The No Child Left Behind Act

In frustration one day I said to my son, “I can’t believe how many kids around here are graduating and cannot read or write.” What I have noticed in dealing with the public in the last five years is that people who have graduated in the last decade (or about to graduate) have a very difficult time with reading and understanding simple questionnaires. In talking to them I get the impression many of them don’t really understand them when read off to them either. I have seen a few that actually can read and understand the questions, but cannot spell well enough to put down answers. Mostly they are written in texting language. Not everyone speaks text language –me included, which I’m sure irritates those who do. Texting is for telephone messages that are sent like email but shortened for space sake; right? So don’t use it on paperwork.

My son’s reaction to my statement was that it was because of the No Child Left Behind Act. Now, I have of course heard of the Act and I knew it was supposedly in place to raise standards of schools and education, but I also knew schools had complained about it for years. What I didn’t know, and suspect neither do a lot of other people, was the exact specifics of the law. He went on to give me the shortened version of it, in his opinion. The No Child Left Behind Act caused schools to make their curriculum steer to the lowest common denominator. (He likes to use mathematical references.) They test the students, see what the lowest level of ability is and teach on that level. That can’t be right. The law was meant to make schools be steadily better by 2014 and would cause them to lose federal funding if they didn’t.  That was my understanding.  He considered that because of teaching on the lower levels they were dumbing down the population.

I looked up the No Child Left Behind Act on Wikipedia and realized what he said actually was correct in a nutshell. It kind of irritated me that he had dumbed it down to tell me what it involved. School districts have until 2014 to improve their standard measured by test results. They have to improve steadily every year to bring students up to a well educated level. States will lose federal funding for education if they do not show improvement every year. States are allowed to create their own tests.

What the schools did was create tests that were below grade level and slowly inched up the level, but they are still below level. As a result, the tests show improvement. They did essentially what my son said; they dumbed it down to lowest level. Schools are putting efforts into what is on the test and diverting from other subjects that would give a good all around education. They are what is referred to as ‘teaching to the test.’ My son came home and complained about what a joke that test was every year when they made him take it.

There are ten states who have actually asked for relief from the requirement to be improved by 2014 and the president granted them waivers. One more is being considered. According to MSNBC (online) the ten states are Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Minnesota, and New Mexico is under consideration. Twenty-Eight other states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico are in line to make requests as well.

One thing I noticed with my kids is that they were bored half to death. Year after year they got the same lessons. In history, for instance, they didn’t get much further than the American Civil War and they barely brushed that. There was a mention for about a week each on the Industrial Revolution and World Wars I and II. Forget about the Cold War, the Cuban Missile Crisis, or the Space Race. Think how much has happened since then! I believe the children would have stayed more tuned in if the lessons had progressed from year to year. We did that when I was in school. What at one time had been called Americanism versus Communism was changed to Comparative Political Systems and the class lasted for a semester. Granted that could have gone further too, like changing geographical lines of countries and their names and their political systems.  World History didn’t get far up the historical chain either and they only got one year of that. Until they got into Algebra, my kids were bored with math and eventually that got old until more challenging subjects were brought in.

Challenge our children with interesting classes and they will respond. Don’t just simply decide they are not bright enough to learn therefore dumb down the tests. There are children with legitimate learning difficulties, but those can be worked around if one changes the way they teach those students. That means not labeling them, but still putting them in a classroom where the same material is covered as the other students, just taught differently. Right now those kids, if at all placed in another setting, are put in ‘Special Education,’ and that carries a stigma that makes the kids feel dumb and they get teased unmercifully for it.  

Some of the grounds for the waiver requests are that the students don’t speak English well enough to learn the lessons so they are taught in their language and then they can’t understand the test. Seriously? Hold them accountable to learn the language that may not have been legislatively recognized as the official language of the United States, but it sure is the language we speak. If we were in Mexico, we would have to learn Spanish in order to go to their schools. The same goes for other countries. Don’t use that as an excuse. Another reason is that the kids are poor and cannot relate to the requirements of the tests. They are poor; not stupid. That doesn’t have to go hand in hand. If their parents are uneducated then teach the children so that they can indeed achieve the American Dream of doing better than one’s parents. Parents have to take an interest in their children’s education and make sure they do their homework even if they don’t understand it themselves. After a certain point in Algebra I am totally lost, but I made sure they did the work. Find someone who does understand it if they need help that the parent is at a loss to explain. A kindly neighbor works well if a tutor is not in the cards, and for most of us, it isn’t. This is how parents help their children reach that American dream. Our children are the future, they will run the country and industry. How about we make sure they are up to the challenge? Is it really a 'no child left behind' guarantee, or an 'all children left behind' guarantee?

