Sep 7, 2008 | 3:30 PM
Category:
News
It really doesn’t matter who is the Superintendent or if
there is an elected or state appointed school board. All people involved with
the St. Louis Public Schools from the SAB down to the parents of the students
all are to blame in the lack of educational success within the district. One
would think that with the beginning of the make or break school year for
accreditation that there would have been some planning done prior to the
opening of the 2008-2009 school. But again it is just more of the same. To much
emphasis is placed on the first day of school rather than the WHOLE school
year.
First the district is again looking for another
superintendent to take over and somehow revitalize the district to its glory
days from (approximately) 1870 to 1970. During this time beginning with William
Torrey Harris (Superintendent 1868-1880) the St. Louis Public Schools were the
model of public education in the United States. After 1970 we lost the
integrity of administrators, teachers, and education itself. When talking with
some retirees recently who all were graduates of a SLPS school as well as
teachers in the system for thirty some years they all commented how education
of students was not the main priority. These teachers and a couple of
administrators seen much more nepotism, frequent absenteeism, over ordering of
supplies (the extra would be taken home), and the best one social promotion of
students who were passed along because of their age than their knowledge than
when these teachers were in school.
Next just the plain lack of planning of as to what to do
with the students once they come into the schools. Yes attendance is important
but there are 175 more days after the first day. In one high school alone 40%
(the school’s enrollment is about 700) of the students did not have class
schedules on the first day of school. This makes it a little tough for teaching
and learning. It took most of the first week to get these students a schedule
and into class. The school (administrators and counselors) blames the parents
for not bringing their child up on “registration” days. What happened to having
your class schedule before you left for summer break the year before? Sure they
may need to be some adjustments if you failed a class but no schedules at all.
This is one school but I also heard other high schools had the same problem but
didn’t have 300 students sitting around waiting for their schedule.
Another problem is the lack of classes being offered on the
high school level. Thank you “Dr.” Craig Williams (Craig may not be spelled
correctly) who systematically cut out the Family and Consumer Sciences,
Industrial Technology classes, and many upper level classes within the core and
other subjects. Plus eliminating quite a number of teachers at the same time. I
will save the argument for later about why you need fine arts, industrial
technology, and physical education classes to educate the whole child for
later.
SLPS has a shortage of teachers to begin with as well as
classes that are offered to students. Some of which the student may not be
interested in. Not everyone will be a scientist, mathematician, writer, or
historian. Schools need the fine arts and industrial arts to show how the
“core” classes come together. Plus what about after high school? As I asked
before how many companies hire students with “advanced” test taking skills?
Instead the teachers and classes who that are left now 40 something students in
them. This is well over the legal limit as even required by the state (high
school classes 33 except for laboratory/hands on type classes that should be no
more than 25). The decision makers are already making it hard on themselves to
get accreditation with classes having over 40 students in them.
Then there is the plain in-fighting between the
administrators union and the teachers union. Both sides blame each other as to
why there isn’t any improvement in test scores, dropouts, and graduation rates.
One teacher even told me that the Principal said they didn’t need to belong to
the teachers union (AFT Local 420) because they are treated fairly and the
administration stands behind and supports the teachers. After I picked myself
up off the floor from laughing so hard I asked that teacher why is your
principal an officer in the administrators union? Both unions are to blame not
just one. Both are only interested in money, benefits and their job and could
care less about the student. And the Principal I speak of is more concerned
about his image “downtown” (the district office) than if actual teaching is
going on. Not to mention it is the teacher’s fault if a fight occurs, a student
has poor attendance, late to class, or is using the wrong hall pass of the
month color. AFT Local 420 say they are concerned about the students but also
support bad teachers who shouldn’t be in the classroom. Plus AFT Local 420
talks about meaningful professional but has yet to offer any professional
development for the teachers. When asked about this the Union Rep said it was
the responsibility of the administrators to provide professional development.
Here is an example of “I want the title but not the responsibility.”
