 'Help: Types of Commenters', post_id);
		return;
	};

	this.permalink = function(post_id) {
		var header = 'Link to this comment';
		var body = '<strong>You are anchored to</strong>:<br />' + document.location.protocol + '//' + document.location.host + document.location.pathname + document.location.search + '#comment-' + post_id;

		this.popModal(body, header, post_id);
	};

	this.login = function(header, body) {
		var h = header || 'Login or Register';
		var b = body || '';
		b += Dsq.Templates.frameLogin({id: 'dsq-popup-login'});
		b += '</iframe>'; // HACK: Sometimes there is something funky with the IFRAME SRC that causes no end tag
		this.popModal(b, h, null, true, 'dsq-popup-login');
	};

	this.blacklist = function(id) {
		var _meta = Dsq.jsonData.posts[id];
		var userData = Dsq.jsonData['users'][_meta.user_key];
		var title = 'Add to Blacklist';
		var message = ' \
		Adding this person to the blacklist will block him or her from commenting on this site. Check the following types that you would like to add to the blacklist:'
		+ (userData['registered'] ?
			'<div class="dsq-blacklist-option"> \
				<input id="dsq-blacklist-username" type="checkbox" checked> \
				<label for="dsq-blacklist-username"><strong>Username</strong>: ' + userData['username'] + '</label> \
			</div>'
			: '')
		+ (_meta.email ?
			'<div class="dsq-blacklist-option"> \
				<input id="dsq-blacklist-email" type="checkbox" checked> \
				<label for="dsq-blacklist-email"><strong>Email address</strong>: ' + _meta.email + '</label> \
			</div>'
			: '')
		+ '<div class="dsq-blacklist-option"> \
			<input id="dsq-blacklist-ip" type="checkbox" onclick="Dsq.$(\'dsq-blacklist-ip-warning\').style.display=\'block\'"> \
			<label for="dsq-blacklist-ip"><strong>IP address</strong>: ' + _meta.ip + '</label> \
		</div> \
		';

		message += ' \
			<p id="dsq-blacklist-ip-warning" style="display:none">	\
				Note: Blocking this person\'s IP address may also unintentionally prevent others, who share his/her IP address, from commenting on this site. \
				This may include people who are sharing the same computer, living in the same house, or using the same Internet provider. Only block an IP address as a last resort. \
			</p> \
		';

		message += ' \
			<p style="text-align:center"><button type="button" onclick="Dsq.Post.blockUser(' + id + '); this.disabled=true; this.innerHTML=\'Just one moment...\'">Add to Blacklist</button></p> \
		';

		Dsq.Popup.popModal(message, title);
	};

	this.remoteAccountSettings = function() {
		var body = '';
		// Set up IFrame.
		var params = {};
		var base_url = 'http://disqus.com/forums/themoderatevoice/_auth/embed/remote_settings/';
		var attributes = {id: 'dsq-popup-account-settings'};
		if (typeof disqus_frame_theme != 'undefined') {
			params['theme'] = disqus_frame_theme;
		}

		body = Dsq.Templates._frameGeneric(base_url, params, attributes);
		this.popModal(body, 'Account Settings', null, true, 'dsq-popup-account-settings');
	};

	this.popModal = function(message, title, post_id, use_listener, extra_classes) {
		var container = document.createElement('div');
		var header, body;

		Dsq.Popup._closePopup(null, true);

		if(typeof(title) == 'undefined') { title = ''; }
		if(typeof(use_listener) == 'undefined') { use_listener = true; }

		if(post_id) {
			container.id = 'dsq-popup-message-' + post_id;
		} else {
			container.id = 'dsq-popup-message';
		}

		header = title;
		body = message;

		container.innerHTML = Dsq.Templates.popupModal(header, body);
		Dsq.Popup.initPopup(container, post_id, 'message', extra_classes);
		if(use_listener) {
			Dsq.Popup.popupListener = Dsq.Utils.addEventListener(document, 'mouseup', Dsq.Popup._closePopup);
		}
	};

	this.popAlert = this.popModal;

	this.loading = function(post_id) {
		var title = Dsq.Strings.JUST_A_MOMENT;
		var body = '<div style="text-align:center; padding: 5px 0 10px 0"><img src="http://media.disqus.com/images/loading.gif" alt="" /></div>'
		Dsq.Popup.lightbox(body, title, post_id);
	};

	this.lightbox = function(message, title, post_id) {
		// Wraps Dsq.Popup.popModal

		var overlay = document.createElement('div');
		overlay.id = 'dsq-overlay';
		overlay.className = 'dsq-overlay';
		Dsq.$b.appendChild(overlay);
		
		Dsq.Popup.popModal(message, title, post_id, false, 'dsq-lightbox');
	};

	this.popProfile = function(post_id, userKey) {
		var post = Dsq.jsonData['posts'][post_id];
		if (post && post.has_been_anonymized) {
			Dsq.Popup.popModal('This message was anonymized by its previous owner.', 'Anonymized', post_id);
			return;
		}

		if(post_id) {
			userKey = Dsq.jsonData['posts'][post_id].user_key;	
		}
		var userData = Dsq.jsonData['users'][userKey];
		var elId = 'dsq-popup-profile-' + userKey;
		var container = document.createElement('div');

		if(this.activePopup.el) {
			this._closePopup(null, true);
			if(this.activePopup.linkClicked) {
				this.activePopup.linkClicked = false;
				return;
			}
		}

		container.id = elId;
		container.innerHTML = Dsq.Templates.popupProfile(userKey);

		this.initPopup(container, post_id, 'profile');
		this.popupListener = Dsq.Utils.addEventListener(document, 'mouseup', this._closePopup);

		if(!this.profileCache[userKey]) {
			Dsq.Utils.execScript('http://disqus.com/embed/profile.js'
				+ '?username=' + userKey
				+ '&anon=' + (userData['registered'] ? 0 : 1)
				+ '&f=' + Dsq.jsonData['request'].forum);
		} else {
			this.updateProfile(userKey);
		}
	};

	this._closePopup = function(e, force) {
		var activePopup = Dsq.Popup.activePopup.el;
		var id = Dsq.Popup.activePopup.id;
		var link = 'dsq-avatar-' + id; // HACK: Specific to profile toggle target

		// HACK: This event should be gone if there is no active popup.
		if(!activePopup) {
			return;
		}
		if(force || !Dsq.Popup.isClicked(e, activePopup.id)) {
			// TODO: This is breaking iE?
			if(Dsq.Popup.popupListener) {
				Dsq.Utils.removeEventListener(Dsq.Popup.popupListener);
			}
			
			// Kill overlay
			var overlay = Dsq.$('dsq-overlay');
			if(overlay) { Dsq.Utils.deleteNode(overlay); }
			
			try {
				Dsq.Utils.deleteNode(activePopup);
			} catch(e) {
				// HACK: IE6 throws an error when using deleteNode() with a node containing a <table> in the html.
				activePopup.parentNode.removeChild(activePopup);
			}
			Dsq.Popup.activePopup = {};
		}

		if(!force && Dsq.Popup.isClicked(e, link)) {
 			Dsq.Popup.activePopup.linkClicked = true;
		}

	};

	this.initPopup = function(popup, post_id, type, extra_classes) {
		popup.className = 'dsq-popup dsq-popup-' + type + ' ' + (extra_classes ? extra_classes : '');
		if(Dsq.Utils.ie6 || Dsq.Utils.ie7) {
			// HACK: We can't modify the body before it's ready, so we need
			//       to use an IE-safe "DOMReady" workaround before loading
			//       our popup.
			Dsq.Utils.execOnReady(function() {Dsq.$b.appendChild(popup); });
		} else {
			Dsq.$b.appendChild(popup);
		}

		popup.style.display = 'block';

		var xPos = (Dsq.Utils.getWindowSize()[0] - popup.offsetWidth) / 2;
		var yPos = (Dsq.Utils.getWindowSize()[1] - popup.offsetHeight) / 2;

		if(Dsq.Utils.ie6) {
			yPos += Dsq.Utils.getScrollPos()[1];
		}

		popup.style.left = xPos + 'px';
		popup.style.top = yPos + 'px';

		Dsq.Popup.activePopup = {
			'el' : popup,
			'id' : post_id,
			'type': type,
			'linkClicked' : false
		};
	};

	this.isClicked = function(e, id) {
		var t = e.target || e.srcElement;
		while(t && t.parentNode) {
			if(t.id == id) {
				return true;
			}

			t = t.parentNode;
		}
		return false;
	};
};
// Dsq.Popup

/**
 * Dsq.Templates
 */
Dsq.Templates = new function() {
	/*
	 * Counter keeping track of the number of posts iterated over.
	 */
	this.postLoopCounter = 0;
	this.filters = {};
	this.addPostContainer = 'dsq-post-add';
	this.textareaContainer = 'dsq-post-add';

	this.registerTemplate = function(name, func) {
		this['$$_' + name] = func;

		if(typeof DsqLocal.Filters != 'undefined'
		&& typeof DsqLocal.Filters[name] == 'function') {
			// Push filters to this.filters to unify code.
			this.filters[name] = this.filters[name] || [];
			this.filters[name].push(DsqLocal.Filters[name]);
		}

		this[name] = function() {
			var ret;

			if(typeof DsqLocal.Templates != 'undefined'
			&& typeof DsqLocal.Templates[name] == 'function') {
				ret = DsqLocal.Templates[name].apply(this, arguments);
			}

			if(ret === undefined) {
				ret = this['$$_' + name].apply(this, arguments);
			}

			if(this.filters[name]) {
				var args = [ret];

				args.push.apply(args, arguments);
				for(var i = 0; i < this.filters[name].length; i++) {
					ret = this.filters[name][i].apply(this, args);
				}
			}

			return ret;
		};
	};

	this.registerFilter = function(name, func) {
		this.filters[name] = this.filters[name] || [];
		this.filters[name].push(func);
	};

	/**
	 * Dsq.Templates.Filters
	 */
	this.Filters = new function() {
		this.commentContainer = function(post_id, s) {
			var _meta = Dsq.jsonData.posts[post_id];
			var classes = [];
			if(Dsq.jsonData.request.page > 1) {
				classes.push('dsq-append');
			}

			//
			// Extra classes used for custom themes
			//

			if(_meta.depth) {
				classes.push('dsq-comment-child', 'dsq-depth-' + _meta.depth, 'dsq-parent-is-' + _meta.parent_post_id);
			}


			//

			if(_meta.author_is_creator) {
				// TODO: We need to deprecate the "special" class since it is not properly prefixed.
				classes.push('special', 'dsq-special');
			}
			if(_meta.author_is_moderator) {
				classes.push('dsq-moderator');
			}
			classes.push(['dsq-odd', 'dsq-even'][Dsq.Templates.postLoopCounter % 2]);

			s = s.substring(0, s.lastIndexOf('>'));
			return s + ' class="dsq-comment ' + classes.join(' ') + '" style="margin-left:' + _meta.depth*30 + 'px">';
		};

		this.commentContent = function(post_id, s) {
			var _meta = Dsq.jsonData.posts[post_id];
			if (_meta.killed) {
				return '<em>Comment removed.</em>';
			} else if (!_meta.approved) {
				return '<em>This comment was flagged for review.</em>';
			}

			s = s.replace(Dsq.MEDIA_POST_RE, Dsq.MediaPostHandler);
			return s;
		};
	};

	//
	// Thread
	//
	// TODO: These need to be stripped of all Django template tags.

	this.authPost = function() {
		if (!Dsq.jsonData.context.show_reply) {
			return '';
		}
		var result = [];
		result = result.concat([
				'<div id="dsq-auth"',
						Dsq.jsonData.integration.reply_position ? 'class="dsq-auth-bottom"' : '',
						'>',
					'<div class="dsq-by">',
						'<a href="http://disqus.com" target="_blank">',
							(Dsq.jsonData.integration.disqus_logo ?
								Dsq.Utils.interpolate('<img src="%(media_url)s/images/embed/by-disqus.png" alt="discussion by DISQUS">') :
								Dsq.Utils.interpolate('<img src="%(media_url)s/images/embed/dsq-button-120x19.png" alt="discussion by DISQUS">')
							),
						'</a>',
					'</div>',
					'<div class="dsq-auth-header">',
						'<h3 id="dsq-add-new-comment" class="dsq-h3-addcomment">',
								Dsq.Strings.ADD_NEW_COMMENT,
						'</h3>',
						'<div id="dsq-login">',
						(!Dsq.jsonData.request.is_authenticated && Dsq.jsonData.forum.allow_anon_post
								? '<p class="dsq-login-message" id="dsq-login-message">You are commenting as a <a class="dsq-help" title="Click for more information" href="#" onclick="Dsq.Popup.helpBadges(); return false">Guest</a>. You may select one to log into:</p>'
								: '')
		]);
		if (!Dsq.jsonData.request.is_authenticated) {
			result = result.concat([
							Dsq.Utils.interpolate(
								'<a id="dsq-login-toggle" href="%(disqus_url)s%(login_url)s?next=article:%(thread_id)s" onclick="Dsq.Popup.login(); return false"><img class="dsq-login-icon" src="%(media_url)s/images/dsq-profile-btn.png" title="%(log_into)s" alt="%(log_into)s"/></a>',
								{login_url: Dsq.Urls.LOGIN, thread_id: Dsq.jsonData.thread.id, log_into: Dsq.Strings.LOG_INTO_DISQUS}
								),
							'&nbsp; ',
							(Dsq.jsonData.context.use_fb_connect ?
								'<div id="dsq-fbc-login" onlogin="DisqusFbcParentController.onLogin()" size="medium" background="light" length="short" style="display:inline; margin-right:7px"></div>' :
								''
							),
							(Dsq.jsonData.context.use_twitter_signin ?
								Dsq.Utils.interpolate(
									'<div id="dsq-twitter-login" class="dsq-twitter-login" onclick="Dsq.Twitter.startTwitterConnect();" style="display:inline; cursor: pointer"><img src="%(media_url)s/images/twitter-signin-short.png" style="margin-right:7px" /></div>', {}) : ''),
							(Dsq.jsonData.context.use_openid ?
								Dsq.Utils.interpolate(
									'<div id="dsq-openid-login" class="dsq-openid-login" onclick="Dsq.OpenID.requestURL();" style="display:inline; cursor:pointer;"><img src="%(media_url)s/images/openid-login-button.png"/></div>', {}
								) : '')
			]);
		}
		result = result.concat([
						'</div>', // dsq-login
					'</div>', // dsq-auth-header
					'<div id="dsq-authenticated" class="dsq-authenticated" ',
						Dsq.jsonData.request.is_authenticated ? 'style="display:block"' : '',
						'>',
						'<div class="dsq-authenticated-pic">',
								Dsq.Utils.interpolate('<a href="%(url)s" title="%(request_display_username)s">' +
																			'<img class="dsq-post-avatar" src="%(avatar_url)s" alt="" /></a>',
																			{avatar_url: Dsq.Urls.REQUEST_USER_AVATAR,
																			url: (Dsq.jsonData.request.is_remote
																					 ? Dsq.jsonData.request.url
																					 : Dsq.jsonData.settings.disqus_url + Dsq.Urls.REQUEST_USER_PROFILE) }),
						'</div>',
						'<div class="dsq-authenticated-info">',
							'<ul>',
								'<li>',
									(Dsq.jsonData.request.is_remote
										? Dsq.FmtStrings.LOGGED_IN_AS(
												Dsq.Utils.interpolate('<a href="%(url)s" title="%(request_display_username)s">%(request_display_username)s</a>', {url:Dsq.jsonData.request.url})
										  )
										: Dsq.FmtStrings.LOGGED_IN_AS(
												Dsq.Utils.interpolate('<a href="%(disqus_url)s%(profile_url)s" title="%(request_display_username)s">%(request_display_username)s</a>')
											)
									),
								'</li>',
								'<li class="logout">',
									(!Dsq.jsonData.request.is_remote
										? Dsq.Utils.interpolate('<img class="dsq-login-icon" src="%(media_url)s/images/dsqicon12.png" alt="%(logged_in_as)s"/>&nbsp',
											{logged_in_as: Dsq.FmtStrings.LOGGED_IN_AS(Dsq.jsonData.request.display_username)})
										: ''),

