There are times when you spend most of your time wondering through, well for lack of a better term, a heavy fog and you spend too much time contemplating what amounts to nothing. There comes a time and a point when you must stand still and let your mind rest. To some, this is a concept that is almost foreign. What I mean is we take each day for granted and go from one motion to another, never really taking the time to look around and feel.
Pretty much, especially during this time of the year, I go from one assignment to the next. I automatically go from one place to the next not really looking at the side view mirrors. Then it builds up until I have so many things stacked up one another that the fog has indeed rolled in.
I was given the chance to take some time recently and do absolutely nothing and it was wonderful. I was able to rest, think, and take a look at something beautiful. While the details of this adventure will not make too much sense to you the reader, but the lesson that I learned is thus. If you never take time out to take care of yourself then you will indeed miss out on some of the finer points of life. There is nothing wrong with sitting quietly, staring off into space and realizing the you are not a robotron meant for the assembly line of life.
Taking time out is indeed a gift and I am afraid one that I do not do enough. It took this time alone to make me realize that the balance that I so often strive for and think I have is nothing but a wisp of smoke whirling around in the fog that I have surrounded myself in. Thankfully enough I have guiding lights in my life for me to go to and have them tell me these simple things.
BSG Spoiler Alert - This is why I stole Rob's Putting Reagan!
I read Rob's post about BSG and I would like to applaud him on a wonderful, if not brief, synopsis on the series. I would also like to commend him for introducing me to the series. Ever since the series launched, Rob has been bugging me to watch the series. Not being to one to plop in front of the television on a regular basis, I did not heed his advice. Another problem is that I clearly remember the original series and until Rob brought it up, I had forgotten the horrible disappointment I felt with the direction the series ground to a flaccid halt.
Well, it wasn't until iTunes offered a season pass for BSG that I decided to take a chance. You see, a season pass means that when an episode was shown, I would be able to download the episode to my computer within 48 hours. Intrigued, but not totally willing to invest too heavily on an entire season, I took the chance and bought the movie. To say I was blown away would be like saying The Trinity explosion was a small pop.
The actors capture you and will not let you go. You feel their emotions, desperation, and determination through out the initial offering of the series. The effects were outstanding and were not overwhelming but blended in the story seamlessly. The new series went far beyond the original in explaining the conflicts and making the characters more human than heroic. The big surprise was the changing of gender of Starbuck. Instead of a pretty boy flier, the producers went with a gritty, cigar-smoking woman who could take you down in no time flat.
The addition of flesh-covered cylons was also a nice touch because once you get into the series you begin to wonder if any of the main characters are on the human side or with the cylons. In no time flat, I found myself getting the first season and then the second. I have yet to run into a story that was not well developed nor have I been disappointed. Once the third season began last fall, I was rubbing my hands in anticipation since the second season ended with quite the cliff hanger.
Well, the third season has come and gone and my expectations for the direction of the series were not only met but were exceeded. Plenty of twists, turns, and humanism. There were heart-wrenching moments and times of pure joy. I know I am sounding like a flaky movie critic, but I do not watch too many things on a regular basis and I am a SciFi geek. Anyhow, the ending was quite the shocker.
Four of the Final Five were revealed and I am surprised at three of them. I expected the Colonel to be one. I am not so sure why the chief, the President's aide, and the Pyramid trooper fit in yet.
The Chief has had a child with his wife and the focus so far on the series was Athena.
The President's cancer has come back with a vengeance. I am only hoping that we do not have to recycle plot lines to stretch out the fourth season. Not to seem too insensitive but either cure her or write her out. Let her have a fling with the Admiral first though...
Starbuck comes back to life and makes the claim that she has been to Earth. This horrifies me because it strikes me odd that only three seasons old and they are already planning on bringing the arrival of Earth into the story? I am hopeful that this is another red herring and we will find out that Starbuck is the final member of the final five.
There are other areas to explore, but the salient points have been thrown out on the table to be chewed on. I agree with Rob, it is down right irritating to know that I will not be able to see BSG again until December. For a geek, it might as well be the next century...
