Doug C

There, Sparky speaks...

Ah, thank Heaven! All is right in the VC world. I was beginning to think that 'Groundhog Day' had ended.

I don't understand what is wrong with posting an article that you think makes a valid point. I would assume that the poster feels that the article is evidence to a point of view that may alter someone's opinion. That is how knowledge comes about. The more informed that you are, well, the more informed that you are. You don't have to read the article. That is one of the (few) benefits of this type of discussion, you can share detailed information. It is possible to read a posted article and see things differently. "Oooh, you always post long articles to read." What point does that make, other than the obvious?(Please save the keystrokes. I know that the preceeding isn't a verbatim VCer quote).

Somewhat related to the 'discussion'... My district has a new evaluation system, paid for by tens of millions in Gates grant dollars. We are one of the few districts chosen by the Gates Foundation to use this system (it will not be fully operational for 2 more years). It is meant to be a national model and designed to make firing ineffective teachers easier, something many politicians and citizens are in favor of. Even if it is an objective, valid and reliable method of evaluation, and thousands of incompetent teachers are fired nationwide, what then? Who is going to replace them? From studies that I have read, many teachers in America are C students from the bottom two-thirds of test scores. Do people really believe that 'the best and the brightest' will be rushing to take the vacant teaching positions? Why would they? For the 6 figure salary? For the health plan rivaling that of Congress? For the rock-solid pension? For the societal respect and status?

There is only one thing that will cause the 'best and the brightest' to consider public school teaching as a career. The same thing that causes the best and the brightest to consider business, finance, medicine, law, etc. The opportunity to make some money. In Finland, Shanghai, Singapore and other countries that are rated highest in test scores, the top students are recruited into the teaching profession, paid well and respected. Education is also federalized in most of these places, not a patchwork of districts.

This link doesn't cover every point that I made, I am close enough to violating protocol by posting one article, but it covers some. http://www.npr.org/2010/12/07/131884477/Study-Confirms-U-S-Falling-Behind-In-Education

Oh, VC protocol be damned! This is an informative one. http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2010/12/07/131874081/u-s-students-again-trail-other-nations

yeah, I look at CNN all day: Libya

 

this is nothing like Egypt...it's way worse.

I agree with you. I listen to/read NPR all day.

It's way worse because Mubarak is an s.o.b. but Ghaddafi is crazy as a shithouse rat.

Those people at least had consequences for their actions.

Oh snap!

Jules,

Regardless of your view on the issue, doesn't it bother you that he is a liar (obviously, he is not an anomaly)? He publicly insisted that busting unions was not the goal but privately, to a financial backer, he says that union busting is the goal. He should now publicly make a case against unions. Explain that this bill is the first step toward busting unions of all kinds. Explain why busting unions would be good for Wisconsin. He should then explain how WI could be the leader in making unions a thing of the past, nation-wide, and how this would be good for the country. If he is unwilling to do this, then he should have the bill withdrawn. Stupid or not, he has been found out. Now he should do the right thing and make the bill's case based on the truth as he sees it. If the bill still has wide support, then pass it.

I don't see what is wrong with what he said on that phone call.

For some listeners, the compression that has to take place to make a music file degrades the quality to such an extent that the music becomes barely (or un) listenable. I am not one of those people.

I think this is just a marketing ploy to get people to spend more money an digital music. Yeah there's a difference in sound quality but unless you are professionally trained sound engineer, your not going to notice a big difference.

I am in agreement with both of these statements.

I don't understand why it's so outlandish for me to expect an employer to fulfill their obligations to their employees. Private businesses, sadly, no. Robbing Peter worker to keep incredibly overpaying executive Paul is an accepted practice. The public sector is different. This may sound ridiculous in 2011 but public employees work for us, the public. We should fulfill our obligations to them. Many public sector employees choose the relatively lower-paying public career because of the security of a good pension. A couple of the pension proposals in my state would lower pension checks by thousands of dollars a month. When I retire in 10 years, under the pension system that I was hired under, my monthly pension will be X number of dollars. If proposed bills become law, it will be thousands less per month. I have prepared responsibly for my retirement. My wife and I also fund other retirement plans. We did the right thing and calculated what we would need, how much our pension would be and open supplemental savings to reach our goal. Now you are telling me that our goal won't be reached? It will be off by thousands because the governor and legislature (and by proxy, our fellow citizens) think that that money should go to pay off state debt or shore up the treasury? When I retire, I will have been a loyal, hardworking, highly evaluated employee for 35 years. My fellow citizens feel that my reward should be a greatly reduced pension? I find that to be simply mean. But since many people have been made to believe that I am undeserving and have been taking advantage of their tax dollars, it's okay. My wife, Lou, Sparky Lyle and I are scapegoats.

