http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/09/28/obamas-extended-school-year-dire-economic-effects-critics-claim/
I honestly don't think that President Obama is trying to ruin our kids' lives or the tourism industry with his latest idea to expand school hours, days or weeks to match those of other countries. But I am opposed, and not just because I don't want to follow in the footsteps of those other countries who, in spite of their higher test scores, still have worse economies than ours.
First of all, I am only sending my kids to school so that they, or I, can avoid being labeled weird by their/my peers. The fact that Jeff has already un-learned the alphabet in two weeks of Kindergarten has me re-thinking my choice, though. What else will he un-learn at school? My plan was to take the free time away from school to teach him the things he really needs to know, like math, science, reading, music and morality. More time at school means less time for me.
There is no second of all, the first one pretty much covered it.
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Sunday, September 27, 2009
The Wild Swans At Coole
by William Butler Yeats
The trees are in their autumn beauty,
The woodlands paths are dry,
Under the October twilight the water
Mirrors a still sky;
Upon the brimming water among the stones
Are nine-and-fifty swans.
The nineteenth autumn has come upon me
Since I first made my count;
I saw, before I had well finished,
All suddenly mount
And scatter wheeling in great broken rings
Upon their clamorous wings.
I have looked upon those brilliant creatures,
And now my heart is sore.
All's changed since I, hearing at twilight,
The first time on this shore
The bell-beat of their wings above my head,
Trod with a lighter tread.
Unwearied still, lover by lover,
They paddle in the cold
Companionable streams or climb the air;
Their hearts have not grown old;
Passion or conquest, wander where they will,
Attend upon them still.
But now they drift on the still water,
Mysterious, beautiful;
Among what rushes will they build,
By what lake's edge or pool
Delight men's eyes when I awake some day
To find they have flown away?
The trees are in their autumn beauty,
The woodlands paths are dry,
Under the October twilight the water
Mirrors a still sky;
Upon the brimming water among the stones
Are nine-and-fifty swans.
The nineteenth autumn has come upon me
Since I first made my count;
I saw, before I had well finished,
All suddenly mount
And scatter wheeling in great broken rings
Upon their clamorous wings.
I have looked upon those brilliant creatures,
And now my heart is sore.
All's changed since I, hearing at twilight,
The first time on this shore
The bell-beat of their wings above my head,
Trod with a lighter tread.
Unwearied still, lover by lover,
They paddle in the cold
Companionable streams or climb the air;
Their hearts have not grown old;
Passion or conquest, wander where they will,
Attend upon them still.
But now they drift on the still water,
Mysterious, beautiful;
Among what rushes will they build,
By what lake's edge or pool
Delight men's eyes when I awake some day
To find they have flown away?
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Good article (s)
http://bighollywood.breitbart.com/jphillips/2009/09/15/feel-good-policy/#more-224646
Joseph Phillips' mention of facebook members ranting about health care reminds me of why I deactivated my facebook account. I am tired of being railed against by even people I respect, who seem to feel that facebook gives them the security of being behind a computer, and not face to face with friends who have now become their opponents.
Truth is, I'm a chicken. I use this site to stand for my beliefs, knowing full well it's read by one, two, or maybe three people. Way to speak out, Jen! Oh, and kudos to those who marched in Washington D.C. on September 12th. I would have loved to have been there.
Back to Phillips' article. He makes a great case for true compassion (one that creates actual results), and progressive compassion (moral platitudes with good intentions but poorer actual results). As I wrote in a blog before, one isn't compassionate who insists that someone else foot the bill for his long list of social injustice.
My family grew up with little health insurance. It was too expensive. We didn't go to the doctor much. Nor to the dentist. Guess how many cavities I had? zero! We also didn't eat much sugar, and we brushed our teeth. My mom was, and still is, very much a teacher of healthy habits.
Now, that's not to say people don't need to go to the doctor more often than we did growing up. But I do believe everyone needs to be aware of the consequences of each decision they make. And I believe that they should know exactly what they're paying for, whatever it is: health care, taxes, cigarettes, candy, a new car, whatever.
Right now, most of our costs are hidden under withheld taxes and employer-supplied insurance plans which give us a feeling of security, because we trust someone is taking care of us. We don't pay attention to where the money is actually going. We don't know how much various medical tests are costing, nor how much our prescription drugs are worth. And we don't see how our tax money is divvied up to pay for schools and parks, or our nations' defense, or for ACORN-supported brothels, or Maritime domain awareness.
