Today is the day before Sandy is supposed to hit the east coast. When I think about it bearing down on the most densely populated part of the east coast, it is a bit scary. There are some good things about it. Not every waking minute of TV broadcasting is filled with lies about political candidates. I think it is God saying,"Excuse me, bigger problems here. More power here. You give individuals credit for all that happens in the world and I can squash your thinking with one storm". Even the timing is perfect. Just a little over a week away, we will hopefully find out who won and who will be president. The winner will be able to go home, write memoirs and give soundbite speeches now and then. The president gets to gather blame for everything that goes wrong in the world.
Truth is, there will be unemployment, there will be war, there will be finger pointing and that is just in congress. Life will go on. People will be used and abused, the evil rich will steal money, the poor will steal money. Drugs will still be a problem on the streets and in the boardrooms. Bullying will still be a problem in the schools and in the boardroom. Conservatives will blame the liberals and liberals will blame the conservatives. Life will go on, and down. No single person. including the president, can change that in 4 years or 8 years. It takes generations. It takes teaching the youngest ones to expect better. It takes generations of teaching the youngest ones to do better.
God is speaking to us. During the coming Hurricane, while you are sitting in your dark quiet house listening to the wind and rain, listen carefully for the still small voice in the midst of it. "I am. I am the blessed controller of all things. Turn your hearts to love. THAT is where the answer is." Listen to the still small voice of God. Then do what he says. Whoever wins the presidency, pray for that person. Teach your children to respect the office of president, to love everyone, especially those you don't like. They need it the most. Trust God to do the rest. That wind you are hearing lets us know that He is actually the one in charge!
Sunday, October 28, 2012
Friday, October 19, 2012
Education
Boy, did I pick the right time to retire. Our school district has a new curriculum, a new gradebook online, and a new report card.
Everyone knows people do not like change. This is change. It is hard for teachers who have taught their way for several years. It is hard for the parents who still remember what school was like when they were kids. It isn't really hard for kids because they are constantly facing change. But then you throw in the little things like how do you assess this new curriculum. Well, they haven't quite figured that out yet. But it is coming.
There are some things about the new curriculum that are very exciting and positive. They are actually asking the children to think, evaluate, cooperate, synthesize and adjust their thinking. This is very important if we want our young adults to be able to return to the top of the world innovators. In order to really bring this country back to a competative position in production of goods.
I have had the opportunity to go into some schools and participate in this new curriculum as a substitute teacher and what I see is exciting. Children really do love to think. They love to take risks if they know it is expected. They love to discuss different ways of doing things and then presenting their findings to their classmates.
The problem with this situation is in the preparation time for the teachers and bringing parents onboard. There are no longer report cards with A, B, C. No more honor roll. How can they brag about their kids at the swimming pool. The school system says it gives a more comprehensive picture of what the children know and what they need to work on. It does. But in education people are used to breaking things down to individual objectives. Parents want to look at a short paper that says my child got an A in reading and a C in math.
Then there is the planning. Everything needs to be recorded. There needs to be team planning where each person makes plans for how to integrate math, science, social studies, reading, writing, art, music, physical education and thinking skills. This needs to be done on a weekly basis, monthly basis and quartly basis. There is not enough time in the school day to do this. Teachers are staying after school for meetings just to get the minimum done. They are getting frustrated, tired, and very concerned. You know this transfers to the students in their classes. Schools are not businesses, they should not be run like businesses. Think about your best teachers. What made them the best. I am willing to bet it has something to do with the way they connected with the students. The creativity they brought to their teaching, the way they made you feel. A lot of these great teachers are leaving the profession in frustration. New teachers coming in have enthusiasm and inspiration but they do not yet have that ability to connect with the students on a personal level.
When asked what I did in the classroom that was successful, people have said, "she connects with the kids. She really knows the kids. She creates a safe environment for the kids to be themselves." These things do not come from sitting in planning meetings, new curriculum and new report cards.
Everyone knows people do not like change. This is change. It is hard for teachers who have taught their way for several years. It is hard for the parents who still remember what school was like when they were kids. It isn't really hard for kids because they are constantly facing change. But then you throw in the little things like how do you assess this new curriculum. Well, they haven't quite figured that out yet. But it is coming.
There are some things about the new curriculum that are very exciting and positive. They are actually asking the children to think, evaluate, cooperate, synthesize and adjust their thinking. This is very important if we want our young adults to be able to return to the top of the world innovators. In order to really bring this country back to a competative position in production of goods.
I have had the opportunity to go into some schools and participate in this new curriculum as a substitute teacher and what I see is exciting. Children really do love to think. They love to take risks if they know it is expected. They love to discuss different ways of doing things and then presenting their findings to their classmates.
The problem with this situation is in the preparation time for the teachers and bringing parents onboard. There are no longer report cards with A, B, C. No more honor roll. How can they brag about their kids at the swimming pool. The school system says it gives a more comprehensive picture of what the children know and what they need to work on. It does. But in education people are used to breaking things down to individual objectives. Parents want to look at a short paper that says my child got an A in reading and a C in math.
