I heard the latest polls that had Ben Carson at 19%, Ted Cruz at 21%, and Don Trump with a double-digit lead. The same poll asked voters (I don't know the population) the most important issue is for them. The leading issue, with 59% (?), was to fix/change Washington, DC. Sooner or later, if not to their demise, the Establishment Republicans are going to have to realize they won't win in '16 if they keep throwing Establishment Republican candidates at us.
A couple of weeks ago, a Detroit editor asked "when voters will come to their senses." He was referring to the support Trump has generated. I thought this guy was a bit more in tune with we hoi polloi than the Establishment elites, but I guess not. He doesn't get it yet or is ignoring it.
It isn't Trump. It's dissatisfaction, frustration, anger with the government, specifically the federal government. Other than "the 47%," I can't imagine anyone voting for Democrats, but of course many do. I would respect them a great deal more if they, those Democrat voters, donated a lot more of their money instead of grousing about "the rich have to pay their full share." Yes, I think many of them are hypocrites, decrying the "greedy" wealthy while clinging to what they have. And yes, they, at least most of them, can still live their lives quite comfortably if they lived what they preached.
I also can't imagine anyone voting for Establishment Republicans either. I could never, for instance, vote for the current governor of the state of Michigan. So, where does that leave me??????
I think a lot about the unrest on today's college campuses, the protests and sit-ins. In many of these instances, I think it's just a case of entitled spoiled brats realizing they can get their way by behaving like, well, entitled spoiled brats. Yes, there may well be some legitimate issues on campuses. One might well be sexual assaults/rapes. But I don't see any sit-ins, boycotts, protests at the football or basketball games. And all this junk about "diversity," "safe place," etc. What a bunch of hooey! Is there any less diverse institution in the US than higher education? Oh, college "diversity" is only what the diversity-types want or feel is necessary. There is little diversity of opinion. Note how first it was conservative voices that were banned from speaking on campuses. They were hooted down or, even before they showed, had their talks canceled because of protests or threatened protests. How's that for "diversity?" Then note the past couple of weeks, when black students banned white students from their "safe spaces." What's next??????
Going back to Amherst in the late '60s and early '70s (and, yes, I've been following the student protests there, too; more in a bit), the campus protests then revolved around the Vietnam War and the lies and deceptions of government and military leaders. (No, I don't discount that there was a draft then, unlike today.) But on our campus, voices weren't excluded. We had one of the radical SDS guys talk and a Black Panther on trial in New Haven spoke. On the other hand, one of LBJ's cabinet members gave a lecture, as did a retired US Army general/colonel (I forget which; it was a long time ago!). I can't imagine any of these folks so enamored with "diversity" following such, well, diversity of opinions that Amherst afforded us.
Speaking of Amherst, I was very upset with an unofficial/nonbinding faculty vote to get rid of "Lord Jeffs" as the college mascot/nickname. There's no concrete evidence that Amherst actually followed through on his proposal to give smallpox-infected blankets to the Indians, including those who also butchered and scalped. But I'm not going to argue the pluses and minuses here. In fact, I might have done that. What is concerning is that the faculty vote was unanimous. Every faculty member believes the nickname should go? There were no dissenters? They are that lock-step in agreement with political correctness? Were there any dissenters, but they were pressured/cowed into compliance? C'mon, where is the independence of thought we were taught at Amherst 45-50 years ago? I can just imagine, were this faculty vote actually an essay/paper we had to submit, the comments my professors would have made. No, they wouldn't have been complimentary.
And, I think at a number of these campus protests, one of the demands is for a cultural awareness or diversity course that is mandatory for all students. I may or may not have a problem with such a course. I have a major problem with mandating it as a requirement. If these protesters want such a class and want to take it, fine. Don't tell me what to take! And, again, I note that if these colleges, take Amherst for example, were/are so bad, why did these students opt to attend them? As one of the very few dissenters (and certainly not the lily-livered administrators or the grown-up hippies in the faculty) at one of the colleges said, "It's like choosing to go to Cal Tech and then being disappointed that there are so few literature and so many engineering courses." Maybe some of these protesters shouldn't have been admitted to colleges in the first place??????
It's not on the state tests, so kiss penmanship/cursive writing good-bye. I may or may not write about that later in the week.
Monday, November 23, 2015
Thursday, November 12, 2015
To Follow Up......