Now for the parents of the students who consider SLPS a
babysitting service instead of a place of learning. However there are many parents
who are concerned about their child’s education and you can see that in their
child’s behavior. The other 20% of students are only there to finish the fight
that started over the weekend and in some cases even the parents get involved.
Other students are just there to socialize and some just don’t see the value of
education that is being provided to them (meaning from the teachers who do
care). Again thanks to a previous superintendent he did away with the
alternative schools that were specifically designed to deal with these
individuals. As I have said many times before without parental support teachers
(the ones who are trying to teach) cannot due their jobs.
If this is any indication as to how the school year will
play out SLPS will have a real hard time getting their accreditation. There are
some individual administrators and teachers trying to improve the school
district but they are in the minority. Even on the first day the teachers were
to go to Chavez Arena for a rah rah session. The district couldn’t even get
administrators and teachers to or from the opening session effectively. There
were even reports of teachers passing out from the combination of fumes from
the buses and the heat. And these will be the same people arguing that SLPS
should have full accreditation this year. Say good-bye to the St. Louis Public
Schools.
One last note Charter schools in the St. Louis Area are
still performing lower than the current SLPS schools. Again, just because you
might pay or go to a different school doesn’t necessarily mean it is better. In
either case the student still has to do the work in order to learn a skill.
Sep 7, 2008 | 1:10 PM
Category:
Traffic
Do not pay attention to the scare tactics that supporters or
Prop M, employees of Metro, or even the “administrators” of Metro are using.
Let’s think about this for a few minutes. Just last year the FORMER Executive
Director loss a multi-million dollar lawsuit due to mismanagement by Metro of
the Shrewsbury expansion project. Then there was the public relation fiasco
with the overweight rider who couldn’t use public transportation (Call-A-Ride).
Oh, lets not forget the FORMER Executive Director’s comments that essentiality said
we were nothing but a bunch of country bumpkins in Elliot Davis’ report
exposing mismanagement and wasteful spending at Metro. The only thing the Metro
Board and executives are worried about is lining their pockets with more of our
money. This year with the rapid rise in oil prices use of public transportation
also increase. But I guess that was not enough. Sure Metro also had to pay
higher prices in fuel costs but that was easily recovered in the increase of
riders on buses and Metrolink. Think about that buses that may have been 50-60%
full increased to 70-80%.
Don’t be fooled these scare tactics have been used in the
pass and even after a failed proposition I have yet to see services cut back.
In fact I remember two instances where Bi-State (the former name) asked for an
increase, the proposition loss, and services actually increased. Once was for
Call-A-Ride and the other was to increase routes outside the 270 loop. The
extra routes actually made Metro money AGAIN DUE TO INCREASE USE BY RIDERS.
Sure some services may be scaled back especially during off peak hours but
never have any been eliminated. Again sometimes when you spend a little money
(by taking it out of the Executive Director’s pocket) you find that people will
use public transportation when provided to them.
Voting NO actually means the public wins and is sending a
message to Metro(stink) that we are not going to tolerate wasteful spending or
paying “executives” absorbent salaries who can’t find their way out of an open
box. I compare this tax increase to the one MoDOT did a couple of years ago.
Funny, when MoDOT lost their proposition for a tax increase a couple of years
ago by a 3 to 1 margin road construction and new projects actually increased.
AGAIN VOTE NO ON PROP M. Time to end wasteful spending.
Jul 12, 2008 | 7:19 PM
Category:
News
Just finished reading in StlToday.com that Tony Snow lost his battle with colon cancer at age 53. For more on the story go to: http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/news/stories.nsf/natio
n/story/B1F2664ED8E3EB16862574840067013F?OpenDocument
Jul 11, 2008 | 8:16 PM
Category:
Sports
It is July and time for the
This year's tour has many changes and lots of surprises. After the completion of the first week Team Columbia ( is one of two American sponsored bicycle teams) has the Yellow Jersey - first overall with the best time, the Green Jersey - leader in the most points, and the White Jersey - the best young rider.