									(!Dsq.jsonData.request.is_remote
										? Dsq.Utils.interpolate('<a href="%(disqus_url)s%(logout_url)s?ctkn=%(csrf_token)s" title="%(logout_from_disqus)s">',
											{logout_url: Dsq.Urls.LOGOUT, csrf_token: Dsq.CSRF_TOKEN, logout_from_disqus: Dsq.FmtStrings.LOGOUT_FROM('DISQUS')})
										: ((Dsq.jsonData.request.remote_domain == 'twitter')
												? Dsq.Utils.interpolate('using Twitter (<a href="%(disqus_url)s%(logout_url)s?ctkn=%(csrf_token)s" title="Logout">Logout</a>)',
												 {logout_url: Dsq.Urls.LOGOUT, csrf_token: Dsq.CSRF_TOKEN})
												: ((Dsq.jsonData.request.remote_domain == 'openid')
													 ? Dsq.Utils.interpolate('using OpenID (<a href="%(disqus_url)s%(logout_url)s?ctkn=%(csrf_token)s" title="Logout">Logout</a>)',
													 {logout_url: Dsq.Urls.LOGOUT, csrf_token: Dsq.CSRF_TOKEN})
													 : ''
													)
											)
									),

									(!Dsq.jsonData.request.is_remote ? Dsq.FmtStrings.LOGOUT_FROM('<span class="logo-disqus">DISQUS</span>') : ''),
									'</a>',
								'</li>',
							'</ul>',
						'</div>',
					'</div>'
		]);
		if (Dsq.jsonData.context.use_fb_connect) {
			result = result.concat([
					'<div id="dsq-fbc-authenticated" class="dsq-authenticated">',
						'<div id="dsq-fbc-profilepic" class="dsq-authenticated-pic" uid="loggedinuser" type="FB.XFBML.ProfilePic" size="square" facebook-logo="true"></div>',
						'<div class="dsq-authenticated-info">',
							'<ul>',
								'<li>',
									'Logged in as <span id="dsq-fbc-name" uid="loggedinuser" type="FB.XFBML.Name" linked="true" useyou="false"></span>',
								'</li>',
								'<li class="logout">using Facebook Connect <a href="#" onclick="javascript:DisqusFbcParentController.logout();return false;">(Logout)</a></li>',
							'</ul>',
						'</div>',
					'</div>'
			]);
		}
		result = result.concat([
				'</div>', // dsq-auth
				'<div id="dsq-toolbar-items">',
				'</div>'
		]);
		result = result.concat([
					//
					//
					//
				((!Dsq.jsonData.forum.allow_anon_post && !Dsq.jsonData.request.is_authenticated) ?
					// Needs to be translated:
					('<p id="dsq-no-anon-msg">Required: Please log into <span class="logo-disqus">Disqus</span> ' +
					(Dsq.jsonData.context.use_fb_connect ? 'or connect with Facebook ' : '') +
					(Dsq.jsonData.context.use_twitter_signin ? 'or sign in with Twitter ' : '') +
					(Dsq.jsonData.context.use_openid ? 'or sign in using OpenID ' : '') +
					Dsq.Utils.interpolate('to comment on <strong>%(forum_name)s</strong>.</p>')) :
					''
				),
				'<div id="dsq-post-add"></div>',
				'<div style="margin:10px 0">',
				((Dsq.jsonData.forum.use_media) ?
						'<a href="#" id="dsq-media-link" onclick="Dsq.Post.showMenu(this, false, \'media\'); return false">' + Dsq.Strings.USE_MEDIA + ' <small>&#9660;</small></a>' :
						''),
				'</div>'
		]);
		return result.join('');
	};


	this.header = function() {

		var html = '\<h3 id="dsq-comments-count" class="dsq-h3-commentcount">\
	 <span id="dsq-num-posts">45</span> Comments\
	 &nbsp;\
	 <span class="dsq-item-feed">\
	 <a href="http://themoderatevoice.disqus.com/we_don8217t_need_no_department_of_education/latest.rss"><img src="http://media.disqus.com/images/embed/bullet-feed.png"></a>\
	 </span>\
	 </h3>\
	 <div id="dsq-options" style="margin:15px 0">\
	 <span class="dsq-item-sort">\
	 Sort by\
	 <select id="dsq-sort-select" onchange="Dsq.Thread.sortBy(this.value);">\
	 <option value="hot" selected="selected">Popular now</option>\
	 <option value="best" >Best Rating</option>\
	 <option value="newest" >Newest first</option>\
	 <option value="oldest" >Oldest first</option>\
	 </select>\
	 &nbsp;\
	 </span>\
	 <span class="dsq-item-cp"><a href="http://themoderatevoice.disqus.com/we_don8217t_need_no_department_of_education/">Community Page</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</span>\
	 <span class="dsq-item-subscribe">\
	 <img src="http://media.disqus.com/images/embed/email.png" style="width:12px;height:12px;vertical-align:middle">\
	 <span id="dsq-subscribe">\
	 <a href="#" onclick="Dsq.Thread.subscribe(1); return false">Subscribe by email</a>\
	 </span>\
	 </span>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-alerts">\
	 <p>Comments for this page are closed.</p>\
	 </div>\
		';

		

		
		if (Dsq.jsonData.request.is_moderator) { 
			html = ' \
			<div class="dsq-alert-message dsq-upgrade-message"> \
				<strong>Disqus upgrade available.</strong> Hi ' + Dsq.jsonData.request.display_username + ', this message is being displayed to you because you are a moderator of this site. <a href="#" onclick="Dsq.$(\'dsq-upgrade-message\').style.display=\'block\';this.style.display=\'none\';return false">Click here for details.</a> \
				<div style="display:none; margin-top:10px;" id="dsq-upgrade-message"> \
					A new theme is available with added features. <a href="http://disqus.com/comments/settings/' + Dsq.jsonData.forum.url + '/?p=customize">To change your theme, click here</a> and choose the theme Narcissus. \
					If you do not upgrade, you are missing out on features such as: real-time commenting, new sign-in integrations, and an upgrade interface. \
					<strong>This message will automatically go away in one week.</strong> \
				</div> \
			</div> \
			' + html; 
		}
		return html;
	};

	this.footer = function() {
		var html = Dsq.Templates.pagination();

		
			html += Dsq.Templates.authPost();
		

		html += Dsq.Templates.reactions();

		
			html += Dsq.Templates.trackbacks();
		

		return html;
	};

	this.pagination = function() {
		var html = '';
		
		if (Dsq.$('dsq-pagination')) { Dsq.$('dsq-pagination').innerHTML = ''; }
		if (!Dsq.jsonData.thread.paginate) { return ''; }

		//
		// TODO: num_paginator still uses the template tag for pagination, 
		// 		while append_paginator does it all in JavaScript.
		//		This should all be in JavaScript.
		//

		if (Dsq.jsonData.thread.num_pages > 1 && Dsq.jsonData.request.page < Dsq.jsonData.thread.num_pages) {
			html = ' \<a class="dsq-paginate-append-text" href="#" onclick="Dsq.Thread.paginate(Dsq.jsonData.request.page + 1, this); return false">Show more comments...</a>\
	 <button type="button" class="dsq-button-small dsq-paginate-append-button" onclick="Dsq.Thread.paginate(Dsq.jsonData.request.page + 1, this);">Load more comments</button>\
			';
		}
		
		if (Dsq.$('dsq-pagination')) {
			Dsq.$('dsq-pagination').innerHTML = html;
			return '';
		} else {
			return '<div id="dsq-pagination" class="dsq-pagination">' + html + '</div>';
		}
	};

	this.trackbacks = function() {
		var html = '';

		if(typeof DsqLocal != 'undefined' && DsqLocal.trackback_url && DsqLocal.trackbacks) {
			var trackbacks = DsqLocal.trackbacks;
			var trackback_url = DsqLocal.trackback_url;
		} else {
			var trackbacks = [
			
			
			];
			var trackback_url = 'http://themoderatevoice.disqus.com/we_don8217t_need_no_department_of_education/trackback/';
		}

		html += '<div class="dsq-item-trackback">Trackback URL&nbsp;&nbsp;<input class="dsq-trackback-url" onclick="this.select()" readonly="true" value="' + trackback_url + '"></div>';

		if(trackbacks.length) {
			html += '<ul id="dsq-references">'
			for(var i = 0; i < trackbacks.length; i++) {
				var trackback = trackbacks[i];
				html += '<li><cite><a href="' + trackback.author_url + '" rel="nofollow">' + trackback.author_name + '</a></cite> \
						<p class="dsq-meta">' + trackback.date + '</p> \
						<p class="dsq-content">' + trackback.excerpt + '</p></li>';
			}
			html += '</ul>';
			html = '<h3 class="dsq-h3-trackbacks">Trackbacks</h3>' + html;
		}

		return html;
	}

	this.showRetweets = function(id, limit, element_id /* Optional */) {
		var source, html = '';

		for (var i = 0, reaction; reaction = Dsq.jsonData.reactions[i]; i++) {
			if (reaction.id === id) {
				source = reaction.retweets;
			}
		}

		if (source) {
			if (limit === 0) {
				limit = source.length;
			}

			for (var j = 0; j < limit; j++) {
				var rt = source[j];
				html += '<a href="' + rt.url + '">' + rt.author_name + '</a>'	+ ((j === (limit - 1)) ? '.' : ', ');
			}
		}

		if (element_id === undefined) {
			return html;
		}

		var element = document.getElementById(element_id);
		element.innerHTML = html;
		return element;
	};

	this.showMoreReactions = function(reactions, has_more, start, limit) {
		var link = document.getElementById('dsq-show-more-reactions');
		var container = link.parentNode;
		container.removeChild(link);

		for (var i = 0, reaction; reaction = reactions[i]; i++) {
			var el = Dsq.Templates.generateReactionHTML(reaction);
			if (el) {
				container.innerHTML += el;
			}
		}

		if (has_more) {
			var d = Dsq.jsonData.settings.disqus_url;
			var f = Dsq.jsonData.forum.url;
			var t = Dsq.jsonData.thread.id;
			var s = start;
			var l = limit;

			var handler = 'Dsq.Utils.execScript(\'' + d + '/forums/' + f + '/more_reactions.js?t=' + t + '&s=' + s + '&l=' + l + '\', true); return false;';
			container.innerHTML += '<li id="dsq-show-more-reactions"><a href="#" onclick="' + handler + '">Show more reactions</a></li>';
		}
	};

	this.generateReactionHTML = function(reaction) {
		if (reaction.body === null || reaction.body == '') {
			return;
		}

		if (reaction.author_name === '') {
			reaction.author_name = '&nbsp;';
		}

		if (reaction.url === '') {
			reaction.url = reaction.get_service_url;
		}

		/* Reaction HTML begins */
		var item = '<li class="dsq-reaction" id="dsq-reaction-' + reaction.id + '">'
			+ '<div class="dsq-reaction-header">'
			+ '<div class="dsq-header-avatar">';

		if (reaction.author_url && reaction.author_url !== '') {
			item += '<a target="_blank" href="' + reaction.author_url +'">';
		} else {
			item += '<a target="_blank" href="#" onclick="return false;">';
		}

		if (reaction.avatar_url && reaction.avatar_url !== '') {
			item += '<img src="' + reaction.avatar_url + '"/>';
		} else {
			item += '<img src="' + Dsq.jsonData.media_url + '/images/noavatar32.png"/>';
		}

		var service_icon = (reaction.get_service_name == 'trackback' || reaction.get_service_name == 'pingback' ? 'rss' : reaction.get_service_name.replace(' ', ''));
		item += '<img class="dsq-service-icon" src="' + Dsq.jsonData.media_url + '/images/reactions/services/' + service_icon + '.png"/>'
			+ '</a></div>'
			+ '<cite><span>' + reaction.author_name + '</span></cite>'
			+ '<span class="dsq-header-meta"><a class="dsq-header-time">' + reaction.date_created + '</a></span>'
			+ '</div><div class="dsq-reaction-body">'
			+ '<div class="dsq-reaction-message">' + reaction.body + '</div>'
			+ '<div class="dsq-reaction-footer">From <a class="dsq-service-name" target="_blank" href="' + reaction.url + '">' + reaction.get_service_name + '</a> '
			+ 'via <a href="' + reaction.source_url + '">' + (reaction.source == 'backtype' ? 'BackType' : 'UberVU') + '</a>'
			+ (Dsq.jsonData.request.is_moderator || Dsq.jsonData.request.is_global_moderator ? '&nbsp;&bull;&nbsp;<a class="dsq-hide-reaction" href="#" onclick="Dsq.Reaction.hide(' + reaction.id + '); return false;">Hide</a>' : '') + '</div></div>';

		if(reaction.retweets) {
			var num_retweets = reaction.retweets.length;
			if (num_retweets > 0) {
				item += '<div class="dsq-reaction-retweets">';
				if (num_retweets == 1) {
					item += 'One more retweet from <a href="' + reaction.retweets[0].url + '">'  + reaction.retweets[0].author_name + '</a>';
				} else {
					item += (num_retweets + ' more retweets from ');

					item += '<span id="dsq-reaction-retweets-' + reaction.id + '">';
					var n_tweets = (num_retweets > 15) ? 15 : num_retweets;
					item += Dsq.Templates.showRetweets(reaction.id, n_tweets);

					if (n_tweets != num_retweets) {
						item += '</span> <a onclick="Dsq.Templates.showRetweets(' + reaction.id + ', 0, \'dsq-reaction-retweets-' + reaction.id + '\');'
							+ 'this.parentNode.removeChild(this); return false;" href="#">Show all</a>';
					}
				}
				item += '</div>';
			}
		}

		item += '</li>'; /* Reaction HTML ends */
		return item;
	};

	this.reactions = function() {
		var html, reaction;

		if (Dsq.jsonData.reactions === undefined || Dsq.jsonData.reactions.length === 0) {
			return '';
		}

		html = '';
		for (var i = 0; reaction = Dsq.jsonData.reactions[i]; i++) {
			var item = Dsq.Templates.generateReactionHTML(reaction);
			if (item) {
				html += item;
			}
		}

		if (Dsq.jsonData.has_more_reactions) {
			var d = Dsq.jsonData.settings.disqus_url;
			var f = Dsq.jsonData.forum.url;
			var t = Dsq.jsonData.thread.id;
			var s = Dsq.jsonData.reactions_start;
			var l = Dsq.jsonData.reactions_limit;

			var handler = 'Dsq.Utils.execScript(\'' + d + '/forums/' + f + '/more_reactions.js?t=' + t + '&s=' + s + '&l=' + l + '\', true); return false;';
			html += '<li id="dsq-show-more-reactions"><a href="#" onclick="' + handler + '">Show more reactions</a></li>';
		}

		return '<h3 class="dsq-h3-reactions">Reactions</h3><ul id="dsq-reactions" class="dsq-reactions">' + html + '</ul>';
	};
	
	this.missingPermissions = function() {
		return '	<p>Comments for this page are closed.</p>\n';
	};

