Ahhh...how I love that song!
.....or would you rather be a fish....

Oh TaterTot! I'm not offended at all because Barack does have that open kind of face and his ears.. but I know you are astute enough not to call Obama any kind of a monkey in public. You are sure to be misunderstood.. as I would be if I called Bush a ritz cracker or any kind of cracker because he crumbles under pressure and leaves a mess. Some words are just too loaded with, er, history IMO.

And, er, that fraternizing is called diplomacy.
And diplomacy is very useful, especially in saving young lives.

I'm with Kristlkrost on this one. Go Obama!
The song just eludes me at the moment..

Note...I have seen (heard?) Bush called a chimpanzee numerous times on the net...so to be equal.............

As for diplomacy....to my way of thinking....O'bamas wish to fraternize with insane radical leaders is more like bargaining with the devil. But...I respect your right to believe whatever you wish. Many men,and women, have fought for our rights.

Oh Tater, you and me, we're on the same page. As much as I luv Kristl, I think she has her head buried in the sand on this one Obama keeps repeating about needing a "change" well, duh! In the beginning I tried to keep an open mind. Read all I could. He has all these ideas, but nothing to implement them. I think he's on the ticket because of the Daley political machine out of Chicago. Geez!
And the young people that support him, makes me wonder what kind of future we have. A bunch of people sittin around "talking" and yet our way of life going down the tubes. I think this whole spiral started when they took prayer out of schools and most of the teachers became liberal. I say stand up and fight for our own individual rights, I don't want the Fed Govt anywhere in my life, they screw everything up. Just shakin my head here, cause I really believe Obama's going to win. I mean what do we have..a democrat disguised as a republican. what a choice. Me, I'm stocking up on food, water and armmament(sp) ready for the revolution.

Er, guys.. those Civil War reenactments.. are they more than just a day at the park?

Oh my god Note, I actually laughed out loud at this! You made my day!

I have decent health coverage but my dental has gone downhill in recent years.

I think things down in Florida are a mess and there are a lot of unscruplous businesses down there.

I often thought that if I were ever to live in Florida that I would look to live in a hurricane-proof house - ie I'd live in a house that had earth up against the walls leaving just one side exposed or I'd live in a home shaped like a quonset hut. My brother-in-law (now deceased) lived in Quezon City, a suburb of Manila. Every year there would be typhoons. His home was constructed of concrete and marble - impervious to high winds(typhoons). When I was stationed on Okinawa I noted that many of the natives had homes that were concrete. Now you would think that homes on the Gulf would be built to withstand hurricanes.

Or you could say that Obama is a white man who looks black (he's really 50-50). But don't count your chickens yet - Obewan Cainobi hasn't hit his stride yet. Hopefully the voting public will know more about Obama before election day.

Besides raising your taxes he's going to do a LBJ in Afghanistan and possibly get into a nuclear confrontation with Pakistan. LBJ is the president who escalated our involvement in Vietnam from JFK's 16,000 troops to 156,000 troops and bombed Hanoi. Obama plans on pulling the troops from Iraq and shifting them to Afghanistan starting with 10,000 troops. That's how LBJ got started with Vietnam.

I haven't heard from my left-wing uncle lately on Obama. Maybe he is beginning to realize that Obama isn't who he seems to be.

Note: Change for change' sake is not necessarily good change.

Kk,

I don't think you'd be happy in a socialist country. Take Russia for instance: Back in 1991 we took in a Russian student as part of a exchange program at my daughter's high school. These students were lacking many of the things our kids take for granted such as being able to shop in food stores with any kind of food imaginable and clothing stores with a bewildering array of clothing to choose from. (note: this student had a problem in my daughter's high school - body odor. I don't know how often Russian girls bathe but it can't be much. My wife got complaints through the exchange committee and practically had to force the girl to shower.) You were complaining about medical coverage - it's worse in Russia - socialized medicine - available to all but of very low quality.

http://countrystudies.us/russia/53.htm

There is nothing wrong with caring for those who cannot take care of themselves. It's just those who abuse the system that I can't stand. But I have yet to read or hear of anyone in the US who have starved to death and for those who can't afford health insurance there is alway medicaid.

Even though there is a lot wrong with our capitalist society, it sure beats a socialist run country where only those running it benefit. Take Fidel Castro for instance. If Cuba were such a great place to live, Cubans wouldn't be risking their lives to reach the beaches of Florida.

I am a teacher and I have to take exception to you saying teachers are liberals - in fact, the teachers I have worked with in all of the systems I've been in and around are far from it.