The 80th Texas Legislature is about half-way through their session, which only lasts 140 days, and decisions are being made about education in the state of Texas. One of the issues that surfaces every year is whether or not to create an assessment for social studies at the elementary level. I know that I may make an enemy or two, but here I go.
What is not measured is not treasured.
There is no reason why Texas students should not be assessed at the fifth grade level. It will be the only way to force many elementary principals and administrators to allow social studies back into the classroom. What is happening across the state is that teachers are being told to forget the social studies curriculum in favor of other tested subjects. In other words, there are many schools that are not following the Texas State Education code. Worse yet, our children are not receiving the education that they should have. The students are missing out on the foundations of American history and citizenship.
HB2236 and SB1031 both had a fifth grade assessment within their original context. However, special interest groups, lobbyists, and the unions became involved and the tests were removed from both bills. The reason for the removals? Well, to put it simply, the committee hear more negative comments than positive ones. This is no surprise since when the public hearings were being conducted it was during school time when teachers and administrators were in school. In order for proponents to have their voices heard, they would have to take a personal day or two off from work and pay for travel themselves. They would also have to testify against their administrators especially ones that have instructed their teachers to quit teaching social studies.
Teachers who want the assessment are up against professional organizations who pay people full time to live in Austin and to go to Congress to lobby against anything that goes against their grain. Educators can not afford nor have the resources to compete. So what ends up happening is typically beneficial laws usually get butchered by organizations which do not have a vested interest in teaching. The ultimate losers in this power play are our kids. If we do not assess in the elementary level then the first inkling that there is a problem with their education will show up in the 8th grade. By then, and quite often this is the case, Social Studies is not important to them since no one has bothered them with the subject before.
It happens every week at this time. I spend endless amounts of time gathering and compacting trash for the weekly pick up. I carefully ensure that each bag is neither punctured nor leaking. I place the bags inside of a vulcanized rubber container to ensure their safety. I wait until the morning to set out the garbage to ensure that no stray animals investigates my refuge.
Why is it then that every evening when I get home I have at least 5-10 pieces of garbage in my front yard? It wouldn't be so bad if it was my stuff, but there are things rustling around on my lawn that never belonged to me. Items ranging from newspapers to used kleenex frolic around my lawn as if enjoying a wonderful spring jig. There are bottles and glass containers sparkling in the evening sunlight as if signaling a distant airplane.
I look around and find out that I am not the only resident with this sort of foolishness going on. It maddens me because I hate coming home every week with someone else's crap in my yard. Look, every once in a while I do understand, really I do. we have roaming animals ranging from skunks to cats and even possums that will get into and reek havoc on your trash. But every week? This tells me that someone is not on the ball and being really careless with their trash.
This type of irresponsible behavior is probably being done by the same people who leave their sprinklers on during drought and severe rainstorms. They probably have loud parties every weekend and don't curb their pets while on a walk. Well, I have had enough and I am going to root around in the cat box and leave a surprise for them underneath their windshield wipers, primed for the next rain...
I want to know who thought of the tie. Really, I do. Who made the decision that by tying a piece of cloth around your neck made you presentable to company/work? When did this tradition begin and why does it still continue?
Possibility #1 - The first man who was supposed to be hanged and the rope snapped because it was too thin. He was given a stay of execution and in honor of being "reborn" he wore the remnants of his would-be killer with the frayed end in the front. Seeing how he escaped death, he became an instant celebrity and was asked to wear his rope tie everywhere he went thus sparking a new fashion trend.
Possibility #2 - Some frustrated early transvestite was scarred with the fading of the French Cravat and wanted to wear something that did not reveal his true nature. An ascot was too gaudy and the feather boa too revealing. So he devised a silky tie that he could wear as a tribute to the faded fashions that he loved so dearly.
Possibility #3 - A woman invented it as payback for the corset and every other piece of uncomfortable garment that was invented by a man.
Whatever the story, I would like to see a new movement begin that will support the eradication of this strangulating piece of accessory. It serves no practical purpose and does not enhance anything on the male form.