So, maybe if we knew just how much the treatment for heart disease really cost, we'd think twice before delving into that cream-filled donut, or chocolate-peanut butter cheese cake. And if we did, fine. It's our choice. Just so we know what it will cost us in the end.
Joseph Phillips' mention of facebook members ranting about health care reminds me of why I deactivated my facebook account. I am tired of being railed against by even people I respect, who seem to feel that facebook gives them the security of being behind a computer, and not face to face with friends who have now become their opponents.
Truth is, I'm a chicken. I use this site to stand for my beliefs, knowing full well it's read by one, two, or maybe three people. Way to speak out, Jen! Oh, and kudos to those who marched in Washington D.C. on September 12th. I would have loved to have been there.
Back to Phillips' article. He makes a great case for true compassion (one that creates actual results), and progressive compassion (moral platitudes with good intentions but poorer actual results). As I wrote in a blog before, one isn't compassionate who insists that someone else foot the bill for his long list of social injustice.
My family grew up with little health insurance. It was too expensive. We didn't go to the doctor much. Nor to the dentist. Guess how many cavities I had? zero! We also didn't eat much sugar, and we brushed our teeth. My mom was, and still is, very much a teacher of healthy habits.
Now, that's not to say people don't need to go to the doctor more often than we did growing up. But I do believe everyone needs to be aware of the consequences of each decision they make. And I believe that they should know exactly what they're paying for, whatever it is: health care, taxes, cigarettes, candy, a new car, whatever.
Right now, most of our costs are hidden under withheld taxes and employer-supplied insurance plans which give us a feeling of security, because we trust someone is taking care of us. We don't pay attention to where the money is actually going. We don't know how much various medical tests are costing, nor how much our prescription drugs are worth. And we don't see how our tax money is divvied up to pay for schools and parks, or our nations' defense, or for ACORN-supported brothels, or Maritime domain awareness.
So, maybe if we knew just how much the treatment for heart disease really cost, we'd think twice before delving into that cream-filled donut, or chocolate-peanut butter cheese cake. And if we did, fine. It's our choice. Just so we know what it will cost us in the end.
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
The SPEECH!
Obama's Address to School Children
My alarm over the news that Obama would be addressing our nation's school children has been mocked, derided, and called "silly."
Perhaps I haven't taken a "middle of the road" approach. I believe parents who share similar points of view are like-minded people who disagree with Obama's policies and politics, and frankly, don't trust him.
First of all, this man has never stopped campaigning. Were I as conniving as I believe him to be, I wouldn't hesitate to try and "reach" those impressionable young minds between the ages of 17 and 15, those kids who will be voting in the 2012 election. I wouldn't put it past him.
Second of all, the manner in which this speech was announced didn't fit the definition of "transparency," as have none of laws or executive orders he has signed. I learned about this on Fox news. My own school district didn't have time or see fit to inform me. And the fact that there were two lesson plans, the original, and an edited one, revealed to me ulterior motives.
Having read through the entire speech, I cannot see anything overtly wrong with it. The message of personal responsibility is a valuable one. If only he held his own advisers to that same standard.
Some small points of contention:
All people in politics really love to glorify the single mother. Maybe it would have been useful in his speech if he told girls to avoid teenage pregnancy so they could finish school. Just a thought.
The plug for "solving skills you learn in science and math to cure diseases like cancer and AIDS, and to develop new energy technologies and protect our environment." Curing cancer is great, go for it. AIDS is sad, which is again why kids should be encouraged to live chastely. (But that would be too political, I know.) And more environment? That is SO old news. Earth Day gets more love from teachers than all other Holidays and subjects combined. Obama's reference is but a drop in the bucket. But I can't ignore the fact that scientists who oppose the "overwhelming" evidence of Global Warming are intimidated and silenced.
And while Obama makes a big push for kids staying in school, and puts in a little endorsement of the work he's doing to make schools better, his own daughters won't have to listen to this speech! And kids who can avoid the public school system through homeschooling or vouchers and private schools will still have a major advantage.
My alarm over the news that Obama would be addressing our nation's school children has been mocked, derided, and called "silly."
Perhaps I haven't taken a "middle of the road" approach. I believe parents who share similar points of view are like-minded people who disagree with Obama's policies and politics, and frankly, don't trust him.
First of all, this man has never stopped campaigning. Were I as conniving as I believe him to be, I wouldn't hesitate to try and "reach" those impressionable young minds between the ages of 17 and 15, those kids who will be voting in the 2012 election. I wouldn't put it past him.