	//
	// Post
	//

	this.prependPost = function(post_id) {
		var html = '<div id="comment-' + post_id + '"></div>';
		return html;
	};

	this.appendPost = function(post_id) {
		var html = '<div id="dsq-comment-reply-' + post_id + '"></div>';
		return html;
	};

	this.postPrependHeader = function(post_id) {
		var _meta = Dsq.jsonData.posts[post_id];
		var userData = Dsq.jsonData['users'][_meta.user_key];

		var _includeServices = function() {
			var userServices = Dsq.Post.getUserServices(null, post_id);
			var html = '';
			var hiddenThreshold = 3; // Define # of services to show before stuffing them in hidden div

			for(var i = 0; i < userServices.length; i++) {
				html +=
				(i == hiddenThreshold
					? '<li id="dsq-drop-hidden-' + post_id +'" class="dsq-drop-hidden"><ul>'
					: '')
				+ '<li class="dsq-drop-services"> \
					<a class="dsq-service-' + userServices[i].name.toLowerCase() + '" href="' + userServices[i].url + '" target="_blank"> \
						<img src="' + Dsq.jsonData.media_url + '/images/embed/services/' + userServices[i].name.toLowerCase() + '.png" alt="' + userServices[i].name.toLowerCase() + '">'
					+ userServices[i].name
					+ '</a> \
				</li>';
			}

			if(i >= hiddenThreshold) {
				html += '</ul></li> \
				<li id="dsq-drop-more-' + post_id + '" class="dsq-drop-more"><a href="#" onclick="Dsq.Post.dropProfileMore(this, '+ post_id + '); return false"><small>&#9660;</small></a></li> \
				';
			}
			return html;
		};

		return ' \
			<div class="dsq-header-avatar" id="dsq-header-avatar-' + post_id + '" onmouseover="Dsq.Post.dropProfile(' + post_id + ')"> \
				<a id="dsq-avatar-' + post_id + '" class="dsq-avatar" href="' + userData.url + '" onclick="Dsq.Popup.popProfile(' + post_id + '); return false;">'
			+ (Dsq.jsonData.forum.show_avatar
				? '<img src="' + Dsq.jsonData.users[_meta.user_key].avatar + '" alt="" />'
				: '')
			+ '</a>'
			+ '</div> \
		';
	};

	this.postAppendHeader = function(post_id) {
		var _meta = Dsq.jsonData.posts[post_id];

		return ''
			+ (_meta.author_is_moderator
				? '<img class="dsq-mod-star" src="http://media.disqus.com/images/bullet-star.png" title="Moderator" alt="" />'
				: '')
			+ '<span class="dsq-header-meta"> \
				<a id="dsq-time-' + post_id + '" class="dsq-header-time" href="#comment-' + post_id + '" title="Permalink">' + _meta.date + '</a> \
			</span>';
	};

	this.preBody = function(post_id) {
		return '';
	}

	this.postBody = function(post_id) {
		// TODO: Deprecate flagging conditional
		var _meta = Dsq.jsonData.posts[post_id];
		return ''
			+ (_meta.edited
				? '<p class="dsq-editedtxt">(Edited by a moderator)</p>'
				: '')
			;
	};

	this.postFooter = function(post_id) {
		// TODO: Use media should be conditional
		var _meta = Dsq.jsonData.posts[post_id];
		if(_meta.killed) { return ''; }

		return ' \
			<div class="dsq-comment-footer" id="dsq-comment-footer-' + post_id + '"> \
				<div id="dsq-points-' + post_id + '" class="dsq-likedtxt">'
				+ (_meta.points
					? _meta.points + Dsq.Utils.pluralize(_meta.points, ' person', ' people') + ' liked this comment.'
					: '')
				+ '</div>'
				+ '<ul class="dsq-comment-options dsq-list-style">'
				+ (_meta.votable
					? '<li class="dsq-list-first dsq-rate" id="dsq-rate-cont-' + post_id + '">'
					+ (!_meta.up_voted
						? '<a href="#" onclick="Dsq.Post.rate(this, ' + post_id + ', 1); return false;">Like</a>'
						: 'You liked this.') + '</li>'
					: '')
				+ '<li class="dsq-report' + (!_meta.votable ? ' dsq-list-first' : '') + '" id="dsq-post-report-' + post_id + '"><a href="#" class="dsq-post-report" onclick="Dsq.Post.report(' + post_id + ', false); return false;">Report</a></li> \
				</ul> \
				<ul class="dsq-list-style">'
				+ (_meta.can_reply
					? '<li class="dsq-list-first"><a href="#" id="dsq-reply-link-' + post_id +'" onclick="Dsq.Post.toggleReply(this, ' + post_id +'); return false;">Reply</a></li>'
					: '')
				+ (_meta.can_reply && !_meta.has_replies && _meta.from_request_user
					? '<li id="dsq-edit-el-' + post_id + '"><a id="dsq-edit-link-' + post_id + '" href="#" onclick="Dsq.Post.edit(this, ' + post_id + '); return false;">Edit</a></li>'
					: '')
				+ '<li class="' + (!_meta.can_reply ? 'dsq-list-first' : '') + '" id="dsq-more-el-' + post_id + '"><a id="dsq-more-link-' + post_id + '" href="#" onclick="Dsq.Post.showMenu(this, ' + post_id + ', \'more\'); return false">More <small>&#9660;</small></a></li>'
				+ (Dsq.jsonData.forum.use_media
					? '<li id="dsq-media-el-' + post_id +'" style="display:none"><a id="dsq-media-link-' + post_id + '" href="#" onclick="Dsq.Post.showMenu(this, ' + post_id + ', \'media\'); return false">Use Media <small>&#9660;</small></a></li>'
					: '')
				+ '</ul>'
				+ '<div id="dsq-reply-bar-' + post_id + '" class="dsq-reply-bar" style="display:none"> \
						<div id="dsq-reply-bar-items-' + post_id + '" class="dsq-reply-bar-items"> \
						</div> \
						<div id="dsq-reply-bar-auth-' + post_id + '" class="dsq-reply-bar-auth"> \
							 \
								 \
									<a href="#" class="dsq-help dsq-reply-req-opt" title="You must log into an account in order to comment on The Moderate Voice" onclick="Dsq.Popup.helpBadges(); return false">Required:</a> \
								 \
								<img class="dsq-login-icon" src="http://media.disqus.com/images/dsq-favicon-16x16.png" alt="" /> \
								<a id="dsq-reply-login-' + post_id + '" href="http://disqus.com/profile/login/?next=article:4387667" onclick="Dsq.Popup.login(); return false">Login</a> \
								 \
									&nbsp;or&nbsp; \
									<img class="fb_login_image" src="http://static.ak.fbcdn.net/images/fbconnect/login-buttons/connect_light_small_short.gif" alt="Facebook Connect"/> \
									<a href="#" onclick="FB.Connect.requireSession(DisqusFbcParentController.onLogin); return false;">Connect</a> \
								 \
								&nbsp;or&nbsp; \
									<img src="http://media.disqus.com/images/twitter-signin-icon.png" alt="" /> \
									<a href="#" onclick="Dsq.Twitter.startTwitterConnect(); return false">Sign-in</a> \
								 \
								 \
							 \
						</div> \
					</div> \
					<div id="dsq-reply-' + post_id + '"></div> \
			</div> \
		';
	};

	//
	// Iframes
	//

	this._makeAttributes = function(attributes) {
		// Makes a tag attributes string out of an object.
		// Caller is responsible for making sure nothing needs to be escaped.
		var result = [];
		for (key in attributes) {
			result.push(' ' + key + '="' + attributes[key] + '"');
		}
		result = result.join('');
		return result;
	};

	this._frameGeneric = function(base_url, params, attributes) {
		if(typeof(disqus_callback_params) == 'undefined') {
			disqus_callback_params = '';
		}

		var default_params = {
			// TODO: These should be moved to Dsq.jsonData.
			'f'				: 'themoderatevoice',
			't'				: 'we_don8217t_need_no_department_of_education',
			// Do we need encodeURIComponent here?
			'ifrs'			: encodeURIComponent(disqus_iframe_css),
			'to_redirect'	: encodeURIComponent(window.location),
			'cbp'			: disqus_callback_params,
			'ff'			: Dsq.Thread.ff,
			'fc'			: Dsq.Thread.fc,
			'ac'			: Dsq.Thread.ac,
			'default_text'	: disqus_default_text
		};

		base_url += '?' + (new Date()).getTime();
		// Add params to default_params.
		if(params) {
			for(var key in params) {
				if(params.hasOwnProperty(key)) {
					default_params[key] = encodeURIComponent(params[key]);
				}
			}
		}
		// Build querystring.
		for(var key in default_params) {
			if(default_params[key] && default_params.hasOwnProperty(key)) {
				base_url += '&' + key + '=' + default_params[key];
			}
		}

		return [
			'<iframe marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" hspace="0" vspace="0" frameborder="0"',
			(' allowtransparency="true" src="' + base_url + '"'),
			this._makeAttributes(attributes),
			'</iframe>'].join('');
	};

	this.frameLogin = function(opt_attributes) {
		var params = {};
		var base_url = 'http://disqus.com/embed/login.html';
		var attributes = opt_attributes || {};
		attributes['class'] = 'dsq-post-login';

		if(typeof disqus_frame_theme != 'undefined') {
			params['theme'] = disqus_frame_theme;
		}
		return this._frameGeneric(base_url, params, attributes);
	};

	this.frameReply = function(post_id, extra_params, attributes) {
		// Returns the HTML for a reply iframe. Called by Dsq.Iframes.setReplyIframeToContainer
		var _meta = (typeof post_id != 'undefined') ? Dsq.jsonData.posts[post_id] : false;
		var base_url = Dsq.Urls.REPLY;
		var params = {
			'def_email'		: disqus_def_email,
			'def_name'		: disqus_def_name
		};
		if(extra_params) {
			for(var key in extra_params) {
				if(extra_params.hasOwnProperty(key)) {
					params[key] = extra_params[key];
				}
			}
		}
		if(_meta) {
			params['parent_post'] = post_id;
		}
		if(typeof disqus_per_page != 'undefined') {
			params['per_page'] = disqus_per_page;
		}
		if(typeof disqus_frame_theme != 'undefined') {
			params['theme'] = disqus_frame_theme;
		}
		if(Dsq.jsonData.request.is_authenticated) {
			attributes['class'] += '-authenticated';
		}
		return this._frameGeneric(base_url, params, attributes);
	};

	this.frameEdit = function(post_id) {
		var _meta = (typeof post_id != 'undefined') ? Dsq.jsonData.posts[post_id] : false;
		var base_url = 'http://disqus.com/embed/edit.html';
		var params = {
			'p' : post_id
		};
		return this._frameGeneric(base_url, params, {'class': 'dsq-post-edit', 'name': 'dsq-edit_' + post_id + '-frame'});
	};

	//
	// Menus
	//

	this.menuMore = function(post_id) {
		// TODO: "Remove post" button should hide menu.
		var _meta = Dsq.jsonData.posts[post_id];
		var userData = Dsq.jsonData['users'][_meta.user_key];
		return ' \
			<li><a href="#comment-' + post_id + '" onclick="Dsq.Popup.permalink(' + post_id + ')">Link</a></li> \
			<li><a href="#" onclick="Dsq.Popup.popProfile(' + post_id + '); return false;">Profile</a></li>'
	+ (Dsq.jsonData.request.is_moderator || Dsq.jsonData.request.is_global_moderator
		? '	<li class="dsq-menu-sep"></li>' + (_meta.email ? '<li class="dsq-admin-email">' + _meta.email + '</li>' : '')
		+ '	<li class="dsq-admin-ip">' + _meta.ip + '</li> \
			<li class="dsq-menu-sep"></li>'
		+ (Dsq.jsonData.request.moderator_can_edit
			? ' <li class="dsq-admin-edit"><a href="#" onclick="Dsq.Post.edit(this, ' + post_id + '); return false;">Edit Comment</a></li>'
			: '')
		+ ' <li class="dsq-remove"><a href="#" onclick="Dsq.Post.removePost(' + post_id + ', 1); return false;">Remove Comment</a></li> \
			<li class="dsq-report-spam"><a href="#" onclick="Dsq.Post.reportSpam(' + post_id + '); return false;">Mark Spam</a></li> \
			<li class="dsq-block-user"><a href="#" onclick="Dsq.Popup.blacklist(' + post_id + '); return false">Block User</a></li>'
		: '');
	};

	this.menuMedia = function(post_id) {
		return ' \
			<li><a href="#" onclick="Dsq.Post.toggleMediaReply(this, ' + post_id + ', \'seesmic\'); return false;">Record video</a></li> \
		';
	};

	this.dropProfile = function(post_id) {
		var _meta = Dsq.jsonData.posts[post_id];
		var userData = Dsq.jsonData['users'][_meta.user_key];

		var _includeServices = function() {
			var userServices = Dsq.Post.getUserServices(null, post_id);
			var html = '';
			var hiddenThreshold = 3; // Define # of services to show before stuffing them in hidden div

			for(var i = 0; i < userServices.length; i++) {
				html +=
				(i == hiddenThreshold
					? '<li id="dsq-drop-hidden-' + post_id +'" class="dsq-drop-hidden"><ul>'
					: '')
				+ '<li class="dsq-drop-services"> \
					<a class="dsq-service-' + userServices[i].name.toLowerCase() + '" href="' + userServices[i].url + '" target="_blank"> \
						<img src="' + Dsq.jsonData.media_url + '/images/embed/services/' + userServices[i].name.toLowerCase() + '.png" alt="' + userServices[i].name.toLowerCase() + '">'
					+ userServices[i].name
					+ '</a> \
				</li>';
			}

			if(i >= hiddenThreshold) {
				html += '</ul></li> \
				<li id="dsq-drop-more-' + post_id + '" class="dsq-drop-more"><a href="#" onclick="Dsq.Post.dropProfileMore(this, '+ post_id + '); return false"><small>&#9660;</small></a></li> \
				';
			}
			return html;
		};


		var menu = '<li class="dsq-drop-showlnk"><a href="#" onclick="Dsq.Popup.popProfile(' + post_id + '); return false;">Expand &#8663;</a></li>';
		var pointsMessage = '';
		if (userData['registered']) {
			pointsMessage = 'with ' + userData['points'] + ' points (more points are better).';
		}

		if (userData['is_remote']) {
			var domain = userData['remote_domain_name'];
			menu += '<li class="dsq-drop-badge" title="' + userData['display_name'] + ' is a ' + domain + ' user ' + pointsMessage + '" onclick="Dsq.Popup.helpBadges()">';
			menu += '<span class="dsq-badge-' + domain.toLowerCase() + '">' + domain + '</span></li>';
		} else if (userData['registered']) {
			if (userData['verified']) {
				menu += '<li class="dsq-drop-badge" title="' + userData['display_name'] + ' has a verified commenter profile ' + pointsMessage + '" onclick="Dsq.Popup.helpBadges()">';
				menu += '<span class="dsq-badge-verified">Verified</span></li>';
			} else {
				menu += '<li class="dsq-drop-badge" title="' + userData['display_name'] + ' has a registered, but unverified, commenter profile ' + pointsMessage + '" onclick="Dsq.Popup.helpBadges()">';
				menu += '<span class="dsq-badge-registered">Registered</span></li>';
			}
		} else {
			menu += '<li class="dsq-drop-badge" title="' + userData['display_name'] + ' has not claimed this commenter profile." onclick="Dsq.Popup.helpBadges()"><span class="dsq-badge-guest">Guest</span></li>';
		}

		menu += _includeServices();
		return menu;
	};