The last blog I opined (We might as well use certain words when there's an opportunity to use them!) about the economic recovery not really recovering for many of us. I heard from a friend the other day that a speaker told her that here in Oakland Co, one of the 11 or 12 wealthiest counties in the US, more than 50% of the people live under the poverty level. Of course that might say as much about the arbitrary selection of the poverty level as anything. But I don't think so. I think some folks, many of them are still hurting and hurting badly. I wish the LameStreams would quit just parroting the Administration and dig for themselves.
And about aging...... I ran, raced even!, a 10K last weekend. I, for several reasons, didn't train very hard to race. I just put in lots and lots of miles, nothing of real quality. But I surprised myself, finishing about 50 seconds faster than I did last year! I ran at a 7:30 or so pace, which I really didn't think I could do. I was second in my age-group, which might sound impressive, but in reality just means I've outlasted a whole lot of people, I think. But, during the race (and, yes, I pushed myself out of any comfort zone) I asked myself more than once, "What is a 67-year old doing out here racing a 10K?" I never came up with a good answer, but I'm glad that I was. I will admit, though, I've been quite tired and even sore this week (The fatigue and soreness reminded me of post-marathon recovery, but not as bad.), although today is much better.
I can't wait for the next bit on the dishonesty or lack of integrity aimed at Ben Carson. "Did you know that one time he returned his rented video and didn't rewind it first??????" Oh my...if anything would disqualify him for the Presidency that would be it. I'm still chagrined by some folks, not just the Establishment ones who are obviously opposed to anyone outside the Establishment. These folks agree, Ben Carson is very intelligent, thinks quickly on his feet, is honest and decent, and so on. It's as if they are saying, "He's a great guy! I'd love him for a doctor or even a neighbor." But then they question whether they'd want him for their President. Maybe that says more about us than him?
I'm waiting to get up one AM and while driving to class, not hear about another murder in Detroit. I think every day this past week or two has produced at least one shooting.
The arrogant elitists are at it again. And this time it's hitting personally on me. The administration at Amherst College is (if not having completed a fait accompli already) working to get rid of "Lord Jeffs" as the school's athletic mascot/nickname. It likely should be noted that Amherst is not name after Lord Jeffery, but the town of Amherst, in which it is located. Still, there's the nickname. The argument about vaporizing "Lord Jeffs" revolves around his use of blankets infected with smallpox when fighting the Indians. OK, there is in existence a letter in which he urges (?) a subordinate to use such a tactic. But it seems to me the PC police are on patrol here, selectively, very selectively using history to carry out their agenda. Maybe Lord Jeffery was guilty of that. Hmmm...... Were Indians, who may have been killed by the smallpox any deader than, say, British soldiers who were scalped to death by you-know-whom? And weren't many of those same tribes members of the Iroquois nation who conducted raids over hundreds of miles (even to Michigan) against smaller tribes like the Sauk, Fox, and Hurons, looting and plundering, murdering, and even taking captives for slaves? Perhaps, while we're at it, we should re-name the Finger Lakes of NY and about a million street names there, too. Let's not stop there; let's get rid of anything with names like Washington and Jefferson (They each owned slaves.) and Truman (He ordered the dropping of the atomic bombs.) and a host of others who did "bad" things. Somehow the administration has corralled the student body, at least of majority of it, at Amherst to agree to dropping the name. I've not been at all impressed with the new president of "The Fairest College," not since the first day. This certainly adds to my concerns over her abilities/competence. I had the chance last May to spend some time with one of the college trustees, but never thought to ask him what the trustees were thinking when they hired this woman!
Speaking of colleges, what's the deal with the University of Missouri? It seems to me, well, that things are not as they seem there. First, so many folks are applauding the football team for threatening to strike if certain conditions of the protesters were not met by the college. Hey, wait a minute? Isn't this, along with the men's basketball team, one of the schools ranked highest in the commission of felonies, including sexual assault/rape? That about 1/3 of the charges were dropped likely says more about the influence of big-time sports on campuses than it does about guilt or innocence. Where were all the student protests about that?????? Admittedly, I don't know a lot of details about the grievances, but it seems to me there are a lot of inconsistencies, such as the "proof" of the "poop-stika," the swastika made of feces left in a dorm lavatory actually being a photo on You Tube that was posted a year before the claims at U of Missouri were made. (See the article in The Federalist.) And what's all this junk about "freedom of speech?" Who says we have the freedom to speak if we make someone uncomfortable or feel bad? Well, listening to or reading the words of some Missouri student leaders, they do! But, come to think about it, I think I like the idea of freedom of speech for only ideas that I like. Who's teaching these students?????? Of course, I did hear one so-called "professor" from there who echoed a lot of this crap. BTW, who invented this "safe space" junk? And a professor who planned to continue to hold class/give an exam during all of this was pressured into tendering his resignation?????? OK, I went to Amherst during the Vietnam War protests. But it seems to me--and I think I can substantiate it without much trouble--those protests were quite different from these.