Teachers are struggling with teaching children that have a lack of parenting at home - with no prayer at home either. It goes from struggling single parents who are hard pressed to keep tabs on their kids to parents that really just don't give a d*** what their children are doing and give them anything to keep them out of their hair. Don't lump the nation's ills on the younger generation and their teachers. There's alot more to it than that ........

I'll put my soapbox away now. It just hit a nerve. There are some bad apples, but most of us are hard working and caring educators.

Pooped, I agree with most of what you say. I think that most teachers at the grade school and high school level are essentially conservative. However, for some reason it is at the college level that you'll find that professors are overwhelmingly liberal.

I come from a family of those connected with education. My sister is a retired teacher, my brother is still teaching in a community college, my niece has just completed her second year of teaching at a charter school, and the daughter of my mother's older brother is an administrator at Amherst.

They called what Chamberlaine did with Hitler diplomacy also... and as result millions died. We could have diplomatic relations with Iran and still end up eating a nuke in the name of jihad.... that is not somthing I personally wish to risk.

Preach it ...brother!!!!

I think the teachers that get you guys a bad name are the college instructors that spend more time on brainwashing than on teaching thier subject. As for the elementary and high school teachers I think more than less are just trying to do a good job... and a lot of them don't get enough support from thier school districts.

Ritz cracker crumbling under pressure? There are all sorts of pressure that Bush has had to endure over the past four years besides the war and the economy. I don't count the first four years as 9/11 was still fresh in the minds of Americans. Most of that pressure had come from a left-leaning media which Bush has accepted stoically. Every political cartoon has Bush resembling Curious George with ears that stick straight out. I would guess that Bush probably figures that negative press, even disrespect, is part of being a public figure. Obama on the other hand has shown himself to have a thin skin as proven by his reaction to the cover of the New Yorker with him in a turban and Michelle as a militant black toting an AK47 and wearing an afro. He tried to deflect the thin skin appearance by acting indignant over the inclusion of Michelle on the cover. I believe that if Obama had taken the trouble to read what was inside the cover he would not have been nearly indignant. The cover was just a caricature the magazine was using to sell more copies. I'm sure Obama is not a muslim nor is he anti-american.


Pride goeth before a fall. Obama is beginning to tick the undecided voters off by acting like he is already the president. The man is not only an elitist, he's becoming increasingly arrogant.

What was Obama's reason for not visiting the wounded troops? While at Downing Street he stated something about not having his campaign manager with him.

One last thought: If Obama does become president and goes into Afghanistan like he promises, and perhaps into nuclear-armed Pakistan, will the same media that publishes a daily body count for Bush do the same for Obama?

Not where I live. But you know maybe it's not the teachers, but the agenda sent down by the higher ups. Don't know for sure. I believe teachers have the hardest job in this country today. And I respect most of them, cause I know I couldn't do it.

You've hit the nail on the head.

All of the agendas of the past years have been set by people who - even though they have their PhD in Education (some have no background in Education at all) - haven't stepped foot inside a classroom and taught in any grade in the past 15-20 years. They have no CLUE what teachers are up against in the classroom. They just assume it's just us and our attitude/competency. I spend more time jumping through mandated paper hoops (on my "own" time at home to get it all done on time, at night, away from my own children who need me to help them with homework), attending mandated meetings during my "planning time" for the latest agenda - that I'm scared that the higher-ups forget that I actually need to TEACH.

johnw,

I respect your political beliefs and I live with and love a Republican in RL. My point about the post (not yours) I responded to, was that calling a black man a monkey was as racially charged as calling a white man a cracker.
I usually don't post about politics and cannot refute your good points, nor do I wish to. I will say Afghanistan is more than a threat than Iraq. The enemy there is much like the terrain.. brutal and enduring and yes it could easily lead to quagmire. I just don't see as our country has much of a choice there whoever is President..

I post on these forums to learn as much as to have my say and be entertained. Keep posting.

My ex-mother-in-law is a teacher (yes we still talk even tho she's and ex). She tells me such horror stories about kid's behavior changing of the last 15 or so years. And yet teacher's are basically helpless to do anything about it. My nephew who just graduated H.S. tells me things that happen at his school that are just unbelievable. Take Study Hall, you know they're allowed to talk, eat, get on their cells, basically do anything except study. and most of the homework is multiple choice, they really don't have to conceive any answers, just pick a,b,c or d. Does this happen everywhere? When I was in school, we had to study in study hall or sit quietly, we had to write answers to questions in essay form. and if we got detention, we actually had to serve it. You and all teachers have my highest respect and we should celebrate you every day. Do they have a national teachers day?