To those of you who are a fan of Walt Disney there is a feeling of joy whenever one of his many creations and contributions are mentioned. Take a look at the numerous websites, podcasts, and books dedicated to all things Disney and you will see what I mean. As a native Californian, Disney was a part of my life as in many others. Therefore when I found out that the biography on Walt called Walt Disney: The Triumph of the American Imagination by Neal Gabler was available in audio format (and at a great discount) I jumped at the opportunity since my job does not allow me much time to read and I spend a lot of time on the road.
If your vision of Disney is of someone who had no faults and failure, this book is not for you. Gabler paints a picture of Disney that contains everything, warts and all. It was a fascinating journey from Disney’s ancestors down through the family tree discovering what type of family background Disney had and the era he grew up in. I was impressed with the amount of information that Gabler was able to gather just on the grandparents and parents, maybe too much at times. Finding our what influenced Walt at a young age opened a new window on his creations from his films to Main Street USA.
It took quite some time though to get to the information that I wanted to know more about. I began this book to find out what drove his creative mind; what inspired Disney to create his animated films and Disneyland. Needless to say, it indeed to some time to get past some of Gabler’s detailed stories to get to the meat of the book. Even when I got there I was somewhat worn out from the endless details so much that I actually contemplated shelving the whole thing for a while. Gabler seems to think that he needs to pull in as many resources, stories, and details as possible just to relate a two-minute scene.
One of the most tedious chapters was the one describing the process of Snow White. While I agree that Snow White is an important landmark in Disney’s career, Gabler spends way too much time tracing and backtracking that he kills what promised to be an interesting subject. This is to be repeated over and over again throughout the book. Walt building the studio, the creation of Fantasia, the creation of Disneyland; over and over again Gabler smothers the story. In fact, the book has an annoying habit of backtracking to the point that I had to revisit some of the parts to get the chronology correct.
To sum it up, this book is not an easy read for younger readers. The vocabulary is at a college level with some words I had to look up. Profanity, sexuality, and Walt’s drinking are sprinkled throughout the book which may alarm some. Even with all of its shortcomings, if you can stand the disjointed chronology and verbosity of this work, Walt Disney: The Triumph of the American Imagination will bring you closer to the man that many of us wished we had known better.
Whenever you surf the web there are websites out there that love to collect information on those who visit their sites. My Blog is an example of one of these websites. I love to find out where my visitors come from (City/State/Provence/Country) and what type of computer they use so I can be a better webmaster. The counter on the left side is the means by which I get this information from. The counter sends a signal to StatCounter and their servers register your visit and gather some basic information and then report it back to me.
Before installing this counter on my blog, I did extensive research on StatCounter and others like it to ensure that the counter would not install spyware or other harmful forms of software. There are others that allow advertising agencies and the like to track users through the use of cookies and spyware. Here's how it works. You visit a site and that site passes a few to multiple cookies onto your browser. Each of these cookies have a specific job to do for an example, one can tell a website whether or not you have been there before. It can also tell the website where you came from and websites you frequent.
Spyware can hide in different places on your computer and it tracks your online activity and reports back to its place of origin without you knowing about it. Spyware can also slow down your processor and can lead to system failure. Google has an excellent toolbar and protection software that you can download and use. Some of the virus protection you have to subscribe to, but it is worth taking a look at. If you want to know who is tracking you, take a look at your settings/preferences and find either the security settings or cookie settings. If your browser is of quality, it will list out every cookie now sitting on your hard drive. Not all of them are harmful, but they do sit on your computer.
Anyhow, I was looking at my online stats for the blog tonight and saw a new StatCounter Blog entry. Apparently advertising agencies have been knocking at the door of StatCounter to allow the distribution of spyware. In a move of heroic fortitude, StatCounter told the agency to get stuffed. This is huge because StatCounter took a stand for us and refused making tons of money. This proves me right in trusting StatCounter.
Whenever we prepare ourselves to vote for our leaders each one of us has our own agenda by which we gage the candidates by. For an example, we may look at their past record as a community leader. Some look at political agendas and stances on different issues. Others look at personal issues such as religious background, marital status, profession, and whether or not they look like a leader.
