Growing up on a family farm in Southeast Missouri, we never gave much thought to the wide seasonal swings within our local weather. Today, as a pilot, and as a former corporate government affairs manager traveling across more than 20 states, I have come to enjoy the Show-Me State’s four distinct seasons. August is cherished more for what it leads to (NCAA & NFL Football, cool fall nights, and the conclusion of fall general elections), than for what it means to me in the present. September is near, and Missouri’s meteorological masterpiece called the month of October will soon be as well.

Thomas Jefferson once said, “travel makes a man wiser but less happy.” That same challenge must apply to those who serve our country. Take a look at this video of the Typhoon class of nuclear submarines that the Russians have deployed until 2019 and think about the dedicated lifestyles that all seamen must endure. Months at sea, under the water, ice, and sunset waves. Rigorous training in tight quarters for a phone call that should never come. Years away from family and friends as landlubbers like us enjoy the freedoms of our weekends and nights.

It seems easy to believe that these jobs must be filled by Nordic orphans raised by seals off the coast of Latvia. The truth is that our United States Navy depends upon native Missourians like you and me to keep our seaways secure from Somalian pirates, foreign occupations, & nuclear holocaust.

That’s why Pelopidas, LLC is so proud to have helped the USS Missouri Submarine produce this video:

While many friends won’t be able to see the most advanced naval ship ever built this weekend, there are other ways that you can help with small donations.

At your office, encourage your colleagues to raise a mug to celebrate a new chapter of Missouri history (login as “mightymo” promo code). Dedicate a corporate gift to become a corporate sponsor this fall. Take a moment to educate a child about how science and technology can be used in dramatic ways to protect our freedoms.

In part three of this blog series, we will post up photos and news from our trip to Groton, CT where Missouri elected officials like Congressman Ike Skelton dedicate this vessel to America. As I think about small town Missourians diving off the Atlantic coast into the abyss, the humid days of August already seem a lot cooler.

Quotes from the 1990 Movie: “The Hunt for Red October,” where Sean Connery fantasizes about American freedom after a life at sea:

Capt. Vasili Borodin: I will live in Montana. And I will marry a round American woman and raise rabbits, and she will cook them for me. And I will have a pickup truck… maybe even a “recreational vehicle.” And drive from state to state. Do they let you do that?
Captain Ramius: I suppose.
Capt. Vasili Borodin: No papers?
Captain Ramius: No papers, state to state.
Capt. Vasili Borodin: Well then, in winter I will live in… Arizona. Actually, I think I will need two wives.
Captain Ramius: Oh, at least.

“Washington, April 12, 1945 – Fate today raised to the highest administrative post on earth a plain, friendly man from Missouri – Harry S. Truman.

On the eighth of next month he will be 61. As he steps into the bright light of world celebrity he can look back on a career that began behind a plow on a 600-acre farm near Kansas City…”

The epic months that followed America’s closure to World War II remind us all how amazing it was to have our entire country doing what they could to protect our liberties. Part of what made Truman’s legacy so memorable was that he rose to challenges thought to be much larger than anyone might choose for themselves.

This week, I was fortunate to join the St. Louis Science Center in their hosting of the USS Battleship Missouri Memorial event, along with the St. Louis Navy League. Under the stars of the planetarium, we were reminded how the American spirit of freedom was transformed into this monstrous structure of teak wood, steel, iron, and ammunition named ole “BB-63” – the USS Battleship Missouri.

Most had come to know the “Mighty MO” of our Pacific fleet as the place where Japan surrendered to America. Its presence for this conflict alone is enough to retire it admirably. However, I was amazed to learn about how seamen and technology adapted itself over the decades to project its capabilities even as recent as Operation Desert Storm.

When you think about lobbing 2,700 pound projectiles at a precise range from 16-23 miles using the analog computers from the 1930’s, our computing systems of today owes much to this military experience. When I think about how my uncle must have felt at Pearl Harbor walking to church when the sirens went off, you have to believe that surviving ships like “Mighty MO” were a substantial inspiration as he flew across the Pacific into harm’s way.