Please be careful about taking one post from another board, making assumptions about what it means, and posting those assumptions on another board.

Hajar was being responded to by posters on that board, just not all posters on that board, and in this post she was addressing the posters on that board who were not responding to her. I can say this because I am a poster on that board, who was responding to her and who responded to this post, and had PM dialog with Hajar following this post.

In bringing this post here you state that "you bring it here where people do respond". I am just clarifying that people do (and did) respond on that board as well.

Now, the rest of your post indicates that you were trying to be helpful to Hajar in her situation and I commend you for that. I just wanted to clarify the apparent misunderstanding you had in regards to how the other board was responding to Hajar in her crisis. (further reading of that board, both prior to (from the time she announced what was happening where her husband was concerned) and following this post would also provide indications on how posters on that board were responding to her).

Shy,

So what are you saying? That the teachers in your area don't stick to the subject that they are supposed to be teaching? That they are under pressure from the administrators to inject material that reflects the beliefs of the same?

With all due respect, Note...I see no difference in calling a black man a monkey than in calling a white man a monkey...which many people have called Bush in the past. This was not meant to have any racial connotation (sp). If there seemed to be...it was in the mind of the reader...not mine.

NiCi, you are absolutely right. I was too quick to jump the gun and I shouldn't have cause I only read about 2 pgs. I knew she was in pain and just wanted to help from those of us who only come here.

Yes, Some don't even open the book.

Reminds me of the time Marge Schott said some remark about monkeys and the press crusified her. It ended with her having to give up ownership of the Cincinnati Reds. Sad to the city as she had given so much. Sponserred(sp) sand lot bb, and gave free bb game tickets to the underprivleged(sp) kept tickets affordable so that anybody who wanted to see a game could. Team hasn't been the same since. Geez don't know what's wrong with me today, I can't spell and words are just not coming when I need em. Lacking o2 I guess.

Hi, Note,

I started to respond to your post this morning but then I looked at the clock and realized that I had to take my Mom to the doctor for her 6-month checkup.

I still have in my possession a series of pictures comparing President Bush with Curious George. The pictures are almost 8 years old. Since then, every political cartoon has Bush with ears sticking straight out in a carricature of Curious George. Is it ok for George W Bush, a white man, to be depicted as a chimpanzee, but when the same happens to a black man it is called racism?

Right now Afghanistan has become the focus of the war on terrorism as Al-qaeda have moved from Iraq to Afghanistan. To solve this problem pressure has to be put on neighboring Pakistan which is currently the safe haven for Al-qaeda and the Taliban who are responsible for the unrest in Afghanistan. The guy in charge, Pakistani President Musharrat, really doesn't have any control over the terrorists from Afghanistan who are using the mountains on his side of the border for safe refuge. The next U.S. president has to convince Musharrat to allow American forces into his country to flush out the terrorists - up to now Musharrat has said no to American troops in Pakistan. The worse case scenario would be for Musharrat to lose power(his hold on power is shaky) and someone like Ahmadinejad (Iran) to take over, especially since Pakistan has the bomb.

I personally don't care whether a teacher has liberal or conservative political views...

IMO, I believe they should teach the curriculum as mandated by the school administrators... And keep personal opinions as just that opinions.... (if you want your children to learn a particular religious or political belief... send them to a school that specializes in those teachings... otherwise realize that your beliefs may not be addressed in public schools)...

But if I were to choose which type of person were teaching my children...
I believe I would choose a liberal.
Mostly because from personal experience, most liberals are more open to hearing other opinions and respecting other's beliefs....

Most conservatives I have encountered believe that there is only one way to believe.... THEIR way.....


Let the rain of hellfire and brimstone commence...

I agree that the person teaching in the classroom should teach the curriculum, and not their own views (and that discussion of a variety of viewpoints on a subject should be encouraged in the classroom). I also agree that should a parent wish a certain religious or political viewpoint be taught to their child, they should seek a private school which provides that viewpoint and send their child there.

Where I differ from you is that I believe a teacher should be as a reporter should be. That is, a person who presents information in an unbiased way taking a variety of viewpoints into consideration. Their own political or religious background should be beside the point (and basically undetectable in the classroom).

Teachers should be encouraged (enabled?) do this and also encourage their students to think about the information and form their own questions, ideas and conclusions about it, instead of just regurgitating the teacher's own, personal viewpoint back at them. If this were done, children/young adults would not only be learning in schools, but would be developing critical thinking and problem solving skills. To have the ability to take in information and form one's own opinion is something that (in my opinion) our education system, for the most part, is robbing our children/young adults of these days.