Not bad considering this is Team Columbia's first year.
Jun 28, 2008 | 6:55 AM
Category:
Political
FIRST… do you know what ANWR is?
ANWR = Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.
••••••
Now… A comparison
And some perspective…
NOTE where the proposed development area is…
(it’s in the “ANWR Coastal Plain”)
THIS IS WHAT THE DEMOCRATS, LIBERALS AND “GREENS” SHOW YOU WHEN THEY TALK ABOUT ANWR
…and they are right… these ARE photographs of ANWR
AWW, isn't ANWR beautiful? WHY should we drill here and (supposedly) destroy this beautiful place?
WELL… THAT’S NOT EXACTLY THE TRUTH
Do you remember the map?
The map showed that the proposed drilling area is in the ANWR Coastal Plain.
Do those photographs look like a coastal plain to you?
WHAT’S GOING ON HERE?
••••••
THE ANSWER IS SIMPLE…
This is not where they want to drill!
This is what the PROPOSED EXPLORATION AREA looks like in winter.
And this is what the PROPOSED EXPLORATION AREA looks like in the summer.
Here is a screen shot from GoogleEarth.
As you can see, the area where they are talking about drilling is a barren wasteland.
OH… and the environmentalists say that they are concerned about the effect on the local wildlife…
Here is a photo (shot during the summer) of the
“DEPLETED WILDLIFE” SITUATION CREATED BY DRILLING AROUND PRUDHOE BAY*…
Don't you think that the CARIBOU really HATE that drilling?
Here is the same spot during the winter.
HEY, This bear seems to really HATE the pipeline near Prudhoe Bay*…
*The Prudhoe bay area accounts for 17% of U.S. domestic oil production
NOW, why do you think the DEMOCRATS are LYING about ANWR?
Remember when AL GORE SAID: "GOVERNMENT should work to ARTIFICIALLY raise gas prices
TO $5.00 A GALLON?"
WELL…
AL GORE AND HIS FELLOW DEMOCRATS HAVE ALMOST REACHED THEIR GOAL!
NOW THAT YOU KNOW THAT THE DEMOCRATS HAVE BEEN LYING,
WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO ABOUT IT?
Jun 23, 2008 | 5:50 AM
Category:
Entertainment
I am saddened to hear that one of my favorite comedians George Carlin has past away. I enjoyed his wit and knowledge of the English language, his thoughts on weather with his rock, his satires on politics offending both of the major parties, his role as the Conductor in the children’s show Shinning Time Station, and his routine on the Seven Words You Can Never Say on Television. Lets not forget his excellent adventure with Bill and Ted either.
Jun 16, 2008 | 6:09 PM
Category:
Political
Oil Crisis Explained by Senator Larry Craig
Thanks to the environmentalist lobby and its influence on Democrat legislators in Congress it has for decades prohibited companies from drilling for oil in places that we know contain billions of barrells of proven reserves. Check out this map:
All of the "NO" zones are places where the U.S., thanks to the Democrat Party is prohibited from drilling for oil.
But wait . It gets better.
***China, Cuba, Canada and others continue to drill off our shores where US companies are not allowed to drill because of Democrat policies!***
Yes, that's right. China and Cuba are actively exploring oil fields 50 miles from Key West, Florida while U.S. Companies are barred from working in this area because of U.S. Policy. So, instead of allowing the most environmentally responsible companies to operate there and increase our domestic supply, China, who has a dismal environmental record, is preparing to suck our close, lucrative oil reserves dry.
Unbelievable..
Investor's Business Daily recently explained how irresponsible the Democrats have been on the energy crisis. They lay into what they consider to be the worst Congress ever for
~ Failing to allow drilling in ANWR. We have, as President Bush noted, estimated capacity of a million barrels of oil a day from this source alone -- enough for 27 million gallons of gas and diesel. But Congress won't touch it, fearful of the clout of the environmental lobby! As a result, you pay through the nose at the pump so your representative can raise campaign cash.