Hmmm...... If the Russians become convinced that ISIS was responsible for downing their aircraft, what will be their response? I have a sneaking suspicion that Putin will not pussyfoot like Obama. I wonder to what lengths the Russians will go to get revenge, to send a message "Don't mess with us." Is a nuclear weapon on ISIS strongholds/territory out of the question? For that matter, I asked a friend the other day, why do we have to live in fear, potentially, of getting on a plane that might carry a bomb planted by ISIS or any other jihadist group? Nuclear weapon? Sometimes I have to convince myself I'm not serious.
And here we go again, big gov't knowing what's best for us, better than we do. A half dozen or more states are seriously considering laws that require people to establish savings plans for retirement. I understand their concern, esp with people who make no plans and will be seriously strapped when they retire. But, if they make no plans, say other than Social Security, then that's their problem. They must live with their own choices. And, for many, forced savings plans would be a severe hardship. Note above, as I doubt a lot of people are experiencing any financial relief from this so-called economic "recovery." They are hurting already and being forced to establish savings plans wouldn't help them. And, in NY, the atty-general has ruled that some (the daily ones) Fantasy Sports games online are illegal; they are forms of gambling. The little bit of rationale I read seems like a stretch, a big stretch, in differentiating between season-long and weekly Fantasy Leagues. But, obviously, they know best......
And about aging...... I ran, raced even!, a 10K last weekend. I, for several reasons, didn't train very hard to race. I just put in lots and lots of miles, nothing of real quality. But I surprised myself, finishing about 50 seconds faster than I did last year! I ran at a 7:30 or so pace, which I really didn't think I could do. I was second in my age-group, which might sound impressive, but in reality just means I've outlasted a whole lot of people, I think. But, during the race (and, yes, I pushed myself out of any comfort zone) I asked myself more than once, "What is a 67-year old doing out here racing a 10K?" I never came up with a good answer, but I'm glad that I was. I will admit, though, I've been quite tired and even sore this week (The fatigue and soreness reminded me of post-marathon recovery, but not as bad.), although today is much better.
I can't wait for the next bit on the dishonesty or lack of integrity aimed at Ben Carson. "Did you know that one time he returned his rented video and didn't rewind it first??????" Oh my...if anything would disqualify him for the Presidency that would be it. I'm still chagrined by some folks, not just the Establishment ones who are obviously opposed to anyone outside the Establishment. These folks agree, Ben Carson is very intelligent, thinks quickly on his feet, is honest and decent, and so on. It's as if they are saying, "He's a great guy! I'd love him for a doctor or even a neighbor." But then they question whether they'd want him for their President. Maybe that says more about us than him?
I'm waiting to get up one AM and while driving to class, not hear about another murder in Detroit. I think every day this past week or two has produced at least one shooting.
The arrogant elitists are at it again. And this time it's hitting personally on me. The administration at Amherst College is (if not having completed a fait accompli already) working to get rid of "Lord Jeffs" as the school's athletic mascot/nickname. It likely should be noted that Amherst is not name after Lord Jeffery, but the town of Amherst, in which it is located. Still, there's the nickname. The argument about vaporizing "Lord Jeffs" revolves around his use of blankets infected with smallpox when fighting the Indians. OK, there is in existence a letter in which he urges (?) a subordinate to use such a tactic. But it seems to me the PC police are on patrol here, selectively, very selectively using history to carry out their agenda. Maybe Lord Jeffery was guilty of that. Hmmm...... Were Indians, who may have been killed by the smallpox any deader than, say, British soldiers who were scalped to death by you-know-whom? And weren't many of those same tribes members of the Iroquois nation who conducted raids over hundreds of miles (even to Michigan) against smaller tribes like the Sauk, Fox, and Hurons, looting and plundering, murdering, and even taking captives for slaves? Perhaps, while we're at it, we should re-name the Finger Lakes of NY and about a million street names there, too. Let's not stop there; let's get rid of anything with names like Washington and Jefferson (They each owned slaves.) and Truman (He ordered the dropping of the atomic bombs.) and a host of others who did "bad" things. Somehow the administration has corralled the student body, at least of majority of it, at Amherst to agree to dropping the name. I've not been at all impressed with the new president of "The Fairest College," not since the first day. This certainly adds to my concerns over her abilities/competence. I had the chance last May to spend some time with one of the college trustees, but never thought to ask him what the trustees were thinking when they hired this woman!
