A column a couple days in the go lambasted the Republican Party, namely its leadership, for deserting its values. Indeed it has. Founded in 1854 as the party seeking to eliminate slavery, if at first only in the territories, the Republicans counted in its membership A. Lincoln and Frederick Douglass. Douglass even stressed, "I am a Republican, a black, dyed-in-the-wool Republican." He added, "I never intend to belong to any other party than the party of freedom and progress."
Today's Republicans seem to shoot themselves in the foot, from that Missouri Congressman Todd Akin to the extremely mediocre candidates they've dished up to us in the past couple of decades. In fear of appearing to live up to the Democrats' charges of "mean-spiritedness," "greed," etc., the Republicans have taken to running away from their traditional values of "liberty and progress."
In fact, most people today likely don't identify the Republican Party this way. And, that's fully understandable. When was the last time it stood up for its founding principles? Republican leaders seem to have one thing on their minds--elections. And, if perchance they are winners, they don't do anything with their victories or, rather, they don't do anything related to their founding principles. and the leadership strongarms or blackballs those like Eric Cantor, Rand Paul, and others, those who are far closer to what Republicans once stood for than any of the "mainstream" party leaders.
And, they have left me as a man without a party. As a matter of fact, I have felt for almost 30 years that neither party represents my interests or values, that neither one gets it right.
It was interesting to see this AM a letter-to-the-editor concerning the above column. I think the letter writer was trying to criticize the columnist. But, he got it all wrong. His supposed criticisms actually made her point. What he was saying, thinking he was criticizing the columnist, was not particularly thoughtful. It reminded me of the columnist E.J. Dionne. If this letter writer is typical of Democratic Party thinking, well, it's lacking. If Dionne is what the liberals hold up as thoughtful, well, he's not.
A former student e-mailed me an article that told of a Lehigh University student who is suing the school because she received a C+ in a course. I think the amount sought is well over $1 million in damages, damages stemming from her inability to get where she wanted to be in her career choice. What have we come to?????? Why isn't this one laughed out of court? No, wait. I think I'll watch this with some interest. Let's see, at Amherst I had quite a few Cs and C+s (I wonder if B-s would also count as being damaging?). And when I returned to Michigan, I applied to well over three dozen different school districts. In fact, I was only interviewed twice--with an Amherst degree, work experience, organization leadership, and athletic experience and leadership. So, the only reasonable answer to why I didn't get any interviews is my C and C+ grades. I was competing against others who all got As and Bs at their schools. (Toss in the fact that lamebrained so-called "educators" in Michigan never heard of Amherst College.) And, since this was more than 40 years ago, the compounding of the losses over that span.... Oh, I could make billions in a lawsuit! Yes, I'm being facetious (well, mostly). I still, to this day and every day, thank heaven for my Amherst education and overall experience. I am a very, very lucky man.
I was informed today that there is an incipient movement afoot to pull Amherst College out of the NCAA. The thought is that the NCAA is antithetic to the values and standards of college education and that Amherst is a leader (or at least purports to be one). If Amherst relishes its role as one of the very best institutions of higher learning in the US, then it has a responsibility. I don't know how far this is going--likely nowhere--but I like the thought. The NCAA has become a caricature of the folly of "student-athlete." (See my previous post about "student-athletes" as I remember them.) Eric Hoffer once wrote, "Every great cause begins as a movement, becomes a business, and eventually degenerates into a racket." The NCAA, once begun with noble intentions, seems to have lost that vision and is in existence only to keep that existence. I hope it can prove me wrong.
Wednesday, February 13, 2013
AM Musings
There's not much cooler than watching my grandkids napping or sleeping. They are so serene. I often pull up a chair or even just sit on the floor next to them while I read a book. Then, when they wake up, open their eyes, and give me a great big smile....
Speaking of grandkids, Bopper asked me a question on the drive home from practice last night. He had forgotten his "pack-ack" and couldn't do his homework before practice, so I reminded him he had to get it done as soon as we arrived home. After a few seconds of digesting my words, he asked me, "Grandpa, when you were in college, what did you do about sports and school?" "What do you mean?" "Well, if you had school and games, what did you do?" Ah, the memories! I told him classes and homework always came first. Now we often, in fact, almost always scheduled our classes in the AM so afternoons would be open for practices and games. I told him, "I'd go to class for two or three hours each morning and then work in the dining hall (with my buddies!) until 2 or 2:30. Then we'd head down to practice early. We'd finish our practices in time to get back up for dinner at the dining hall." If we had a game, a home game, and it lasted after the dining hall closed, we'd get money to go eat in town. Away games, we at at restaurants. (And, I must admit, our coaches always stopped at great restaurants, some of the very best in New England!) I then told Michael, "And after dinner I'd go to the library from 6:30 or 7:00 usually until it closed at 11:00 or shortly after." I did admit to him the entire four hours wasn't for studying; I would take extended breaks to yak with people (even the prettiest visiting coeds!) or to read the newspaper. Now, contrary to popular belief, I had nothing to do with the night the keg of beer was smuggled into the library, even though it appeared on my third floor. In fact, regrettably, I wasn't there that night for whatever reason; that was an oddity. I even mentioned to him that after Saturday road games, more than once I'd find a classroom in a classroom building (the library was closed Sat eves) and study for a couple of hours before heading back to the house and the party. True story.
