This is a response to a face book post by a friend. I started answering it and as you can see I went off for a while. Its about education but I think you can get that.
Tonia you're living in a fantasy world. People who work hard don't always get ahead. How would you know who is a good teacher and who is a bad one? Test scores? Teachers will teach to the test. Graduation/pass rates? They will lower the expectations or just pass kids through. Teaching, to a certain extent, is a subjective field. A good teacher might not actually 'teach' you anything. There are so many different levels of teaching. My favorite teacher actually taught me nothing but how to be a better person (which I failed at but that is my fault not Mr. Hylen's). A teacher can teach you something but they can't make you learn it and that is the difference. Education shouldn't be about memorization anymore. There is a saying in the military, and I am butchering it, but its something to the extent that we are always ready to fight the last war during the current one. We are finally ready to teach my parents generation now that we are on to their grand kids. We are still “teaching” memorization of facts instead of application of those facts. When I was teaching (and I did raise test scores 25% in the four months I was there so I guess I was a “good” teacher) I didn’t care if they couldn’t remember the Pythagoras' Theorem but that they knew HOW to apply it.
Raising taxes aren't a good answer either. In the current political climate that won't work. People don't want to see higher taxes. If Michigan raises the taxes on say...um...I can't think of a local business based in Michigan but lets say Meijer's. They will pack up and go to a state that DOESN'T "over" tax them. While we see them as unnecessary tax cuts just think what would happen if they didn't have those breaks and left all together. Especially in a state like Michigan where you Detroit losing (at one point atleast) 10% of its population every year and you had GM just decimate the economy the state can’t afford to risk losing any major employers. That is why you see cities like Ann Arbor, or maybe it was even the state I can’t remember now, giving Google that huge tax break to build in Ann Arbor. That is why companies GM and Ford get them.
There is no good answer. In my opinion, and trust me it PAINS me to say this, but I agree with Tonia. Much like GM the unions have hurt themselves with outrageous requests and while they flourished (to a certain extent) they have painted themselves into a corner. They have hurt themselves in the long run and really hurt what should have been their main focus, the students.
As I implied earlier in my opinion what we need to do is stop looking at education as a whole like it is still the 20th century. Smaller class size doesn't mean anything if we aren't giving the kids what they need NOW not twenty years ago.
However often it isn’t the teachers or the schools fault. What this country needs to do is take a long look in the mirror and realize that WE have put us in this position. Because I like to use wrestling and TV as examples take a look at the line below from when Good Ol’ JR interviewed Mick “Mankind” Foley:
Jim Ross: Don't you think, that it's about time in your life, where you look squarely in the mirror, and accepted the personal responsibility for who you are? Don't you believe that you, yourself, have caused and brought on all these problems?
That is what WE as a whole need to do. The problems in this country are OUR fault.
Now I don't have the answer. If I didn't i would have been a cafe manager or working at an IT Desk right now. I have been on the front lines of education for short period of times. I have had to reach TEACH 18 years old how to read and do basic math. I can tell you what isn’t working but that is only part of the equation. That is like having 2x+3 but not knowing what it equals to solve it. I don’t have the answer but I can tell you what won’t fix it. All this fighting that this country has been doing since 2000. This is a problem that will, hopefully, be solved, and by better and smarter men than I. I am just a guy who has to walk students through a very easy user ID claim process on a daily basis.
2011/02/26
2011/02/18
Review of Inception
I finally got around to watching Inception and...well....it could have been worse. I'm not sure how but it could have been I'm sure.
Okay this movie was very boring. It is just under two and a half hours long and to be honest seemed twice that at least. The rambling exposition. The boring action scenes. Honestly I was completely bored by this movie. Completely and utterly bored.
I would like to explain the plot here but I honestly haven't got a clue. Okay that isn't completely true because I do understand what happened its just boring and overly complicated. It really was.
The acting was okay, well some of it was. Cobra Commander and Juno were both fantastic in their roles. Beyond that....well it could have been worse.
It makes me wonder if Nolan didn't just go to the heads of the studio and be like "I made Batman damn it let me make some shitty shit too." basically using the Family Guy plead that I made something good so you have to let me make whatever I want now.
Now I'm not exactly a person who hates complex movies. The Usual Suspects is one of my favorite movies. This movie...not so much.
I am not going to rail on this movie too much more. I would NOT recommend this movie. Again I was bored and would hate to see others waste their time. If you are a big fan of the star of Critters 3, then you should check it out. If you enjoy a lot of extremely boring exposition then you should check it out.
I would give this a 1 out of 5. Again some decent acting and an interesting plot that was just extremely complicated.
Okay this movie was very boring. It is just under two and a half hours long and to be honest seemed twice that at least. The rambling exposition. The boring action scenes. Honestly I was completely bored by this movie. Completely and utterly bored.