~ Refusing to build new refineries. The U.S. hasn't built a refinery since 1976, yet the EPA requires at least 15 unique "boutique" fuel blends that can be sold in different areas around the nation. This means that U.S. Refinery capacity is stretched so tight that even the slightest problem at a refinery causes enormous supply problems and price spikes. Congress has done nothing about this.
~ Turning its back on nuclear power. It's safe and with advances in nuclear reprocessing technology, waste problems have been minimized. Still, we have just 104 nuclear plants -- the same as a decade ago -- producing just 19% of our total energy. (Many European nations produce 40% or more of their power with nuclear.) Granted, nuclear power plants are expensive -- about $3 billion each. But they produce energy at $1.72/kilowatt-hour vs. $2.37 for coal and $6.35 for natural gas.
~ Raising taxes on energy producers! This is where a basic understanding of economics would help: Higher taxes and needless regulation lead to less production of a commodity. So by proposing "windfall" and other taxes on energy companies plus tough new rules, Congress only makes our energy situation worse.
These are just a few of Congress' sins of omission -- all while India, China, Eastern Europe and the Middle East are adding more than a million barrels of new demand each and every year. New Energy Department forecasts see world oil demand growing 40% by 2030, including a 28% increase in the U.S.
Americans who are worried about the direction of their country, including runaway energy and food prices, should keep in mind the upcoming election isn't just about choosing a new president. We'll also pick a new Congress.
If we elect a liberal Democrat as President in the fall and keep the same Democrat-controlled Congress, nothing will change.. Except gasoline prices, which will keep going up.
I got this from a friend of mine. Here again is the political spin to blame one party in order to get their party into office. The Republicans controlled Congress (both House and Senate) for twelve years (1994-2006). Not once did they take the initiative pass legislation to grant permission to drill in the NO areas or grant permits to build a refinery. Instead the Republicans were easing trade tariffs and taxes allowing companies to leave the United States. Again it is not just the Democrats or the Republicans but every single Representative and Senator in Washington. D.C. To worried about keeping their office and funding from special interest groups that include environmentalists and oil lobbyists. Only when politicians start thinking about what is best for the country instead of themselves will we be allowed to drill for oil, continue nuclear power, and develop other economical sources of energy.
Jun 14, 2008 | 8:18 AM
Category:
Political
A lot of folks can't understand how we came to have an oil shortage here in our country.
~~~
Well, there's a very simple answer.
~~~
Nobody bothered to check the oil.
~~~
We just didn't know we were getting low.
The reason for that is purely geographical.
~~~
Our OIL is located in ALASKA, California, Coastal Florida, Coastal Louisiana, Wyoming, Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, and Texas
Our dipsticks are located in Washington D.C.
Any Questions? NO?...Didn't think So.
Jun 13, 2008 | 5:22 PM
Category:
News
Have you ever noticed that Ameren is the only utility that has ongoing Public Relations campaigns? Even before the 2006 thunderstorms that knock out power for some up to eight weeks Ameren was running PSA’s about “Who would go out on a night like this?” Now they are running the PowerOn campaign not only on TV but also here on local websites (Fox, KMOV, and KSD). Is this all really necessary? I think for most of us we just want uninterrupted service during storms and heavy use.
Seems funny how we don’t hear or see any PSA’s from Laclede Gas, MSD, or form various water companies. For the most part we don’t hear anything until the news runs a story about them. Did you know that Laclede Gas has been changing all the copper lines to PVC? Plus did you know that Laclede moved the gas lines along Hwy 367 and now along I-64 at their expense and not the consumer. Also they moved all their gas reserves out of those big round tanks and into underground storage.
Now for MSD we mostly hear about them through the news. Water is the same only hear about a break or a boil order.
So does Ameren really need to spend money on this advertising campaign where I am sure it could be used to hire some workers to trim trees, to bury cable, or making sure its workers are monitoring important gauges?