We had a good, a very good, baseball team my senior year. We were ranked somewhere near the top in New England, regardless of division--we had played and beaten a number of Div 1 schools. But, when we received an invitation to the post-season NCAA tournament, the faculty said "no" and that was that. None of us ever complained or whined. We knew what Amherst was all about. If I recall, the basketball team the year before had a similar situation, having defeated a couple of teams that later went far into the Div 3 tournament, but wasn't allowed to play. True stories.
The football team was playing a game in Rochester, NY, flying out on Fri afternoon--after classes, of course. The problem was Doug Swift had a Sat AM class--no "cuts" were allowed in Prof. Ziegler's classes. Oh, Doug was a starting linebacker and a good one. How good? He later started on the two Miami Dolphin teams that won Super Bowls (one team going undefeated!) in the early '70s. A buddy met Doug outside Williston Hall after class and drove him to Bradley Field, where he caught a flight to Rochester. An alum picked him up at the airport and drove him to UR. He played and flew home with the team. Another true story.
Last night the AC basketball team, ranked #2 in the nation in Div 3, defeated #3 ranked Middlebury in a triple overtime game. How exciting! 2 v 3! triple overtime! and, of course, a win! But I found myself, when reading the recap, wondering and hoping that "They still have to go to class don't they?" I'll bet they do--and do the mountain-load of work that's required.
Student-athlete......
Speaking of grandkids, Bopper asked me a question on the drive home from practice last night. He had forgotten his "pack-ack" and couldn't do his homework before practice, so I reminded him he had to get it done as soon as we arrived home. After a few seconds of digesting my words, he asked me, "Grandpa, when you were in college, what did you do about sports and school?" "What do you mean?" "Well, if you had school and games, what did you do?" Ah, the memories! I told him classes and homework always came first. Now we often, in fact, almost always scheduled our classes in the AM so afternoons would be open for practices and games. I told him, "I'd go to class for two or three hours each morning and then work in the dining hall (with my buddies!) until 2 or 2:30. Then we'd head down to practice early. We'd finish our practices in time to get back up for dinner at the dining hall." If we had a game, a home game, and it lasted after the dining hall closed, we'd get money to go eat in town. Away games, we at at restaurants. (And, I must admit, our coaches always stopped at great restaurants, some of the very best in New England!) I then told Michael, "And after dinner I'd go to the library from 6:30 or 7:00 usually until it closed at 11:00 or shortly after." I did admit to him the entire four hours wasn't for studying; I would take extended breaks to yak with people (even the prettiest visiting coeds!) or to read the newspaper. Now, contrary to popular belief, I had nothing to do with the night the keg of beer was smuggled into the library, even though it appeared on my third floor. In fact, regrettably, I wasn't there that night for whatever reason; that was an oddity. I even mentioned to him that after Saturday road games, more than once I'd find a classroom in a classroom building (the library was closed Sat eves) and study for a couple of hours before heading back to the house and the party. True story.
We had a good, a very good, baseball team my senior year. We were ranked somewhere near the top in New England, regardless of division--we had played and beaten a number of Div 1 schools. But, when we received an invitation to the post-season NCAA tournament, the faculty said "no" and that was that. None of us ever complained or whined. We knew what Amherst was all about. If I recall, the basketball team the year before had a similar situation, having defeated a couple of teams that later went far into the Div 3 tournament, but wasn't allowed to play. True stories.
The football team was playing a game in Rochester, NY, flying out on Fri afternoon--after classes, of course. The problem was Doug Swift had a Sat AM class--no "cuts" were allowed in Prof. Ziegler's classes. Oh, Doug was a starting linebacker and a good one. How good? He later started on the two Miami Dolphin teams that won Super Bowls (one team going undefeated!) in the early '70s. A buddy met Doug outside Williston Hall after class and drove him to Bradley Field, where he caught a flight to Rochester. An alum picked him up at the airport and drove him to UR. He played and flew home with the team. Another true story.
Last night the AC basketball team, ranked #2 in the nation in Div 3, defeated #3 ranked Middlebury in a triple overtime game. How exciting! 2 v 3! triple overtime! and, of course, a win! But I found myself, when reading the recap, wondering and hoping that "They still have to go to class don't they?" I'll bet they do--and do the mountain-load of work that's required.