I would like to explain the plot here but I honestly haven't got a clue. Okay that isn't completely true because I do understand what happened its just boring and overly complicated. It really was.
The acting was okay, well some of it was. Cobra Commander and Juno were both fantastic in their roles. Beyond that....well it could have been worse.
It makes me wonder if Nolan didn't just go to the heads of the studio and be like "I made Batman damn it let me make some shitty shit too." basically using the Family Guy plead that I made something good so you have to let me make whatever I want now.
Now I'm not exactly a person who hates complex movies. The Usual Suspects is one of my favorite movies. This movie...not so much.
I am not going to rail on this movie too much more. I would NOT recommend this movie. Again I was bored and would hate to see others waste their time. If you are a big fan of the star of Critters 3, then you should check it out. If you enjoy a lot of extremely boring exposition then you should check it out.
I would give this a 1 out of 5. Again some decent acting and an interesting plot that was just extremely complicated.
2011/02/15
Review of "Countdown to Lockdown" by Mick Foley
Mick's latest book was an interesting one. First let me say a few things for people who don't know me very well. I've been a fan of Mick's since he debuted for the WWF back in 1996 when he debuted as Mankind. At that point my "sickness" as Roddy Piper called it might have almost been at its worst or pretty damn close. I didn't miss a wrestling show and Mankind quickly became one of my favorite characters. However as I learned more about Mick Foley the more I realized he was a good person. Mick's first book was something for years and years I was rarely found without. I am ashamed to admit I haven't read either of novels. I was even lucky enough to have meet Mick briefly even though I was so nervous I didn't really say much but I do have a picture of myself with the Hardcore Legend and I got his autograph. I am saying this so that you can get the impact of what I'm saying. This book would have been better without the underlying story of his Lockdown match with Sting.
His last book, Hardcore Diaries, was set up the same way. In this book the story is Mick getting ready for his match with Sting in a steel cage match. Mick will then tell other stories or write about other things in between chapters.
There are two chapters in particular that I enjoyed. One talking about the Chris Benoit tragedy and the other being a chapter on steroids. Mick is a great writer in that he writes as a person would talk.
I am in no way trying to compare myself with Mick but I think my blogs are written in a similar style, more a stream of consciousness. It comes off as real and it is one of the reason I enjoy his fantastic books.
Another thing that I liked was reading about all of Mick's charitable acts. It is great to hear that he has taken his stardom and done such good things with it. His building of schools and donating his advance to RAINN.
Overall the story of his match with Sting, while slightly interesting, just didn't keep me as interesting as the Hardcore Diaries did. One interesting thing is that Mick doesn't shy away from his own doubts like some stars would.
While I didn't enjoy this as much as Mick's other books it was still good and had its moments. I really enjoyed the line about the Motor City Machine Gunns, his wife and a double team....I'll let you read it to find out what the story was, I actually was laughing out loud at that one.
Mick is a person I respect as a performer and a man. If you're a fan of Mick's you'll enjoy the book. If you want some good stories and some insight into the business and the mind of a true legend.
I would give the book a 3 out of 5. While not his best work still enjoyable.
Next up...I don't know. I have a few zombie books to read. Tomorrow, I believe, Chris Jericho's second book comes out so I've gotta read his first book. I've also got the Jim Butcher series, Doctor Who, The Dexter Series, The Left Behind Series, The Hunger Games series, and many others. Who knows what is next. Until next time, Abyssinia!
His last book, Hardcore Diaries, was set up the same way. In this book the story is Mick getting ready for his match with Sting in a steel cage match. Mick will then tell other stories or write about other things in between chapters.
There are two chapters in particular that I enjoyed. One talking about the Chris Benoit tragedy and the other being a chapter on steroids. Mick is a great writer in that he writes as a person would talk.
I am in no way trying to compare myself with Mick but I think my blogs are written in a similar style, more a stream of consciousness. It comes off as real and it is one of the reason I enjoy his fantastic books.
Another thing that I liked was reading about all of Mick's charitable acts. It is great to hear that he has taken his stardom and done such good things with it. His building of schools and donating his advance to RAINN.
Overall the story of his match with Sting, while slightly interesting, just didn't keep me as interesting as the Hardcore Diaries did. One interesting thing is that Mick doesn't shy away from his own doubts like some stars would.
While I didn't enjoy this as much as Mick's other books it was still good and had its moments. I really enjoyed the line about the Motor City Machine Gunns, his wife and a double team....I'll let you read it to find out what the story was, I actually was laughing out loud at that one.
Mick is a person I respect as a performer and a man. If you're a fan of Mick's you'll enjoy the book. If you want some good stories and some insight into the business and the mind of a true legend.