	//
	// Popups
	//

	this._popupGeneric = function(content) {
		return ' \
		<div class="dsq-popup-content"> \
			<div class="dsq-popup-top"></div> \
			<div class="dsq-popup-body" class="clearfix"> \
				<div class="dsq-popup-body-padding"> \
					<div class="dsq-popup-header"> \
						<a class="dsq-close-link" href="#" onclick="Dsq.Popup._closePopup(null, true); return false"><img src="http://media.disqus.com/images/modal-close.png" alt="" /></a>'
						+ content['header']
					+ '</div>'
					+ content['body']
					+ '<div class="powered-by"><a href="http://disqus.com/comments/">Powered by <img src="http://media.disqus.com/images/embed/disqus-logo.png" alt="Disqus Comments" style="margin-bottom:-5px" /></a></div> \
				</div> <!-- padding --> \
			</div> <!-- body --> \
			<div class="dsq-popup-bottom"></div> \
		</div> \
		';
	};

	this.popupProfile = function(user_key) {
		var userServices = Dsq.Post.getUserServices(user_key, null);
		var userData = Dsq.jsonData['users'][user_key];
		var headerHtml = '';
		var bodyHtml = '';
		var content = {};

		var _includeServices = function() {
			var html = '';
			for(var i = 0; i < userServices.length; i++) {
				html +=
				(i == 0
					? '<h4>Connections</h4><ul>'
					: '')
				+ '<li> \
					<img src="' + Dsq.jsonData.media_url + '/images/embed/services/' + userServices[i].name.toLowerCase() + '.png" alt="' + userServices[i].name.toLowerCase() + '" title="' + userServices[i].name.toLowerCase() + '" /> \
					<a class="dsq-service-' + userServices[i].name.toLowerCase() + '" href="' + userServices[i].url + '" target="_blank">'
					+ userServices[i].name
					+ '</a> \
				</li>'
				+ (i+1 == userServices.length ? '</ul>' : '');
			}
			return html;
		};

		headerHtml = ' \
			<table> \
				<tr> \
					<td> \
						<a class="dsq-profile-userurl" href="' + userData.url + '"><img class="dsq-popup-profile-avatar" src="' + userData['avatar'] + '" alt="" /></a> \
					</td> \
					<td> \
						<div class="dsq-popup-profile-user"> \
							<h3>' + userData['display_name'] + '</h3> \
							<div class="dsq-popup-profile-user-stats" id="dsq-popup-profile-user-stats-' + user_key + '">Loading...</div> \
						</div> \
					</td> \
				</tr> \
			</table> \
		';

		bodyHtml = ' \
			<div class="dsq-popup-profile-state"> \
				This is a&nbsp;<span class="'
					+ (userData['registered']
						? (userData['verified']
							? ' dsq-badge-verified'
							: (userData['is_remote']
								? ' dsq-badge-' + userData['remote_domain_name'].toLowerCase()
								: ' dsq-badge-registered')
							)
							: ' dsq-badge-guest') + '">'
			+ (userData['registered']
				? (userData['verified']
					? 'Verified'
					: (userData['is_remote']
						 ? userData['remote_domain_name']
						 : 'Registered')
					)
				: 'Guest')
			+ '</span>&nbsp;commenter profile.'
			+ '&nbsp;<a class="dsq-profile-userurl" href="' + userData.url + '"><strong>View more comments </strong></a>'
			+ (!userData['points']
				? '<p class="dsq-popup-notice">If this is you, <a href="http://disqus.com/profile" target="_blank">claim it now</a> to manage your comments.</p>'
				: '')
			+ ((userData['registered'] && !userData['verified'] && (Dsq.jsonData.request.username && (Dsq.jsonData.request.username == userData['username'])) && !userData['is_remote'])
				? '<p class="dsq-popup-notice"><strong>Alert</strong>: You have not verified this account. <a href="http://disqus.com/verify">Verify it now.</a></p>'
				: '')
			+ '</div> \
			<div id="dsq-profile-status-' + user_key + '" class="dsq-popup-profile-status" style="display:none"></div> \
			<div class="dsq-popup-profile-snapshot"> \
				<table> \
					<tr> \
						<td> \
							<div id="dsq-popup-profile-active-sites-wrapper-' + user_key + '"> \
								<h4>Most active sites</h4> \
								<ul id="dsq-popup-profile-active-sites-' + user_key + '"> \
									<li>Loading...</li> \
								</ul> \
							</div> \
						</td> \
						<td>'
							+ _includeServices()
							+ '<div id="dsq-popup-profile-moderated-wrapper-' + user_key + '"> \
								<h4>Moderator of</h4> \
								<ul id="dsq-popup-profile-moderated-' + user_key + '"> \
									<li>Loading...</li> \
								</ul> \
							</div> \
						</td> \
					</tr> \
				</table> \
			</div> \
			';

		content = {
			'header': headerHtml,
			'body': bodyHtml
		};

		return this._popupGeneric(content);
	};

	this.popupReblog = function() {
		var headerHtml = '';
		var bodyHtml = '';
		var content = {};

		headerHtml = ' \
			<cite><span>Reblog this comment</span></cite> \
		';

		bodyHtml = ' \
			<div id="dsq-reblog-form" class="dsq-reblog-form"> \
			</div> \
		';

		content = {
			'header': headerHtml,
			'body': bodyHtml
		};

		return this._popupGeneric(content);
	};

	this.popupModal = function(title, message) {
		var headerHtml = '';
		var bodyHtml = '';
		var content = {};

		headerHtml = ' \
			<h3>' + title + '</h3> \
		';

		bodyHtml = message;

		content = {
			'header': headerHtml,
			'body': bodyHtml
		};

		return this._popupGeneric(content);
	};

	this.alertContent = function(name, post_id) {
		var alert = {
			'post_not_approved': {
				'title': 'Comment awaiting approval by a moderator',
				'message': 'Thanks for posting. Your comment must be approved by a moderator before appearing here.'
			},
			'post_has_profile': {
				'title': 'Use your existing commenter profile',
				'message': 'You have just posted your commment as a <span class="dsq-badge dsq-badge-guest">Guest</span>, but you may already have a <span class="dsq-badge dsq-badge-registered">Registered</span> commenter profile.<br /><br /><a href="http://disqus.com/claim">Log in and claim this comment!</a>'
			}
		};
		return alert[name] || false;
	};

	//
	// Actions
	//

	this.voted = function(post_id, points, vote) {
		// Update number of points
		Dsq.$('dsq-points-' + post_id).innerHTML = points + Dsq.Utils.pluralize(points, ' person', ' people') + ' liked this comment.';

		// Update link text
		if(vote) {
			Dsq.$('dsq-rate-cont-' + post_id).innerHTML = 'You liked this.';
		}
	};

	this.subscribed = function(status) {
		var title, message;

		if(status) {
			title = 'Subscribed!';
			message = 'You have subscribed to this comment thread. New comments will be sent directly to your email inbox, where you may read and respond by email.';
			Dsq.$('dsq-subscribe').innerHTML = ' \
				<a href="#" onclick="Dsq.Thread.subscribe(0); return false">Unsubscribe</a> \
			';
		} else {
			title = 'Unsubscribed';
			message = 'You have unsubscribed to this comment thread. New comments will no longer be sent to your email inbox.';
			Dsq.$('dsq-subscribe').innerHTML = ' \
				<a href="#" onclick="Dsq.Thread.subscribe(1); return false">Subscribe by email</a> \
			';
		}

		Dsq.Popup.popModal(message, title);

	};
	
	this.highlighted = function() {
		Dsq.Popup.popModal('This comment has been highlighted.', 'Highlighted comment');
	};

	//
	// Media
	//

	this.mediaSeesmic = function(id, thumb) {
		return ' \
			<div id="dsq-seesmic-' + id + '_preview" class="dsq-seesmic-preview"><a href="http://www.seesmic.com/video/' + id + '" target="_blank" class="see_link">&nbsp;</a> \
				<div style="display:block;width:160px; height:120px; border:none; background-image:url(http://t.seesmic.com/thumbnail/' + thumb + ')"> \
					<div id="dsq-seesmic-' + id + '_hide" class="seePlayOverlay" style="display:none;"><img onclick="see_play_video(\'' + id + '\',false)" src="http://media.disqus.com/images/seesmic/stopOverlay.png" width="50" height="50" style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand; padding-top: 30px; padding-left: 50px" alt="" /></div> \
					<div id="dsq-seesmic-' + id + '_show" class="seePlayOverlay"><img onclick="see_play_video(\'' + id + '\',true)" src="http://media.disqus.com/images/seesmic/playOverlay.png" width="50" height="50" style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand; border:none; padding-top: 30px; padding-left: 50px" alt="" /></div> \
				</div> \
			</div> \
			<div id="' + id + '_content" style="display:block; width:100%; padding-top:5px"></div> \
		';
	};

	//
	// Callbacks
	//

	this.postComment_onSuccess = function(parent_post_id) {
		// Increment post count
		var num_posts = Dsq.$('dsq-num-posts');
		var total_posts = Dsq.$('dsq-total-posts');
		
		if (num_posts) { 
			num_posts.innerHTML = parseInt(num_posts.innerHTML) + 1;
		}
		if (total_posts) { 
			total_posts.innerHTML = parseInt(total_posts.innerHTML) + 1;
		}
	};
};
// Dsq.Templates


/**
 * Dsq.Post
 */
Dsq.Post = new function() {
	this.openedMenu = {};
	this.menuEventListener = null;
	this.stateReplyToggled = {};
	this.stateEditToggled = {};
	this.stateRecordLink = {};

	/**
	 * Inserts a new post into the document.
	 *
	 * @param after_id {Number}	Insert a post before specified id.  If after_id
	 *							evaluates to false, then post in the front.  If
	 *							after_id is -1, post at the end.
	 */
	this.insert = function(after_id, id, message, author) {
		// Skeleton template from thread_posts.html.
		var skeleton = ' \
			<li id="dsq-comment-%(id)s"> \
				<div id="dsq-comment-header-%(id)s" class="dsq-comment-header"> \
					<cite id="dsq-cite-%(id)s" class="dsq-comment-cite"> \
						<a id="dsq-author-user-%(id)s" href="%(author_url)s" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">%(author_name)s</a> \
					</cite> \
				</div> \
				<div id="dsq-comment-body-%(id)s" class="dsq-comment-body"> \
					<div id="dsq-comment-message-%(id)s" class="dsq-comment-message">%(message)s</div> \
				</div> \
			</li> \
		';
		var _meta = Dsq.jsonData.posts[id];
		var _user_meta = Dsq.jsonData.users[_meta.user_key];
		var markup = Dsq.Utils.interpolate(skeleton, {
			id: id,
			message: message,
			author_url: _user_meta.blog,
			author_name: _user_meta.display_name
		});
		var div = document.createElement('div');
		markup = markup.replace(Dsq.COMMENTS_RE, Dsq.CommentsHandler);
		div.innerHTML = markup;

		if (after_id === -1) {
			Dsq.$('dsq-comments').appendChild(div);
		} else if (!after_id) {
			Dsq.$('dsq-comments').insertBefore(div, Dsq.$('dsq-comments').firstChild);
		} else if (Dsq.$('dsq-comment-' + after_id)) {
			// Get next node after "after_id", so we can insert before it.
			// If "after_id" is the last comment, the target node is the
			// last node.
			
			// var append_post_id = Dsq.Templates.appendPost(after_id).replace('<div id="','').replace('"></div>', '');
			var append_post_id = 'dsq-append-post-' + after_id;
			var node = Dsq.$(append_post_id);
			while (node = node.nextSibling) {
				if (!node || node.nodeType == 1) { // 1 == Node.ELEMENT_NODE
					break;
				}
			}
			if (!node) {
				node = Dsq.$(append_post_id);
			}
			node.parentNode.insertBefore(div, node);
		}
	};

	this.incrementPostCount = function() {
		
		var num_posts = Dsq.$('dsq-num-posts');
		var total_posts = Dsq.$('dsq-total-posts');

		if (num_posts) {
			num_posts.innerHTML = parseInt(num_posts.innerHTML, 10) + 1;
		}
		if (total_posts) {
			total_posts.innerHTML = parseInt(total_posts.innerHTML, 10) + 1;
		}
	}
	
	this.outlineComment = function(post_id) {
		Dsq.$('dsq-comment-' + post_id).className += ' dsq-comment-outline';
		setTimeout("(function () { Dsq.Post.clearOutlineComment(" + post_id + ") })()", 3000);
	};
	
	this.clearOutlineComment = function(post_id) {
		Dsq.$('dsq-comment-' + post_id).className = Dsq.$('dsq-comment-' + post_id).className.replace('dsq-comment-outline', '');
	};

	this.showMenu = function(el, id, name) {
		var anchorPos = Dsq.Utils.findPos(el);
		var menu = document.createElement('ul');

		if(this.openedMenu) {
			if(this.openedMenu.linkClicked) {
				this.openedMenu.linkClicked = false;
				return;
			}
		}

		switch(name) {
			case 'more':
				menu.innerHTML = Dsq.Templates.menuMore(id);
				break;
			case 'media':
				menu.innerHTML = Dsq.Templates.menuMedia(id);
				break;
			default:
				break;
		}

		// Add menu to document body
		menu.id = 'dsq-menu-' + id;
		menu.className = 'dsq-menu';
		Dsq.$b.appendChild(menu);

		// Position and show
		anchorPos[1] += 15;
		menu.style.left = anchorPos[0] + 'px';
		menu.style.top = anchorPos[1] + 'px';
		menu.style.display = 'block';

		// Set global reference
		this.openedMenu = {
			'el' : menu,
			'id' : id,
			'name' : name,
			'linkClicked' : false
		};

		// Set listener
		this.menuEventListener = Dsq.Utils.addEventListener(document, 'mouseup', this._hideMenu);
	};

	this._hideMenu = function(e) {
		var el = e.target || e.srcElement;
		var openedMenu = Dsq.Post.openedMenu.el;
		var id = Dsq.Post.openedMenu.id;

		if(!id) {
			var link = 'dsq-' + Dsq.Post.openedMenu.name + '-link';
		} else {
			var link = 'dsq-' + Dsq.Post.openedMenu.name + '-link-' + id;
		}

		if(!openedMenu) {
			return;
		}

		if(!Dsq.Popup.isClicked(e, openedMenu.id)) {
			openedMenu.style.display = 'none';
			Dsq.Utils.removeEventListener(Dsq.Post.menuEventListener);
			Dsq.Utils.deleteNode(openedMenu);