Then there is the planning. Everything needs to be recorded. There needs to be team planning where each person makes plans for how to integrate math, science, social studies, reading, writing, art, music, physical education and thinking skills. This needs to be done on a weekly basis, monthly basis and quartly basis. There is not enough time in the school day to do this. Teachers are staying after school for meetings just to get the minimum done. They are getting frustrated, tired, and very concerned. You know this transfers to the students in their classes. Schools are not businesses, they should not be run like businesses. Think about your best teachers. What made them the best. I am willing to bet it has something to do with the way they connected with the students. The creativity they brought to their teaching, the way they made you feel. A lot of these great teachers are leaving the profession in frustration. New teachers coming in have enthusiasm and inspiration but they do not yet have that ability to connect with the students on a personal level.
When asked what I did in the classroom that was successful, people have said, "she connects with the kids. She really knows the kids. She creates a safe environment for the kids to be themselves." These things do not come from sitting in planning meetings, new curriculum and new report cards.
Saturday, October 13, 2012
Civility and Citizenship
On November 6, 2012 the American people will once again decide who will be the face of this great country. Once that decision is made half of the citizens will be relieved and half will be unhappy. But it has happened every four years since the early 1800's. Well over 200 years we have argued, worried, prayed, and voted. That doesn't change.
Civility says we move on and support our government and the decision of the people. Citizenship says we work to uphold those things we believe are in the best interest of the people and we work to change those things we believe are not in the best interest of the people. We have the right and responsibility in this country to do both of these things. We have the responsibility to teach our children to do the same.
The Bible says in the old testament, "If my people who are called by my name, will humble themselves, seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, and pray, then will I hear from heaven and restore their land."
I know what this verse means to me. It means I need to remember whose I am. I need to realize that I am not supposed to "get" from my government what I want, I am supposed to give to my country what we needs. It means that no matter who is the face of the country, someone greater is in charge. It means I need to pray for the leaders of the country whether I voted for them or not. It means I need to practice love and caring, not hate and fear.
I need to shine a light on those who are doing good for others, not those with whom I disagree on issues. I need to be what I say people should be. I need to let my actions speak for me.
The people we are voting for in November are just that, PEOPLE. They do care, they do make mistakes. They don't have all the answers. They don't even know all the questions. They will make more mistakes. And, in four years we will do it all over again. But, as for me, I am going to humble myself and pray. I am going to seek the face of God in the wonderful caring people in the world, in the beauty of our natural world, in the shining eyes of innocent children, in the majestic beauty of the wild life and in the security of knowing that God is in charge. And I believe that He will hear my prayers and heal this land. It may take many years but; "seeing is not believing, believing is seeing".(The Santa Clause II)
Civility says we move on and support our government and the decision of the people. Citizenship says we work to uphold those things we believe are in the best interest of the people and we work to change those things we believe are not in the best interest of the people. We have the right and responsibility in this country to do both of these things. We have the responsibility to teach our children to do the same.
The Bible says in the old testament, "If my people who are called by my name, will humble themselves, seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, and pray, then will I hear from heaven and restore their land."
I know what this verse means to me. It means I need to remember whose I am. I need to realize that I am not supposed to "get" from my government what I want, I am supposed to give to my country what we needs. It means that no matter who is the face of the country, someone greater is in charge. It means I need to pray for the leaders of the country whether I voted for them or not. It means I need to practice love and caring, not hate and fear.
I need to shine a light on those who are doing good for others, not those with whom I disagree on issues. I need to be what I say people should be. I need to let my actions speak for me.
The people we are voting for in November are just that, PEOPLE. They do care, they do make mistakes. They don't have all the answers. They don't even know all the questions. They will make more mistakes. And, in four years we will do it all over again. But, as for me, I am going to humble myself and pray. I am going to seek the face of God in the wonderful caring people in the world, in the beauty of our natural world, in the shining eyes of innocent children, in the majestic beauty of the wild life and in the security of knowing that God is in charge. And I believe that He will hear my prayers and heal this land. It may take many years but; "seeing is not believing, believing is seeing".(The Santa Clause II)
Wednesday, October 3, 2012
Bullying
There has been lots of conversation on the talk shows about the local anchor woman who confronted a man who sent her an email about her weight and called her a bad roll model for kids.
She used the show to respond to him and called him a bully. I know that bullies have been around for many years and it has been a problem for kids, parents and teachers.
Many things have been tried to teach children how to respond to bullies. Ignore, confront, physical response etc. What I see today is a new venue for those bullies who want to remain anonymous. Cyber bullying. Facebook, you tube, email, tweets and texting. It is still a huge problem. One thing I see is that kids don't want their parents involved. They try to keep things to themselves yet cannot handle the cruelty that they face.
My daughter was bullied in elementary school. I felt so helpless because I worked at the school and I knew that if I did anything, the bully would take it out on her. We finally decided the only thing we could do is send her to a different school. That took her out of the situation but the scars were there. She still remembers the feelings.
As a teacher, I tried very hard to teach my students that I was available to them and WOULD respond. I taught my students that we were a "family" and it was important to take care of each other. If there were social problems, we dealt with them right away. I put the light on the bully without calling them bullies. The fact is, they were also part of the family and they needed to be redirected and taught rather than accused and condemned.
Did that totally stop the bullying? No. I only had one year with these children. Some came back to me the next year with stories of bullying. Some parents came to me with stories of bullying. I tried to help them through this but it is harder when you are not the primary adult in their school life.