The media plays a huge role on how many of us perceive the candidates. Nixon was doomed when he made his first televised presidential debate against JFK. Nixon sweated like someone had found out he was having an affair with Checkers. We watched in horror as a promising candidate in the '04 election was eliminated by the press core because he yelled out, "Yee Haw!" We find out a lot about our candidates personal lives and by that they are typically judged instead of their ability to lead.
Prime example of this came out a few days ago when Mrs. Edwards held a press conference to tell the nation that she once again had cancer. Mrs. Edwards found out she had an aggressive form of breast cancer during the '04 election campaign and her husband dropped out of the race. She recently was given a clean bill of health and the Edwards team decided to go back on the stumping trail in a bid for the '08 election. Now with the recent discovery of cancer in her bones, Mrs. Edwards made the decision to stay with her husband on the campaign trail. She wants her husband to continue on because she views this not as his campaign but as their campaign, a true team.
The press is having a field day with this. Apparently they do not understand that there can be married couples that function on a normal level and as a team. Mr. Edwards is being criticized for staying with the campaign calling him selfish and too ambitious by sacrificing his own wife to the political machine. The press is criticizing Mrs. Edwards by claiming she is using her illness to gain the sympathy vote. She was also asked questions along the lines whether or not the continuation on the campaign trail was a demonstration of denial of her condition. They asked Mr. Edwards if was worried that the campaign would lead to his wife's early death. The both of them have been criticized for being poor parents by forgetting the needs of their children.
Holy flaming balls of Zeus! You people out there certainly do not get it. I am amazed you guys even can claim you know what end the poop comes out of. Here is a couple that are clearly supportive of each other and have made a decision together. The press just needs to stay out of their personal lives and do something radical like report on the issues instead of turning information into glitz.
I subscribe to Kim Komando's daily mailings and occasionally I get a real gem that a typical Mac user can utilize. Most of the time, however, it is Windoze blather that I laugh at because OSX does not suffer from such frailties. I mostly subscribe so I am abreast on the latest techno-news and information.
There are occasions that I get something from Komando that makes me scratch my head. Her latest article on making money with your blog causes such a reaction from me. I guess that I am too much of a purist or maybe I am too much of naive goober. Why should anyone want to create a blog just to make money? As a writer (if I may as so bold as to suggest that I qualify) I find myself just blabbing just for the pure joy of thinking that someone is actually reading this crap. I love the interwoven complications of using the correct words just in the right places to invoke an emotion or even a physical reaction. Gads, if I wanted to make money off of my words, maybe I should finish the fraking books I have been working on for the past four years.
If there is one thing that will invoke annoyance with me is to go to a blog and have to look at advertisements. I know full well that Blogger will let you have a blog without ads. Hence, if you have ads, you are hoping that I will click on an ad. Many who have ads will talk about products or topics that will generate the best ads on their blog thus tempting the reader to click. I see ads on a blog, I will mutter something like "fucking Madison Avenue" and click off without reading anything. It is my way...
Now, Komando is providing a service and is only trying to inform the public that money can be made from the Internet. Even this brings up one of my peeves against her website which is that you have to pay her money to listen to her podcast. As much as I love her show, I don't think I have to funnel money into her coffer just because I missed a show on FREE radio.
Wow! The hit counter hit 10,000 sometime during the night on Monday. I am humbled and honored at the same time. When I began this adventure in writing almost two years ago on Blogger, I had no intention of actually writing as much as I have. Rob inspired me to have a voice on the web and I for one thank him for it.
Being able to write and speak my mind has actually forced me to become a better author, speaker and person. I would also like to thank my five loyal readers and for the inspiration that you have provided me! Now, if I hit this mark by y'all sitting there and hitting the 'refresh' button just to watch the numbers roll, don't tell me the truth.
Why are we ever so surprised whenever a 20-something professional athlete opens his mouth and says something really stupid? Take the Cleveland Cavaliers' Scot Polard. He is sitting on the bench looking dapper and then the camera zooms in on him. In a fit of moronic genius, he looks at the camera and says, "Hey Kids, Do Drugs!"