Jun 13, 2008 | 4:21 PM
Category:
Political
You may have seen these two houses in an e-mail that has been going around about global
warming. The top house is Al Gore’s residence and the bottom house belongs to
President George W. Bush. I am not here to discuss global warming.
Al Gore's residence
President George W. Bush's residence
What I want to discuss in this blog is how much is too much?
Do we really need twenty rooms? Let’s see there is a kitchen, master bedroom,
two kid’s room (more if needed but the average family has 2.3 children), family
room, dinning room, and two full baths as the core of the house. Now lets throw
in a home office, mudroom, and what the heck a sunroom. Now if I counted right
that is eight core rooms and three optional rooms. What the heck do you do with
the nine or more rooms? On Monday we will sleep in this room, Tuesday we will
eat supper in this room, Wednesday we will watch movies in this room, and so
on. Plus most houses have basements (except in areas where the water table is
high or hard to dig) that can be transformed to living areas.
My house is more like President Bush’s house minus the
geothermal heating and cooling but a little smaller. Personally I would like
the rooms that I currently have just be a little larger. I don’t mind the
cozyness but sometimes just need a little more room. Not to mention a little
more handicap accessible. Getting through some of the doors in my house since
my accident have been a bit challenging.
I am not trying to redistribute the wealth but just asking
do we really need twenty or more room mansions or would something smaller be
just as efficient? Now if I was to redistribute housing wealth I would give all
the Democratic entertainers and environmentalist a smaller house no more than
4,000 square feet – the same size as President Bush’s house.
Jun 9, 2008 | 11:21 AM
Category:
Political
Wish they would provide Vaseline at the gas pump. Oh wait that is another oil product.
OUCH THAT HURTS.
May 31, 2008 | 4:49 PM
Category:
Political
Haven't posted a cartoon in a while thought this was appropriate.
Pretty much sums it up.
May 23, 2008 | 7:30 PM
Category:
News
Ahh Memorial Day the unofficial beginning of summer, pools open, bar-b-ques, and outdoor entertaining. Oh lets not forget about the sales at the stores and parades. But is this what Memorial Day is all about – parades, parties and store sales? As with many other holidays we seem to have lost the meaning of what the holiday actually represents.
Memorial Day actually started after the Civil War to mark the end of the war and to remember those who died during the war. The original Memorial Day observances were held in north. Observances in the south were called Confederate Memorial Days. The first Memorial Day was officially proclaimed on May 5 in 1868 by an order from General John Logan, National Commander of the Grand Army of the Republic. Memorial Day was first observed on May 30. The first state to recognize the holiday was New York in 1873 and by 1890 the rest of the northern states joined in. Memorial Day continued to be celebrated on May 30th until 1971 with the passage of the National Holiday Act where the observances were moved to the last Monday of the month of May.
Let us take time out of our busy lives to remember those who paid the ultimate sacrifice while defending the United States. While you are at the cemetery remembering loved ones place a red poppy on a soldier’s grave. Red poppies were first use on soldiers’ graves by Monia Michael after reading John McCrae’s poem In Flanders Fields. Remember Memorial Day is much more than the opening of swimming pools, parades, and bar-b-ques.
The artwork was done by a student (not one of mine) in Missouri for 2007 Youth Art Month. The artwork received the Governor’s Award.
May 20, 2008 | 3:02 PM
Category:
News
From STLToday.com
May 19, 3:34 PM EDT
David McCullough urges BC grads to speak properly
NEWTON, Mass. (AP) -- Pulitzer Prize winning author David McCullough has a suggestion for what young people can do for their country.
"Please, please do what you can to cure the verbal virus that seems increasingly rampant among your generation," McCullough implored Boston College's class of 2008 at commencement ceremonies Monday.
He said he's particularly troubled by the "relentless, wearisome use of words" such as like, awesome and actually.
"Just imagine if in his inaugural address John F. Kennedy had said, 'Ask not what your country can, you know, do for you, but what you can, like, do for your country actually," he said.