Back in the middle of the last century there was a wonderful movie, "South Pacific". There was a song in this movie with the line, "You have to be carefully taught to hate."
Children are not born bullies. They are taught through careless statements by parents, siblings, TV, movies, and other adults. When they act out they are not redirected. Sometimes they are encouraged or worse yet, excused. Children have to be carefully taught to respect. Remember, we teach by example first. Our words will land on deaf ears if our actions do not support our words.
For those of you who are bullied or your children are bullied, Act in whatever way you can that teaches you or your child that you do not need to be held hostage by bullies, and teaches the bully that you will not be held hostage.
Bullies, unfortunately, are a fact of life. The more we talk openly about it and expose the bullying, the less harm it can do.
She used the show to respond to him and called him a bully. I know that bullies have been around for many years and it has been a problem for kids, parents and teachers.
Many things have been tried to teach children how to respond to bullies. Ignore, confront, physical response etc. What I see today is a new venue for those bullies who want to remain anonymous. Cyber bullying. Facebook, you tube, email, tweets and texting. It is still a huge problem. One thing I see is that kids don't want their parents involved. They try to keep things to themselves yet cannot handle the cruelty that they face.
My daughter was bullied in elementary school. I felt so helpless because I worked at the school and I knew that if I did anything, the bully would take it out on her. We finally decided the only thing we could do is send her to a different school. That took her out of the situation but the scars were there. She still remembers the feelings.
As a teacher, I tried very hard to teach my students that I was available to them and WOULD respond. I taught my students that we were a "family" and it was important to take care of each other. If there were social problems, we dealt with them right away. I put the light on the bully without calling them bullies. The fact is, they were also part of the family and they needed to be redirected and taught rather than accused and condemned.
Did that totally stop the bullying? No. I only had one year with these children. Some came back to me the next year with stories of bullying. Some parents came to me with stories of bullying. I tried to help them through this but it is harder when you are not the primary adult in their school life.
Back in the middle of the last century there was a wonderful movie, "South Pacific". There was a song in this movie with the line, "You have to be carefully taught to hate."
Children are not born bullies. They are taught through careless statements by parents, siblings, TV, movies, and other adults. When they act out they are not redirected. Sometimes they are encouraged or worse yet, excused. Children have to be carefully taught to respect. Remember, we teach by example first. Our words will land on deaf ears if our actions do not support our words.
For those of you who are bullied or your children are bullied, Act in whatever way you can that teaches you or your child that you do not need to be held hostage by bullies, and teaches the bully that you will not be held hostage.
Bullies, unfortunately, are a fact of life. The more we talk openly about it and expose the bullying, the less harm it can do.
Tuesday, October 2, 2012
Should Congress be fined for inactivity?
Given that the House of Representatives is the governing body that "creates" laws, a fine does not seem to be in the cards. Since the Senate is the voting body, if it was proposed it would not be passed.
The present Congress was the least productive in the history of this country. They became the congress of NO. No compromise, no proposals, no laws passed, no nothing. They became a laughing stock in the country and more importantly, the world. The republicans refused to consider anything that was proposed by the President, the Democrats refused to consider anything that was proposed by the Republicans, the Tea Party refused to consider anything from anyone at any time for any reason. If that is an indication of what we can expect from the Tea Party, please let the party be over. The only thing they seemed to bring to the table was arrogance.
I would love to see voters actually look at the congress voting record and vote for those who actually did something constructive.
I actually believe there are some members of congress who want to do their jobs and work for their constituents. They should stay. The rest should go.
This is supposed to be a government of the people by the people and for the people. Someone PLEASE remember that.
The present Congress was the least productive in the history of this country. They became the congress of NO. No compromise, no proposals, no laws passed, no nothing. They became a laughing stock in the country and more importantly, the world. The republicans refused to consider anything that was proposed by the President, the Democrats refused to consider anything that was proposed by the Republicans, the Tea Party refused to consider anything from anyone at any time for any reason. If that is an indication of what we can expect from the Tea Party, please let the party be over. The only thing they seemed to bring to the table was arrogance.
I would love to see voters actually look at the congress voting record and vote for those who actually did something constructive.
I actually believe there are some members of congress who want to do their jobs and work for their constituents. They should stay. The rest should go.
This is supposed to be a government of the people by the people and for the people. Someone PLEASE remember that.
Tuesday, September 25, 2012
Change Part 1 Seasonal
As the seasons begin to change I think about the effect of change on mood, energy and creativity. We are moving from the sunny, warm summer to a crisper, more variable autumn. Is there a reason we become more reluctant to go out for walks, choose creative activities or start new projects as it gets colder.
Well, according to a research study in the Journal of General Psychiatry, there is a reason. It seems that "the serotonin transporter protein, a brain chemical that reducds levels of the mood-regulating hormone serotonin aroud brain cells, is more active during the darker months of the year, and suggested this could be the mechanism that explains why some people feel less happy and lower in energy during the winter months."
That makes sense to me. There are things you can do. You can take serotonin supplements. You can spend extra time outside on sunny days even those those days are shorter. You can get natural lighting for your home. You can also do what a lot of northern retired people do and travel to Florida or Arizona during the winter months.