Those of us who are either parents, teachers, or both shudder at this complete display of idiocy. Most people would just shrug and tell the kids that Polard had his head up his ass and move on. The media, being the piranhas that they are, jumped all over this kid like a chihuahua on a thigh bone. Even before it occurred, I knew that we were about to hear apologies from the coach, owner(s), and Polard himself. When the apologies began to roll out, they were in the same style as when players flip of their home audience, punch a referee, use a racial slur, or moon the camera.
Why do we need to hear them apologize. We know that the idiots can't control themselves. Even the good ones have lapses in judgement because they were caught up in the moment. Polard spends a lot of his time volunteering in the Cleveland community, working with kids. The part that scares me is the combination of him working with kids and not thinking about what he was saying to a national audience. Apologies are pretty much worthless and are typically used to humiliate the powerful or famous. But the true egomaniac will apologize and not give a crap which is unfortunately a majority in professional sports.
Ahh, St. Patrick's Day. It is one of the most dreaded celebrations while in grade school. For if you forgot to wear green (and underwear does not count) you were bound to be pinched over and over again. As I got older, I noticed that I did not mind so much being pinched by those of the female persuasion. Although the TTTs from the guys somehow was not as pleasurable.
The tradition is celebrated throughout the nation even though many Americans do not even share a drop of Irish blood. We go downtown to look at the "magically" enhanced green river, drink green beer, and even warble "Danny Boy" even though many have no damn clue what a fen is. A part of Irish history which is typically not mentioned because it does not fit in with shamrocks, Leprechauns and pots o' gold is the Orange Irish.
The Orange Irish are Irish Protestants who got their name from the Protestant King William III of Orange. (William and Mary) William III, through the Battle of the Boyne, took control of the island of Ireland. Followers of William in Ireland became known as Orangemen. The conflict between the Protestants and Catholics in Ireland would continue for the next 300 years.
Thus, if you look at the modern Irish flag, you will see the Green of the Catholics on the left, Orange of the Protestants on the right, and the white color of peace between them. So, if you meet an Irishman wearing orange today, have mercy. That is unless, his shirt says, "Pinch me, I'm Irish!"
------------------------ Sidenote: If you haven't had a chance to read Rob's reply to yesterday's post, take a moment. Be warned! DO NOT drink any type of bubbly substance while reading, it may come out through your nose. It is THAT dangerous...
If I have to watch one more report on the $1,000 pizza one more time, there will be a brick-sized hole in my television. George Carlin once said that if you nail together two things that have never been nailed together before, some schmuck will offer you a buck. So some idiot decided to put cream cheese, lobster, and caviar on bread and now has made national news. Is it any wonder whatsoever that there are nations who think we are a bunch of idiots?
Donald Trump's feud with Rosie needs to end the same way all Hatfield and McCoy feuds should; with shotguns in the hills of West Virginia. Seriously, these two have been going at it for some time, well ever since Trump found it in his heart to forgive his beauty queen and gave her another chance to make him money. Now, every time one says or does something, the cameras are drooling with the opportunity to get reaction from the other. Donald is such an attention whore, that it takes him no time to brush his comb-over and give an exclusive. Rosie is not that much better when it comes to exchanging barbs but I had hoped that she was the more mature of the two and would let it drop already.
Heather Mills is going to be on Dancing with the Stars. I thought at first this was a joke of some sort. Unfortunately, it is true and I am scratching my head. It is not the fact of her missing a leg that I am perplexed. It is the idea that someone thought her important enough to extend an invitation. I guess Heather knew that her five minutes was about up and maybe she should do some damage control. I saw a report and she was visiting a pig farm to further her stand on animal's rights. Then she made the comment that she has been ridiculed in the press as much as Linda. This angers me just because Linda was so much more a part of Paul's life. Sure, they never had Linda's microphone on while performing, but where does Heather get off comparing herself to Linda. The more I think about it the more I hope that Heather gets to do a number from Lord of the Dance.