Speaking of colleges, what's the deal with the University of Missouri? It seems to me, well, that things are not as they seem there. First, so many folks are applauding the football team for threatening to strike if certain conditions of the protesters were not met by the college. Hey, wait a minute? Isn't this, along with the men's basketball team, one of the schools ranked highest in the commission of felonies, including sexual assault/rape? That about 1/3 of the charges were dropped likely says more about the influence of big-time sports on campuses than it does about guilt or innocence. Where were all the student protests about that?????? Admittedly, I don't know a lot of details about the grievances, but it seems to me there are a lot of inconsistencies, such as the "proof" of the "poop-stika," the swastika made of feces left in a dorm lavatory actually being a photo on You Tube that was posted a year before the claims at U of Missouri were made. (See the article in The Federalist.) And what's all this junk about "freedom of speech?" Who says we have the freedom to speak if we make someone uncomfortable or feel bad? Well, listening to or reading the words of some Missouri student leaders, they do! But, come to think about it, I think I like the idea of freedom of speech for only ideas that I like. Who's teaching these students?????? Of course, I did hear one so-called "professor" from there who echoed a lot of this crap. BTW, who invented this "safe space" junk? And a professor who planned to continue to hold class/give an exam during all of this was pressured into tendering his resignation?????? OK, I went to Amherst during the Vietnam War protests. But it seems to me--and I think I can substantiate it without much trouble--those protests were quite different from these.
Hmmm...... If the Russians become convinced that ISIS was responsible for downing their aircraft, what will be their response? I have a sneaking suspicion that Putin will not pussyfoot like Obama. I wonder to what lengths the Russians will go to get revenge, to send a message "Don't mess with us." Is a nuclear weapon on ISIS strongholds/territory out of the question? For that matter, I asked a friend the other day, why do we have to live in fear, potentially, of getting on a plane that might carry a bomb planted by ISIS or any other jihadist group? Nuclear weapon? Sometimes I have to convince myself I'm not serious.
And here we go again, big gov't knowing what's best for us, better than we do. A half dozen or more states are seriously considering laws that require people to establish savings plans for retirement. I understand their concern, esp with people who make no plans and will be seriously strapped when they retire. But, if they make no plans, say other than Social Security, then that's their problem. They must live with their own choices. And, for many, forced savings plans would be a severe hardship. Note above, as I doubt a lot of people are experiencing any financial relief from this so-called economic "recovery." They are hurting already and being forced to establish savings plans wouldn't help them. And, in NY, the atty-general has ruled that some (the daily ones) Fantasy Sports games online are illegal; they are forms of gambling. The little bit of rationale I read seems like a stretch, a big stretch, in differentiating between season-long and weekly Fantasy Leagues. But, obviously, they know best......
Wednesday, November 4, 2015
Hmmm.....
Random thoughts on a Wed AM--at 3 AM!!!!!!
I wonder why, when I type certain words, my fingers always--and I mean always--add an extra, unwanted/unneeded letter. I was reminded of that as I typed "random" above. It came out as "randome," as it often does. And "numerical" almost always comes out as "numberical." I do catch the mistakes, most of the time.
An article the other day indicated that this so-called "economic recovery" has been good, but only for selected people. The folks who were hurt least by the recession are the ones "recovering" the best/most. The little guys are the ones who are still struggling. But we keep getting all the optimistic reports, from the Democrats in DC and from the Republicans in Lansing. I haven't noticed much of a recovery at all. And this article seems to support my anecdotal conclusions. I just look at what I am paying for things. OK, gasoline prices are down, but always seem to go up a dime or two when I need to fill up. But other things are increasing. Groceries, insurance premiums (both health and home owners, esp.) and restaurant tabs (OK, we splurge.) seem to be skyrocketing. And, I haven't had a pay raise in quite some time. Even my Social Security check next year won't see its cost-of-living increase, only the 3rd such time in more than 45 years (?). I guess those rosy economic figures are like cholesterol numbers. Looking at the overall cholesterol count no longer really matters. It's breaking it down to LDL and HDL, along with the triglycerides.