But what about little children. Is there something we can do for them so they do not have to suffer this feeling of sadness, listlessness, depression or just lack of energy. Is there something you can do at home? Is there something you can do at school? Considering the fact that much of school time is during these "darker" months, it seems it would help with the education process if the emotional and energy level in the children should be addressed. Learning does not only come from "gaining information", it also involves the ability to receive and use this information. If I see a child laying on the desk and reluctant to participate or get excited about an activity, I need to address the emotional or energy level of this child before I try to "pour in information".
Another idea is how much exercise do the children get during these colder, darker months. When children spend all their time sitting inside, there is no exercise to stimulate positive energy. During those times, it is important to make sure they do more movement inside. When I was teaching, I would make sure the children got up to move every half hour. We stretched, we walked, we moved around. I found that after I started doing that, I didn't have as many children who became unavailable for learning.
So when the weather changes outside, it is important to change the activity inside. Not just at school, but also at home. Not just children, but also adults.
Well, according to a research study in the Journal of General Psychiatry, there is a reason. It seems that "the serotonin transporter protein, a brain chemical that reducds levels of the mood-regulating hormone serotonin aroud brain cells, is more active during the darker months of the year, and suggested this could be the mechanism that explains why some people feel less happy and lower in energy during the winter months."
That makes sense to me. There are things you can do. You can take serotonin supplements. You can spend extra time outside on sunny days even those those days are shorter. You can get natural lighting for your home. You can also do what a lot of northern retired people do and travel to Florida or Arizona during the winter months.
But what about little children. Is there something we can do for them so they do not have to suffer this feeling of sadness, listlessness, depression or just lack of energy. Is there something you can do at home? Is there something you can do at school? Considering the fact that much of school time is during these "darker" months, it seems it would help with the education process if the emotional and energy level in the children should be addressed. Learning does not only come from "gaining information", it also involves the ability to receive and use this information. If I see a child laying on the desk and reluctant to participate or get excited about an activity, I need to address the emotional or energy level of this child before I try to "pour in information".
Another idea is how much exercise do the children get during these colder, darker months. When children spend all their time sitting inside, there is no exercise to stimulate positive energy. During those times, it is important to make sure they do more movement inside. When I was teaching, I would make sure the children got up to move every half hour. We stretched, we walked, we moved around. I found that after I started doing that, I didn't have as many children who became unavailable for learning.
So when the weather changes outside, it is important to change the activity inside. Not just at school, but also at home. Not just children, but also adults.
Words vs Actions
I don't know about you, but I don't listen to the advertisements these days. None really speak for the candidate. They are all lies. They are like "reality" shows. There is no reality in them. I don't read the media blitz stuff either. Same thing. No reality in them. So where do I go to get reality? Well, I am from the old school....a picture is worth 1000 words. I also believe the text in the bible that says...."A little child shall lead them." That obviously does not mean that children know best what to do in the world. What I think it means is children who have not joined the race to "lie" for their own profit, know who to trust. I have some pictures. You decide what they say.
Tuesday, September 18, 2012
Teachers Reality
As I watch the news unfold about the Chicago Teachers strike, I think about what is said vs. what is done. Everyone always says "teachers are so important." "Our children are the most important thing in our nation." That is wonderful, right? Then I hear that teachers went on strike and the first words on national news is "Parents in Chicago scramble to find child care for 400,000 children." There is nothing about children losing time in a learning environment, seniors losing valuable time in preparation for their college entrance, education is important enough for us to settle this problem quickly so the teachers can go back into their classrooms quickly and return to educating our children.
So if actions do speak louder than words, again, school is a "low cost daycare". Nothing is really lost as far as reading, math, science etc. You don't hear about parents scrambling to find tutors for their children so they do not lose valuable learning.
I also hear "teachers are not paid enough for the important job they do." Then the actions say, these people are a drain on our taxes. When we "need" to cut costs because of mismanagement of funds by those who are supposed to have our best interest in the forefront, we say "well, class size does not really matter."
I am not a researcher but I can say from experience that there is a huge difference in the quality of education possible between an elementary class of 25 students and a class of 35 students. One thing that is pretty visible is the size of the classrooms. If a classroom is built to hold a maximum of 25 students, putting 35 students in that room is going to have a negative effect. Just think of the last time you took a flight in those planes that were built to hold 250 passengers and then "redesigned to hold 300 passengers. The redesign had nothing to do with the size of the plane but the size and number of seats in that plane. Take a classroom that is designed to hold 25 students and add desks and chairs to hold 35. You better hope that none of those students are large, long legged or have special needs that require extra space.
I worked in a school once that had 40 students in the classroom. The children had to crawl under the desks to get out of their row. Teachers could not walk around the room to "get to" a child in need without asking several students to get up and move away.
One problem is that elementary school teachers are very creative but not too pushy. They adapt to the situation rather than screaming about the injustice. So people do not "see" the problem until teachers can no longer adapt.
Maybe Parents, Mayors, Governors, Senators, School Board Presidents and even School Superintendents should be required to spend a week a year in an elementary school classroom that is overcrowded. They should have to make their own lesson plans, deal with the myriad of interruptions, questions, lack of materials and required paperwork, excuses for not having homework, materials, or lunch, required meetings and extra assignments. They should have to deal with all of these things with no help, 20 min lunch periods and bathrooms that are too far away to dash to during the school day.