Graduates apparently thought his speech was, like, awesome. They gave him a standing ovation.
© 2008 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Learn more about our Privacy Policy.
Last Wednesday, May 14, I was able to have lunch with some of the retired teachers I use to teach with and this very subject came up. The Communication Arts Teachers were complaining in their last few years that they were having problems understanding some of the texting acronyms that were appearing in written paper, like you know.
However this problem starts with each generation as they form their own identity for that generation ya know. Like who can forget the Valley Girls “Oh My God!” You know everything had like before it like for surrrre, ya know. My favorite is still “Gag me with a pitchfork,” like that is so totally true. Also in the 80’s came our buddy Vern with “Ya know what I mean.” The saying is actually said faster YaknowwhatImean. Ya know. Like do I really need to explain?
Then there was the wide spread acceptance of beach speech that I mostly attribute to Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure in 1989. Then everything and everyone became a radical dude. Dude this, Dude that, like Dude ya know. Totally righteous!
Now I hear a combination of the 80’s and 90’s along with some new words like “fire” (the only one I can think of right but I know you know what I mean) Fire now means cool, awesome, radical, or in my school nails (don’t ask to long to explain). Still hear the “Oh MY GOD” and Dude quite a bit. Ya know what I mean?
Anyway AISI over time the English language has changed and continues to change. For example read the preamble of the Constitution of the United States. As the character Ben Gates says in the National Treasure movie: “No one talks like that anymore.” I am sure two hundred years from now when scholars and students look at how we currently write will they say the same thing? Like will the peeps understand how we used keyboards to communicate our messages of intelligence or lack there of. Like ya know? Well g2g so u can text message ur response to this blog. YaknowwhatImean.
May 10, 2008 | 8:11 AM
Category:
Traffic
This post has been edited by an administrator
Metro may cut service or up fares
By Ken Leiser
ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
05/09/2008
ST. LOUIS, MO -- JANUARY 2, 2008 ,
MetroLink trains run smoothly as a few motorists drive by the Clayton Station in Clayton on a frigid Wednesday morning. Traffic was light amid the closing of Highway 40 for construction.
Metro may have to cut some bus and light-rail service or increase fares after Jan. 1 unless it finds a new source of funding, officials said today.
The transit agency plans to hold a series of public hearings on its options later this year. Metro's governing board will soon consider a budget for the 12-month period that begins July 1, but no service or fare changes are expected before the New Year.
Meanwhile, St. Louis County leaders appear ready to ask voters in November to approve a half-cent transit sales tax, said Mike Jones, senior policy adviser to County Executive Charlie A. Dooley.
If approved, half of those proceeds would go to fund transit operations and the other half would be used to develop new light-rail segments in the county.
Well it didn’t take long for “Money (for) Executives To (get) Rich On” more commonly known as METRO. Sure the spin will be because of rising fuel prices (fund transit operations) but remember Metro still is trying to recoup costs from its mismanaged Shrewsbury expansion project (develop new light-rail segments in the county) and the associated failed lawsuit by the former director who considered St. Louisans a city of idiots. Cutting back services even more will not get more public support nor will raising fares. Charge the advertisers more not the riders.
The problem is the people most affected by the rate hikes will be those within the city limits who already have a hard time making ends meet and those on fixed incomes. The rest will resort back to diving into work instead of using the commuter lots connected to Metro Stink. Seems funny how the use of the so-called mass transit is actually up because of all the road construction and the rising fuel prices. Now Metro aka Bogus State I mean Bi-State wants to raise fares thinking that people have forgotten about their mismanagement of public transportation here in the city for the last forty years.
The other problem is that not all jobs are from 9-5 some start earlier and some end later. Then there is what if you have to work pass normal working hours that many of have to do to meet “deadlines.” Waiting another hour for a train or bus just adds to an already long day when all I want to do is get home. For me, I’ll just go back to a more reliable mode of transportation that is the vehicle I own.