Student-athlete......
Sunday, February 10, 2013
"Whimp" or "Wimp," redux
So, schools were called here with 4 or 5 inches of snow, although some say they received 6 inches (I find it's always a little bit more when people shovel). Imagine New England! I sent out feelers and reports came back in--startling! Portland, ME...32". Newburyport, MA, Simsbury and Farmington, CT...28-29". One mate said he had drifts of 5' and 6', with snow piled a foot over the handle of his front door! I guess, here, schools would be out a couple of weeks? One of my mates thought, just thought, schools were called off tomorrow (Mon) out where he lives. But, worse, imagine being without power in that.
Leonard Pitts had a good column today (and I've not cared much for him the past year or so) about the courage of Rosa Parks. Yes, that was one brave lady. I remember reading that, after she had posted bail and been released from jail, sitting around the kitchen table that evening with her husband, he said, "Rosa, you know they'll kill you." They, or at least he, thought the white supremacists would kill her. And, that was the modus operandi of the South at the time. Tell me that lady wasn't courageous! It was also deflating that Pitts mention, as part of his column, how some people still get their "facts" and "opinions." That is scary.
One of the basketball dads isn't particularly happy with my coaching. Oh, he was polite, nicely phrasing his concerns. It wasn't anything to do with his kid's playing time--all the kids pretty much play the same amount of time. But, he wasn't happy. I won't go into his complaint(s), but it's good that he voiced them--very good. I initially was a bit put off by them, but then realized they give me an opportunity to live what I preach about my historical hero--Abraham Lincoln. I reread his views and, although I still believe in my methods, can work some of his good ideas into the last three weeks' of practices and games. I am not sure they will work, given the skill levels, but Lincoln's lesson is one I'm glad I remembered. Yes, I believe you can teach an old dog new tricks.
Speaking of "old dogs," for whatever reason, 64 seems a lot older to me than 63 did. When I put my age on surveys and whatnot, I think, "Wow! 64...that's getting up there." I think I've noted how my mental faculties are slipping. I know, I know--oh, oh. There wasn't much there anyway and now I'm losing that? And I'm more tired than ever. I hate to get more than 5 or 6 hours of sleep a night; there's too much to do. But I might have to concede I need more rest. I refuse to give up anything as of yet. 64 was the age my mother died, but that doesn't weigh too heavily on me. (Boy, it's been almost 18 years and I miss her as much today as I did, well, 18 years ago.) Yet, I remember, she was in pretty good health, no smoking and no drinking, never had been sick--in the hospital just for her five kids. From out of nowhere, poof magic!, pancreatic and kidney cancer.
You know, I love, just love how the kids talk sometimes. I think it's great Bopper rarely uses a contraction. He says, "I can not" instead of "I can't" and "I would not" instead of "I wouldn't" and so on. Yesterday, he asked me what a "communist" is, since I call a lot of people "commies." And, "Why do you call Uncle Matt a 'semi-communist?'" I'll say, "the proverbial..." whatever. The other day he said, out of nowhere, "The verbial...." It took me a few seconds to catch on, but when I did I burst out laughing. Ash provided a great moment for me yesterday when she asked me to buy her a "hock gawg." How could I pass up buying her a 'hock gawg?" I couldn't. And, although she now corrects me, I still say "pack-ack" for "backpack." And I always get a kick out of four-year old Codester, "But I'm your 'Big Guy!'" Sometimes it's the little things that mean the most.
And, of course, Tue is Abraham Lincoln's 204th birthday. I am always reminded of the words, written in 1922, of W.E.B. DuBois, who said, "Abraham Lincoln was perhaps the greatest figure of the nineteenth century. Certainly of the five masters,--Napoleon, Bismarck, Victoria, Browning and Lincoln, Lincoln is to me the most human and lovable. And I love him not because he was perfect but because he was not and yet triumphed. The world is full of illegitimate children. The world is full of folk whose taste was educated in the gutter. The world is full of people born hating and despising their fellows. To these I love to say: See this man. He was one of you and yet he became Abraham Lincoln." (My italics.) Wow! "He was one of you and yet he became Abraham Lincoln." What another great lesson! How uplifting!
Somehow we've created another pair of synonyms that shouldn't be. Americans have come to equate "leaders" with "politicians." I would have thought Lee Iacocca's book of 15 or so years ago would have disspelled that mistaken connection. (He called them--and many self-centered business leaders, too--"Bozos.") Apparently, it didn't. Perhaps when we get over this misconception things will straighten out.