Trying to Regulate Sugary Drinks

I was browsing the net the other day and came across a headline about regulating sugar like alcohol and tobacco. I had to see what it said, after all my soda consumption may be in jeopardy. ( I don't really drink that much –but I don't want someone telling me I can't either.) Doctors think that because of the pervasive epidemic of obesity and diabetes (as a result of the obesity or just because of too much sugar in the diet) that sugary beverages, such as soda, should be regulated requiring one to show their ID if they wanted to purchase the product.  Most of us know there is a problem with people (not just in the US) ingesting too much sugar in their diets.There is supposedly evidence that sugar can be addicting and one can suffer withdrawal if they consume huge quantities regularly and then stops. However, we are free to eat what we want. Sugar isn't affecting other people by our using it; unlike alcohol and drugs where being inebriated can cause injury to others. 

What is the age they consider to be old enough to consent to consume sugary beverages?  How long will it be before they want us to show ID to purchase a candy bar? - 'I'm sorry; you aren't old enough for that pack of M&Ms you are dying to have.' How long until you have to show ID at the checkout for groceries such as cereal, cake mix, doughnuts, snack cakes, spaghetti sauce (it contains sugar!), and forget pancake syrup.

What will be next? Let's see… Studies have shown that processed foods are bad for us therefore anything containing white flour will be regulated. Canned meat products will be regulated. No more Chef Boy Ardee™ products for the kids; they contain sugar and flour. No more sandwiches because you can't buy bread unless it is whole wheat, and you can't get cold cuts because they are processed, and by the way, contain mass quantities of salt, which is probably the next to be regulated because too much of that is unhealthy too.

Are we all to turn vegetarian? My husband refuses to go without meat and I'm sure he isn't the only 'meat and potatoes person' on the planet. Vegetables are only available certain times of year anyway so they would have to processed somehow (you can't freeze everything for preservation). To buy imported produce year-round would get too expensive, and as they are discovering now, the government has no control over what chemicals other countries allow used on their produce. They are finding pesticides in the orange juice imported from other counties; like that's healthy.

I don't think it would fly to try to pass such legislation to make one show ID to buy a bottle of pop. Can you imagine people being ticketed for buying a bottle of Coke™ and giving it to a minor or selling out the back door of the store to people who don't have an ID. The sales person looks around, eyes shifting right to left, ever watchful for the cops. "Don't tell anyone where you got it kid. I'll deny I've ever seen you."

Read the article here (Open in a new tab!): http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504763_162-57369857-10391704/sugar-should-be-regulated-like-alcohol-tobacco-commentary-says/ 

Trying to Legalize the Fashion Police

I was perusing the internet news sites and on HLNTV.com I saw a story about Cabbo County Louisiana Commissioner Michael Williams who wants to pass a ban on the wearing of pajamas out in public, in other words outside of their homes. He had gone to a large store and saw many males running around in pajama bottoms without anything under them and was afraid their private parts would end up on display. (Don’t know how he knew they were wearing them commando style and I don’t want to!) The ACLU of course is getting involved stating that this ban would be unconstitutional as it would stop one's right to self-expression. I had to laugh. The only messages I have ever figured out one would be stating by wearing their pajamas to town is “I’m too lazy to get dressed in real clothes,” or, “I’m really too lazy (or too good) to do laundry, therefore I wear my pajamas.” They can say they’re comfortable all they want, but I fail to see how stares and heads shaking in disgust at the laziness makes one comfortable- I’ve heard the comments so this isn’t a guess. Both genders practice this degree of laziness by the way. 

                                                                              

Williams went further to ask what was next, wearing one’s underwear (with nothing covering it)? Has he seen the see-through garments women wear in the name of fashion? They might as well be wearing just their underwear. I don’t see him putting a ban on that. 

Face it; there are a lot of people out there who really are just too lazy to care if they look stupid. You can’t legislate common sense Mr. Williams.

2011 - A Year in Review

In reviewing the year I realized just how much went on, aside from the ongoing economic crisis, which of course brought on Occupy Wall Street, and that spread like wildfire to other metropolitan cities than just Manhattan and then across the globe. People are just tired of big business pulling all the strings on the rest of us, taking and taking and leaving everyone else broke. It's unfortunate that a few had to ruin it for the ones there for the legitimate cause, but predators will go where the victims are.

