Bits and Pieces

Coke Zero is basically carbonated battery acid with caffeine and Aspartame. It's really bad for me, but I drink it anyway because I like the fizzy taste.

Why does Pat Robertson have a show? Better yet, why does he even exist? The scary part is that there are people who actually believe him and agree with his hateful spew.

The View is much better when Barbara Walters is not on it. All she does is brag about who she's interviewed (it was her JOB), interrupt to explain the obvious, and annoy me.

Spending lots of money to renovate a house you're going to sell isn't always cost-effective. When I look at houses, I see the potential as long as it has features that are important like location, floor plan, structural soundness, condition, and such as that. Sometimes what people add is not what prospective buyers like and want. Clean, repair, paint, decorate, and organize it. Make it sellable without spending a fortune except for repairs that the inspector will require anyway.

Teacher pay based on "merit" (HA! test scores) is a horrible idea for many reasons. Some teachers teach courses that aren't tested. Do we need to have an art contest, music competition, etc.? Should high school coaches get paid based on their wins and losses? TVAS scores in Tennessee are supposed to predict performance of high school students with a formula that is based on predicted CORN YIELD! It's crazy. In our state, Governor Bredesen wants to participate in federal "Race to the Top" money which will give most of the money to higher education but will be hardest on teachers whose classes are tested. I was leery with merit pay as part of Obama's education platform and am disappointed that this program includes it. We need to get rid of NCLB (No Child Left Behind) which has set education back and will take decades to recover from. That was a huge mistake made by the W administration, and I hoped it would be replaced with something that really works. It doesn't seem that will happen. There must be less emphasis on testing instead of more. Students need to be taught to think and learn, not just to take tests. I could go on and on but won't. You get the idea.

I'm still keeping musician hours but have a glimmer of hope that I will get back on a schedule that is still night owlish but pushed back earlier than going to bed at 3:00 AM.