I’ll let everybody else attack the “wtf testing” angle. Let me reduce this to how the “media” covered the story.

Student reaction:  “You just have to give it your best answer. These are important tests.”

Ken Jennings (Jeopardy stud) reaction: “Honestly, I’m still not particularly sure what the intended answer is.”

State reaction: “State officials wouldn’t divulge the answer and said they couldn’t speculate on whether the questions will be scored or scratched because of the controversy. They also noted that under new state rules, the questions and answers won’t be released.”

Corporate reaction: “Pearson spokesman Jason Smith said the state Education Department prohibited the company from speaking to the press on ‘matters like this.’”

I’ll note the one person interviewed for this story that isn’t making $100,000+ gave the right answer, even if it’s a coerced answer.

Read more.

The strategy has become really clear: villify unions and teachers through policy and public outcry in ways that effectively compromise our voices when we push back, continue to frame education accountability in terms of our ability to compete against the world (as opposed to collaborate with the world) and, finally, promote more and more objective tests as the way to measure everything from “student achievement” to teacher effectiveness to teacher education programs to, oh, I don’t know, maybe how well the plumbing works. That is the recipe now to a) gain political favor and b) make lots and lots of money.

And it’s working.

via Will · Wake Up Call.

Guess what? You can get this on your 4G information phone! One catch.

“Now, to keep surfing the Web or watch more NCAA hoops over Verizon Wireless’s 4G network, Mr. Wells will have to pay an extra $10 for every gigabyte above his current $30 subscription.”

See, while they were busy hyping up this 4G thing, they also capped your data plans at 2 gigabytes.  How much is 2 gigabytes?  Apparently, about 2 hours of basketball.  Only 728 hours left this month of paying extra for the data he’s using.*

Video on New Apple iPad Eats Up Monthly Data Plans – WSJ.com

*You were smart though.  You held onto that “unlimited” plan, right?  After 2 gigabytes, you’ll only be slowed down dramatically. Probably enough to make watching basketball really suck on your information phone.

“…intentionally design your communications to create a habit of attention. Habits are hard to form and even harder to break, and when properly constructed, they can benefit both sides.”

Seth’s Blog

“AT&T on Thursday put limits on its Unlimited Data plans, slowing speeds for 3G and 4G customers who exceed 3 GB in a billing cycle and capping 4G LTE customers at 5 GB.”

AT&T Will Throttle Unlimited Data Plans via Mashable.

“…if you’re afraid of something, of putting yourself out there, of creating a kind of connection or a promise, that’s a clue that you’re on the right track. Go, do that.”

via Seth’s Blog: Fear, scarcity and value

In 2006, I launched a show called “The Show With Ze Frank.” It was one of the most strange, exciting, difficult, and amazing things I have done so far. I think it is time to do something similar, what with the economy in the crapper and the election coming up. If Newt can do it, so can I. So can we.

A Show with Ze Frank by Ze Frank — Kickstarter