Our world experienced great victories with the ending of the war in Iraq and the troops finally coming home, Middle Eastern countries saying, "We've had enough and we're going to take it anymore," to their dictatorial leaders and essentially throwing the bums out. Kim Jung Il, Dictator of North Korea, died and of course left the leadership to the son most likely to follow in his footsteps, youngest son, Kim Jung-un. I saw a survey that asked if things would improve there now that dear old dad is gone, I answered no. That was before they announced who would take over. I just knew if there was one who agreed with Kim Jung Il's policies, that would be the successor; not the one who wanted change.

There was triumph over adversity as in the case of Congresswoman Gabriella Giffords coming back from a gunshot to the head where so many, including a very young girl, died, and she too very likely would have succumbed if not for her inner strength and tenacity, not to mention the support of friends and family, and prayers of a nation. We saw the massive loss of Joplin, Missouri to a horrible tornado, not to mention several other cities as severe weather plagued our country last year and left thousands homeless and devastated. The communities are coming together to help those who have lost all. Thank God we haven't lost our giving spirit, even when times are hard.

Speaking of weather, droughts have left many in Texas and Oklahoma without enough to feed cattle and they are having to sell livestock for lack of forage or money to buy the necessary food stuffs the animals require. Between that and the floods of croplands in other states causing vital crops to waste away, higher food prices can be expected, especially as the flooded beef market due to the sell-off of the livestock dwindles to few available.

We watched the dedication to the 9/11 Memorial as the tenth anniversary of that horrible terrorist attack came on seemly too soon – it's seems like just yesterday.

There were many earthquakes last year. One hit Japan causing a tsunami that in turn destroyed a nuclear power facility and contaminated the water, land, and air for many, many miles and killed many people, if not immediately, then certainly in the future as the exposure to radiation does its damage. It worries me that my son who joined the Navy last year may eventually be stationed near there.

The tech industry lost one of its greatest innovators – co-founder of Apple, Steve Jobs. He was a reformed workaholic, but left us with gadgets and computer capabilities that were unthinkable when computers first were invented. Of course, Henry Ford couldn't have imagined what has happened in the automobile industry when he started building cars either, so I guess one day even the advances by Mr. Jobs will one day seem old school and antiquated. Let's just hope it doesn't come too fast, I can barely grasp what's available now. (I still use a cell phone for an actual telephone. I don't need a phone that's smarter than I am.)

Of course this is not an exhaustive list. That would take forever! Feel free to comment with your own remembrances of 2011. I look forward to seeing your list and going 'Oh yeah! I remember that.'

New Article On Fraud Released

I must say when my parents got called out of the blue and told they had won a lottery they had never even joined, I was glad my mother had the sense to say 'no thanks' in a sense. A lot of elderly people accept that they have won and think maybe they just forgot about it. With the advent of research online it is easier for confidence artists to know all about their mark(s). I have noticed, though, that one has to pay for the information; it is no longer free as it once was to get at least some information just by typing in a telephone number into the search engine (such as Google). I've tried it a few times when we got called by people leaving messages but did not tell us who they were. We also see ads in the paper with telephone numbers but no names or locations. At least it says where the number is from (city) if nothing else.

Where is this seemingly lost strand of information leading? One way con artists can find the city you are from is using a phone number if they get hold of discarded entry forms for drawings which often only require a name and phone number. Then all they have to do is type in the name and city and providing they have an account with an information company - BINGO! They have a whole lot of data you will wish they didn't have. They use this information to scare the elderly or uninformed into thinking they know where they are and can get to them at any time. My mother called law enforcement and filed a report and got information when the calls kept coming on how to stop them. That didn't stop her or my dad from being wary that they were being watched or followed. They knew not to fall for the scam, but they did not know that the people involved were not coming after them for turning them in. That's not to say they have no better sense than that. These people are very good at convincing other people they have won a contest and that they know where they are and can get to them at a moment's notice if need be to deliver the prize, so logically, they also can get to them in retaliation.

The reality is that they won't bother. Their telephones are not traceable, or burners (disposable), and the numbers can be set up to be call out only so that one couldn't call back if they wanted to - the call wouldn't go through. No one has seen them yet and therefore cannot identify them and so there is no reason to retaliate for anything. They will simply move on to the next person on their list.