Interestingly enough, if they did this and actually interacted with those wonderful little people with a variety of experiences, problems, interests, ability and self-motivation, they would say "This is the hardest job I have ever done and I LOVE it.
Trust me, those teachers in Chicago want more than anything to get back into the classroom with their children.
So if actions do speak louder than words, again, school is a "low cost daycare". Nothing is really lost as far as reading, math, science etc. You don't hear about parents scrambling to find tutors for their children so they do not lose valuable learning.
I also hear "teachers are not paid enough for the important job they do." Then the actions say, these people are a drain on our taxes. When we "need" to cut costs because of mismanagement of funds by those who are supposed to have our best interest in the forefront, we say "well, class size does not really matter."
I am not a researcher but I can say from experience that there is a huge difference in the quality of education possible between an elementary class of 25 students and a class of 35 students. One thing that is pretty visible is the size of the classrooms. If a classroom is built to hold a maximum of 25 students, putting 35 students in that room is going to have a negative effect. Just think of the last time you took a flight in those planes that were built to hold 250 passengers and then "redesigned to hold 300 passengers. The redesign had nothing to do with the size of the plane but the size and number of seats in that plane. Take a classroom that is designed to hold 25 students and add desks and chairs to hold 35. You better hope that none of those students are large, long legged or have special needs that require extra space.
I worked in a school once that had 40 students in the classroom. The children had to crawl under the desks to get out of their row. Teachers could not walk around the room to "get to" a child in need without asking several students to get up and move away.
One problem is that elementary school teachers are very creative but not too pushy. They adapt to the situation rather than screaming about the injustice. So people do not "see" the problem until teachers can no longer adapt.
Maybe Parents, Mayors, Governors, Senators, School Board Presidents and even School Superintendents should be required to spend a week a year in an elementary school classroom that is overcrowded. They should have to make their own lesson plans, deal with the myriad of interruptions, questions, lack of materials and required paperwork, excuses for not having homework, materials, or lunch, required meetings and extra assignments. They should have to deal with all of these things with no help, 20 min lunch periods and bathrooms that are too far away to dash to during the school day.
Interestingly enough, if they did this and actually interacted with those wonderful little people with a variety of experiences, problems, interests, ability and self-motivation, they would say "This is the hardest job I have ever done and I LOVE it.
Trust me, those teachers in Chicago want more than anything to get back into the classroom with their children.
Thursday, September 6, 2012
Compare
I see problems in each party. I see big mistakes being made by both parties. I see real commitment in both parties. Now what to do. One thing that keeps coming back to me is the politics of hate. Since when do we need to hate the other guy. I have friends who are big Romney supporters. I have friends who are big Obama supporters. What exactly is wrong with that?
My biggest problem is the use of God and religious values to condemn people. Where in the Bible is that okay? It says "it is God's will that none should parish." "Love your enemies and do good to those who persecute you." "Pray for your leaders." "Give unto Cesar that which is Cesar's and unto God that which is God's." "Take care of the widows and orphans." "What you do to the least of these, you do to me." Shall I go on? I can. Jesus said "he who is without sin, throw the first stone."
I heard a speech last night that made sense to me. He spoke in clear English. He said that he worked for and admired people he did not necessarily agree with about policies. He saw the good in their intentions. They all, republican, democrat, rivals and friends, had one purpose: Work together to solve a problem for the good of the people. For four years all I have heard from Congress is we will not give in to anyone. We are here to get Obama out of office. What a goal. I cannot support that goal. Can anyone give me an actual reason with clearly stated plans that I should?
My biggest problem is the use of God and religious values to condemn people. Where in the Bible is that okay? It says "it is God's will that none should parish." "Love your enemies and do good to those who persecute you." "Pray for your leaders." "Give unto Cesar that which is Cesar's and unto God that which is God's." "Take care of the widows and orphans." "What you do to the least of these, you do to me." Shall I go on? I can. Jesus said "he who is without sin, throw the first stone."
I heard a speech last night that made sense to me. He spoke in clear English. He said that he worked for and admired people he did not necessarily agree with about policies. He saw the good in their intentions. They all, republican, democrat, rivals and friends, had one purpose: Work together to solve a problem for the good of the people. For four years all I have heard from Congress is we will not give in to anyone. We are here to get Obama out of office. What a goal. I cannot support that goal. Can anyone give me an actual reason with clearly stated plans that I should?
Saturday, September 1, 2012
What?
Okay, now the Republican Convention is over and I don't know any more than before. Still no real information about how Romney plans on "turning around" the economy.
Lots of fear about the fact that he said let the oceans rise, I am going to help you and your family. What exactly does that mean?
Just a thought. The north Arctic ice is melting much faster than anyone thought. Everyone knows that no ice means warmer ocean water and higher ocean water. Coastal cities include Boston, New York City, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Miami, (well, actually, all of Florida) New Orleans, Los Angeles and San Francisco would be seriously affected by this. Does anyone besides me wonder where those people will go if these areas flood? And that is not even considering other countries. Shouldn't we wonder what could be done? No, actually, we are just excited that we can DRILL for oil there now and isn't that what is important? That way we can drive to higher ground.