Leonard Pitts had a good column today (and I've not cared much for him the past year or so) about the courage of Rosa Parks. Yes, that was one brave lady. I remember reading that, after she had posted bail and been released from jail, sitting around the kitchen table that evening with her husband, he said, "Rosa, you know they'll kill you." They, or at least he, thought the white supremacists would kill her. And, that was the modus operandi of the South at the time. Tell me that lady wasn't courageous! It was also deflating that Pitts mention, as part of his column, how some people still get their "facts" and "opinions." That is scary.
One of the basketball dads isn't particularly happy with my coaching. Oh, he was polite, nicely phrasing his concerns. It wasn't anything to do with his kid's playing time--all the kids pretty much play the same amount of time. But, he wasn't happy. I won't go into his complaint(s), but it's good that he voiced them--very good. I initially was a bit put off by them, but then realized they give me an opportunity to live what I preach about my historical hero--Abraham Lincoln. I reread his views and, although I still believe in my methods, can work some of his good ideas into the last three weeks' of practices and games. I am not sure they will work, given the skill levels, but Lincoln's lesson is one I'm glad I remembered. Yes, I believe you can teach an old dog new tricks.
Speaking of "old dogs," for whatever reason, 64 seems a lot older to me than 63 did. When I put my age on surveys and whatnot, I think, "Wow! 64...that's getting up there." I think I've noted how my mental faculties are slipping. I know, I know--oh, oh. There wasn't much there anyway and now I'm losing that? And I'm more tired than ever. I hate to get more than 5 or 6 hours of sleep a night; there's too much to do. But I might have to concede I need more rest. I refuse to give up anything as of yet. 64 was the age my mother died, but that doesn't weigh too heavily on me. (Boy, it's been almost 18 years and I miss her as much today as I did, well, 18 years ago.) Yet, I remember, she was in pretty good health, no smoking and no drinking, never had been sick--in the hospital just for her five kids. From out of nowhere, poof magic!, pancreatic and kidney cancer.
You know, I love, just love how the kids talk sometimes. I think it's great Bopper rarely uses a contraction. He says, "I can not" instead of "I can't" and "I would not" instead of "I wouldn't" and so on. Yesterday, he asked me what a "communist" is, since I call a lot of people "commies." And, "Why do you call Uncle Matt a 'semi-communist?'" I'll say, "the proverbial..." whatever. The other day he said, out of nowhere, "The verbial...." It took me a few seconds to catch on, but when I did I burst out laughing. Ash provided a great moment for me yesterday when she asked me to buy her a "hock gawg." How could I pass up buying her a 'hock gawg?" I couldn't. And, although she now corrects me, I still say "pack-ack" for "backpack." And I always get a kick out of four-year old Codester, "But I'm your 'Big Guy!'" Sometimes it's the little things that mean the most.
And, of course, Tue is Abraham Lincoln's 204th birthday. I am always reminded of the words, written in 1922, of W.E.B. DuBois, who said, "Abraham Lincoln was perhaps the greatest figure of the nineteenth century. Certainly of the five masters,--Napoleon, Bismarck, Victoria, Browning and Lincoln, Lincoln is to me the most human and lovable. And I love him not because he was perfect but because he was not and yet triumphed. The world is full of illegitimate children. The world is full of folk whose taste was educated in the gutter. The world is full of people born hating and despising their fellows. To these I love to say: See this man. He was one of you and yet he became Abraham Lincoln." (My italics.) Wow! "He was one of you and yet he became Abraham Lincoln." What another great lesson! How uplifting!
Somehow we've created another pair of synonyms that shouldn't be. Americans have come to equate "leaders" with "politicians." I would have thought Lee Iacocca's book of 15 or so years ago would have disspelled that mistaken connection. (He called them--and many self-centered business leaders, too--"Bozos.") Apparently, it didn't. Perhaps when we get over this misconception things will straighten out.
Friday, February 8, 2013
"Whimp" or "Wimp?"
Is it spelled "Whimp" or "Wimp?" Today, it's the schools who are "whimpy" or "wimpy." C'mon...no school with 4" of snow, maybe 4 1/2"? Granted, in our large school district, snow depths can vary by quite a bit. Where we now live might have 2-3", while where we once lived could have 7-8" and vice versa. So I know. But.... There was no reason, that I can see, for no school. Now, last week it was nasty--icy and I certainly wouldn't have wanted to drive or ride on a bus with the slick roads. But today? Now I know the media, once again, blew this one out of proportion. When I got home from class last night and settled, Karen was watching the news, which was all about the weather. Oh, the storm coming in! Stores were surveyed. The road commissions were interviewed. The maps were pulled out. And, fizzle, fizzle, fizzle.... All that for 4"? I haven't seen that any areas around here received more than that. My guess is schools will point to "All the schools around here were closed," as if that's a good reason. What did my mother use to tell me? If everyone else jumped off the roof, would you, too? Still, the kids and Grandma were excited to have another day off.