I was talking to someone the other day, discussing the unexpected hurdles life can throw in one's path. I don't remember the exact words, but she said another told her, "You never can tell, so you have to live for today." I guess I understand that, but don't at all agree. Always, always I think about the future. Not planning can create some pretty rotten "todays."
Sort of thinking about aging. I find myself tripping over things, unable to lift what I was once able to with ease, reach, etc. OK, I understand the idea of "getting older." But what is a bit more distressing is when I think, "Hey! You played two college sports and now look at you. You have trouble walking." Of course, I exaggerate. I don't have "trouble walking." I still run a lot, bike a lot (when the weather cooperates), and do a little light weight lifting. I walk and, in the spring and summer, help coach baseball, throwing BP, etc. I'm pretty active, esp when I consider my age and what other 67 year olds (just about!) do. As Matt once told me, "You're not like other old people, Dad." I'm still not certain what to make of that, but...... I do know that I will not "go gentle into that good night."
Today, in class, we'll cover the Munich Conference/Agreement of 1938. As I think about it I can't help but see so many congruencies with the Iran Nuclear Deal. According to my Congressman, Iran has already violated the agreement. As he noted, the deal is predicated on Iran changing its actions, behaving more responsibly. Yet, it has begun openly testing ballistic missiles, has convicted a US journalist (so much for freedom of expression/the press), and continues to hold a number of Americans prisoner. I forgot who recently said (Gee, I hope it wasn't Trump! I don't think it was.), "You can't make a good deal with an inherently bad person."
Speaking of Trump, no, I don't think he'll be the nominee for a variety of reasons. But I think he's been good for the nation, at the least to get us thinking. Several things seem to have become apparent along the way. One, there are a lot of dissatisfied people out here. Maybe a lot of them are the folks from a couple previous paragraphs, those still struggling economically. Maybe a lot of them have finally woken up and discovered the rotten direction the Democrats and Republicans have been and are taking us isn't a bad dream after all. Two, the Establishment Republicans are a large part of the problem. That they continue to ignore that many of their own base line Republicans are fed up is a sign of their arrogant elitism. Perhaps it's a sign of their greed, not necessarily financial, but in the lust for power or at least position. If the Republican leadership doesn't wake up, I fear they will cost themselves the White House again in '16.
I heard on the radio yesterday a call for a third party. Gee, I've been yammering for one for years, even decades. The Republicans don't represent me or people like me. The Democrats don't represent me or people like me. No, it's not all about me. (Those close to me understand that.) It's like Ronald Reagan said years ago, "I didn't leave the Democrat Party. The Democrat Party left me." I'm not sure I ever felt like a Democrat or a Republican, but if I ever did, both/each have/has "left me." I think that's the case with a lot of people.
How distressing to wake up on Mon and Tue and hear the same things on the boob tube (K watches those AM shows) and radio. More killings took place in Detroit and the region. Again I ask, where do people get the notion that it's OK to just shoot others?????? I don't comprehend the mindset. (Yeah, I used that word, "mindset," although it's close to being on my list of words not to use.) If someone "disses" you, if someone has something you want, if someone makes you feel bad, etc. just shoot them? What have we done in our culture to foster such behavior? No, I don't blame the guns. After all, shooters must consciously decide to use them.
I imagine the reasons are many. Do we add far too much stress on lives? Look what we do to our children. They can't play games by themselves any more. Baseball out in the backyard? Nope, there has to be some adult-supervised league. (Part of that blame lies with the kids themselves.) Look at high school sports. It seems each is a year-round activity, with kids pressured to pick just one. Note the so-called "travel leagues" in baseball. They have fall leagues and work out indoors all winter. Might it not be equally beneficial, even better, to have kids play different/other sports or activities? I think often it's more for the adults than it is the kids. The other day, while running with Carrie, it was in the upper 30s or lower 40s, with a fine mist hanging around. Out there on the ball fields, late October!, were some little kids, younger than 11 or 12, having a baseball practice. Yes, they were out there shivering...... Now, how will that practice help a kid be a better player next April or May?