When you hear about the dent in the ships’ side left after a Japanese kamikaze pilot tried to sink it, it reminds us all of the value of mental toughness over adversity. The Mighty MO has always been about more than naval superiority, it’s 45,000 tons gave each generation something onto which we can attach our emotions.

At our dinner event, we were each given a small piece of teak wood from this historic deck, now in process of a historic preservation in Hawaii. The battleship is all but retired, except for an appearance before a Universal Studios upcoming movie in 2012. However, just like decades before, the USS Missouri is adapting its mission again – this time for science educators and their pupils. Over the next month, many school groups will use it as their living history classroom. The St. Louis region is fortunate to have at least two strong advocates for science education within Admiral (Ret) Lee Metcalfe and General Duncan J. McNabb.

The torch defending our freedom now passes to the next generation. Just like before, our country is stepping up with something bigger and better. In my next blog, we will feature what’s next to come: the USS Missouri Virginia class of submarine.

Travis H. Brown

After more than five years since we lobbied for a better medical malpractice system in the Show-Me State, occasionally we observe a stark reminder of just how far and fast our medical, biotechnological, and genomic systems are advancing.  Normally, through working with current and former lobbying clients like the Monsanto Company, AT&T, and the Missouri Society of Anesthesiologists, we can feel like our knowledge is updated, contemporary, and forward-looking.

However, the convergent technologies used with iphone devices, wireless communication, and vital life indicators all featured in this 15 minute video represented a brave new world for me.

For Missouri physicians, surgeons, dentists, and supervising care team leaders, imagine the numerous possibilities.  For Missouri hospitals, ambulatory surgical centers, and rural health clinics, consider the changing landscape for how care could be accessed in remote locations.  For patients and consumers, behold some real promises to improve patient safety, early intervention, and preventative health.

If only a fraction of these technologies prove useful, advocates and healthcare organizations will be faced with how make such practices fit into our patchwork of professional licensing, collaborative care, and healthcare reimbursement laws.  Given that techniques like telemedicine have already-been identified as a wave toward our healthcare future, maybe we should starting thinking sooner rather than later about ways to make our regulations more useful.

Over the last few years, the Missouri Jobs and Prosperity Act has gone from an idea, to a Resolution that was passed out of the Governmental Accountability and Fiscal Oversight Committee, to an Act that was worked on and debated in the MO legislature, and by many groups, businesses and individuals across the state.

Before this joint resolution can go to Missouri voters for approval, it must receive a passing vote in the Senate and a passing vote in the House. To date, several Senate substitutes offered and debated since January of 2010 have made many structural improvements to the measure.

The Missouri Jobs & Prosperity Act (SJR29) focuses on one central message: to kick-start our economy by creating more incentive to keep what you earn. Many economists agree that the single largest factor driving a state’s economic growth policy can be whether or not they tax your income or earnings. The promise is huge: 20,000 net new jobs created each and every year after the transition from income to consumption taxes are made.

Why should Missouri eliminate the state income tax? Economist Dr. Art Laffer answers this question through his research on state competitiveness. He finds states without an income tax are far more competitive than high-tax states. He’s also able to show the volatility of collection over time of income taxes vs. sales taxes, which indicates that Missouri would see more stable, predictable state revenue by relying on a sales tax rather than an income tax.

And why should Missouri make this change now? An essay by Rex Sinquefield and Jack Naudi explains that Missouri is lagging behind the national average in employment growth over the last ten years, while the 9 states without an income tax have added jobs at more than double the national job growth rate during a similar period. They also compare Missouri to Tennessee: once, Missouri outpaced Tennessee in many economic indicators; but after 35 years without a state income tax Tennessee now has a higher per capita GDP, and a higher rate of net in-migration. Missouri has the potential for more growth than we are accomplishing today, and that costs us over time, and it costs Missourians jobs and earning opportunity. The longer we wait, the further we fall behind.

This isn’t an opportunity we can sit on forever. Other states looking for economic recovery, job creation and budget repair have access to the same information Missouri does, and may grasp that competitive advantage before we do. The Christian Science Monitor reports this week on the mass exodus of wealth from high-tax states:

The consequences of migration can be significant. Most people migrating from one state to another aren’t rich, but a good number are big-spending consumers, job-creating entrepreneurs, or philanthropists. One Boston College study found that New Jersey saw $168 billion in wealth walk out of the state from 2004 to 2008.