		} else {
			// Hide the menu if a link was clicked inside the menu.  We can't
			// completely remove the menu until the onclick event on the link
			// fires, but the menuEventListener will prevent multiple menus
			// from polluting the DOM.
			if(el && typeof el.href != 'undefined') {
				openedMenu.style.display = 'none';
				Dsq.Post.openedMenu.el = null;
			}
		}

		if(Dsq.Popup.isClicked(e, link)) {
 			Dsq.Post.openedMenu.linkClicked = true;
		}
	};


	this.getUserServices = function(user_key, id) {
		if(!user_key && id) {
			var _meta = Dsq.jsonData.posts[id];
			user_key = _meta.user_key;
		}
		var userData = Dsq.jsonData['users'][user_key];
		var userServices = [];

		// Keep a full list of supported services. This is the order they will display in the drop-profile.
		// Each service must have a corresponding case in _buildServiceUrl()
		var supportedServices = ['blog', 'twitter', 'facebook', 'tumblr'];

		function _buildServiceUrl(serviceName) {
			var data = userData[serviceName];
			var services = {
				blog:		function(d) { return d; },
				twitter:	function(d) { return d; },
				facebook:	function(d) { return d; },
				tumblr:		function(d) { return 'http://' + d + '.tumblr.com'; }
			};
			return services[serviceName](data);
		}

		for(var i = 0; i < supportedServices.length; i++) {
			if(userData[supportedServices[i]]) {
				var serviceUrl = _buildServiceUrl(supportedServices[i]);
				userServices.push({'name' : supportedServices[i], 'url' : serviceUrl});
			}
		}
		return userServices;
	}

	this.dropProfile = function(id) {
		var dp = Dsq.$('dsq-drop-profile-' + id);

		// IE6 needs JS to display/hide. All other browsers use CSS.
		if(dp) {
			if(Dsq.Utils.ie6) dp.style.display = (dp.style.display == 'inline') ? 'none' : 'inline';
			return false;
		} else {
			dp = document.createElement('ul');
		}

		dp.id = 'dsq-drop-profile-' + id;
		dp.className = 'dsq-drop-profile';

		if(Dsq.Utils.ie6) { dp.style.display = 'inline'; }

		var container = Dsq.$('dsq-header-avatar-' + id);
		dp.innerHTML = Dsq.Templates.dropProfile(id);
		container.appendChild(dp);
	};

	this.dropProfileMore = function(el, id) {
		var hiddenItems = Dsq.$('dsq-drop-hidden-' + id);

		hiddenItems.style.display = 'inline';
		el.parentNode.style.display = 'none';
	};

	this._updateReplyLinks = function(el, id) {
		// Update "reply / cancel" links based on state.
		var displayDict = {};

		if(id) {
			if(this.stateReplyToggled[id]) {
				el.innerHTML = 'Cancel';
				displayDict['media'] = 'inline';
				displayDict['edit'] = 'none';
			} else {
				el.innerHTML = 'Reply';
				displayDict['media'] = 'none';
				displayDict['edit'] = 'inline';
			}
		}

		for(var key in displayDict) {
			if(displayDict.hasOwnProperty(key)) {
				var	linkEl = Dsq.$('dsq-' + key + '-el-' + id),
					spacer = Dsq.$('dsq-' + key + '-spacer-' + id);

				if(linkEl) {
					linkEl.style.display = displayDict[key];
					if(spacer) spacer.style.display = displayDict[key];
				}
			}
		}
	};

	this._updateMediaLinks = function(el, id) {
		// Update "use media / cancel" links based on state.
		var appendId = (id) ? ('-' + id) : '';
		var link = Dsq.$('dsq-media-link' + appendId);

		if(this.stateRecordLink[id]) {
			link.innerHTML = 'Cancel Media';
			link.onclick = function() { Dsq.Post.toggleMediaReply(link, id); return false; };
		} else {
			link.innerHTML = 'Use Media <small>&#9660;</small>';
			link.onclick = function() { Dsq.Post.showMenu(link, id, 'media'); return false; };
		}
	};

	this.toggleReply = function(el, id) {
		// Create reply IFrame
		if (window.disqus_use_postmessage) {
			if (!this.stateReplyToggled[id]) {
				Dsq.$('dsq-reply-' + id).style.display = 'block';
				Dsq.$('dsq-reply-bar-' + id).style.display = 'block';
				// Create IFrame if it doesn't exist.
				if (!Dsq.frames['reply_' + id]) {
					var _meta = Dsq.jsonData.posts[id];
					Dsq.frames['reply_' + id] = new Dsq.ReplyFrame(Dsq.$('dsq-reply-frame-' + id), id);
					Dsq.frames['reply_' + id].init();
					Dsq.frames['reply_' + id].setState(id, _meta.depth);
				}
			} else {
				Dsq.$('dsq-reply-' + id).style.display = 'none';
				Dsq.$('dsq-reply-bar-' + id).style.display = 'none';
			}
		} else {
			// DEPRECATED
			if(!this.stateReplyToggled[id]) {
				// Reply toolbar
				Dsq.$('dsq-reply-bar-' + id).style.display = 'block';
				Dsq.Iframes.showReplyIframeInContainerIfAllowed(Dsq.$('dsq-reply-' + id), id);
			} else {
				Dsq.$('dsq-reply-bar-' + id).style.display = 'none';
				Dsq.Iframes.hideAllInContainer(Dsq.$('dsq-reply-' + id));
				if(this.stateRecordLink[id]) {
					// HACK: Cancel media before canceling self.
					this.toggleMediaReply(Dsq.$('dsq-media-link-' + id), id);
				}
			}
		}

		this.stateReplyToggled[id] = !this.stateReplyToggled[id];
		this._updateReplyLinks(el, id);

		if(Dsq.Utils.ie) { Dsq.Utils.fixIframesIE('dsq-reply-' + id); }

		Dsq.Events.fire(Dsq.Events.REPLY_IFRAME_TOGGLED, {
			postId: id,
			opened: this.stateReplyToggled[id]
		});
	};

	this.toggleMediaReply = function(el, id, xtype) {
		id = id || 0;
		if(id) {
			var container = Dsq.$('dsq-reply-' + id);
		} else {
			var container = Dsq.$('dsq-post-add');
		}

		if(!this.stateRecordLink[id]) {
			Dsq.Iframes.showReplyIframeInContainer(container, id, {xtype:xtype}, 'dsq-post-video');
		} else {
			Dsq.Iframes.showReplyIframeInContainer(container, id);
		}
		this.stateRecordLink[id] = !this.stateRecordLink[id];
		this._updateMediaLinks(el, id);

		if(Dsq.Utils.ie) { Dsq.Utils.fixIframesIE(); }
	};

	this.edit = function(el, id) {
		Dsq.$('dsq-comment-message-' + id).innerHTML = Dsq.Templates.frameEdit(id);
		el.parentNode.style.display = 'none';
		if(Dsq.Utils.ie) { Dsq.Utils.fixIframesIE('dsq-comment-message-' + id); }
	};

    this.rate = function(el, id, vote) {
		if(Dsq.jsonData.request.is_authenticated || Dsq.jsonData.forum.allow_anon_votes) {
			if(vote == 1) {
                Dsq.$('dsq-rate-cont-' + id).innerHTML = '<img src="http://media.disqus.com/images/loading-small.gif">';
            }

            Dsq.Utils.execScript('http://disqus.com/forums/themoderatevoice/vote.js'
                + '?post_id='    + id
                + '&vote='        + vote);

		} else {
			Dsq.Popup.login(Dsq.Strings.TO_RATE_PLEASE_LOG_IN);
		}
    };

	this.report = function(id, confirmed) {
		if(confirmed) {
			Dsq.Utils.postToUrl('http://disqus.com/forums/themoderatevoice/we_don8217t_need_no_department_of_education/post_report/', {'post_id': id});
			Dsq.Popup.popModal('Thank you. This comment has been flagged for moderator attention.', 'Successfully flagged');
			Dsq.Utils.deleteNode(Dsq.$('dsq-post-report-' + id));
		} else {
			var title = Dsq.Strings.FLAG_INAPPROPRIATE_COMMENT;
			var message = Dsq.Strings.ARE_YOU_SURE_YOU_WOULD_LIKE_TO_REPORT_THIS_COMMENT_TO_A_MODERATOR + '? \
			<br /><br /> \
			<button type="button" onclick="Dsq.Popup._closePopup(null, true)"><strong>' + Dsq.Strings.NO + '</strong>, ' + Dsq.Strings.NEVER_MIND + '</button>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<button type="button" onclick="Dsq.Post.report(' + id + ', true);"><strong>' + Dsq.Strings.YES + '</strong>, ' + Dsq.Strings.FLAG_INAPPROPRIATE_COMMENT + '</button><br /><br />'
			+ Dsq.Strings.THIS_WILL_FLAG_COMMENTS_FOR_MODERATORS_TO_TAKE_ACTION + '. \
			';

			Dsq.Popup.popModal(message, title, id);
		}
	};



	this.showAlert = function(id, msg) {
		var msgEl = Dsq.$('dsq-comment-message-' + id);
		var alert = '<div class="dsq-comment-alert">' + msg + '</div>';

		msgEl.innerHTML = alert + msgEl.innerHTML;
	};

};
// Dsq.Post


/**
 * Dsq.Thread
 */
Dsq.Thread = new function() {
	this.fc = null;
	this.ff = null;
	this.ac = null;

	
	this.adminIsOn = false;

	
	
	

	this.hlComment = null;
	this.hlCommentClass = null;

	this.getNextComment = function(el) {
		var start_id = el.id;
		while(el = el.nextSibling) {
			if(el.id && el.id.indexOf('dsq-comment-') != -1 && el.id != start_id) {
				return el;
			}
		}
		return null;
	};

	this.getActiveCommentId = function() {
		if (document.URL.indexOf('#comment-') >= 0) {
			var anchor = document.URL.slice(document.URL.indexOf('#') + 1);
			return anchor.replace('comment-', '');
		}
		return null;
	};

	this.highlightAnchor = function() {
		var i = this.getActiveCommentId();
		if (i == null) return false;
		var id = 'dsq-comment-' + i;
		var hash = window.location.hash;

		// Toggle the hash incase the comment isn't available when the page loads
		// for WebKit-based browsers.
		if (Dsq.Utils.webkit) {
			window.location.hash = '';
			window.location.hash = hash;
		}

		this.hlComment = Dsq.$(id);
		// Adding this conditional guard pending #289
		if (!this.hlComment) {
			return;
		}
		this.hlCommentClass = this.hlComment.className;
		this.hlComment.className += ' dsq-hl-anchor';

		setTimeout("Dsq.Thread.highlightClear()", 3000);
	};

	this.highlightClear = function() {
		if (!this.hlComment) {
			return;
		}
		this.hlComment.className = this.hlCommentClass;
	};

	this.login = function(toggle) {
		// toggle id is #dsq-reply-login-[id]
		var postId;
		if(toggle.id.indexOf('dsq-reply-login') != -1) {
			postId = toggle.id.slice(16);
			var container = Dsq.$('dsq-reply-' + postId);
		} else {
			var container = Dsq.$('dsq-post-add');
		}

		if(toggle) {
			if(toggle.className == 'dsq-login-active') {
				Dsq.Iframes.showReplyIframeInContainerIfAllowed(container, postId);
				toggle.className = '';
			} else {
				Dsq.Iframes.showLoginIframeInContainer(container, postId);
				toggle.className = 'dsq-login-active';
			}
		} else {
			Dsq.Iframes.showLoginIframeInContainer(container, postId);
		}

		if(Dsq.Utils.ie) { Dsq.Utils.fixIframesIE(); }
	};


	this.paginate = function(page, el_clicked, per_page) {
		// Use extra_params to pass any override parameters that we need to persist.
		var extra_params = '';

		// "Per page" can either be overriden by providing it as an argument
		// (per-call) or setting the disqus_per_page override variable (global).
		if(typeof per_page == 'undefined') {
			per_page = null;
		}
		if(typeof disqus_per_page != 'undefined' && per_page === null) {
			per_page = disqus_per_page;
		}

		if(typeof disqus_sort != 'undefined') {
			extra_params += '&sort=' + disqus_sort;
		}
		if(per_page !== null) {
			extra_params += '&per_page=' + per_page;
		}

		Dsq.$('dsq-pagination').innerHTML += '<img src="http://media.disqus.com/images/loading-small.gif">';
		
		if(el_clicked) {
			el_clicked.style.display = 'none';
		}
		
		Dsq.Utils.execScript('http://disqus.com/forums/themoderatevoice/thread.js'
			+ '?slug='	+ 'we_don8217t_need_no_department_of_education'
			+ '&p='		+ page
			+ extra_params);
	};

	this.sortBy = function(sort) {
		var disqus_script = document.createElement('script');
		var disqus_date = new Date();

		if (location.hash != '') {
			location.hash = '#disqus_thread';
		}

		if(typeof(disqus_url) == 'undefined') {
			disqus_url = disqus_href;
		}
		disqus_script.type = 'text/javascript';
		disqus_script.src = 'http://disqus.com/forums/themoderatevoice/thread.js'
			+ '?slug='	+ 'we_don8217t_need_no_department_of_education'
			+ '&sort='	+ sort
			+ '&title='
			+ '&'		+ disqus_date.getTime();

		Dsq.$('dsq-comments').innerHTML = '<img src="http://media.disqus.com/images/loading.gif">';
		Dsq.container.appendChild(disqus_script);
	};

	this.subscribe = function(status, email) {
		// `status` is an int -- 1 to subscribe, 0 to unsubscribe
		if(Dsq.jsonData.request.is_authenticated || email) {
			// If authenticated user OR anonymous email provided

			if(email) {
				Dsq.Popup._closePopup(null, true);
			}

			Dsq.Utils.execScript('http://disqus.com/forums/themoderatevoice/subscribe.js'
				+'?status=' 	+ status
				+ '&slug='		+ 'we_don8217t_need_no_department_of_education'
				+ '&email=' 	+ encodeURIComponent(email));

		} else if(!email) {
			// If anonymous user and no email has been provided yet, prompt for email

			var title = 'Subscribe to this comment thread';
			var message = ' \
				New comments will be sent directly to your email inbox! \
				<div class="dsq-subscribe-submit"> \
					<p><strong>Enter your email address below.</strong></p> \
					<input type="text" id="dsq-subscribe-email"> \
					<button type="button" onclick="Dsq.Thread.subscribe(1, Dsq.$(\'dsq-subscribe-email\').value)">Subscribe</button> \
				</div> \
			';

			Dsq.Popup.popModal(message, title);
		}
	};

	this.showSettings = function() {
		if (!Dsq.jsonData.request.is_moderator) {
			return;
		}

		/* The form has to be re-designed when more options will come out. */
		var html = 'Automatically close comments after <input size="3" id="dsq-thread-days-alive" value="' + Dsq.jsonData.thread.days_alive + '" type="text" /> days. Existing comments will still be displayed.<br /><br />(Using 0 days will disable this feature)<br /><br />'
								 + '<button type="button" onclick="Dsq.Thread.updateDaysAlive();" class="dsq-button-small"><span>Save</span></button>'
								 + '<span id="dsq-thread-settings-status" class="dsq-options-status"></span>';