I would give the book a 3 out of 5. While not his best work still enjoyable.
Next up...I don't know. I have a few zombie books to read. Tomorrow, I believe, Chris Jericho's second book comes out so I've gotta read his first book. I've also got the Jim Butcher series, Doctor Who, The Dexter Series, The Left Behind Series, The Hunger Games series, and many others. Who knows what is next. Until next time, Abyssinia!
2011/02/09
Signs, signs, everywhere a sign
While yesterday's blog was a nice calm one this one not so much. Ready for it because I am turning on rant mode....now! /rant
I don't know why we bother to put signs up, I really don't. No one reads them or if they don't they don't follow them. Take the walk/don't walk signs. How often do you see dipshits cross when they aren't suppose to and then look at YOU like you did something wrong driving. This morning some jogging asshole in all black with two little reflector strips nearly got their ass ran over by yours truly because they were jogging across the street when the sign had the big ass fucking red/orange hand saying don't walk. Natural selection had obviously selected that asshat to die but I gave them a reprieve. In all reality the irony of a fat fuck like me running over and killing some jerk jogging is not wasted on me, in fact it made me chuckle.
Another example is at work. We have security doors with those fancy badges. Yes we are that important. On the god damn door it says NOT TO KNOCK! It says if you forgot your badge to go get one at the front desk. So what does everyone do? THEY FUCKING KNOCK! Personally, being the asshole I am, I don't answer it. I'm far enough away from the door that they can't see me anyway but even if I was right there I wouldn't out of principle. Now as someone pointed out to me, people forget things. That is true. Very true. That is why it says what to do if you did forget your key. Aren't part of the university but need to get in to the work area? Guess what, the sign says what to do in that case too!
It is not like I am expecting five year old's to understand this. I am expecting intelligent (or maybe not so much) people to understand what a sign says. I don't know what set me off on this tangent yesterday but now its stuck in my head and that jogging fucker really pissed me this morning. All black really?
Okay since I am ranting and raving here let me get some more out.
Why the hell can't people be on time? I honestly can't remember the last time I was late. I really can't. Especially work. Hmmmm, last time I was late for work....it wasn't at BN this last tour of duty. Maybe I was late at Southwestern, but I left there in 2006....well you get the idea. Why? Because I am not a dumb fuck. I plan ahead. I hear we might have bad weather tomorrow, I better be ready and leave early. Its winter I might have to clean my car, I better be ready and factor that into my time. Rest of the people...nope...dumb fucks. I'll just be late and let other people carry the weight for my stupidity. Or worse I'll drive fast because I'm late and get in an accident. Stupid fucks.
Another thing is that people around here in SLC are apparently too dumb to turn on their car's headlights. Why bother. Its 7am and I'm in a gray car, people can see me. Its snowing like hell and I'm in a white car I'm good to go. I would think they would have their headlights on 24/7 because its dark with your head shoved so far up your ass! Maybe if I kick hard enough it'll pop back out like in the old cartoons.
/rant
Okay rant mode is off. I am done, spent, tired, sleepy and less angry. In a personal note I think I have caught the flu from the Oatman family. The house should probably be quarantined.
Also at work everyone is gone at a meeting and I'm holding down the fort but of course there are things happening that I don't know how to fix but no one is available to assist either. Its going to be a long LONG day. Fuck me....
I don't know why we bother to put signs up, I really don't. No one reads them or if they don't they don't follow them. Take the walk/don't walk signs. How often do you see dipshits cross when they aren't suppose to and then look at YOU like you did something wrong driving. This morning some jogging asshole in all black with two little reflector strips nearly got their ass ran over by yours truly because they were jogging across the street when the sign had the big ass fucking red/orange hand saying don't walk. Natural selection had obviously selected that asshat to die but I gave them a reprieve. In all reality the irony of a fat fuck like me running over and killing some jerk jogging is not wasted on me, in fact it made me chuckle.
Another example is at work. We have security doors with those fancy badges. Yes we are that important. On the god damn door it says NOT TO KNOCK! It says if you forgot your badge to go get one at the front desk. So what does everyone do? THEY FUCKING KNOCK! Personally, being the asshole I am, I don't answer it. I'm far enough away from the door that they can't see me anyway but even if I was right there I wouldn't out of principle. Now as someone pointed out to me, people forget things. That is true. Very true. That is why it says what to do if you did forget your key. Aren't part of the university but need to get in to the work area? Guess what, the sign says what to do in that case too!
It is not like I am expecting five year old's to understand this. I am expecting intelligent (or maybe not so much) people to understand what a sign says. I don't know what set me off on this tangent yesterday but now its stuck in my head and that jogging fucker really pissed me this morning. All black really?