It sure is pretty out there. I don't know what Round it now is (not with the four or five or six 1-2" snowfalls we've had the past couple of weeks), but today's shoveling was fun and, to my surprise, pretty easy. I expected a heavier/wetter snow, but it was quite powdery. I know, I know...thinking that shoveling show is fun is sick, but I enjoy it.
I still wonder why so many folks, with teenage kids, either have snowblowers or plow services. Shouldn't kids be shoveling? I suppose, though, that the economy, namely snowblower producers and health care (at least the future) providers, will benefit.
It sure is pretty out there. I don't know what Round it now is (not with the four or five or six 1-2" snowfalls we've had the past couple of weeks), but today's shoveling was fun and, to my surprise, pretty easy. I expected a heavier/wetter snow, but it was quite powdery. I know, I know...thinking that shoveling show is fun is sick, but I enjoy it.
I still wonder why so many folks, with teenage kids, either have snowblowers or plow services. Shouldn't kids be shoveling? I suppose, though, that the economy, namely snowblower producers and health care (at least the future) providers, will benefit.
Deficit?
What is the old joke? When is a decrease in spending really an increase in spending?
Well, apparently Congress is at it again. The deficit for the next fiscal year is supposed to be under $1 trillion, about $900 billion. And, our political leaders tell us, that's "good news." "Good news?"
It's great how they aim for, say 15% increases in spending in the budget, and if they only get an increase of 10%, they consider that a "cut." Huh?
And what's with this "Gang of Four" plan for the illegal immigration problem? It sure sounds like an amnesty to me. Now, I'm actually in favor of immigration. After all, each of my four grandparents was an immigrant. And the so-called "anchor babies" are, in my book, natural-born US citizens. But I have some problems with merely giving all those who are now here illegally legal status with one swipe of the magic legislative wand. First, what about all those immigrants who are doing things the right way, that is, legally? What message about not obeying the laws does this amnesty say? Second, what about all the back taxes the illegals have paid over the years? They've taken advantage of living here for free (that is, no taxes)--schools, roads, medical help, etc. And, they've been a burden on the rest of Americans. Third, let's see, wouldn't such a blanket amnesty (oh, these guys won't call it that, but they just make up stuff anyway) encourage a great influx of illegals? The explanation that there would be a cut-off date, perhaps a year (back to 2012), for amnesty is a joke. These guys can't be that stupid, can they? (But, some folks I know who have dealings with the DC-types assure me that can be that stupid.) How do they know exactly when an illegal came here, how long he/she has been here? It a guy says he's been here five years, how can anyone say different? Oh, I see...they'll check is visa/passport.
It's also nice to know that the latest projections have Social Security running out even sooner than what was project just last year. And, if the projections keep getting more and more dire, anyone younger than 50 or 55 won't see a penny. Great job politicians! Over the decades, you have succeeded in making people believe Social Security is an old-age pension, not merely the supplement it was originally intended to be.
Well, apparently Congress is at it again. The deficit for the next fiscal year is supposed to be under $1 trillion, about $900 billion. And, our political leaders tell us, that's "good news." "Good news?"
It's great how they aim for, say 15% increases in spending in the budget, and if they only get an increase of 10%, they consider that a "cut." Huh?
And what's with this "Gang of Four" plan for the illegal immigration problem? It sure sounds like an amnesty to me. Now, I'm actually in favor of immigration. After all, each of my four grandparents was an immigrant. And the so-called "anchor babies" are, in my book, natural-born US citizens. But I have some problems with merely giving all those who are now here illegally legal status with one swipe of the magic legislative wand. First, what about all those immigrants who are doing things the right way, that is, legally? What message about not obeying the laws does this amnesty say? Second, what about all the back taxes the illegals have paid over the years? They've taken advantage of living here for free (that is, no taxes)--schools, roads, medical help, etc. And, they've been a burden on the rest of Americans. Third, let's see, wouldn't such a blanket amnesty (oh, these guys won't call it that, but they just make up stuff anyway) encourage a great influx of illegals? The explanation that there would be a cut-off date, perhaps a year (back to 2012), for amnesty is a joke. These guys can't be that stupid, can they? (But, some folks I know who have dealings with the DC-types assure me that can be that stupid.) How do they know exactly when an illegal came here, how long he/she has been here? It a guy says he's been here five years, how can anyone say different? Oh, I see...they'll check is visa/passport.
It's also nice to know that the latest projections have Social Security running out even sooner than what was project just last year. And, if the projections keep getting more and more dire, anyone younger than 50 or 55 won't see a penny. Great job politicians! Over the decades, you have succeeded in making people believe Social Security is an old-age pension, not merely the supplement it was originally intended to be.