Sidenote: Thanks to those who sent out their libations and prayers to yesterday's posting. I thank you from the bottom of my soul.
Winter wind still grips onto the ground My thoughts as cold, for you are not here Where are you now my friend? My Brother?
I see you now in earth's cold chambers and think of what might have been Are you finally filled with joy? or still know sorrow's bitter bite?
Time still passes for me While you live forever in memory I wish you were here with me To share the journey...
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Gads, it has been quite the journey since Trey left the world and I can do nothing right now but wonder what kind of man he would have become. I am really trying not to be too remorseful on this day. Yet even though the years have passed, I still think of my friend every 15th of March. I am no closer to having any answers of why this bright, gentle soul decided to end his life's journey. Please take a moment an raise a glass to him even though many of you never had the chance to meet him. Burn a candle if this is your way. Pray for his family and for him if that is your faith. I have shed my tears and now will spend time smiling in memory of the lessons he taught me.
In something that has not been seen since Godzilla took on King Kong, Viacom is suing Google for about 1 billion dollars for copyright infringement. The infringement charges actually stem from the recent Google acquisition of YouTube. Viacom claims that YouTube has an inordinate amount of copyrighted material and that Viacom is losing out on potential royalties. Google counters that it is actively monitoring the servers and takes out questionable material as soon as it possibly can.
Sound familiar?
To the geeks and nerds of the Internet community, this is a very old song and dance routine. It smells of the Napster debate of about 5 years ago. Napster was a hub that users utilized to swap copywritten materials such as songs, audio books, and even software and movies. The recording industry took Napster to court and after spending millions a settlement was reached and now Napster is a pay site.
Problem was that once Napster went to a pay service, we began to see an increase in what is called Peer to Peer swapping (P2P). Swappers could download free software such as Limewire, Bear Share, and others to log on and search other others who wanted to swap songs. This became a more difficult thing to monitor and even though some of the software distributors have been held to task, once you squash one, three more surface.
Now along comes YouTube and people from around the world were invited to upload videos of themselves. In its beginning, YouTube was almost like an online Funniest Home Videos. Soon, however, there began to surface clips of favorite programs, kids singing to their favorite artists, and even full episodes of South Park. The founders of YouTube tried to get the videos off their servers as quickly as possible. I monitored a Disney clip and it stayed for about 10 days then it was gone.
Google bought YouTube for about a cool billion and Viacom began to lick its lips. Being a good vulture, Viacom knew that it could squeeze more out of Google than it could out of the founders of YouTube. After the dust settles what is going to be the final result? Well, I do not pretend to be a fortune teller, but there will be repercussions on many different levels.
First of all, the courts are going to cost both companies big time. They will pass on their debits to the consumers. Next, even if Youtube is placed in a stranglehold, another one will surface. Chances are YouTube interest will increase and Google will eventually buy out Viacom. Time after time again, "old school" corporations and professional associations are missing the point and the boat. Today's generation flow in and out of the Internet community like fish in water. If they are denied one thing, they will find a way to get what they need. Districts have banned website after website and the kids have found the back doors.
It is all about the money and corporations need to talk to the kids on how to make it before it is too late. For they are the proverbial kid with the finger in the dike and it is a matter of time until the levee breaks.
Take a Blog and mix in statistics, some things you never thought of, and a random kitten generator and you have The Daily Nooz. I have had the great blog on my RSS feeder for about a year or so and every time the site is updated, I usually find a gem or two.
Much as been grumbled about since the change in when DST begins. I am one of those millions who grumbles whenever I am forced to move my clock ahead one hour. It isn't so much the loss of sleep that causes me distress. It is the finding of every blasted timepiece that I own.
First I do the analog clocks since they are the easiest. You either pull a little lever or manually move the hands yourself and voila! My computer is a Mac, so it updates automatically with Apple Time. I did not require any special do-dads or updates to accomplish the change. The cell phone is automatic as well.
The digital clocks are a different matter all together. The digital clock on the stereo does not have a separate adjustment for the hours and the minutes. Therefore, I move a switch and press a button hoping that I will stop the fast moving numbers on time. Otherwise, it takes another full minute to watch the number progress through a 24 hour cycle. Sometimes my mind wonders and I realize I have passed up the target time once again. One year, it too me 20 minutes to reset the damn thing...