Then there is the health care. Gonna get rid of "Obamacare". What are you going to do for those young adults who are now able to stay on their parents' insurance but won't be when you take that away. Can't call on the government to help because everyone knows government is too big so we will just cut that. Those students can just take loans from their parents. Really, I don't know about you but I can't loan anyone anything. Now I need to worry about my fixed retirement income and my medicare insurance that I can just barely afford now. Social Security, yes, cut it out over the next 40 years. I can handle that I guess if I have to.
School choice. For whom. Oh, those people rich enough to send their kids to private schools. Public schools, what? will be fazed out also? All those people who cannot afford it will what? Not go to school? College is only available for those kids who can afford the rising tuition or again, Just borrow from their parents? Have you met the middle class? Who are you people?
Okay, welfare. Now there is a topic we can all agree on, right. Make those lazy people go to work. Oops, there aren't any jobs. Drug testing? Absolutely. Will the big corporations pay for that? We can't ask the government to because we are gonna need that money to balance the budget. I would vote for it if someone said Exon, Bane, Morgan Chase have all agreed to fund drug testing programs for all people receiving public assistance. They also have agreed to fund drug rehabilitation programs for all those who test positive. They also will fund public works jobs to put these people to work instead of just giving them free food and housing. I would vote for that in a heartbeat.
Now, in a perfect world, the large corporations would step up and support programs to retrain those people who lost their jobs through "downsizing" (another name for sending jobs overseas). They would actually have research and development divisions who were working on ways to solve our crumbling infrastructure problems, what to do with the serious drought and it's devastating effect on food for livestock and people, and a myriad of other problems. Corporations could really make a difference. But, I don't hear anyone suggesting how.
I would vote for giving tax credits to those companies. I would vote for giving tax credits to companies who are developing new forms of products made in America.
I would even vote for companies who would take on struggling school systems as corporate partners in order to give our children a chance to compete in the world. They could help pay good teachers what they deserve for a change.
I don't see any companies stepping up to do any of these things. I don't hear anyone saying this is what we should do in order to decrease the size of government. Will it just magically happen? Why would I vote for anyone who cannot answer what I consider to be important concerns? Why would I change? I would love to see every member of congress paid based on productivity. Back when I worked in a factory we were paid piecework. Lets start downsizing government with congress. You do not get paid for saying no we won't do that because it doesn't give me anything. Get rid of super- pacs. Get rid of corporate lobbies. Lets go back to Of the People, By the People and For the People.
Lots of fear about the fact that he said let the oceans rise, I am going to help you and your family. What exactly does that mean?
Just a thought. The north Arctic ice is melting much faster than anyone thought. Everyone knows that no ice means warmer ocean water and higher ocean water. Coastal cities include Boston, New York City, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Miami, (well, actually, all of Florida) New Orleans, Los Angeles and San Francisco would be seriously affected by this. Does anyone besides me wonder where those people will go if these areas flood? And that is not even considering other countries. Shouldn't we wonder what could be done? No, actually, we are just excited that we can DRILL for oil there now and isn't that what is important? That way we can drive to higher ground.
Then there is the health care. Gonna get rid of "Obamacare". What are you going to do for those young adults who are now able to stay on their parents' insurance but won't be when you take that away. Can't call on the government to help because everyone knows government is too big so we will just cut that. Those students can just take loans from their parents. Really, I don't know about you but I can't loan anyone anything. Now I need to worry about my fixed retirement income and my medicare insurance that I can just barely afford now. Social Security, yes, cut it out over the next 40 years. I can handle that I guess if I have to.
School choice. For whom. Oh, those people rich enough to send their kids to private schools. Public schools, what? will be fazed out also? All those people who cannot afford it will what? Not go to school? College is only available for those kids who can afford the rising tuition or again, Just borrow from their parents? Have you met the middle class? Who are you people?
Okay, welfare. Now there is a topic we can all agree on, right. Make those lazy people go to work. Oops, there aren't any jobs. Drug testing? Absolutely. Will the big corporations pay for that? We can't ask the government to because we are gonna need that money to balance the budget. I would vote for it if someone said Exon, Bane, Morgan Chase have all agreed to fund drug testing programs for all people receiving public assistance. They also have agreed to fund drug rehabilitation programs for all those who test positive. They also will fund public works jobs to put these people to work instead of just giving them free food and housing. I would vote for that in a heartbeat.
Now, in a perfect world, the large corporations would step up and support programs to retrain those people who lost their jobs through "downsizing" (another name for sending jobs overseas). They would actually have research and development divisions who were working on ways to solve our crumbling infrastructure problems, what to do with the serious drought and it's devastating effect on food for livestock and people, and a myriad of other problems. Corporations could really make a difference. But, I don't hear anyone suggesting how.
I would vote for giving tax credits to those companies. I would vote for giving tax credits to companies who are developing new forms of products made in America.
I would even vote for companies who would take on struggling school systems as corporate partners in order to give our children a chance to compete in the world. They could help pay good teachers what they deserve for a change.
I don't see any companies stepping up to do any of these things. I don't hear anyone saying this is what we should do in order to decrease the size of government. Will it just magically happen? Why would I vote for anyone who cannot answer what I consider to be important concerns? Why would I change? I would love to see every member of congress paid based on productivity. Back when I worked in a factory we were paid piecework. Lets start downsizing government with congress. You do not get paid for saying no we won't do that because it doesn't give me anything. Get rid of super- pacs. Get rid of corporate lobbies. Lets go back to Of the People, By the People and For the People.