Wednesday, February 6, 2013
Schools
Sometimes I sit and wonder and sometimes I just sits.
I don't have confirmation of this, but don't at all doubt it. In fact, I wonder what has taken so long for this to happen. Some school district has stopped giving homework because those who do it have an unfair advantage over those who don't do it. Now, like most folks, I'd likely scoff at this, saying, "Nah, this couldn't be true." But, after 42 years in education, I believe it. I'd just like to know where and how widespread this homework thing is.
In my experience, schools have often made a farce of success. Sometimes it is watered down so much as to make in meaningless. I worked, part-time, at a college which annually gave a "teacher-of-the-year" award to someone in a particular department. I don't know what other recognition was included, but "winners" names were etched on a plaque that hung in a corridor, for all to see. I wonder if others saw what I did. The first member (that is, the one who had the most seniority) was the first recipient. Then, another department member, then another. Including new hires, once all the full-timers were "winners," giving the award just started over again, with the same names, winning twice and then beginning a third round. And, often (and not to single out this place, but many places) recognition is given to some who really don't deserve it. Such recognition diminishes that actually deserved by others. But, in the schools, we certainly don't want to make anyone feel uncomfortable, left out, etc. And I remember some of the comments on my own college papers at Amherst: "No sloppy thinking allowed." "If you can't do better work than this, maybe you better think about transferring to another school." Comments like those--and others!--will get one's attention pretty quickly. They certainly got mine.
You know, speaking of "unfair advantages," maybe, at some big marathon like Chicago, New York, or Boston--one with a big payday--I could start at mile 20 while the elites like the Kenyans and Ethiopians run the entire 26.2 miles. Then, that would eliminate the unfair advantage they have over me and I'd now have a fair chance to win all that money! In fact, they already are cheating by running well over 100 miles a week, pushing their bodies with all that hard work, keeping their weight down, etc. Maybe I should just win the money without racing at all??????
There must be a fine line between doing what's politically expedient and being a coward. I'd like to know where that fine line is located.
Learning? I know time is running out, but I still want to learn it all. There's just so much more to learn. The more I learn the more I realize how much I really don't know. What brought this to mind was something a student asked me. I hadn't even heard of this, but have started some research. And, it's led to more research..... There's just so much more to learn.
Even though we won our first little league basketball game last weekend, after 7 unsuccessful tries (OK, losses), I was bummed out because of the rotten officiating and the lack of apparent concern
demonstrated by the league. I was pumped up a bit again last night, though, at our practice. We scrimmaged, for something new to do, with a team that shares the gym with us. This team whupped us pretty good the first week of the season, game 2 I think. But last night, our first group more than held its own against the other first group, doing a lot of things right, including scoring more than the "bad guys." Our second group pretty much gave all the points back, but still a couple of the guys did some things right for the first time! Hooray! We're back on track--and so am I.
Why have the weekend newspaper coups been so lousy lately, since about Thanksgiving? I thought there'd at least be a nice collection for the Super Bowl, but nope.
Speaking of the Super Bowl...... "Blackout?" What "blackout?" That shows how much I was paying attention. But the food room was a good place to be!
I don't have confirmation of this, but don't at all doubt it. In fact, I wonder what has taken so long for this to happen. Some school district has stopped giving homework because those who do it have an unfair advantage over those who don't do it. Now, like most folks, I'd likely scoff at this, saying, "Nah, this couldn't be true." But, after 42 years in education, I believe it. I'd just like to know where and how widespread this homework thing is.
In my experience, schools have often made a farce of success. Sometimes it is watered down so much as to make in meaningless. I worked, part-time, at a college which annually gave a "teacher-of-the-year" award to someone in a particular department. I don't know what other recognition was included, but "winners" names were etched on a plaque that hung in a corridor, for all to see. I wonder if others saw what I did. The first member (that is, the one who had the most seniority) was the first recipient. Then, another department member, then another. Including new hires, once all the full-timers were "winners," giving the award just started over again, with the same names, winning twice and then beginning a third round. And, often (and not to single out this place, but many places) recognition is given to some who really don't deserve it. Such recognition diminishes that actually deserved by others. But, in the schools, we certainly don't want to make anyone feel uncomfortable, left out, etc. And I remember some of the comments on my own college papers at Amherst: "No sloppy thinking allowed." "If you can't do better work than this, maybe you better think about transferring to another school." Comments like those--and others!--will get one's attention pretty quickly. They certainly got mine.
You know, speaking of "unfair advantages," maybe, at some big marathon like Chicago, New York, or Boston--one with a big payday--I could start at mile 20 while the elites like the Kenyans and Ethiopians run the entire 26.2 miles. Then, that would eliminate the unfair advantage they have over me and I'd now have a fair chance to win all that money! In fact, they already are cheating by running well over 100 miles a week, pushing their bodies with all that hard work, keeping their weight down, etc. Maybe I should just win the money without racing at all??????