What our education system is robbing our children of is the ability to think, learn and do their own problem solving. Most systems have adopted "paired" and "group" learning models that say students learn more from each other and which in reality is robbing them of the ability to think and problem solve for themselves. This is good in some ways, but harmful in others. This has been used for 5 - 8 years now in a bunch of systems and now I have to teach students to think for themselves so they can analyze and problem solve the questions on the NCLB mandated test to move to the next grade.

When you give an assignment or - heaven forbid - a PROJECT, they say they can't do it without a partner to which I counter that they won't have a partner helping them pass one of the most important tests they have to take.

P.S. Love your avitar, Bron!

Unfortunately our education system appears to have tried many things that on the surface looked like good ideas but turned out not to be sound. The end product, as you have said, is children who have not learned, and who can not think for themselves. Good teachers are also attempting to undo this harm and in turn are being "burned out" and few new teachers are lining up to take their place (for little pay and even less appreciation).

The interesting thing about all of this, is that the same education system has not changed the tests that it requires these same students pass, and uses the results of these same tests to judge the effectiveness of the teachers and individual schools (and not the effectiveness of the curriculum or the teaching methods it is promoting/insisting be used). Irony at its best.

Thank you, 2pooped2see, for teaching and more so for your obvious care for the students under your charge. Nice to meet you.

The avatar is an ancient Celtic coin.

Unfortunately, you are correct about good teachers getting burned out. I am getting burned out FAST. Prospective teachers know this and see that they can make more money for the same amount of stress in other subject-related fields. I love the actual TEACHING, but it has become too stressful and is now taking a toll on my health. All of the extra hoops has taken so much time away from my family and "me" time - hence my moniker "too pooped to see". I usually have to catch my few Bravo (and favorite) shows on the reruns because I spend most of my evenings doing school stuff and them fall to sleep exhausted before they come on at 10 PM EST. I only have a few more years left in me - if that much - and I am far from retirement.

Very unfortunate indeed! It is those caring and dedicated teachers, like yourself, that we need to keep in our schools as long as possible and not lose to avoidable stress and "burn out". They are an invaluable resource we can not afford to lose. We lose them only to the detriment of our children and their futures. It is more than unfortunate that this issue is not taken more seriously.

It is also, in my opinion, more than just a matter of throwing more money at schools. This seems to be the popular remedy for the problem, but I believe it must go deeper than that. Money is important, we need to start paying teachers salaries that will enable them to make a decent living (without having to put in fifteen to twenty years of service first) and which will draw bright and motivated people to the field of teaching. But beyond that, what is inherently wrong with the practices that are currently employed (which we have already at least partially discussed) must be changed. Schools must be reworked to teach students in a way that produces children and young adults who can read and write well, who can problem solve and think criticially and independently, who can balance a checkbook, budget for a household and successfully interview for a job. These are just basic skills that are needed, our children should have not only these, but abundantly beyond them. We are one of the richest nations in the world. We spend a great deal of money on education. This is not a Utopian dream, it is more than possible.

I commend you, 2pooped2see for taking on this job, and giving your students all you have. Your service to them has earned you a part in any success they have in life (and, I am sure, the thankful heart of their parents, even if it has never been overtly expressed to you).

Note???
Happy trails???
How cute and yeah and Bozo.
I was on Bozo once
My Three Sons and Lucy and Zoro..sigh!
Oh yeah Gilligan's Island and Love American Style

Donna Reed????

Johnny Angel...lol

Obama's solution to the energy crisis - make sure your car is properly tuned and make sure your tires are properly inflated.

lol
Well don't ask me what Bush's are.
Go to war????

Good night John and see ya tomox.
I gots to get this stuff done....NOW!!!

Bush has lifted the ban on offshore drilling and wants to expand our nuclear enegy facilities. It's up to the democratic majority congress to implement Bush's energy policies but as long as Reid and Pelosi are in control of the democratic party I would not hold my breath.

Thank you Mister Bush for putting the last nail in the coffins of the world's Polar Bears!

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22707746
http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory?id=5119769

Besides my car needs gas today and my great-grandkids won't ever miss something that went extinct before they were even born!

And I'm so glad Mister Bush that you are sticking to Oil and Nuclear Power Only policy.

Who needs clean energy? Wind Power, Solar, Ocean currents even Geothermic energy--- all such a waste of time! (Who cares if most countries have proven us wrong!) This is America Damn It!

Let all other Nations tremble before the Almighty One-Nation-Under-God that is ruled by the Chosen One!!!!