What about the stresses in schools? When can kids be kids? We expect them, now with all this Common Core Crap (and, yes, I understand why it's there and how people came to distrust the education establishment--often for good reasons), to grow up so fast. Play time in school? C'mon, "play time" isn't on the test. Rush, Rush, Rush. We have to get algebra in by 7th or 8th grade! If these Bozos were really sharp and wanted more from K-12 education, might they consider making it K-13 education? And, how many pre-school programs are there? I know, I know...... Many kids are ready to read and learn and...at the earlier age. I don't think we've ever really considered, however, Should they read and learn at the earlier age?" And all this money spent on early development seems to ignore (or at least cherry pick) studies that show by age 9 or 10, early reading programs don't really make a difference. Can't we let kids be kids as long as possible? Being "grown up"isn't always what it's cracked up to be.
Of course, "being a kid" today might really just be playing more and more video games, watching television and movies, being on the cell phone, etc. It might be dressing up like the sluts, er, hippy-rock singers and Hollywood-types. (Check out some of the TV shows directed at kids.)
A few weeks ago, at parent conferences for Michael, I ran into a number of teachers with whom I once worked. More than one, quite a few more than one, noted that I wouldn't like the changes going on in education right now. A couple suggested I would go ballistic at some of their meetings. I think that is right, from what they've and others have said--and what I have read and heard from outside sources. If I thought the fools were in charge of education in the past few decades, I think they are even more foolish now. Far too many people are far more interested in far too many things that aren't in the best interests of quality education. And, I would submit, they are either too timid (OK, cowardly) or too ignorant to resist all the bad things happening. I've heard some callers to radio shows wonder if it's "too late" to turn around our country. I wonder if it's too late to turn around the schools, to get education out of the hands of politicians, corporate-types, and the traditional education establishment.
I wonder why, when I type certain words, my fingers always--and I mean always--add an extra, unwanted/unneeded letter. I was reminded of that as I typed "random" above. It came out as "randome," as it often does. And "numerical" almost always comes out as "numberical." I do catch the mistakes, most of the time.
An article the other day indicated that this so-called "economic recovery" has been good, but only for selected people. The folks who were hurt least by the recession are the ones "recovering" the best/most. The little guys are the ones who are still struggling. But we keep getting all the optimistic reports, from the Democrats in DC and from the Republicans in Lansing. I haven't noticed much of a recovery at all. And this article seems to support my anecdotal conclusions. I just look at what I am paying for things. OK, gasoline prices are down, but always seem to go up a dime or two when I need to fill up. But other things are increasing. Groceries, insurance premiums (both health and home owners, esp.) and restaurant tabs (OK, we splurge.) seem to be skyrocketing. And, I haven't had a pay raise in quite some time. Even my Social Security check next year won't see its cost-of-living increase, only the 3rd such time in more than 45 years (?). I guess those rosy economic figures are like cholesterol numbers. Looking at the overall cholesterol count no longer really matters. It's breaking it down to LDL and HDL, along with the triglycerides.
I was talking to someone the other day, discussing the unexpected hurdles life can throw in one's path. I don't remember the exact words, but she said another told her, "You never can tell, so you have to live for today." I guess I understand that, but don't at all agree. Always, always I think about the future. Not planning can create some pretty rotten "todays."
Sort of thinking about aging. I find myself tripping over things, unable to lift what I was once able to with ease, reach, etc. OK, I understand the idea of "getting older." But what is a bit more distressing is when I think, "Hey! You played two college sports and now look at you. You have trouble walking." Of course, I exaggerate. I don't have "trouble walking." I still run a lot, bike a lot (when the weather cooperates), and do a little light weight lifting. I walk and, in the spring and summer, help coach baseball, throwing BP, etc. I'm pretty active, esp when I consider my age and what other 67 year olds (just about!) do. As Matt once told me, "You're not like other old people, Dad." I'm still not certain what to make of that, but...... I do know that I will not "go gentle into that good night."
Today, in class, we'll cover the Munich Conference/Agreement of 1938. As I think about it I can't help but see so many congruencies with the Iran Nuclear Deal. According to my Congressman, Iran has already violated the agreement. As he noted, the deal is predicated on Iran changing its actions, behaving more responsibly. Yet, it has begun openly testing ballistic missiles, has convicted a US journalist (so much for freedom of expression/the press), and continues to hold a number of Americans prisoner. I forgot who recently said (Gee, I hope it wasn't Trump! I don't think it was.), "You can't make a good deal with an inherently bad person."