		Dsq.Popup.popModal(html, 'Settings');
	};

  this.showModeratorActions = function() {
      if (!Dsq.jsonData.request.is_moderator) {
          return;
      }

      var html = '<div class="dsq-moderate-options"><table><tr>' +
                 '<td>' + Dsq.Strings.ACTIONS + '</td><td><ul>';
      html += '<li><a href="#" onclick="Dsq.Thread.toggleClosed(); return false;">' +
              (Dsq.jsonData.thread.closed ? Dsq.Strings.OPEN_THREAD : Dsq.Strings.CLOSE_THREAD) +
              '</a></li>';
      html += '<li><a href="#" onclick="Dsq.Thread.toggleKilled(); return false;">' +
              (Dsq.jsonData.thread.killed ? Dsq.Strings.RESTORE_THREAD : Dsq.Strings.REMOVE_THREAD) +
              '</a></li>';
      html += '</ul></td></tr></table></div>' +
              '<p>Go to the full <a href="http://disqus.com/comments/moderate-threads/" target="_blank">moderate panel</a> for more options.</p>';
      Dsq.Popup.popModal(html, Dsq.Strings.MODERATE_OPTIONS);
  };

	this.updateDaysAlive = function() {
		  var days = Dsq.$('dsq-thread-days-alive').value;
		  var status = Dsq.$('dsq-thread-settings-status');
		  Dsq.Utils.postToUrl('http://disqus.com/forums/themoderatevoice/update_days_alive.js', {days:days,thread:Dsq.jsonData.thread.id});
		  status.innerHTML = 'Saved!';
		  window.setTimeout(function() { status.innerHTML = ''; }, 1000);
	};

  this.toggleClosed = function() {
      Dsq.Utils.postToUrl('http://disqus.com/forums/themoderatevoice/toggle_thread_closed.js', {thread:Dsq.jsonData.thread.id});
      window.setTimeout(function() { window.location.reload(); }, 500);
  };

  this.toggleKilled = function() {
      Dsq.Utils.postToUrl('http://disqus.com/forums/themoderatevoice/toggle_thread_killed.js', {thread:Dsq.jsonData.thread.id});
      window.setTimeout(function() { window.location.reload(); }, 500);
  };
};
// Dsq.Thread

Dsq.Events = function() {
	var obj = {};

	// Private
	var handlers = {};
	var getHandlers = function(event) {
		if (handlers[event] === undefined) {
			handlers[event] = [];
		}
		return handlers[event];
	};

	// Public
	// Value keys : postId, node, xtype
	obj.REPLY_IFRAME_CREATED = 1;
	// Value keys : postId, opened
	obj.REPLY_IFRAME_TOGGLED = 2;
	obj.fire = function(event, opt_value) {
		if (!event) {
			throw new Error('Unknown event');
		}
		var value = opt_value || {};
		for (var i=0; i<getHandlers(event).length; i++) {
			getHandlers(event)[i](value);
		}
	};
	obj.addHandler = function(event, callback) {
		getHandlers(event).push(callback);
	};

	return obj;
}();

/**
 * Dsq.Realtime
 */
Dsq.Realtime = new function() {
	var initialized = false;
	var interval = null;
	var last_checked = Dsq.jsonData.request.timestamp;
	var new_posts = [];
	var ongoing_request = false;
	var prev_script = null;

	function updateNewPostCount() {
		Dsq.$('dsq-realtime-alert').style.display = new_posts.length ? 'block' : 'none';

		Dsq.$('dsq-realtime-queued').innerHTML = new_posts.length
		+ ' new '
		+ Dsq.Utils.pluralize(new_posts.length, 'comment', 'comments')
		+ Dsq.Utils.pluralize(new_posts.length, ' was', ' were')
		+ ' just posted.';

		Dsq.$('dsq-realtime-show').innerHTML = '(' + Dsq.Strings.SHOW + ')';
	}

	function insertNewPosts() {
		var post_id = null;
		var after_id = Dsq.$('dsq-sort-select').value === 'oldest' ? -1 : null;

		for (var i=0; i<new_posts.length; i++) {
			post_id = new_posts[i];
			Dsq.Post.insert(after_id, post_id, Dsq.jsonData.posts[post_id].message);
			Dsq.Post.incrementPostCount();
			Dsq.Post.outlineComment(post_id);
		}
		new_posts = [];
	}

	this.enableInterval = function() {
		interval = setInterval(Dsq.Realtime.check, Dsq.jsonData.context.realtime_speed);
		Dsq.$('dsq-realtime-status').innerHTML = Dsq.Strings.ENABLED;
		Dsq.$('dsq-realtime-toggle').innerHTML = '(' + Dsq.Strings.PAUSE + ')';
	}

	this.disableInterval = function() {
		if (interval) {
			clearInterval(interval);
			interval = null;
		}
		Dsq.$('dsq-realtime-status').innerHTML = Dsq.Strings.PAUSED;
		Dsq.$('dsq-realtime-toggle').innerHTML = '(' + Dsq.Strings.RESUME + ')';
	}

	this.toggleInterval = function() {
		if (!interval) {
			Dsq.Realtime.enableInterval();
		} else {
			Dsq.Realtime.disableInterval();
		}
		return false;
	}

	this.initialize = function() {
		if (!initialized) {
			initialized = true;
			Dsq.$('dsq-realtime-toggle').onclick = this.toggleInterval;
			if (!Dsq.jsonData.forum.streaming_realtime) {
				Dsq.$('dsq-realtime-show').onclick = this.show;
				updateNewPostCount();
			}
			if (Dsq.jsonData.thread.realtime_paused) {
				Dsq.Realtime.disableInterval();
			} else {
				Dsq.Realtime.enableInterval();
			}
		}
	}

	this.show = function() {
		insertNewPosts();
		updateNewPostCount();
		return false;
	}

	this.check = function() {
		if (!ongoing_request && Dsq.jsonData.realtime_enabled) {
			if (prev_script) {
				prev_script.parentNode.removeChild(prev_script);
			}
			ongoing_request = true;
			prev_script = Dsq.Utils.execScript('http://disqus.com/forums/4387667/realtime.js?timestamp=' + last_checked);
		}
	};

	this.update = function(timestamp, posts, users) {
		ongoing_request = false;
		last_checked = timestamp;

		if (users) {
			for (var user_id in users) {
				if (users.hasOwnProperty(user_id)) {
					if (!Dsq.jsonData.users[user_id]) {
						Dsq.jsonData.users[user_id] = users[user_id];
					}
				}
			}
		}

		if (posts) {
			for (var post_id in posts) {
				if (posts.hasOwnProperty(post_id)) {
					if (!Dsq.jsonData.posts[post_id]) {
						Dsq.jsonData.posts[post_id] = posts[post_id];
						new_posts.push(post_id);
					}
				}
			}

			if (Dsq.jsonData.forum.streaming_realtime) {
				insertNewPosts();
			} else {
				updateNewPostCount();
			}
		}
	};

}();

// DEPRECATED
Dsq.Iframes = function() {
	// Different style of object from the above. Hoping to switch to this for some reason.
	var obj = {};

	// Private
	var showIframeInContainer = function(container, id, markup) {
		// Look through container for iframes, hiding them, except show one that matches id
		// If none of them matched id, create a new iframe using markup and insert it.
		// Returns the iframe node if and only if it was newly created.
		var found = false;
		for (var i=0; i<container.childNodes.length; i++) {
			var child = container.childNodes[i];
			if (child.nodeName == 'IFRAME') {
				if (child.id == id) {
					child.style.display = 'block';
					found = true;
				} else {
					child.style.display = 'none';
				}
			}
		}
		if (found) {
			return;
		}
		// The iframe wasn't found, so construct it and add it to the container.
		// Don't use innerHTML because it might reload iframes
		var div = document.createElement('div');
		div.innerHTML = markup;
		var iframe = div.childNodes[0];
		div.removeChild(iframe);
		container.appendChild(iframe);
		return iframe;
	};

	// Public
	obj.makeReplyIframeId = function(opt_postId, opt_xtype) {
		var id = 'dsq-post-add-iframe';
		if (opt_xtype) {
			id += '-' + opt_xtype;
		}
		if (opt_postId) {
			id += '-' + opt_postId;
		}
		return id;
	};
	obj.makeLoginIframeId = function(opt_postId) {
		if (!opt_postId) {
			return 'dsq-login-iframe';
		}
		return 'dsq-login-iframe-' + opt_postId;
	};
	obj.makeReplyIframeName = function(opt_postId, opt_xtype) {
		var name = 'dsq-reply-frame';
		if (opt_xtype) {
			name += '-' + opt_xtype;
		}
		if (opt_postId) {
			name += '-' + opt_postId;
		}
		return name;
	};
	obj.showReplyIframeInContainer = function(container, opt_postId, opt_extraParams, opt_className) {
		// Construct the id so we can check if it's already present.
		// Hide any other iframes we find, and show this one if it's found.
		var params = opt_extraParams || {};
		// use xtype in the id and name so we can distinguish media replies from text replies:
		var id = Dsq.Iframes.makeReplyIframeId(opt_postId, params.xtype);
		var name = Dsq.Iframes.makeReplyIframeName(opt_postId, params.xtype);
		var attributes = {
			'id': id,
			'name': name,
			'class': opt_className || 'dsq-post-reply'
			};
		var markup = Dsq.Templates.frameReply(opt_postId, opt_extraParams, attributes);
		var iframe = showIframeInContainer(container, id, markup);
		// It was newly created
		if (iframe) {
			Dsq.Events.fire(Dsq.Events.REPLY_IFRAME_CREATED, {
				postId: opt_postId,
				node: iframe,
				xtype: params.xtype
			});
		}
	};
	obj.showLoginIframeInContainer = function(container, opt_postId) {
		var id = Dsq.Iframes.makeLoginIframeId(opt_postId);
		var markup = Dsq.Templates.frameLogin({id: id});
		showIframeInContainer(container, id, markup);
	};
	obj.showReplyIframeInContainerIfAllowed = function(container, opt_postId) {
		if (Dsq.jsonData.context.show_reply) {
			obj.showReplyIframeInContainer(container, opt_postId);
		} else {
			obj.hideAllInContainer(container);
		}
	};
	obj.hideAllInContainer = function(container) {
		for (var i=0; i<container.childNodes.length; i++) {
			var child = container.childNodes[i];
			if (child.nodeName == 'IFRAME') {
				child.style.display = 'none';
			}
		}
	};

	return obj;
}();

Dsq.Twitter = new function() {
	var that = this;

	this.startTwitterConnect = function() {
		var popupParams = 'location=0,status=0,width=800,height=400';
		that._twitterWindow = window.open(Dsq.jsonData.settings.disqus_url + '/_ax/twitter/begin/', 'twitterWindow', popupParams);
		that._twitterInterval = window.setInterval(that.completeTwitterConnect, 1000);
	};

	this.completeTwitterConnect = function() {
		if (that._twitterWindow.closed) {
			window.clearInterval(that._twitterInterval);
			window.location.reload();
		}
	};
};

Dsq.Yahoo = new function() {
	var that = this;

	this.startYahooConnect = function() {
		var popupParams = 'location=0,status=0,width=800,height=400';
		that._yahooWindow = window.open(Dsq.jsonData.settings.disqus_url + '/_ax/yahoo/begin/', 'yahooWindow', popupParams);
		that._yahooInterval = window.setInterval(that.completeYahooConnect, 1000);
	};

	this.completeYahooConnect = function() {
		if (that._yahooWindow.closed) {
			window.clearInterval(that._yahooInterval);
			window.location.reload();
		}
	};
};