Tuesday, August 28, 2012
I am not here to criticize but.......
I don't know about you but I hate all the negative political commercials. Sitting here in NY, I don't hear any because I am not watching TV. I can feel my mind and body calm down. I smile more and think more positively. I don't know about you, but I don't believe either side. I really would love to hear someone say, lets discuss this and come to an agreement.
Where did this idea of a two party system come from? Why is it that they have to totally disagree and refuse to budge one inch from their little, useless stands on non issues. I will be so happy when the first Wednesday in November comes. Elections will be over. Half of the country will be angry and half will be happy. Life will be normal again....right? Oh ya, right, what's normal?
Where did this idea of a two party system come from? Why is it that they have to totally disagree and refuse to budge one inch from their little, useless stands on non issues. I will be so happy when the first Wednesday in November comes. Elections will be over. Half of the country will be angry and half will be happy. Life will be normal again....right? Oh ya, right, what's normal?
The Great State Fair
What is more American than a State Fair? The opportunity to show off the best of what your state has to offer. The biggest pumpkin, squash or Dahlia. Award winning chickens, rabbits, goats, cows and pigs. Quilts, pies and grandma's famous jam.
That's what I remember. Not this year. The buildings were filled with venders selling everything conceivable. That part got old really quickly.
There was the great NY State Troopers who repelled from a tower. That was cool. There was the health building with a really cool fire prevention section for kids. And of course, there were the strange varieties of very bad for you food. Fried _________________ fill in the blank. The new one this year was fried bubble gum. Really?
So why is the State Fair scene changing? Are we going so far away from the americana those of us who were born before the 1990's remember? I guess. Maybe we just need to take a trip to the Smithsonian museum of American History to see these things again.
That's what I remember. Not this year. The buildings were filled with venders selling everything conceivable. That part got old really quickly.
There was the great NY State Troopers who repelled from a tower. That was cool. There was the health building with a really cool fire prevention section for kids. And of course, there were the strange varieties of very bad for you food. Fried _________________ fill in the blank. The new one this year was fried bubble gum. Really?
So why is the State Fair scene changing? Are we going so far away from the americana those of us who were born before the 1990's remember? I guess. Maybe we just need to take a trip to the Smithsonian museum of American History to see these things again.
Monday, August 27, 2012
Just an idea
What do I want from my government? Wow, what a concept. How about what am I willing to do for my neighbor? I hear so much about they should do this, they should do that...
.It is enough that someone believes abortion or welfare is wrong so you don't have to care what they think about gay rights, equal pay, or immigration. Whatever your little issue is should rule who runs this country, right?.
Does that really make sense? Do all your friends and family members have to believe exactly as you do about every issue? Do you only love those who agree fully with you? If that were the case you would be very alone.
Do I believe people should work for what they get? Yes. Do I believe we should refuse to help them if they don't. If it were that easy, then yes but what about those who would love to work for a living, who look for work every day. Do we throw them to the wolves along with those users and losers? Is there another way? Is anyone looking for another way?
What about those who lost jobs to outsourcing, downsizing, company aquisition? Is it worth my paying a few cents less for my purchases because they are produced in 3rd world countries. Should I be insisting on American made merchandise? Is that even possible now? Does it bother anyone else that even American flags are produced in other countries? If we are no longer producers in this country then what is our industry that keeps us working? Can we become producers again?
.It is enough that someone believes abortion or welfare is wrong so you don't have to care what they think about gay rights, equal pay, or immigration. Whatever your little issue is should rule who runs this country, right?.
Does that really make sense? Do all your friends and family members have to believe exactly as you do about every issue? Do you only love those who agree fully with you? If that were the case you would be very alone.
Do I believe people should work for what they get? Yes. Do I believe we should refuse to help them if they don't. If it were that easy, then yes but what about those who would love to work for a living, who look for work every day. Do we throw them to the wolves along with those users and losers? Is there another way? Is anyone looking for another way?
What about those who lost jobs to outsourcing, downsizing, company aquisition? Is it worth my paying a few cents less for my purchases because they are produced in 3rd world countries. Should I be insisting on American made merchandise? Is that even possible now? Does it bother anyone else that even American flags are produced in other countries? If we are no longer producers in this country then what is our industry that keeps us working? Can we become producers again?
School Days
Time for back to school jitters. Kids wonder about their teachers, their friends and what to do on the playground. Teachers wonder about their students, their schedule and new parents. It is a stressful time for everyone. I remember the feelings. It is exciting.
This is going to be a stressful couple of months because of the election. People have very strong beliefs and although they don't think their kids listen, they do. They take their parents' concerns to the classroom and sometimes the playground. It is true that during an election year, there are often "fights" on the playground based on political issues.
Adults say things and kids take it very seriously. It is all or nothing with them. If you do not believe like them, you are the enemy.
Teachers are very aware of this and have to difuse some of these arguments. Teachers cannot have political opinions in the classroom. That is good because in younger grades there are three sources of truth. Mom, Dad and the teacher. When they disagree, the child is very confused about who to support. It may be nothing to you but it can cause a lot of stress in the child. Sometimes the child will not want to go to school just to remove that stress. Fight or flight. Adults can sort things out. Kids, not so much.
