Thursday, January 14, 2010

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.

11 comments:

Bob said...

I'm with you on Babs Walter.
I cannot stand the way she behaves on The View.....I keep waiting for a Whoopi bitch-slap!

the dogs' mother said...

The last time I had to read the draft benchmarks for art and music there were performance requirements - 5th grade student makes up a dance, performs it, the dance is video taped and sent off for some board to review. It *wasn't* a choice of many. My boys would have been horrified!It doesn't even border on child abuse - it is child abuse. And can you imagine the cost. And what if you fail the benchmark? How are you going re-mediate (firefox says with a hyphen, is it sure?) someone's dance?
I agree with your reservations about the latest, and the last, misadventures in education.

Mr.Mischief said...

Pat Robertson makes me want to apologize for being white and living in the same country as that moron...and as for the teacher pay based on merit? I see and hear my wife having to deal with the repercussions of that government fiasco every day, and even with all the time she spends dealing with work related issues, her actual wage would be LESS than minimum wage..

Joy said...

I thought you would agree, FP. It's remediate. Firefox doesn't know educationalese.

That IS child abuse and just horrible! I'm so tired of all this and will be so glad when this trend goes away.

Joy said...

So true, Mr. M! Isn't it neat to say "my wife"? I like seeing it in print!

Bob, I know Whoopi has to be doing that in her mind.

Mr.Mischief said...

I love saying "my wife"...we're still going around calling each other wife and husband, and it still hasn't gotten old..lol

Joy said...

Love her "Mrs. Miss A" too!!

Jeff said...

I completely agree regarding Pat Robertson! Sheesh! If there is a heaven and hell, dude had a very hot place waiting just for him!

mrs.missalaineus said...

pat robertson is a shit douche.

NCLB works best for the elite (read wealthy).

we aren't eligible for the race to the top as far as i know because of our 'non-public' status.

xxalainaxx

mrs.missalaineus said...

and thanks for noticing the blog title :D

Sam said...

Club Soda has a fizz to it Joy.
I've fallen off the wagon and started drinking the hard stuff again. Somewhere in my DNA Dr. Pepper is embedded.
Pat Robertson? See FP Comments for my thoughts, this includes Bawba Walters.
Did I tell you I loved you today?
Tug