There must be a fine line between doing what's politically expedient and being a coward. I'd like to know where that fine line is located.
Learning? I know time is running out, but I still want to learn it all. There's just so much more to learn. The more I learn the more I realize how much I really don't know. What brought this to mind was something a student asked me. I hadn't even heard of this, but have started some research. And, it's led to more research..... There's just so much more to learn.
Even though we won our first little league basketball game last weekend, after 7 unsuccessful tries (OK, losses), I was bummed out because of the rotten officiating and the lack of apparent concern
demonstrated by the league. I was pumped up a bit again last night, though, at our practice. We scrimmaged, for something new to do, with a team that shares the gym with us. This team whupped us pretty good the first week of the season, game 2 I think. But last night, our first group more than held its own against the other first group, doing a lot of things right, including scoring more than the "bad guys." Our second group pretty much gave all the points back, but still a couple of the guys did some things right for the first time! Hooray! We're back on track--and so am I.
Why have the weekend newspaper coups been so lousy lately, since about Thanksgiving? I thought there'd at least be a nice collection for the Super Bowl, but nope.
Speaking of the Super Bowl...... "Blackout?" What "blackout?" That shows how much I was paying attention. But the food room was a good place to be!
Saturday, February 2, 2013
Sat Thoughts
Can it be 12 years already? There are days when one can recall exactly where he/she was, years after the fact. Twelve years ago today, I know and know well. In fact, I told Bopper, "Twelve years ago today I was holding you and you weren't an hour old yet." He grinned and said, "I bet you can't do that now." Maybe, maybe not. But it was one of the greatest days of my life, no doubt. In fact, I held each of my three grandkids before they were an hour old. Grandma has said the wonder is that I ever gave them up!
I'm upset with my coaching today. OK, we won our first game of the season. But I am left with a sour taste in my mouth from the lousy officiating. Now, to be certain, I could care less if there are never any 3 second calls (it's actually 5 seconds in our little league), travel calls, in-bound violation calls, etc. But fouls? Those are a different matter. It really irks me that they are called. OK, so we can't call everything, at least, every little thing. But I would certainly think running into a dribbler, sort of like a trap block in football, to steal the ball should be called. I would think that if a kid goes home with welt marks all over his forearms, there should have been some fouls called. I would think that if a dribbler is pushed out of bounds a foul should be called instead of whistling the kid for, well, going out of bounds. I should think that if a team is whistled for "deliberate fouls" three times, as if a 5th-6th grader who can hardly run can "deliberately" do anything, on breakaways from behind (I fully agree my kids fouled, just not the "deliberate" part, which was explained as "pushing from behind) then the other team which also did it three or four times should be at least called for fouls, if not "deliberate." Yep, it ruined my appreciation for the win. What makes this esp grating is that I've been pointing it out in polite letters to the league. I've had as many as three kids a game injured, unable to play. In fact, our best player didn't play the second game last week due to a such a foul, most surely preventing our first win then. He didn't play up to par at all today, either. My own kid was undercut on a breakaway layup, landing on his mouth and slicing a tooth in half--no foul. My other kid, after one game, when to the ER for a thigh injury, only to come home with 7 stitches in his head and a calf wrap, neither of which we knew--and he never shot a free throw. What's so hard to see all of the time? Yep, I realize, after 20 years of high school officiating, it's a hard job and that not everything can be seen. But, esp, on breakaways? point guards out in the open at half court? I'm upset that I let the lousy officiating get to me.
Hey, what happened? A week ago, I filled up the gas tank at $3.39 a gallon. I was running low yesterday, after chasing all over after the kids this week, and opted to fill up. Whoa! I went past a station that advertised $3.66 a gallon, wondering where that came from. With only "18 miles to empty," I figured I'd better stop and I did, at a station with $3.71 a gallon! That's almost $5 more a fill-up. And that's a welcome figure, too, after having one of my paychecks (working part-time) $90 short (due to government stealing, er, withholding--that is, tax increases!) and the other about $25 short--since the first of the year! Yeah, I guess I favor an increase in the state gasoline tax, higher auto registration fees, or a rise in the state sales tax from 6% to 8%. Let's not forget, as the President has said, "We don't have a spending problem." I received an e-mail from Congressman Levin last week, touting his efforts at what he termed, "Paycheck Equality." I responded with an e-mail of my own, asking what he was going to do about my paychecks being short since Jan 1. Yeah, you guessed it--I received no reply.