And, believe it or not, when a child does not want to go to school, it is not always the school that is causing the problem. The more cooperative the teacher and parent is, the more positive the child will be about school.
Have a great year.
This is going to be a stressful couple of months because of the election. People have very strong beliefs and although they don't think their kids listen, they do. They take their parents' concerns to the classroom and sometimes the playground. It is true that during an election year, there are often "fights" on the playground based on political issues.
Adults say things and kids take it very seriously. It is all or nothing with them. If you do not believe like them, you are the enemy.
Teachers are very aware of this and have to difuse some of these arguments. Teachers cannot have political opinions in the classroom. That is good because in younger grades there are three sources of truth. Mom, Dad and the teacher. When they disagree, the child is very confused about who to support. It may be nothing to you but it can cause a lot of stress in the child. Sometimes the child will not want to go to school just to remove that stress. Fight or flight. Adults can sort things out. Kids, not so much.
And, believe it or not, when a child does not want to go to school, it is not always the school that is causing the problem. The more cooperative the teacher and parent is, the more positive the child will be about school.
Have a great year.
Wednesday, August 22, 2012
Just Saying:
There was a beautiful story on local news the other day. A young military family was given a house mortgage free. It was a very nice house and the idea warms the heart until.....
Where did this "free" house come from. It was a forclosure by one of the large banks. They could not seem to sell it for what they were asking so they "gave" it to this family. Sounds good right.
I have nothing but good feelings for the military family who benefited from the gift.
My question is. Why don't some of these multi billionares give one of their many homes to struggling military families? Why doesn't the bank have the same feelings for those families that are struggling. I am not talking about those people who bought way over their income level. I am talking about middle class families who lost employment thanks to those same multibillionares who sent jobs to foreign countries and cut their US workforces by thousands of people. Is the bank writing off these gifts in order to cut their tax burden from 10% to nothing?
I don't know about you but I checked my tax returns for the last 5 years and we paid 25% tax. Why are a retired man and a teacher paying 25% and corporate executives are paying 12% at most?
I would love to be able to give to our military families, but I would hope I would not do it in order to cut my taxes and hide my other activity. That just seems wrong.
Some people want me to believe that cutting taxes to the rich will create millions of jobs here in the US. My question is how? And if that is true, why are they not creating jobs now instead of giving their top executives millions of dollars in free money while cutting their workforce in order to afford it.
I just don't get it. If you do, please explain in specifics. I don't want "what the other guy is doing wrong" I want what will you do, how will you do it and when will we see results.
Then the real question, How will congress get out of their pit and actually do something to help the American people?
There was a beautiful story on local news the other day. A young military family was given a house mortgage free. It was a very nice house and the idea warms the heart until.....
Where did this "free" house come from. It was a forclosure by one of the large banks. They could not seem to sell it for what they were asking so they "gave" it to this family. Sounds good right.
I have nothing but good feelings for the military family who benefited from the gift.
My question is. Why don't some of these multi billionares give one of their many homes to struggling military families? Why doesn't the bank have the same feelings for those families that are struggling. I am not talking about those people who bought way over their income level. I am talking about middle class families who lost employment thanks to those same multibillionares who sent jobs to foreign countries and cut their US workforces by thousands of people. Is the bank writing off these gifts in order to cut their tax burden from 10% to nothing?
I don't know about you but I checked my tax returns for the last 5 years and we paid 25% tax. Why are a retired man and a teacher paying 25% and corporate executives are paying 12% at most?
I would love to be able to give to our military families, but I would hope I would not do it in order to cut my taxes and hide my other activity. That just seems wrong.
Some people want me to believe that cutting taxes to the rich will create millions of jobs here in the US. My question is how? And if that is true, why are they not creating jobs now instead of giving their top executives millions of dollars in free money while cutting their workforce in order to afford it.
I just don't get it. If you do, please explain in specifics. I don't want "what the other guy is doing wrong" I want what will you do, how will you do it and when will we see results.
Then the real question, How will congress get out of their pit and actually do something to help the American people?
Tuesday, August 21, 2012
Here's an idea!
There are so many negative things being thrown at us from everyone. How about this....I will give my vote to the people who actually have workable solutions to some of the problems in the world. I will vote for those who are willing to admit that they do not believe they can change things alone, but need to work together with others. I will vote for those who admit that the "other guy does actually have some good ideas and we can learn from each other.". I will vote for the ones who understand that even though money can buy people, it is not the right thing to do. I am looking for honesty, humility, and honor. I don't care what religion you pretend to support, what your opinions are about people's personal lives, or what you do in your spare time.
I actually care about your plan for the poor, aged and children. These are the ones with small or no voices. You have nothing to gain from supporting them except the knowledge that it is the right thing to do.
I am sick of obvious lies from both sides. I know I am not alone in this feeling. I have ONE vote and I am not afraid to use it.
I actually care about your plan for the poor, aged and children. These are the ones with small or no voices. You have nothing to gain from supporting them except the knowledge that it is the right thing to do.
I am sick of obvious lies from both sides. I know I am not alone in this feeling. I have ONE vote and I am not afraid to use it.
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