Many Missourians are starting to recognize that the Missouri Jobs and Prosperity Act is a significant job creation bill. This Tuesday, April 13th, hundreds of Missourians traveled to the Capitol for the Tax Day Tea Party to point lawmakers in the direction they want to head, including eliminating the state income tax. The rally got an update from Sen. Chuck Purgason and Rep. Ed Emery who have worked on this goal in the House and Senate. The rally’s keynote speaker, Michael Reagan, radio host and son of President Ronald Reagan, spoke of lessons he learned from his father.

Through Tea Party rallies across the state, Letters to the Editor, video, blogs, media coverage and social networking, an incredible amount of knowledge, research and news about the Missouri Jobs and Prosperity Act has been shared. It is vital that we press on past April 15th, and continue the conversations and the actions that move us toward the best possible Missouri economy. Follow the progress of the Missouri Jobs and Prosperity Act and learn about how you can get involved to achieve this goal by subscribing to the Americans For Prosperity – Missouri newsletter, Facebook or Twitter updates.

“Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn’t pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same.”

– Ronald Reagan, 40th President of the United States

The District 7 Community Partnership’s Annual Officer of the Year Luncheon, held at The Pageant in the Delmar Loop, honored 18 officers chosen by their peers to have the distinguished honor of being awarded Officer of the Month—of those 18, one, Officer Michael Butler was named 2009 Officer of the Year. Officer Butler received a Proclamation from Representative William Lacy Clay, “designating February 25, 2010 as ‘Police Officer Michael Butler Day’ in the First Congressional District of Missouri.”

The annual event drew a crowd of nearly 400 people from the surrounding community; and the program included Ed Goodman of KEZK as Master of Ceremonies, the St. Louis Metro Police Department Honor Guard; Chief Daniel Isom; Captain D. Sam Dotson; Mark Jaffe, President of the District 7 Community Partnership; Do The Right Thing videos submitted by three area schools; and St. Louis Blues player Cam Janssen as the featured speaker.

Mark Jaffe recognized and announced the new partnership between the District 7 Community Partnership and Pelopidas, LLC that has flourished in recent months. The Community Partnership, via the Business Liaison Officer—Officer Phil Green, reached out to Pelopidas for help in creating an annual fundraising plan. The Pelopidas Team updated and re-launched the Community Partnership’s website (www.7thdistrict.org), incorporating video capabilities so the District 7 community can hear directly from the officers that serve and protect them daily.

Pelopidas Media Lab captured the entire program during the annual luncheon as well as interviews with all Officers of the Month and Year in attendance to further honor District 7’s finest via the web, including a congratulatory thank you from Cam Janssen.

Other contributions from the Pelopidas Team included the creation of the Luncheon’s PowerPoint presentation, event sponsorship, onsite program assistance, and broadcasting the event’s program on The Pageant’s big screen via LIVE feed. The Pelopidas Team couldn’t be more thankful for the opportunity to work in partnership with those that consistently serve and protect our right to crime-free neighborhoods and continually put their life on the line while fighting the good fight. We again congratulate the Officers of the Month and 2009 Officer of the Year as we look forward to our powerful partnership with the District 7 Community Partnership.

The Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Associated Industries of Missouri, and the Missouri Growth Association serve a variety of Missouri businesses and industries.

Small businesses employ about half of U.S. workers, and are responsible for 64% of net new jobs in the past 15 years [source]. Some organizations, like the MO Chapter of National Federation of Independent Business, just focus on Missouri small businesses and issues that they face.

The Missouri Department of Revenue is a constant resource for businesses or individuals looking for information or answers to questions about taxation and licensure, and for their annual report.

The Missouri Department of Economic Development looks at indicators of state economic growth in their Economic Conditions Report, and connects Missouri businesses with state resources.

A drive across the state reminds us that farming is a very important part of the equation for Missouri growth. The Missouri Farm Bureau Association looks closely at how farmers and Missouri’s strong agricultural sector will be affected by policies.

