Test test test and retest
There is a debate in Britain about standardized testing in schools. All I hear is the government adding more tests on top of kids and piling on the assessments of schools and teachers. Then, in the same breath, they say don't teach to the test, teach a well rounded education. Wait a minute. If the kids do lousy on the tests the teachers and schools loose money. The kids don't progress. So, the kids need to pass the test at all other costs.
The same debate happens at the state level here in Texas. I've had friends move from one area to another and told me the level of teaching is directly related to how many of the kids have problems passing the standardized tests. If an area is high in non-English speaking students, the curriculum seems to be "test test and retest" until they pass. One friend said her daughter comes home every night with practice sections of the assessment tests all year long. Even in history class, her daughter has to read a random paragraph about history and instead of being tested on what that piece of history meant or its significance to other events, she is tested on the direct content, just like the stile in the standardized tests.

L337
I completely missed L337. I've found out recently that emoticons are passé. I'm always a decade behind on this stuff. I've never been near the social cutting edge.

The aliens are coming
I have wild unfounded speculation why the European Union and NAFTA are trying to get one currency and a centralized government for the whole world. (Give me a break, it will be the whole world! eventually.) I'm a huge Star Trek fan. I imagine a universe where there is a Federation and a fleet of science ships peaking around corners and trying very hard not to ruin budding civilizations. I imagine, though, we humans are not the ones on the ship. We are the ones who seem backward and primitive to the researchers.
Now, lets go back to all those old episodes of Star Trek where captain Kirk spoke to one person from the whole planet. it was never a consortium of nations or a committee. If I were a powerful Federation of Planets, I would not want to deal with a thousand little piss-ant countries, each with its own agenda. Some of the countries on this rock only exist to keep a tyrant in power. You cant walk down the street in the Middle East without falling over Al Qaeda a operatives. The Federation would want one entity to deal with. There will only be one embassy. There will be one ambassador. In order to join the Federation, we will need to get all people of Earth to follow one voice. Or perhaps, obey one voice.
So, keep an eye out for ties between the U. S. Dollar and the Euro. This will be an early sign of coming invasi- - I mean, our joining of the Federation.
Europe already has a constitution. Europe is not a country. It is a treaty, an agreement between nations. Why do they need a constitution? Why would they need a bill of rights? Why do they need to ban the death penalty? Because, that is what the Federation of Planets requires. One voice. One focus. No death penalty. China and Texas may have a hard time throwing their hats in the ring. Why no death penalty? The Federation is made up of many cultures. It has got to be easier to ban the death penalty than to force it on new in comers. I imagine problems like abortion, immunizations, birth control, weapons in the possession of regular people, and any other root issues limited to intelligent life and I ponder what the Federation will have to do in order to solve each.
So, where are all the UFOs coming from, and why all the abductions? One word, poachers. And, maybe some illegal tourism. Hence the order from the UN, I believe, that says any space alien caught must be immediately killed. At least, that's what the X-Files said. Then there is oil. How do you get a bunch of independent nations to agree to use your currency and play by your rules? You take a key commodity that spans borders like food, communications or energy (oil) and jack the price up to the point no one can do business without controls. Small countries cannot bend OPEC over a barrel (so to speak) for lower prices. Larger countries can take the hit from higher prices on energy. Smaller countries cannot absorb the loss of jobs and a despair over a slowed economy. Then, swoops down the EU to save the day. Ten countries were added recently. England, though part of the EU will not partake of the Euro. They will succumb eventually. The Pound is over a thousand years old, but it will fall.
I don't know where or when it will all come to a head. Lets face it,if Russia and the U. S. join in the EU in some (or any) fashion, there will only be China between them and a Single World Order. The Middle East will lie fractured. and festering on it's own collection of fear and hatred, thus controlled. Africa, ravaged by disease, racism and political turmoil will also fall from any attempt to challenge the mighty SWO.

I'd make a pretty good conspiracy nut. You think? Actually, all the above stuff doesn't prove aliens are coming. It only proves that the rich are getting richer and the poor are helping.