Wanna see a movie Labor Day weekend?

With Labor Day approaching, I wanted to write about something relaxing to do.  There is an event coming up on this particular holiday weekend at my home away from home, Colorado. Denverpost.com did a nice little write up entitled, "Telluride Film Festival is about love of cinema, not money."  The article talks about how Telluride is not as commercial as Sundance or Cannes.

This festival is all about the experience.  There are nine theatres.  Some of them outdoors with the Rocky Mountains as a backdrop.  Very cool!  Independent films usually have very low budgets and rely on venues such as this to promote their films.

Directors and actors of these films that are playing attend these festivals.  They will give speeches before and/or after their film describing their experience making the film.  I really like the idea behind these festivals.  It helps create a buzz for obscure films.  Gives guys like Ebert and Roeper a different venue.  I am sure it helps regenerate these reviewers.  Anyone may attend the Telluride Film Festival.  There are still tickets available.

Government education grants

     Hope you all had an awesome weekend! Being a full-time student, I recently read an article entitled, "Louisiana a loser in second round of Race to the Top education grants" from The Times, Picayune out of New Orleans regarding governement education grants. These grants are offered to states that make the best improvements.
     Two states were awarded grants in the first round and ten more have just been awarded in the second round. These grants are mostly based on high ratings for the duo of student performance and instructor evaluations. States across the country have been installing "teacher accountability policies." The articles speaks of  how the governor of Lousiana put his stamp on several bills in hopes that their state would be a winner. Yet only 28 of their 70 school districts turned in applications.
     This type of award does create much controversy. The schools/states that have the most intellectual teachers and students get all of the grant money. Those that really need the help to bring in better instructors to improve the performance of the students get nothing. 
     Bottom line.......at least 4.35 billion is being spent on education. The website for The Times, Picayune is http://www.nola.com/.