Speaking of lists...Lists are sold all the time; it's a part of business. That's where all your junk mail from people with whom you have never done business get your name. These same lists are available to the scam artists. The people selling them don't ask their customers (in most cases) what they are going to do with the lists. States sell the names of driver's license recipients and they don't screen the customers who buy them. Most states do offer a opt out for those lists, so ask if one is available and opt out. The telephone con artists are not the only con artists buying those lists and it is possible to come up against an in-the-flesh con artist, a face-to-face meeting, and unless they are disguised, then you can identify them, although they rely on people being too embarrassed to report them and they are often correct in that assumption so they are at least 'safe' until they leave the area.

To read the article Don't Get Caught in a Con on Yahoo! Voices (formerly Associated Content) you can follow this link: http://voices.yahoo.com/dont-caught-con-10692677.html.

The article covers one type of con. There are numerous others out there, so be careful.

Make Your Own Gift Baskets

Have you ever thought you'd like to make your own gift basket? I have - several times, but baskets can be expensive in themselves so I usually end up not doing it. I have on occasion found other items, however, to use for the purpose of the basket. Recently I went to see what was available at the local charity resale shop and had a V8 moment. People actually donate popcorn tins for sale. Wow, why hadn't I thought of that before? I had a friend I wanted to give an out of the ordinary gift 'basket' to and I found a really nice large Christmas themed tin for a quarter! Now, that's not to say I intended to be cheap- that wasn't the goal at all; it just worked out that way. I originally thought I could find an actual basket, but nothing seemed to fit what I needed. My friend lost her home to a fire earlier this year and along with it she lost her cookbook collection. We share that particular interest. I found a really nice hard bound cookbook put out by the local historical society. What a find! Of course that went into the basket, along with some Christmas decorations - people donate really nice ones as they get new ones- I almost got some for myself. I filled the rest with homemade goodies from the kitchen and it weighed a ton when I got through with it. I just kept coming up with stuff I wanted to put in it. My husband had to remind me not to get carried away. Those tins really hold a lot.

Think outside the box when you want to make a gift basket. They aren't just for Christmas. Try a large mixing bowl filled with small kitchen gadgets and pot holder sets for a wedding shower gift. A pretty flower vase filled with assorted candies (the recipient's favorites) makes a nice birthday gift. Stretch your imagination and you'll come up with something unique that the recipient will remember for a long time.

Christmas is Coming (And Hanukkah and Kwanzaa)

Christmas is coming and I was reminded by someone of things I used to do and should do again for Christmas gifts. I used to bake sweet breads, make candy and various cooking mixes, carve scented soaps and sew various projects for people. I don't hear about that too often anymore.

There really are people who remember how to sew, and at least quilting and yarn crafts are still popular. If one starts early enough with a yarn project then they make good gifts. I used to make plastic canvas projects with yarn and plastic canvas, which is like Aida cloth for needle crafts only, obviously, out of plastic. I do cross stitch also and people really liked that.

Once I carved scented and colored soaps into small roses for jars and baskets. Decorative soaps are not generally used as soap, but for decorations, so using inexpensive soaps as I used to be able to get in bags of six for a dollar, won't hurt a thing. I placed them in interesting jars I had either bought with other products I had used or found really cheap at a yard sale. Now of course one can find those pretty jars at a discount store and depending on the recipient someone may appreciate it.

In later years as people got more materialistic homemade gifts were less appreciated until I started making stuffed animals for the children. They love stuffed animals. With today's economy however, people are getting back into the homemade gift. It is no longer practical even though television would like everyone to think there is money flowing freely to spend hundreds of dollars on every gift. It makes my hackles rise to see the advertisers tell us we have plenty of money when people are living on unemployment, if they even have that, so buy, buy, buy. Why make your gifts?

If one has access to the internet, they can find practically unlimited resources for homemade gifts. Sites such as ehow.com, Marthastewartliving.com, and Budget101.com can be great for helping you get ideas and tell you how to make the projects. There are many more just for the exploration, so look, and you don't have to go broke to do these projects; you just have to spend some time thinking about what someone would like and make it.

Not talented in those areas? Try a church bizarre, a craft show, or even a flea market (sometimes crafters sell there). Thrift stores often have inexpensive handmade items also and the products are made here in the USA!

If you can operate a computer and have a printer, you can print simple or fancy decorated gift certificates for services you provide, such as babysitting, yard service at a future date, dog walking, etc. Be creative. (This one is good for other events also, such as anniversaries, birthdays, and St. Valentine's Day.)

Good luck and remember the reason for the season (these ideas also work for gifts of the other holidays celebrated during this season of giving - Hanukkah and Kwanzaa using traditional gifts of course respective to those holidays.)