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Dsq.container.innerHTML = ' \
<ul id="dsq-comments">\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2269160">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2269160" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2269160" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-2269160">Ricorun</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2269160" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2269160" class="dsq-comment-message">If you ask me (of course no one did, but I\'ll say it anyway), when you finish peeling the onion, the fundamental problem is that many people don\'t prize education. These days you\'re labeled an elitist if you go to good school -- the better the school and the better you do in it, the more elitist you are. It used to be that an elitist was a person that got into a good school by virtue of  legacy, got gentleman Cs, and still ended up a captain of industry or political power-broker. Now even over-achievers are considered elitists.<br><br>It used to be that science and high technology were recognized as the engines of innovation which propelled us into the future. Now they are often viewed with suspicion, if not downright ridicule. When I was growing up everyone wanted to be an astronaut or an engineer at JPL. Everyone wanted to be an Albert Einstein or a Thomas Edison. Now they just want to make money. Education doesn\'t trickle down anymore, only money does. <br><br>Perhaps I\'m exaggerating, but I suspect it\'s not by much. It has been a long time since I heard someone extol the virtues of education for the sake of education. Rather, far too often these days the pursuit of higher education is driven by the profit motive -- assuming it is pursued at all. <br><br>Many things have been attempted to get our schools back on track. NCLB is just the latest. But IMO those attempts address the symptoms, not the disease. The disease is that education has been seriously devalued in the last couple of decades.<br><br>[I step back down off my soapbox]</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2268809">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2268809" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2268809" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-2268809" href="http://www.whyweworry.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">ChrisWWW</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2268809" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2268809" class="dsq-comment-message"><blockquote>Note to Chris "bravo" WWW. One needn\'t even leave this site to do the remedial work you\'ve needed to do rather than lie and call my correct statements "brazen assertions."</blockquote><br>DLS,<br>You here to lecture us on how the left is anti-science again? I\'m sure you can come up with some quotes from the Discovery Institute to back you up.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2275994">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2275994" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2275994" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-2275994">Jim_Satterfield</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2275994" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2275994" class="dsq-comment-message">jwest\'s philosophy of education reinforces my belief in the modern conservative movement being the belief system for sociopaths. And the hopelessly ignorant. We do not live in the times of Aristotle. A system like he proposes could never teach the sciences in a hands on way. The cost for laboratory equipment and space would be prohibitive.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2269120">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2269120" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2269120" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-2269120">JSpencer</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2269120" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2269120" class="dsq-comment-message">As Chris shows, (and this surely must be obvious by now) the argument over which party considers science to be optional in the formation of policy is NOT one that favors the republicans.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2269231">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2269231" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2269231" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-2269231">Amanda</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2269231" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2269231" class="dsq-comment-message">Our education system needs a complete overhaul.  First off, school should be year-round with 200 class days per year instead of the current 180.  Have 4 10-week sessions with a 3-week break in between.  The last quarter of the academic year would also include 1 week for standardized tests used to evaluate individual student performance and teacher effectiveness.  All teacher in-service days can take place in the quarterly breaks and this way the kids actually retain everything they learn instead of spending the first month of every school year reviewing what thet forgot over the Summer.<br><br>We have to offer bigger salaries to our educators and school administrators, particularly in city schools.  Give bonuses to teachers with 10+ years of experience who take jobs in tougher schools.<br><br>Do not allow students to move on to the next level in a subject they haven\'t passed.  There will always be other students available to volunteer as tutors (it looks great on a college application) so matching up failing students with peers is a free and effective way to help them succeed.<br><br>Set up a diverse curriculum that includes physical education, fine arts, and foreign languages as well as English (grammar, spelling, and literature), History, Science, and Math at all grade levels.<br><br>Allow for concentrations at the high school level.  Kids who show a lot of promise in certain subjects should be able to take more of those classes if they can test at a passing level in another subject.  For example, if a kid can pass the standardized 11th grade English test at the beginning of the school year, s/he should be able to bypass that class in favor of taking an extra course in Math.<br><br>When it comes to inner city schools, a lot of times it isn\'t the money that\'s the problem, it\'s the neighborhood.  There are gangs, drugs, broken families, and a whole host of other problems that make it next to impossible for kids to succeed.  In Baltimore, they\'re running an experimental charter school program at two levels.  The first is keeping kids at the school until 5pm or later through various extra-curricular activities and homework labs.  The second is opening a public boarding school.  Instead of going home to an absent parent or drug-dealing older sibling, the kids can just stay in dorms at the school during the week.  This keeps them occupied and out of trouble, giving them an opportunity to succeed.  I would advocate implementing similar programs in any district with similar problems.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2269347">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2269347" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2269347" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-2269347">JSpencer</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2269347" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2269347" class="dsq-comment-message">DLS, take a break from the willful ignorance long enough to think about which candidate is trying to stay issue oriented (Obama) and which is bloviating and spinning like a top (McCain). Now consider this in light of target audiences. Next, revisit your silly question.<br><br>Amanda, that is a great analysis of what is needed in our educational system. It\'s clear you\'ve given much thought to this issue and I wish your post was mandatory reading for the candidates.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2269908">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2269908" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2269908" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-2269908">roro80</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2269908" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2269908" class="dsq-comment-message">Oh, geez, I so wish I hadn\'t gone up the thread to see the argument about which party is actually "pro-science". I think my head just exploded.  Really, DLS?  REALLY??? Holy hell.<br><br>jwest -- I\'m really curious about when you went to school, and what they taught in school at that time.  I mean, the 3 R\'s of course should make up the basics, but have you ever tried to get 35 8-year-olds to do nothing but drills for 8 hours?  It\'s not helpful to the kids, it\'s impossible to do, and there\'s no balance there.  Some of the things that Amanda was suggesting -- art, music, PE, foreign languages,etc  -- greatly enhance the 3 R\'s, break up the day, make things actually enjoyable for the kids and the teachers, and make for well-rounded and curious little people.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2263129">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2263129" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2263129" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-2263129">JSpencer</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2263129" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2263129" class="dsq-comment-message">I agree, let the debate begin. A debate on ISSUES for a change instead of hot air.<br><br>jwest, if you feel yourself blowing around in the breeze it\'s because you\'re too far out on a limb.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2268876">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2268876" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2268876" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-2268876">JSpencer</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2268876" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2268876" class="dsq-comment-message">Here\'s what I love - how the right abrogates any responsibility for the education problems in this country while they rail about it, and yet their presidential campaigns depend so much on an electorate with limited critical thinking ability. Interesting dichotomy there.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2268966">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2268966" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2268966" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-2268966" href="http://www.whyweworry.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">ChrisWWW</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2268966" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2268966" class="dsq-comment-message"><blockquote>Since then, I have a hard time believing that the Democrats really care about science.</blockquote><br>Stem cell research.<br>Evolution.<br>Global warming.<br>Alternative fuels.<br>Air quality.<br>Water quality.<br>Censoring data from NASA.<br>Censoring data from the EPA.<br><br>vs.<br><br>"the raw data used to determine toxicity of population"</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2262536">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2262536" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2262536" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-2262536" href="http://www.whyweworry.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">ChrisWWW</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2262536" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2262536" class="dsq-comment-message">Bravo. There are more important things to discuss than the latest fits of whining and lies from the dishonorable John McCain.<br><br>Since WW2, America had an economic advantage among Western powers. We had largely escaped the horrors of two world wars. While the other powers were rebuilding, we shot ahead of them. Now that the world has seen a period of relative peace, other nations are catching up economically.<br><br>If we are to maintain our position as an economic powerhouse, we\'ll need educated minds creating and running our industries.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2262676">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2262676" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2262676" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-2262676">jwest</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2262676" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2262676" class="dsq-comment-message">Education for inner-city children is the issue most important to me.<br><br>McCain is ready for the debate.  What liberals have done to the mostly African American kids in the cities for generations is nothing short of criminal.  <br><br>With only 1 in 5 students graduating in D.C. and Detroit, with only a fraction of those being able to read and write at grade level, highlights how the democrats sold out to the teacher’s union at the expense of these kids.<br><br>Obama can’t defend the indefensible.  Let the debate begin.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2268206">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2268206" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2268206" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-2268206">DLS</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2268206" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2268206" class="dsq-comment-message">Issues like lipstick and dead fish.  [snicker]<br><br>Note to Chris "bravo" WWW.  One needn\'t even leave this site to do the remedial work you\'ve needed to do rather than lie and call my correct statements "brazen assertions."<br><br>Look at the bright side, J. West, that sadly many on here cannot see and grasp: At least currently, the worst of the lot are not infesting other schools as well, such as has been done before not only with misnamed "AIDS education" but in the 1980s, as with one book I saw recently in downtown Detroit for resale (I declined to buy it) by Educators for Social Responsibility (Cambridge, MA), a book of lesson plan hints about teaching children in the 1980s about nuclear war (and the big, bad USA that was led by evil Ronald Reagan oppressing the sweet, innocent, misunderstood, morally and economically superior Soviet Union).  Remember "nuclear education"?  The worst of the worst has often infected schools outside our old central cities.<br><br>That (and warped environmentalism, for example, sometimes nowadays as well an activist condomanical "sex education" if permitted) is what kids are in danger of being taught rather than making them literate and numerate.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2268470">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2268470" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2268470" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-2268470">jwest</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2268470" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2268470" class="dsq-comment-message">Spence,<br><br>This is my issue, so I’m ready for anything.<br><br>In D.C., per pupil expenditures are over $16,000.  I’m being dead serious when I say it’s a damn shame that the kids can’t make change for a dollar or, for that matter, spell dollar.<br><br>Though naïve, liberals have good hearts.  It’s for that reason that I firmly believe when they finally figure out what has been happening, they will spend the balance of their lives apologizing to everyone they meet for their previous democrat votes.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2268793">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2268793" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2268793" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-2268793">DLS</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2268793" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2268793" class="dsq-comment-message">Superdestroyer -- I heard the following on NPR.  Tell me who the reactionaries are, as usual since 1980.<br><br><a href="http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=94394567" rel="nofollow">http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?st...</a></div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2268841">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2268841" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2268841" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-2268841">DLS</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2268841" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2268841" class="dsq-comment-message">"Though naïve, liberals have good hearts."<br><br>Many don\'t even have good hearts when they are wrong and told that they\'re wrong.<br><br>Many have resented the 1980 rejection of liberalism to this day.  (I roll my eyes every time I hear Thom Hartmann say things were great prior to 1980, "then along came Reagan..."  It\'s much bigger, and better, than that, sir.)<br><br>More amusing is his hard-core true modern-liberal-since-the-true-origin-of-modern-liberalism world view: If people judged solely on the issues, "There would not have been a Republican president since 1880 [eighteen-eighty]."  That was today\'s gem on the radio during 12:00-12:30 Eastern time.)</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2268882">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2268882" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2268882" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-2268882">superdestroyer</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2268882" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2268882" class="dsq-comment-message">ChrisWWW, <br><br>During the Clinton Administraiton, there were several controversies due to the refusal to release the raw data used to determine toxicity of population.  The Republicans pushed a bill forcing the government to publish the raw data. The Democrats opposed using sound science for toxicity modeling because it would show that many common pollutants were really not that dangerous.   Since then, I have a hard time believing that the Democrats really care about science. Also see genetically modified foods and food irradiation.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2269208">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2269208" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2269208" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-2269208">DLS</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2269208" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2269208" class="dsq-comment-message">Many simply want this issue kept at the state and local level where it really belongs.  A nicely shrunken federal government would be well overdue (without transferring current functions to other departments before some departmehts were eliminated, of course).<br><br>It remains to be seen if the recent upsurge by the Left has stamina; if it does, not only does this reinforce Obama\'s strong prospects for victory this year (and other Dems going to Congress in place of Republicans), but it does raise the question of to what extent the federal government will increase what it does "for" and often to its citizens.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2269246">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2269246" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2269246" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-2269246">DLS</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2269246" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2269246" class="dsq-comment-message">" limited critical thinking ability"<br><br>You DARE ignore the Democrats\' notorious Ignorance Bloc vote and so many whom the Democrats routinely exploit that the Republicans cannot and do not?<br><br>You\'ve been incorrect or exhibited a distortion of many things, but that was especially bad lately.  I guess Palin\'s current successes have many more upset than I previously thought...</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2269460">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2269460" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2269460" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-2269460">superdestroyer</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2269460" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2269460" class="dsq-comment-message">ChrisWWW<br><br>You may want to look up Chlorine in water, food irradiation, medical research in general, vaccines, genetically modified foods, gulf war illness, or even cloud seeding.  The left has a long string of anti-science positions without even getting into the nature versus nurture argument since you wanted to mention evolution.  <br><br>Amanda,  If the public schools run year round but the elite prep schools run on a tradiational schedule, the prep school kids will have all of the summer internships, summer camps, and travel that make them look good on a college application. <br><br>Year round school will help inner city schools a little, will not affect middle class schools but would definitely hurt the suburban public schools that are able to compete with the private prep schools.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2269496">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2269496" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2269496" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-2269496">jwest</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2269496" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2269496" class="dsq-comment-message">Chris,<br><br>The problem lies with:<br><br>Reading<br>Writing<br>Arithmetic<br><br>Forget everything else until these are solved.<br><br><br>Amanda,<br><br>Good thoughts, but still it’s just nibbling around the edges.<br><br>Think of what could happen if the schools were eliminated in D.C. and Detroit as a pilot program.  Every one of them, regardless of age or condition.  Bulldozed to the ground whether they are 80 years old or the ribbon was just cut yesterday.<br><br>No schools.  No administration.  Nothing but a voucher for the full amount previously spent on education.  The only way a voucher can be cashed is to present a child who can pass the test for their age each year.<br><br>How would you handle it?</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2269717">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2269717" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2269717" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-2269717">roro80</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2269717" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2269717" class="dsq-comment-message">I come from 3 generations of public educators and actually went to school during the Clinton administration, and it\'s pretty well agreed upon that the Clinton years were the best in many decades as far as public education goes.  Nobody ever advocated during those years (or now) that we should get rid of standards or testing, but right now, an elementary school student goes through something like 5 times the total testing hours than in the 80s, and the way the system is currently set up encourages cheating by the students and by the teachers, not to mention simply giving up the profession entirely if your area of expertise and interest is in teaching the lower-level kids who need the most help.  <br><br>As an example: under a system that rewards teachers on test scores only (like the current system), a teacher who has gone into teaching advanced classes (GATE, AP classes, magnet programs) will do very well, getting the smartest kids, most of whom have white, well-off parents who put pressure/give help to their kids to do well in school.  That teacher may not even need to put in a lot of extra hours, or have any problem getting parent involvement.  But a teacher who is really awesome in getting goof-off kids to finally buckle down and learn something, or a teacher who specializes in second-language students or special ed, will never get test scores like the GATE teacher, even if they are excellent at their job, put in tons of extra hours, have little to no parental involvement, have fewer resources, and may be fighting against other factors like their kids\' poverty or legal status. <br><br>In other words, I just think a lot of people have no idea what it\'s like to be in education, and I\'m always amazed that people think they\'re experts because they happen to be educated.  As if having had a lot of medical work makes one an M.D.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2269928">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2269928" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2269928" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-2269928">Glen</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2269928" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2269928" class="dsq-comment-message">I support improving education but feel that the standards, resources, and responsibilities lie with the state and local governments working cooperatively.  If a collective of states want a common standard, that is fine as well -- but the power shifts from being top-down to bottom-up.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2270065">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2270065" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2270065" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-2270065">jwest</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2270065" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2270065" class="dsq-comment-message">One of the first things that needs to thrown out is the definition of the word “teacher”.<br><br>Think of an analogy to a singer.<br><br>It doesn’t matter how much specialized education someone gets in music, if the result you are looking for is how well someone sings.  On one hand you can have a person with a PhD in music who can’t deliver a note to her audience, then on the other hand have a Barbara Streisand (who I personally think of as an idiot-savant) who has no formal training but is one of the best in presenting a song.<br><br>Teaching is an art.  It takes a remarkable talent to be able to transfer concepts and knowledge to someone else in a way that makes the student want to learn.  People with this talent should be rewarded far beyond what they are today.<br><br>On the opposite side, having degrees in education and advanced training has no bearing on how well some are able to deliver results we all seek.  If the talent isn’t there, it’s just a waste of time and money.<br><br>Some would like to blame the students, parents, society, buildings, neighborhood, sun spots, etc. etc.  Of course, we all agree that rich, white, two parent students from a good suburb are easier to teach, but that doesn’t mean that inner-city kids are incapable of learning.  <br><br>The system doesn’t need to be “fixed”, it needs to be scrapped.  When you have results this bad, it’s time to start fresh with an out-of-the-box method.<br><br>How could it possibly be any worse?</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2270198">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2270198" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2270198" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-2270198">RyanS</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2270198" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2270198" class="dsq-comment-message">I must say that Amanda and Ricorun\'s comments are absolutely spot on.  <br><blockquote><br>No schools. No administration. Nothing but a voucher for the full amount previously spent on education. The only way a voucher can be cashed is to present a child who can pass the test for their age each year.<br></blockquote><br>An unmitigated disaster. Who will take under-achieving children. No one because this system makes them worse than worthless.  What standards will be met? Do you expect all parents to be able to tell a good charter from a bad?