Part of Missouri’s health is attracting and retaining population and businesses. Missouri Association of Realtors is watching these trends closely.

These organizations are great resources for learning more about the economic status of Missouri, and getting a picture of the variety of indicators we can look at to move Missouri in the right direction.

The drive toward dynamic economic growth for the Show-ME State economy is an important one to institute. That’s why we were fortunate to have Dr. Art Laffer of Laffer & Associates present his views on how Missouri’s economy can grow by replacing our state income tax with a broad-based sales tax system.

It has been no secret that I have lobbied to make online public schools as useful, effective, and transparent as any other classroom in Missouri. It likewise may come as no surprise that I am an avid user of twitter to provide government transparency (having completed my 3,000 tweet recently).

As technology expands into communication and business, it is encouraging to see that some public school teachers are looking at ways to integrate it into classroom experiences in a positive way. It seems inevitable that digital natives would expect and thrive off curriculum approaches fluent in their digital devices and media.

EdWeek Magazine examines several classrooms that are using Twitter in particular to supplement their curricula.

American History teacher Lucas Ames has his students tweeting articles about Constitutional issues, old and new. @coolcatteacher shares resources between colleagues to get and give feedback about technology in the classroom. Yet another teacher in Houston is hoping Twitter will help her bilingual class to learn about other cultures and customs by partnering with other classrooms around the country.

Some critics wonder if it’s really appropriate to use social networking in the classroom. And it’s not just the stigma that video games and social networks are toys and typically distract from learning, but also because there is little to no data about these tools helping or hurting achievement. Daniel Willingham, professor of psychology at the University of Virginia-Charlottesville notes the lack of research, but goes on to say:

“Like any other tool, the way we make it useful is to consider very carefully what this particular tool is very good at, rather than simply say, ‘I like Twitter, so how can I use it?’ ”

So what is useful about Twitter in this context?

It can improve the speed by which we get information. Homework help, project collaboration are possible ways for students to integrate technology into time-management.

Downside: easing a manner to cheat, or providing shortcuts to research

It can present information in a more useful or appropriate format.
Peer reviews or ongoing class discussions where students can integrate, say, news stories into their feed to support their point could be useful in teaching analysis, debate, and how to use resources.

Downside: disadvantage for kids who may not have Internet access at home.

It can connect you with experts. You can follow @NASA, search for Ayn Rand, follow elected officials, journalists and researchers.

Downside: It can also connect you with spammers and people with bad information.

Crowd-sourcing the best ideas. For teachers, Twitter is beginning to be a way to share ideas, lesson plans and class notes. For students, it could be asking a question or asking for opinions and learning how sharing ideas produces better results and sparks creativity.

Students can also be challenged to develop their own uses and applications for Twitter. One of the most interesting uses of Twitter I came across was an elementary teacher that used Twitter to teach students about probability and geographic climates, so the network actually served to illustrate a lesson, or put a human face on an abstract thought.

Twitter is merely one example among thousands that have the potential to enhance a lesson, show the possible practical uses of a “social” network, and get students used to integrating technology into their work. One objective of administrators and teachers could be to create methods to learn about technology and reap the benefits while avoiding some of the pitfalls.

One leader in the national conversation about technology in education will be Karen Cator, a former executive at Apple, as she joins the U.S. Department of Education Office of Educational Technology.

“We need to craft an entirely new research agenda around this issue so people can’t write that technology doesn’t work,” said Cator to Edweek. “We know it works…but we need to get good at saying and articulating what exactly technology can do.”

If Americans seek to improve the competitiveness of our next generation, then it is vital to embrace this challenge to define better experiences.

Otherwise, I am sure that tweet feeds like this one will regulate our future.

Photo by Kevin Zollman under a Creative Commons license.

New York was the subject of a study by Stanford professor Caroline Hoxby. By comparing the progress of students who were accepted to a Charter school by random lottery and those who were not accepted and remained in public schools, Hoxby was able to create a reliable comparison between similar students.

The results showed children who attended Charter schools performed better in math and English. The key component of Hoxby’s study is that the school is the only difference between the two groups she studied. Parents were equally motivated, the children were equally qualified, and the lottery was random.