Then, I take on the VCRs. The first one matches time with the cable company. That is a good thing except for the fact that the damn cable company's clock is off and if I set it to their time, my timed recordings are all fricked up and I end up missing up to a minute of a recorded program. Then I have to remember the correct sequence for the time stamp on the answering machine. Most of the time, I waste minutes listening to those damn beeps and synthetic voice telling me that I once again created an error. The clock in my car is an entirely different matter. Since I only mess with it once a year, I keep forgetting on whether or not the radio has to be on or off. Then there is a matter of recalling the order in which the buttons must be pushed.
So, like I said, DST is not going away, but if you are interested in the theory behind DST and the ramifications of having it, I suggest you visit this site.
Beyond The rim of the star-light My love Is wand'ring in star-flight I know He'll find in star-clustered reaches Love, Strange love a star woman teaches. I know His journey ends never His star trek Will go on forever. But tell him While he wanders his starry sea Remember, remember me.
Recognize it? Sure, the answer is in the song itself, but I thought of this song while watching the first season of the original Star Trek.
It has been years since I last watched the original series and I remember coming home from school and plopping down to watch the next escapades of Kirk and the Crew. As a geek the technology of what was being shown in the series blew me away. Yet, 40 years later we are no closer to reaching anything let alone the far reaches of space. I think that the only technology that is close so being Trek-like are flip-cellular phones.
I know I already bemoaned the fact the we are way behind in technology when it comes to space exploration, but I still wonder what ever happened to the drive to explore. I would suppose that the true age of exploration in the modern era was fueled by the Cold War. I would had thought that with the Cold War over with that international cooperation would have flourished at bit more than it did. I guess we are not mature enough and not quite ready enough to set aside the sabre.
Until we are, I am going to sit and watch my favorite episodes and hope for a better future for the next generation...
I know that the title might have been misleading to those who were looking for spicy stuff. If you were one of them, Click on the February archives and read away...
March is Women's History Month and for one reason or another it doesn't get the press in public schools as other celebrations. This blatant omission of the role of women in history has often lead to writers referring to history as HIS story. To many degrees I concur with opinion. Take a look at any of the modern textbooks and will find a scant few that even discuss the contributions of women. Quite often, women are given maybe a boxed paragraph with a slight blurb on what they did. Yet, pages and pages are dedicated to not only the important men but even some of the more obscure that the author decided was important.
How many students know the genius behind the Declaration of Sentiments? How many can name the founder of the Red Cross or even three women's rights leaders? Why is it that we are so content to giving women memorials such as commemorative stamps and coins that no one wants to use? Where are the federal holidays? Is Oprah and Hilary Clinton all we have left for strong women's leaders?
So dedicate some time to research, appreciate and celebrate women. I know for sure that if hadn't been for one who was willing to take care of me for all those years, I would not be here right now.
One of the great things about being a geek is that you are continually running across really cool stuff on the web. One example is the Stuck in the 80's podcast. I can not even begin to tell you what a wonderful resource this podcast is. If you are remotely into nostalgia of music, movies, events, and people from 20 years ago, this is the place for you.
The hosts are entertaining, informative and the true love for the greatest decade, well at least for people my age, is very apparent! They cover topics like Ferris Bueler, Fast Times at Ridgemont High, John Hughs, Oingo Boingo, MTV, and many other topics that will make you smile. Go to their website and check it out. The podcast is for free and you can sign up for it there or subscribe to Stuck in the 80s in iTunes. (Just open iTunes and search for the name)
The closer we edge towards April, the closer teachers get to stepping off the deep end.
I read an editorial yesterday from a reader to the local online paper that placed the blame of students who graduate with little or no skills on parents. I applauded this on many different levels. First of all, as was pointed out in the article, many of our parents use television as the virtual baby sitter. We once thought that some of the things that kids say came from their parents. However, recent trends lead my colleagues and I to conclude that the kids are reciting stuff they have heard from television.