Okay since I am ranting and raving here let me get some more out.
Why the hell can't people be on time? I honestly can't remember the last time I was late. I really can't. Especially work. Hmmmm, last time I was late for work....it wasn't at BN this last tour of duty. Maybe I was late at Southwestern, but I left there in 2006....well you get the idea. Why? Because I am not a dumb fuck. I plan ahead. I hear we might have bad weather tomorrow, I better be ready and leave early. Its winter I might have to clean my car, I better be ready and factor that into my time. Rest of the people...nope...dumb fucks. I'll just be late and let other people carry the weight for my stupidity. Or worse I'll drive fast because I'm late and get in an accident. Stupid fucks.
Another thing is that people around here in SLC are apparently too dumb to turn on their car's headlights. Why bother. Its 7am and I'm in a gray car, people can see me. Its snowing like hell and I'm in a white car I'm good to go. I would think they would have their headlights on 24/7 because its dark with your head shoved so far up your ass! Maybe if I kick hard enough it'll pop back out like in the old cartoons.
/rant
Okay rant mode is off. I am done, spent, tired, sleepy and less angry. In a personal note I think I have caught the flu from the Oatman family. The house should probably be quarantined.
Also at work everyone is gone at a meeting and I'm holding down the fort but of course there are things happening that I don't know how to fix but no one is available to assist either. Its going to be a long LONG day. Fuck me....
2011/02/08
It has been a while...
It has been a while since I posted hasn't it? I've been busy what can I say. I have been at my new job just over a month now and I'm still enjoying it quite a bit. It is a nice mix of customer service and sorta using that knowledge I went to school for all those years (and have yet to finish). Had some long days including last Friday but its all part of paying my dues, showing that I'm a team player and most importantly (to me atleast) getting some overtime in and getting some of these past due bills out of the way.
In other Gene news, I did my taxes already and have been waiting since Jan. 26th for Idaho to send me my return. Is there anything that Idaho does that doesn't piss me off?
I didn't watch the Superbowl this year as I didn't give a rats ass about either time. If the Patriots aren't in it I don't care. Also I slept from about 4 on to try and store some sleep up for another busy week. It didn't work as then my body didn't want to sleep last night. Oh insomnia how I thee.
Today was the first bad day weather wise I've had to deal with since returning to SLC. It was blowing like a bitch out there and that isn't a good way to start a morning. Still better then being back in the Great Lakes and all the snow and cold they are getting but still.
Sunday I was playing with Ace and he broke my glasses. Broke one of the arms off. I don't know how old these glasses are but I believe it was 2001 that I got them so they went well past their expected life span and still going. I am wearing these bad boys till they fall apart.
I am currently reading Mick Foley's latest book "Countdown to Lockdown" and I think I'll be done in a week or so, so expect a new book review then. I also have a short story by Jonathan Maberry (my good personal friend....since he responding to this very blog...what Mean Gene Okerland always used that phrase so I can steal it if I want to) starring Joe Ledger which I am quite excited about. Maberry has three or four books coming out this year all of which I can't wait for. If you haven't read his stuff you should, some of the best writing I've read for quite some time.
Well there you go, a brief glimpse into what I've been doing since my last entry. Maybe later I'll go look at some news sites, get all worked up, and write an entry people might be interested in.
In other Gene news, I did my taxes already and have been waiting since Jan. 26th for Idaho to send me my return. Is there anything that Idaho does that doesn't piss me off?
I didn't watch the Superbowl this year as I didn't give a rats ass about either time. If the Patriots aren't in it I don't care. Also I slept from about 4 on to try and store some sleep up for another busy week. It didn't work as then my body didn't want to sleep last night. Oh insomnia how I thee.
Today was the first bad day weather wise I've had to deal with since returning to SLC. It was blowing like a bitch out there and that isn't a good way to start a morning. Still better then being back in the Great Lakes and all the snow and cold they are getting but still.
Sunday I was playing with Ace and he broke my glasses. Broke one of the arms off. I don't know how old these glasses are but I believe it was 2001 that I got them so they went well past their expected life span and still going. I am wearing these bad boys till they fall apart.
I am currently reading Mick Foley's latest book "Countdown to Lockdown" and I think I'll be done in a week or so, so expect a new book review then. I also have a short story by Jonathan Maberry (my good personal friend....since he responding to this very blog...what Mean Gene Okerland always used that phrase so I can steal it if I want to) starring Joe Ledger which I am quite excited about. Maberry has three or four books coming out this year all of which I can't wait for. If you haven't read his stuff you should, some of the best writing I've read for quite some time.
Well there you go, a brief glimpse into what I've been doing since my last entry. Maybe later I'll go look at some news sites, get all worked up, and write an entry people might be interested in.
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