Speaking of Trump, no, I don't think he'll be the nominee for a variety of reasons. But I think he's been good for the nation, at the least to get us thinking. Several things seem to have become apparent along the way. One, there are a lot of dissatisfied people out here. Maybe a lot of them are the folks from a couple previous paragraphs, those still struggling economically. Maybe a lot of them have finally woken up and discovered the rotten direction the Democrats and Republicans have been and are taking us isn't a bad dream after all. Two, the Establishment Republicans are a large part of the problem. That they continue to ignore that many of their own base line Republicans are fed up is a sign of their arrogant elitism. Perhaps it's a sign of their greed, not necessarily financial, but in the lust for power or at least position. If the Republican leadership doesn't wake up, I fear they will cost themselves the White House again in '16.
I heard on the radio yesterday a call for a third party. Gee, I've been yammering for one for years, even decades. The Republicans don't represent me or people like me. The Democrats don't represent me or people like me. No, it's not all about me. (Those close to me understand that.) It's like Ronald Reagan said years ago, "I didn't leave the Democrat Party. The Democrat Party left me." I'm not sure I ever felt like a Democrat or a Republican, but if I ever did, both/each have/has "left me." I think that's the case with a lot of people.
How distressing to wake up on Mon and Tue and hear the same things on the boob tube (K watches those AM shows) and radio. More killings took place in Detroit and the region. Again I ask, where do people get the notion that it's OK to just shoot others?????? I don't comprehend the mindset. (Yeah, I used that word, "mindset," although it's close to being on my list of words not to use.) If someone "disses" you, if someone has something you want, if someone makes you feel bad, etc. just shoot them? What have we done in our culture to foster such behavior? No, I don't blame the guns. After all, shooters must consciously decide to use them.
I imagine the reasons are many. Do we add far too much stress on lives? Look what we do to our children. They can't play games by themselves any more. Baseball out in the backyard? Nope, there has to be some adult-supervised league. (Part of that blame lies with the kids themselves.) Look at high school sports. It seems each is a year-round activity, with kids pressured to pick just one. Note the so-called "travel leagues" in baseball. They have fall leagues and work out indoors all winter. Might it not be equally beneficial, even better, to have kids play different/other sports or activities? I think often it's more for the adults than it is the kids. The other day, while running with Carrie, it was in the upper 30s or lower 40s, with a fine mist hanging around. Out there on the ball fields, late October!, were some little kids, younger than 11 or 12, having a baseball practice. Yes, they were out there shivering...... Now, how will that practice help a kid be a better player next April or May?
What about the stresses in schools? When can kids be kids? We expect them, now with all this Common Core Crap (and, yes, I understand why it's there and how people came to distrust the education establishment--often for good reasons), to grow up so fast. Play time in school? C'mon, "play time" isn't on the test. Rush, Rush, Rush. We have to get algebra in by 7th or 8th grade! If these Bozos were really sharp and wanted more from K-12 education, might they consider making it K-13 education? And, how many pre-school programs are there? I know, I know...... Many kids are ready to read and learn and...at the earlier age. I don't think we've ever really considered, however, Should they read and learn at the earlier age?" And all this money spent on early development seems to ignore (or at least cherry pick) studies that show by age 9 or 10, early reading programs don't really make a difference. Can't we let kids be kids as long as possible? Being "grown up"isn't always what it's cracked up to be.
Of course, "being a kid" today might really just be playing more and more video games, watching television and movies, being on the cell phone, etc. It might be dressing up like the sluts, er, hippy-rock singers and Hollywood-types. (Check out some of the TV shows directed at kids.)
A few weeks ago, at parent conferences for Michael, I ran into a number of teachers with whom I once worked. More than one, quite a few more than one, noted that I wouldn't like the changes going on in education right now. A couple suggested I would go ballistic at some of their meetings. I think that is right, from what they've and others have said--and what I have read and heard from outside sources. If I thought the fools were in charge of education in the past few decades, I think they are even more foolish now. Far too many people are far more interested in far too many things that aren't in the best interests of quality education. And, I would submit, they are either too timid (OK, cowardly) or too ignorant to resist all the bad things happening. I've heard some callers to radio shows wonder if it's "too late" to turn around our country. I wonder if it's too late to turn around the schools, to get education out of the hands of politicians, corporate-types, and the traditional education establishment.
Monday, November 2, 2015
A Sign that...
...the Apocalypse is nearly upon us.