Another point well made is that many modern parents are not taking the time to read and be read to. How many are taking the time to do math homework or discuss science and history with their kids? It is left up, including making good choices, to the schools. I am not saying 100% of parents are slacking, but I would be curious to find out some statistics.
Teachers are in a Catch-22 for if they teach they way they want to, many administrators will crack down and demand that teachers teach to the test. Therefore, many teachers are reduced to giving out TAKS related work because they are afraid for their jobs. The result of years and years of this practice is we have kids who can take tests, but are having a real tough time thinking out of the box. Colleges are telling us this and are wondering why the public schools are cheating our kids out of a well rounded education. China is only providing sold education to 1/3 of their population, which is ironically the population of the US. Chances are, that 1/3 is getting a more solid education than our children.
we used to be the leader in education and innovation. Complacency is leading towards being behind. What happened?
I am beginning to wonder where our education is leading to.
I am about to broach a subject that I have never talked about before, religion. I stay away from this topic mainly because everyone has the right to believe in whatever they want to believe in. To point at one faith and jeer at their rituals and beliefs is belittling and quite frankly, unacceptable.
I decided to talk about today's topic based solely on the unquenchable thirst for all things historical. I am talking about the burial place of Jesus and his family being discovered. The Discovery Channel is broadcasting The Last Tomb of Jesus and I am sure it is going to cause a ton of controversy. As a historian, I am fascinated with the possibility of the discovery and really want to keep an open mind. The theologian part of me wants to think that this is nothing but Hollywood hype.
It is quite the eternal debate on whether or not Jesus was prophet or philosopher. We have had this debate for over 2,000 years, wars have been fought, and other beliefs have been persecuted over the life of one person. There are many with closed minds who are going to dismiss this program outright and will scream "blasphemy" from their pulpits without bothering to look at the point of view and evidence. There are going to be others who will use this program to downplay the role of Jesus and use it as proof that a certain belief has no foundation in truth.
Both points of view are dangerous only because it may lead down a road that can only lead to further conflict. Whether or not The Tomb of Jesus is valid should not lead to the destruction of an established belief. People in this nation has the right to believe whatever they want to believe. It has been debated in government and established that a religion is valid as long as it does not allow multiple spouses at the same time, lead to harm of a human and/or ritual slayings of animals, and does not have a theological roll in the public school system.
Either way, I am positive that this one program is not going to debunk the core of any modern beliefs. If the research on the Shroun of Turin did not shift belief, I am sure that The Tomb of Jesus will not either.
Butterfly Angel posted something about an incident that occurred between her and a parent. It got me thinking about similar instances that I have experienced and the wheels began to turn.
It would seem that in recent years, schools have changed from the pinnacle of a community to a place where parents can blame all of society's ills on. I, for one am sick of it. Parents believing that their child walks on water and it is the teacher's fault that things are not right. Parents grabbing lawyers on every corner just to make some quick cash and destroy a reputation. Committing fraud and getting a child into the special education program in order to collect government monies. Teachers being cursed at and nothing being done.
Growing up, if a teacher called the house, I knew that I better find a good place to hide for when I got home... I was a class clown and even the gang members at my school never crossed the line. Sure, there were the terminal assholes that were determined to give teachers a hard time, but they did not last too long and would end up in alternative school. There weren't too many of us that really wanted to be there, but most of us knew that we had to graduate.
What many are missing out is that a free education is not a right, it is a damn privilege. Take a look in the Bill of Rights. Where does it say that we have to educate your children? The public school system was established to better communities and ensure that Americans were literate. Now, we are forced to not only be educators but be teachers of morals and showing the kids on how to be successful. Strike that, I mean we have now been boiled down even further by the state to be teachers of a test.
So, BA, I feel for what you are saying, I've been there...
term, a heavy fog and you spend too much time contemplating what amounts to nothing. There comes a time and a point when you must stand still and let your mind rest. To some, this is a concept that is almost foreign. What I mean is we take each day for granted and go from one motion to another, never really taking the time to look around and feel.