<br>I have no problem with charter schools, but any one size fits all approach will fail, like our energy problems we need variety. And no, throwing money at the problem will not make it go away.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2270421">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2270421" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2270421" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-2270421">jwest</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2270421" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2270421" class="dsq-comment-message">My vision of education doesn’t allow for 35 8 year olds.<br><br>I doubt with a new system, any more than 10 kids of that age would ever be taught by one person.  On top of that, it would probably be the norm for a teacher to take the same group of kids from pre-school through 3rd grade.<br><br>In my world, if a kid left the house at 8:00am and walked to school, he would be in his desk no later than 8:05.  This is all possible by eliminating our failed public school system.<br><br>It would be hard for teachers in this new education environment to not to make in excess of $100,000 per year – from day 1 of their careers.<br><br>On the other hand, there will people who have spent their entire life as a teacher who will starve for lack of work.<br><br>Think of the possibilities.  <br><br><br>Ryan,<br><br>Don’t think of this in the same old frame as before.  Think new and different.<br><br>You talk of underachieving students and who will take them.  What you’re referring to is 90% of the students in both of these cities.<br><br>Special education students would of course have more money to work with.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2270468">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2270468" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2270468" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-2270468">roro80</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2270468" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2270468" class="dsq-comment-message">jwest -- you have no idea what you are talking about.  Just none.  I don\'t know what you do for a living, but I actually put myself through college by singing -- it\'s something I\'ve loved doing since I was 5.  And let me tell you, there are the lone savants out there who are just born with it, but if you look at people as successful as professional broadway stars, most of them still go to their singing teachers weekly.  Even casual singers who just do it for fun can learn a lot by taking lessons, learning control, extending their range, learning to connect with an audience, fixing pitch problems.  In other words: your analogy is quite apt, but all the conclusions you draw from it are just totally, totally wrong. <br><br>Of course inner-city kids are capable of learning.  That\'s the whole point.  But to be an effective teacher (or an effective school system) for them requires a different skill set, a different cultural understanding, a different set of challenges, from teaching little rich white kids at a well-funded suburban school.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2270563">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2270563" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2270563" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-2270563">Amanda</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2270563" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2270563" class="dsq-comment-message">jwest, if I had unlimited funds and could do something like that - truly start from scratch - I would.  But even with vouchers, there aren\'t enough private schools around to hold those kids.  Also, what happens to the kids who don\'t pass the test?  Do we just ignore them? <br><br>superdestroyer - opportunities for volunteering, internships, and extra-curriculars will still be available to anyone who goes for them.  They\'ll be shorter-term positions or after school.  Or, in some cases, there could be work/study programs where students go to class half the day and report to their internship for the other half and have the work experience count as school credit.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2270568">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2270568" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2270568" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-2270568">roro80</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2270568" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2270568" class="dsq-comment-message">And, er, who, pray tell, is going to pay for that?  "What you\'re reffering to is 90% of the students in both of these cities" doesn\'t make any sense to me as far as who will take the lower kids.  Of course, there\'s always the option of just giving up on them, letting them take to the streets...that sounds super.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2270877">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2270877" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2270877" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-2270877">jwest</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2270877" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2270877" class="dsq-comment-message">Roro80,<br><br>Everyone can sing at some level.  Those who can make a living from it have talent, those who don’t have talent starve.<br><br>That is how teaching should be.  If you have the talent to do it you should prosper and continue in that field.  If you suck, you should get out and find a fish market to work in.<br><br>As you can see, I have no sympathy for any teacher who cannot produce results.  <br><br>Roro, the kids today are being left behind.<br><br><br><br>Amanda,<br><br>You don’t need private schools.  As a matter of fact, toss the whole concept of “schools” out of your mind.<br><br>Imagine you are a teacher in Ohio and you believe you have the talent to teach kids.  You hear of this new concept in D.C. and decide to give it a try.<br><br>All you would need to do is move to D.C. and convince about 10 parents that you are the one who can get their children to learn.  You try to get 10 that live in the same neighborhood. <br><br>First thing you’ll need is a place to teach.  Rent a storefront or an old house.  Fix and equip it the way you like.  Plan on feeding these kids at least twice per day, maybe three times – that’s part of the deal with the parents.<br><br>Where’s the money?  Vouchers at $15,000 per kid.<br><br>Rent – 20,000<br>Catering -  12,500<br>Supplies – 5,000<br>Utilities – 6,000<br>Other – 6,500<br><br>Salary – 100,000<br><br>Not only are you a teacher now, you’re a small business person.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2272157">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2272157" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2272157" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-2272157">roro80</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2272157" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2272157" class="dsq-comment-message">While acknowledging this conversation has gotten off track and has gone on too long, I\'ve still got to say that most professionals have some sort of formal training that helps them get good at what they do.  You don\'t just wake up one morning and say, "gee, I think I\'ll be an engineer!  I think I might have talent for that," and then go start an engineering firm the next day.  Why you think that scenario would work for teaching is beyond me.  Which is not to say, of course, that there aren\'t bad teachers out there who have been through the necessary school.   Not to mention that your proposed "small business person" model still doesn\'t account for the lower-level kids, who never would be accepted into these little businesses because their success is tied to the teacher\'s salary -- that pretty much turns lower-level students into a known poor business investment.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2272211">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2272211" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2272211" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-2272211">Ricorun</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2272211" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2272211" class="dsq-comment-message">jwest: <i>As you can see, I have no sympathy for any teacher who cannot produce results. </i> <br><br>I presume you\'re not limiting it to teachers, right? If not, I agree -- everyone should be offered millions of dollars in severance pay (and stock options) if they prove unable to make the grade.<br><br>By the way, what results are you talking about? That becomes especially relevant if you espouse some kind of voucher system. I\'m not ruling it out, because I think competition is important. But it has to be real competition, don\'t you think? What good is it if private schools are not required to answer to a standardized requirement?</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2272928">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2272928" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2272928" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-2272928">jwest</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2272928" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2272928" class="dsq-comment-message">Roro,<br><br>The first thing you need to accept is that what we have now in D.C. and Detroit is not working for 90% of the students.  It has not worked through every tinkering change for decades.  It’s not a lack of money, it’s a failure of the model.<br><br>To perpetuate this fraud of an educational system on these kids is a felony.  What could you do that is worse?  To want to rob these children of a chance at life just to perpetuate the salaries of teachers and administrators is an evil I have a hard time imagining.<br><br>Anything…..I repeat, anything is better than what they have today.<br><br><br><br>Ricorun,<br><br>The results are standardized tests for proficiency in the basics.  There would be a test each year carried out by a third party.  Test results are posted on the web (without student names) for each teacher.<br><br>As for special needs kids, a monetary provision would be made to make it profitable to work with them in smaller numbers or even one-on-one, if the need be.  Testing would be commensurate with the disability.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2273027">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2273027" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2273027" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-2273027">jwest</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2273027" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2273027" class="dsq-comment-message">Ricorun,<br><br>I forgot about the question of who gets axed initially.<br><br>Everyone.<br><br>No severance, no nothing for teachers, administrators, janitors, bus drivers, everyone.<br><br>Out on the street.  Not a dime.<br><br>If the teachers want a job, they need to convince the parents of a few kids to hire them.<br><br><br>Remember, all the schools, from oldest to newest are bulldozed on day 1.  It is an important symbol.  When you burn the ships, there is no going back.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2276215">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2276215" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2276215" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-2276215">jwest</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2276215" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2276215" class="dsq-comment-message">Jim,<br><br>Try to think in these terms.<br><br>What good is lab equipment to a group of kids from D.C. and Detroit of which 90% can’t read, write or do simple math.<br><br>Let me teach them enough to have a little dignity in life and then I’ll turn them over to the liberals for the interpretive dance class.<br><br>Every year for past 40 years we’ve heard the totally democrat run cities and school districts say “give me more money and we will fix the problem”.  The money is there.  D.C. spends over twice the national average and Detroit is close behind.  This system has failed.  If you care at all about these people, it’s time for a radical change.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2277909">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2277909" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2277909" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-2277909">AustinRoth</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2277909" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2277909" class="dsq-comment-message">Continuing to throw ever more money blindly at education conforms to the one definition of insanity, repeatedly trying the same thing and expecting different results.<br><br>The false premise that all children are equally gifted, and differences in their academic results only reflect differences in their opportunites is another falsehood we refuse to acknowledge.<br><br>Changing away from the teaching methodologies used successfully for generations, starting in the 60\'s, that had allowed for the greater percentage of our brightest students to reach their maximum potential in favor of methods that brought everyone to a common level , but lower for the top students, is another factor. A related development was the decline of the vocational education tracks and schools.<br><br>Creating the current Federal college funding program has led to the combination of spiraling college costs, and more, but mediocre, colleges and universities trying to achieve the goal of a college degree for the greatest number of people by debasing the quality of those degrees, is yet another.<br><br>Meanwhile, in China and other countries, the traditional teaching methods, and value of a true quality education, continue to be maintained, and we fall further and further behind.<br><br>And yes, I know that our top colleges are still among the top in the world, but our own students (with in general the exception of children of first and second generation immigrants) find it more and more difficult to gain admittance to those schools without the playing field being tilted in their favor.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2283395">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2283395" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2283395" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-2283395">Amanda</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2283395" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2283395" class="dsq-comment-message">jwest, your plan is insane.  Teaching kids to read, write, add and subtract might be ok under that system, but what happens after 3rd grade?  Do they have to find a teacher who happens to be an expert in literature, chemistry, history, biology, and geometry?  And what makes you think anyone with a solid skill set like that would open up a school in a low income neighborhood when they could go to the suburbs and charge even more?  Or work in an entirely different field?  What about school libraries, planetariums, computer labs, science labs, and gymnasiums?  What about art classes, theatre productions, band, chorus, sports, and clubs?  There\'s a heck of a lot more to school than simple basics.  Tearing all of that down is such a waste of valuable resources.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2284128">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2284128" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2284128" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-2284128">jwest</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2284128" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2284128" class="dsq-comment-message">Amanda,<br><br>The free market and common sense will take care of the grades past 3rd.<br><br>Try to think out of the box for a minute.<br><br>Remember, I’m not advocating bulldozing the schools you went to that are working.  I’m talking about two areas that are demonstrably failing in every sense of the word.  Libraries are only important to the kids in these cities as a place to sleep when they are homeless.  Let’s teach them to read.<br><br>In my scenario, don’t you think some enterprising educator might design a plan for 4th through 8th graders, perhaps with larger class sizes, more interaction with other educator’s groups and with shared amenities?<br><br>How about in the higher grades of 9th through 12th?  Is it possible that someone would see the marketing (to parents and students) benefits of combining with other specialists in all the areas you mentioned to provide a well rounded education?<br><br>The best real teachers will flock to these two cities for a number of reasons.  One is that they could make more money than anywhere else.  Two is the challenge and the feeling that they are really making a difference.  Three is the freedom they would have to actually teach as opposed to stuctured mess they have today.<br><br>If you can just get past the idea what we have now is the only model for all students everywhere, I’m sure you will be able to see the unlimited possibilities of this “insane” plan.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2285260">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2285260" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2285260" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-2285260">Amanda</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2285260" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2285260" class="dsq-comment-message">You get that you\'re basically describing a small private school, right?  A group of teachers pooling resources and banding together to give students a well-rounded education.<br><br>Inner city schools don\'t fail because they lack resources.  They fail because of the cultures surrounding them.  I went to public school in West Philadelphia for 5 years - the kids who fell behind were the ones who lived in the scariest neighborhoods, who had the most pressure from gangs, and who had the most messed up family lives.  When they showed up to school, they acted out, caused trouble, and brought their dangerous home lives into the building to affect everyone else.  Giving them vouchers and telling them to find their own teachers sure as hell isn\'t going to work for kids like that.  It doesn\'t matter how good the teachers are if the students never show up.<br><br>Your "plan" doesn\'t address that at all.  Voucher or no voucher, kids who get mixed up in gangs or drugs are not going to show up ready to learn every day to a teacher\'s office.  And forcing the teachers to go it alone or band together in small groups does not address the need for organized extra-curriculars - something that has been proven to keep kids out of trouble.<br><br>DC throws $16000 per student into the mess every year, but they don\'t address the real source of the problems in their school system.  Why not spend that money on restructuring the schools?  Set up dorms for public boarding schools.  Recruit volunteers to organize more extra-curricular activities.  Anything that keeps the inner city kids away from violence, drugs, and everything else that prevents them from succeeding in school.<br><br>Instead of tossing the whole system, why not look at places where it works?  Montgomery County, just outside of DC, has a hugely diverse student population including a lot of recent immigrants and people just barely getting by financially.  Yet they have a very successful education system that includes a lot of charter schools, tons of extra-curriculars, and increased student involvement in school decisions.  They consistently rank among the top districts in the nation for SAT scores, especially among minority students, and in graduation rates.  What do they do differently?  And how can we implement those changes elsewhere?</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2288370">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2288370" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2288370" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-2288370">roro80</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2288370" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2288370" class="dsq-comment-message">Thank you, Amanda, for a breath of sanity on this thread.  <br>jwest -- First, I think you\'re wrong that 90% of kids in public school right now fall through the cracks.  There are many, and that needs to change, definitely.  But let\'s not get rediculous with the numbers here.  Second, things were way, way better 8 years ago.  No Child Left Behind was the worst thing that could have happened to education.  I and many my age and older got an awesome education through the public system, but I graduated before NCLB. Third, As Amanda points out very well, your system is crazy.  It\'s not a matter of being beholden to the system, or some inability to think out of the box.  It\'s just that your idea is terrible, awful, unworkable, and pretty much would kill any chance this country has of having an educated population that can compete in the world.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2289276">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2289276" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2289276" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-2289276">jwest</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2289276" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2289276" class="dsq-comment-message">Amanda/Roro,<br><br>If you check my posts, you will see that I’m speaking of D.C. and Detroit city schools, not the ones you have fond memories of.  In these two school systems, the graduation rate is 20%, but half the kids who graduate can’t read or write at grade level.<br><br>Yes, the plan is for small, privatized operations.  I realize how crazy this must sound to liberals who have backed the current school systems for everyone, regardless of if it works or not.   <br><br>Since I’m familiar with the numbers, I can tell you that the actual performance of the schools was worse prior to NCLB.  You might have seen a slightly higher graduation rate, but in terms of people who could actually read the number is lower.<br><br>So, here we are.  My plan is insane, your plan insures more generations of inner-city kids will be functionally illiterate.  Should we just agree to write these people off?  <br><br>Wait, I know……How about you two help the democrats promise to fight terrible things like NCLB and promise to improve the schools in these two cities.  Even though there has not been a local or federal election in past 40 years that the same promise wasn’t made, maybe this year it will change.<br><br>Or, perhaps one of you has an idea that hasn’t been tried in a hundred variations before.  I’m open to any idea that will work.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2304964">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2304964" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2304964" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-2304964">Amanda</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2304964" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2304964" class="dsq-comment-message">jwest, your plan doesn\'t address the fundamental cause of inner city school failure.  It\'s worse than just throwing good money after bad on the system as is because it takes away all of the extra resources teachers have now that can help them at least try to reach these kids.  It also makes the assumption that the kids who are slipping through the cracks now are actually going to follow your plan, which they won\'t.  They drop out because they\'re poor and need to work, or they get mixed up in gangs, or they start using drugs, or their parents are beyond neglectful or abusive.  Sending that kid a voucher for $15 or $15000 isn\'t going to make a damn bit of difference because he\'s not going to use it.<br><br>Instead of shutting down what doesn\'t work for 80%, why don\'t we figure out what makes the other 20% successful?  Those kids come from the same neighborhoods, so why are they graduating while their neighbors drop out?  Maybe if we kept the at-risk students actually at the school for more hours and more days, they\'d have fewer opportunities to slip through the cracks.  Maybe setting up boarding schools, providing meals, setting up work-study programs, and offering free tutoring services will make it possible for them to stay in school and finish their education.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-6403742">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-6403742" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-6403742" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-6403742" href="http://stem-cell-transplant.blogspot.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Stem cell transplant</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-6403742" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-6403742" class="dsq-comment-message">Stem cells in an organism of the adult person are developed by a bone brain. It is their basic source, but it is far not the unique. Also stem cells are found out and in a fatty fabric, a skin, muscles, a liver, lungs, an eye retina, practically in all bodies and organism fabrics. They provide restoration of the damaged sites of bodies and fabrics.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2268879">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2268879" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2268879" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-2268879">DLS</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2268879" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2268879" class="dsq-comment-message">Chris, what I wrote is self-explanatory, unrelated to your illogical response.  <br><br>Is Palin\'s boosting of the GOP still too hard to face?  What if it gets "worse"?</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-2265280">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-2265280" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-2265280" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-2265280">superdestroyer</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-2265280" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-2265280" class="dsq-comment-message">Of course, if you eliminate standards and refuse to test children, it is kind of hard to determine if any of them are learning.  I love how after spending $10K plus per child that the local school districts are insulted that the federal government actually expect them to teach children to read with an additional $10K from the Feds. <br><br>Of course, during the Clinton Adminsitraiton, the Democrats totally ignored education and that even in the blue states, the Democratic leadership refuses to send their children to public schools.  After years of being a community activist and a state Senator, Senator Obama has so little trust of the public schools that he sends his own daughters to a private  school that is over 85% white and Asians. <br><br>I did not hear one proposal that would make the public schools more like the the Chicago laboratory School.  Also, given the relationship that Democrats have for putting social engineering before academic learning, there is little that will be accomplished in a Democratic adminstration.  When given the chance, the Democrats in Louisville and Seattle put bussing  and diversity ahead of academic learning. <br><br>Of course, McCain is offering nothing on education because the Republicans gave up thinking about it years ago. The Repubicans decided that there is no way to talk about education without being called a racist, so they just stopped.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 </ul>\
';

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if(typeof(disqus_callback) == 'function') {
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