Second of all, the manner in which this speech was announced didn't fit the definition of "transparency," as have none of laws or executive orders he has signed. I learned about this on Fox news. My own school district didn't have time or see fit to inform me. And the fact that there were two lesson plans, the original, and an edited one, revealed to me ulterior motives.
Having read through the entire speech, I cannot see anything overtly wrong with it. The message of personal responsibility is a valuable one. If only he held his own advisers to that same standard.
Some small points of contention:
All people in politics really love to glorify the single mother. Maybe it would have been useful in his speech if he told girls to avoid teenage pregnancy so they could finish school. Just a thought.
The plug for "solving skills you learn in science and math to cure diseases like cancer and AIDS, and to develop new energy technologies and protect our environment." Curing cancer is great, go for it. AIDS is sad, which is again why kids should be encouraged to live chastely. (But that would be too political, I know.) And more environment? That is SO old news. Earth Day gets more love from teachers than all other Holidays and subjects combined. Obama's reference is but a drop in the bucket. But I can't ignore the fact that scientists who oppose the "overwhelming" evidence of Global Warming are intimidated and silenced.
And while Obama makes a big push for kids staying in school, and puts in a little endorsement of the work he's doing to make schools better, his own daughters won't have to listen to this speech! And kids who can avoid the public school system through homeschooling or vouchers and private schools will still have a major advantage.
Thursday, September 3, 2009
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
trying not to overreact
Anyone know if Obama's speech to America's children in their very own classrooms is coming to Idaho schools? No news on KTVB or the Idaho Statesman.
Just curious.
Just curious.
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
A Rose by Any Other Name
Is still a rose. Or in this case, skunk thistle.
http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2009/08/24/phil-kerpen-public-option-obama-health/
There can be no good compromise on this bill, unless it means tearing up the whole thing, and writing a new one that allows insurance to be sold across state lines, and takes existing Government regulation out of the equation.
http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2009/08/24/phil-kerpen-public-option-obama-health/
There can be no good compromise on this bill, unless it means tearing up the whole thing, and writing a new one that allows insurance to be sold across state lines, and takes existing Government regulation out of the equation.
Monday, August 17, 2009
2010 US Census
In a move decidedly advantageous to liberal states like California, illegal immigrants could be included in the 2010 census.
At the same time, LDS missionaries serving outside of the country will not.
At the same time, LDS missionaries serving outside of the country will not.
Friday, August 7, 2009
a higher standard
This morning I woke up to read an article that contradicts one of my points I made yesterday, describing a Town Hall meeting in Florida that seems to have gotten a little out of control.
My first thought is that the media is likely to have blown it out of proportion. This article looks to be written by the AP, and dwells a bit too much on a cameraman who says this is "the most violent anyone has been towards me," implying that Conservatives are a lot meaner than say, Gay Marriage activists in front of the L.A. temple. (Granted, the Fla photographer probably didn't make it to CA in November.)
But here's the truth, whether it's fair or not: Conservatives, or anyone who claims to be religious must hold themselves to a higher standard. We can't point fingers and say that Liberal protesters have set the precedent for unruly crowds. One of the biggest compliments came from Robert Gibbs, when he called a group of protesters the "Brooks Brothers Brigade" or Barbara Boxer said they were "too well-dressed" to be legit.
James Taranto makes a similar point in his "Best of the Web" post today, noting that Pelosi's statement about protesters wearing swastika's is "validated" (loosely speaking) because there were signs which featured a swastika in place of a cigarette in a no-smoking sign. (Similar to the many crossed-out $ signs that I saw at the Tax day Tea Party with the message "stop spending.") The bigger error, in my opinion, is for Pelosi et al to say people had swastika's when in fact, they obviously had a "no fascism" message. On the other hand, calling Obama's fascist when he's really socialist can be likened to pro-life protesters who gather around LDS church headquarters to protest our stance on abortion.
I am impressed with the numbers who have turned up to meetings to express their views, and I hope that their message gets across. But we shouldn't allow the message to be overshadowed by spreading misinformation of our own, or using the same combative tactics we're used to seeing in protests.
UPDATE: This WSJ article supports what I suspect: that the media's description of various Town Hall meetings are a bit overblown.
My first thought is that the media is likely to have blown it out of proportion. This article looks to be written by the AP, and dwells a bit too much on a cameraman who says this is "the most violent anyone has been towards me," implying that Conservatives are a lot meaner than say, Gay Marriage activists in front of the L.A. temple. (Granted, the Fla photographer probably didn't make it to CA in November.)