For Charter founders, teachers and board members, these findings reinforce their day-to-day experience working with individual students. The research dispels the myth that Charter successes have only been because they “cream” the best students. But research is not only valuable to prove a theory true, but also to direct next steps.

Missouri is one of the states that Dr. Hoxby’s study identifies as hosting Charter schools whose students showed significantly higher gains than their public school counterparts. This kind of definitive research is vitally useful in crafting a good education policy – one that produces measurable results.

But how will this information filter into policies, especially considering Education Secretary Arne Duncan’s (@arneduncan) recent tour promoting swift, serious education reforms on the state level? A study conducted by the Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory specifically examined how policymakers access and apply research evidence. Through focus groups and surveys, they found that research played a minor role in policy-shaping discourse.

“Study participants asserted that political perspectives, public sentiment, potential legal pitfalls, economic considerations, pressure from the media, and the welfare of individuals all take precedence over research evidence in influencing decisions. In focus groups and interviews, participants did not mention any ‘breakthrough research’ nor did they cite any findings that they felt had a dramatic effect on practice or policy.” ( p. 0iv)

Part of their research examined how researchers might present their findings to policymakers in a more useful format. Participants identified a lack of sophistication in finding, analyzing and applying data, as well as an apprehension about the accuracy of research. That is certainly understandable in a culture rich with data and research: sifting through a great wealth of often dense, technical research to find applicable, trusted, complete research requires rigor and time.

“Both policymakers and practitioners expressed a preference for brief reports (no more than one to two pages), in a larger font, and written in nontechnical language. They also identified a need for research that is locally relevant and credible, includes case studies, and offers analysis across multiple studies.” (p. Oiv)

The authors stressed that research has many auxiliary or indirect paths to influencing public policy. For instance, there is a heavier reliance on research by school administrators as they form local policies. Research may be highlighted by the media, or used by the reform-minded to frame a policy conversation. But in any of these scenarios, policymakers stressed that in order for it to be useful in sculpting reform policies, they had to receive that information from a trusted intermediary.

The Hoxby study in particular is a seminal piece of research that has already found a life in the reporting of major national newspapers, such as the New York Post, the Washington Post and the New York Times. The challenge in Missouri will be to help explain how this study applies to Missouri students: what the current Charter school environment looks like in Missouri, and how we can use policy as a bridge to increased achievement.

“Clearly, the formulation of policy is a balancing act among what is right, what is known, what is desired, and what is possible,” (p. 1) note the study’s authors, and good research can fortify that framework to result in truly effective reforms.

Additional Resources:

Caroline Hoxby was in St. Louis earlier this year to talk about her research on Charter School performance.

Charter School Research and Economics Part 1


Charter School Research and Economics Part 2


STUDIES MENTIONED ABOVE:

Caroline Hoxby’s Multiple Choice: Charter School Performance in 16 States

NREL: Toward a Research Agenda for Understanding and Improving the Use of Research Evidence

This weekend’s opening events included a “Queens of Jazz” concert at the Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis with Grammy nominee Ann Hampton Callaway and St. Louis’ own jazz queen, Denise Thimes, and the Opening Ceremony on Saturday. The Opening events had players draw colored scarves to determine their pieces for the opening round. They also hula hooped while playing chess, made moves with life-sized chess pieces, and participated in ‘bounty blitz’ matches! Two-time U.S. Women’s Champion Anna Zatonskih impressed crowds by defeating 5 challengers simultaneously – while blindfolded.

Rounds began Sunday, and continue through October 13th. Rounds begin daily at 2 p.m. at the Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Saint Louis, 4657 Maryland Ave., St. Louis, Missouri.

This morning, the club’s founder and chess advocate Rex Sinquefield joined his coach, Woman Grandmaster Jennifer Shahade on the Charlie Brennan show on KMOX. Listen to hear the interview on the Women’s Championship, Chess events around the city and the benefits of playing chess:

[pro-player type="MP3"]http://www.pelopidas.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/RS-and-JS-on-Charlie-Brennan-KMOX-10.6.09.mp3[/pro-player]