I heard not once, but twice, on different radio stations this AM news of the death of Fred Thompson that mentioned he was a lawyer and one who starred on Law and Order. But neither one note that he was a US Senator?!?!?! I guess I know where our values are.
Pronounce "quick." Now pronounce "Buick," as in the car. Isn't English great?
I read an interesting perspective on the state tests mandated by the Common Core. Many, esp at the younger ages/grades, of the tests are more a matter of computer skills than mastery of subject matter. What if that 1st or 2nd grader can't "drag and click" or perform other computer maneuvers? There goes that kid's scores, huh?
And it doesn't matter--Democrat or Republican. Our last Democrat governor proclaimed loudly and often, "Everybody goes to college," while our current Republican governor wants to make getting a college degree so easy that students can stay home and never change out of their pajamas to get one. So, again, can someone tell me what value a contemporary college degree holds?
I don't at all know that this is true, but I don't have much reason to doubt it. The marijuana sold on the street several decades ago had a potency of about 2%. The legal, medicinal marijuana now sold in a number of states has a potency of 17%. Hmmm...... Is that really so?
I still don't get the attraction of body piercings and tattoos. "Body art" they are called, are they? I guess beauty is in the eye of the beholder. That blue tattoo ink is particularly glum and depressing, isn't it?
Can you imagine a Nov 2 in Michigan--and the temperature reaches 72 degrees? Well, that's what occurred today. And the next two days are slated to match, if not surpass that. The daily records are in jeopardy. And this AM, it was 33 degrees when I took Michael to the bus stop, having to scrape frost from the windshield.
A few weeks ago, one of the Detroit Lions castigated Lions' fans at the Silverdome (or whatever the new stadium is called) for booing and other negative reactions to the Lions' play. Hmmm...... I wonder what he might be saying or thinking today. I don't watch many of the games, but did catch parts of the last two, just small parts. The Lions weren't very good. It looked as if they weren't trying very hard, as if they had cashed it all in already. So, what are the prices of Lions' tickets?????? Maybe the hundreds of dollars it costs to take a family to a single game isn't a lot of money for some player making millions, but for most of us (at least for me), that's a fortune. Luckily I don't want to go to any games.
Out to class......
I heard not once, but twice, on different radio stations this AM news of the death of Fred Thompson that mentioned he was a lawyer and one who starred on Law and Order. But neither one note that he was a US Senator?!?!?! I guess I know where our values are.
Pronounce "quick." Now pronounce "Buick," as in the car. Isn't English great?
I read an interesting perspective on the state tests mandated by the Common Core. Many, esp at the younger ages/grades, of the tests are more a matter of computer skills than mastery of subject matter. What if that 1st or 2nd grader can't "drag and click" or perform other computer maneuvers? There goes that kid's scores, huh?
And it doesn't matter--Democrat or Republican. Our last Democrat governor proclaimed loudly and often, "Everybody goes to college," while our current Republican governor wants to make getting a college degree so easy that students can stay home and never change out of their pajamas to get one. So, again, can someone tell me what value a contemporary college degree holds?
I don't at all know that this is true, but I don't have much reason to doubt it. The marijuana sold on the street several decades ago had a potency of about 2%. The legal, medicinal marijuana now sold in a number of states has a potency of 17%. Hmmm...... Is that really so?
I still don't get the attraction of body piercings and tattoos. "Body art" they are called, are they? I guess beauty is in the eye of the beholder. That blue tattoo ink is particularly glum and depressing, isn't it?
Can you imagine a Nov 2 in Michigan--and the temperature reaches 72 degrees? Well, that's what occurred today. And the next two days are slated to match, if not surpass that. The daily records are in jeopardy. And this AM, it was 33 degrees when I took Michael to the bus stop, having to scrape frost from the windshield.
A few weeks ago, one of the Detroit Lions castigated Lions' fans at the Silverdome (or whatever the new stadium is called) for booing and other negative reactions to the Lions' play. Hmmm...... I wonder what he might be saying or thinking today. I don't watch many of the games, but did catch parts of the last two, just small parts. The Lions weren't very good. It looked as if they weren't trying very hard, as if they had cashed it all in already. So, what are the prices of Lions' tickets?????? Maybe the hundreds of dollars it costs to take a family to a single game isn't a lot of money for some player making millions, but for most of us (at least for me), that's a fortune. Luckily I don't want to go to any games.
Out to class......
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