But here's the truth, whether it's fair or not: Conservatives, or anyone who claims to be religious must hold themselves to a higher standard. We can't point fingers and say that Liberal protesters have set the precedent for unruly crowds. One of the biggest compliments came from Robert Gibbs, when he called a group of protesters the "Brooks Brothers Brigade" or Barbara Boxer said they were "too well-dressed" to be legit.
James Taranto makes a similar point in his "Best of the Web" post today, noting that Pelosi's statement about protesters wearing swastika's is "validated" (loosely speaking) because there were signs which featured a swastika in place of a cigarette in a no-smoking sign. (Similar to the many crossed-out $ signs that I saw at the Tax day Tea Party with the message "stop spending.") The bigger error, in my opinion, is for Pelosi et al to say people had swastika's when in fact, they obviously had a "no fascism" message. On the other hand, calling Obama's fascist when he's really socialist can be likened to pro-life protesters who gather around LDS church headquarters to protest our stance on abortion.
I am impressed with the numbers who have turned up to meetings to express their views, and I hope that their message gets across. But we shouldn't allow the message to be overshadowed by spreading misinformation of our own, or using the same combative tactics we're used to seeing in protests.
UPDATE: This WSJ article supports what I suspect: that the media's description of various Town Hall meetings are a bit overblown.
Thursday, August 6, 2009
More than Health Care Reform
I dare anyone to report me to the White House for what I'm about to write. I've posted numerous thoughts and linked several articles relating to what has been called "the worst legislation ever" to be debated in Congress at the behest of President Obama. Calling it the worst legislation ever is saying a lot. I googled "worst legislation" and a number of hits came up, including "Cap and Trade," and the "Stimulus Bill" which agreeably are nasty pieces of work.
While maybe ObamaCare isn't the WORST thing he wants to do, it is a natural progression of many, many bad ideas already in the works, and more yet to come. Those of us who see Obama's ultimate goal as turning the United States into a Socialist country may sound a little frantic, and we've been called extremist nuts. I have no doubt that our founding fathers were called an equivalent term by King George and his friends in England. But no, I don't think conservative constitutionalists are planning a rebellion. Even if some of them are gun owners. Puh-lease!
Besides socializing medicine, here are some things surrounding the Health Care plan which have me worried.
White House requesting "fishy"info from tattle-tailers
Name-calling and fear-mongering
Spreading "disinformation" about the real price of Health Care reform
Even if this monstrosity doesn't pass, look at all of the techniques being used to get it there? We've already taken several steps away from Democracy.
Here's a good Top 10 about what will happen if it does pass.
And here's a good speech by Rep. Michelle Bachman, notice how she encourages us to contact our representatives at the end!
While maybe ObamaCare isn't the WORST thing he wants to do, it is a natural progression of many, many bad ideas already in the works, and more yet to come. Those of us who see Obama's ultimate goal as turning the United States into a Socialist country may sound a little frantic, and we've been called extremist nuts. I have no doubt that our founding fathers were called an equivalent term by King George and his friends in England. But no, I don't think conservative constitutionalists are planning a rebellion. Even if some of them are gun owners. Puh-lease!
Besides socializing medicine, here are some things surrounding the Health Care plan which have me worried.
White House requesting "fishy"info from tattle-tailers
Name-calling and fear-mongering
Spreading "disinformation" about the real price of Health Care reform
Even if this monstrosity doesn't pass, look at all of the techniques being used to get it there? We've already taken several steps away from Democracy.
Here's a good Top 10 about what will happen if it does pass.
And here's a good speech by Rep. Michelle Bachman, notice how she encourages us to contact our representatives at the end!
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
more on Star Trek
Yay--people aren't done comparing current politicians to Star Trek! I love silly stuff like this--but most of them have it all wrong.
Now, I have been telling myself to stop making my blog a Sarah Palin love fest--but this article was fun.
Now, I have been telling myself to stop making my blog a Sarah Palin love fest--but this article was fun.
Monday, August 3, 2009
Cap and Trade consequences abroad
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204313604574327992553917308.html
This rang a bell--and I don't remember when or where, but it was something Obama said about poorer nations needing to curb global warming as well as the wealthy ones.
This rang a bell--and I don't remember when or where, but it was something Obama said about poorer nations needing to curb global warming as well as the wealthy ones.
Sunday, August 2, 2009
more evidence
that Teacher Unions do nothing for kids. The argument that teachers deserve to make a living wage as justification for Unions doesn't fly.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204619004574318393190278188.html
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204619004574318393190278188.html
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