Such a great letter-to-the-editor in today's newspaper! It had a great campaign slogan for candidate for President in 2016 Hillary Clinton--"Who Cares?" That, of course, is in reference to her incredibly ignorant and callous response to a Benghazi question before the Senate committee a couple of weeks ago. But, with the types of voters we have out there today, I think she'd get elected. Of course, I think Kwame Kilpatrick would be re-elected in a heartbeat.
What an odd day! I finished both hard Saturday crosswords--much more difficult than the Sunday New York Times crossword--without too much difficulty. Maybe their creators were giving us a bit of a break, maybe. I really look forward to those Sat crosswords.
Speaking of Sunday newspapers, boy the coups have been pretty rotten since about Thanksgiving or so. There are some good ones, but not nearly as good as usual. BTW, with bottle returns, though, I spent 35 cents for groceries today. Granted, it was a short list and I have to head out to the other store tomorrow for another short list (I won't spend $10, not close). Still...I'll take it for a week's groceries (no meats). Why everyone doesn't clip coups beats me.
Out for the birthday party....
I'm upset with my coaching today. OK, we won our first game of the season. But I am left with a sour taste in my mouth from the lousy officiating. Now, to be certain, I could care less if there are never any 3 second calls (it's actually 5 seconds in our little league), travel calls, in-bound violation calls, etc. But fouls? Those are a different matter. It really irks me that they are called. OK, so we can't call everything, at least, every little thing. But I would certainly think running into a dribbler, sort of like a trap block in football, to steal the ball should be called. I would think that if a kid goes home with welt marks all over his forearms, there should have been some fouls called. I would think that if a dribbler is pushed out of bounds a foul should be called instead of whistling the kid for, well, going out of bounds. I should think that if a team is whistled for "deliberate fouls" three times, as if a 5th-6th grader who can hardly run can "deliberately" do anything, on breakaways from behind (I fully agree my kids fouled, just not the "deliberate" part, which was explained as "pushing from behind) then the other team which also did it three or four times should be at least called for fouls, if not "deliberate." Yep, it ruined my appreciation for the win. What makes this esp grating is that I've been pointing it out in polite letters to the league. I've had as many as three kids a game injured, unable to play. In fact, our best player didn't play the second game last week due to a such a foul, most surely preventing our first win then. He didn't play up to par at all today, either. My own kid was undercut on a breakaway layup, landing on his mouth and slicing a tooth in half--no foul. My other kid, after one game, when to the ER for a thigh injury, only to come home with 7 stitches in his head and a calf wrap, neither of which we knew--and he never shot a free throw. What's so hard to see all of the time? Yep, I realize, after 20 years of high school officiating, it's a hard job and that not everything can be seen. But, esp, on breakaways? point guards out in the open at half court? I'm upset that I let the lousy officiating get to me.
Hey, what happened? A week ago, I filled up the gas tank at $3.39 a gallon. I was running low yesterday, after chasing all over after the kids this week, and opted to fill up. Whoa! I went past a station that advertised $3.66 a gallon, wondering where that came from. With only "18 miles to empty," I figured I'd better stop and I did, at a station with $3.71 a gallon! That's almost $5 more a fill-up. And that's a welcome figure, too, after having one of my paychecks (working part-time) $90 short (due to government stealing, er, withholding--that is, tax increases!) and the other about $25 short--since the first of the year! Yeah, I guess I favor an increase in the state gasoline tax, higher auto registration fees, or a rise in the state sales tax from 6% to 8%. Let's not forget, as the President has said, "We don't have a spending problem." I received an e-mail from Congressman Levin last week, touting his efforts at what he termed, "Paycheck Equality." I responded with an e-mail of my own, asking what he was going to do about my paychecks being short since Jan 1. Yeah, you guessed it--I received no reply.
Such a great letter-to-the-editor in today's newspaper! It had a great campaign slogan for candidate for President in 2016 Hillary Clinton--"Who Cares?" That, of course, is in reference to her incredibly ignorant and callous response to a Benghazi question before the Senate committee a couple of weeks ago. But, with the types of voters we have out there today, I think she'd get elected. Of course, I think Kwame Kilpatrick would be re-elected in a heartbeat.
What an odd day! I finished both hard Saturday crosswords--much more difficult than the Sunday New York Times crossword--without too much difficulty. Maybe their creators were giving us a bit of a break, maybe. I really look forward to those Sat crosswords.
Speaking of Sunday newspapers, boy the coups have been pretty rotten since about Thanksgiving or so. There are some good ones, but not nearly as good as usual. BTW, with bottle returns, though, I spent 35 cents for groceries today. Granted, it was a short list and I have to head out to the other store tomorrow for another short list (I won't spend $10, not close). Still...I'll take it for a week's groceries (no meats). Why everyone doesn't clip coups beats me.
Out for the birthday party....
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