If the current pension system is financially untenable then come up with a new one for all unvested employees and new hires. That is fair and I would support it. But the pensions of currently vested employees should be left alone and be seen as a promise made in good faith to fellow citizens. A promise that must be upheld. As cheesy as it sounds, that's the American way.

Private businesses don't do this but we should be better. Obviously, I am biased but I feel confident that I would feel the same way if I worked in the private sector. It's my sense of fair play.

I am sure that others will disagree. Hell, I could name them.

So why don't all employees have the right to tenure?

They do. They just need to negotiate it into the contract they have with their employer.

You will enjoy it. I got a bottle for my wife as a birthday present a couple of years ago. Very well done, as is every Ommegang beer that I have had. Rich, flavorful. The chocolate is definitely apparent.

My dad's a state employee in Florida. No one's stoned him yet...?

Did I say that FL public employess were getting stoned (in the Biblical sense)? Your dad doesn't feel that his pay, benefits and pension are being attacked? Is he paying attention?

I agree with Lou. Here in Florida, us public employees are the in vogue bogeymen.

Analogman, my wife and I want to thank you for posting about the Jayhawks in Atlanta. Wow. Very excited. We saw The Cardinals at the same venue. It is a shed but we had great seats. If it is true that Band of Horses are the headliner... damn. That is just sad. Band of Horses should insist that they open for The Jayhawks. I hope that they still play a long set. Don't get me wrong, nothing will keep us from this show but things like this are a telling comment on the music industry and fans. How in hell can they not be the headliner? I understand that Band of Horse are likely a bigger draw but that's the problem. What. The. Fuck.

Oh well. Rebecca at the Porter Beer Bar, our ATL local, if you are reading this, Doug and Elizabeth will see you in April.

Thanks again to Analogman. I check the Jayhawks' website but I might have missed Friday's ticket sale without you.

Wild Flag

The main reason that I converse in any context, face-to-face or cyber, is the chance to make sarcastic replies and in-jokes. That's probably why I have few friends, because it makes me annoying to most people and because it makes most people annoying to me (because they don't get the references, sarcasm, etc.).

There is a difference, though, between enjoying witty banter including in-jokes, references, etc. and being a pompous, d-bag, a-hole. There is nothing more unwelcoming and annoying.

"The bar clock says three AM..." Oh wait, home, not hell.

WTA sounds like Wico and I'm fine with that! I don't think it's disappointing at all.

That's all well and good if you are a Wico fan. Most people here would probably prefer that Wilco(The Album) sounded like Wilco.

I think if he hadn't have left, they wouldn't have progresed. He's kind of a strong personality and if I recall, the Bottlerockets are still doing the alt-country thing pretty exclusively, right?

I am a big enough person to thank someone for making my point much better than I did. So thank you, Laminated Nap.

Every time I spin A.M. I always wonder how Wilco might have progressed if Henneman took the gig as full-time lead guitarist. Some very, very tasty playing. I love every track.

I am a huge Henneman/BRox fan but I'd figure that he'd have left around the time Max did. I can't imagine Brian Henneman wanting to make Summerteeth, much less Yankee Hotel Foxtrot and sure as hell not A Ghost Is Born.

When I first saw the tour dates, I was very excited because we'd be seeing the 2 AL shows on a spring break road trip. Then I looked at a calendar and came to the sad realization that our district's break is the prior week. Arrgh! I hope that they decide to start the tour a few days earlier.

Touché.

 

Ok, it's my belief then.

Man, that was the first time that I have ever channeled Laminated Nap. What a freaky experience!

No love for the Reverend Doctor Christopher Syn?

... but it's my theory that climate change is part of a natural cycle, and humans have little to do with it.

Not trying to swoop in and criticize, even though that is exactly what I am doing, but that isn't your theory. That is your guess, belief, hunch, gut feeling, etc. It is only your theory if it is supported by a large amount of research (evidence). A theory and a guess are very different. Science is scientific.

I agree that climate change is much better than global warming.

That won't happen. President Romney, on the other hand.