Since the Lord God himself has chosen you to lead our great Nation Mister Bush- I too will worship you!

All Hail Bush, All Hail Bush, All Hail God's Chosen Leader!

Welcome Peg and umm I'm trying so hard not to bash the guy here as many of my board buds really like the guy....and believe me
I agree with everything you say and then some...So thanks... now I don't have to take the throwing of the tomatoes.lol
Nah I've bashed the guy for years..Me no
like that man....... PERIOD!

My BIL is FBI homeland security and he
well..he tells me things that.. like that more went on in Iraq than we know and ya' know.
I just don't know...He is the most honorable guy...and would never do or say anything wrong..But he just says there is more than you know....Do I believe him or is that just his wishful thinking or his trying to defend his
Prez against the wrath of me????

I godda' tell ya' I do not know..I'm trying to SO hard these daze to separate the peeps from the beliefs.... but sometimes that is real hard.
I say HOW can intelligent peeps see this
so differently.....How????
But they do.
Anywho welcome again and I like your style.

Gooooooo Obama goooooo straight to the
White House and get us some health benefits you under cover radical you...Yeah!!!
When did radical become a dirty word???

I got Elton John and cawwffee.

The Greatest Discovery Shy..My # 2 fave Elton
song.. A tie with the other one..I can't keep track....pun intended. I love them all 'cept for that damn...well I guess Bennie and The Jets
is ok....Re-think on that one.lol
Elton & Bernie are THE ONE
Love that one too!

You should check out Penn&Tellers Bullsh!t. Their Going Green episode was very interesting. Check out the Sensitivity Training episode too(its what Ive been saying about all this PC bullsh!t all along),if ya got time. Hell,check all the episodes out,they are great. I may not agree with everything they say but they do their homework and present an interesting argument if nothing else.

My sister who is/was a teacher has decided to quit teaching for good this time. She had taken a year off then went back on a sub-basis. She also was in charge of a latch-key program for after school and did free tutoring until 6:30 5 days a week.

The Latch-key program was her idea and the school loved it and she was offered X amount to do it and she accepted. First check arrives and its less then half of what she was promised. Long story short,they decided she was a glorified baby-sitter and not worth the pay. What was the pay? She was offered $20 per hour with a max of 20 kids,ages kindergarten to Sr.,if more showed up they were not turned away. What did she get? $8 an hour with an average of 16 kids per day from 3:45 to 6:30 but a few nights,it lasted until 8 cause a certain mothers watch just kept stopping. The school charged parents $1.50 per hour. They made a sweet little profit on a program meant to help kids in need. Oh,my sister didnt charge for any of the tutoring either,which she normally gets paid $40 per hour.

They also decided they didnt want to pay her the per hour pay she was due due to her years of teaching and schooling. It took 3 months of fighting to get the back pay they owed her.

Shes decided the politics of teaching are too much for her and when money is more important then the kids education,its time to find a new career. She has removed her name from the list of subs.

When you have teachers buying the supplies they need for their classrooms out of their paychecks or teachers spending up to 12-14 hours a day on the job only to take their work home with them,something has to change.

Dont even mention the "No child left behind" laws around my sister. If you do and you see the vein on her forehead start to pop...RUN!!!

I actually saw Maya Angelou speak many years ago at McKendree college. Amazing women.

Only reason Im even replying to you,well,,its not really to only you but you happened to tell the pencil story.

My sister collected any and every pen and pencil she found and put them in a can on her desk. When a student forgot a writing instrument,of course they could have one...for a fee. Some kids whipped out wads of cash that were worth more then she,a underpaid teacher,made in a week. Nope,no cash tyvm. They had to write in a journal she kept in her desk. It had to be a certain length,Im not sure what that length was,and it had to be something personal.

Some kids were like "this is stupid" and filled their page with garbage. Most kids took it seriously and filled the page,even going over the mandatory length,with their hopes and dreams,their fears,their secrets,their hate and their loves. Youd be amazed at the kids who "forgot" their pencils several times a week. There was a waiting list for that journal!

To keep anyone from reading other kids stuff,it was for her eyes only and she never read it without permission,each kid was given a page like you have in a binder. Ya know the kind,clear and you can put papers in or out of it. Im not sure what they are called. This big black binder was huge after her 5 years at the school she taught at at the time. Im not sure but I wouldnt be surprised if she had to remove pages as kids graduated to make room.

Did the book help? I think it did. One student,the only students work that I read and she did ask permission for me to read first,was struggling and wrote page after page of hate filled,suicidal rants complete with artwork of his death. He had lost both his parents as a child in grade school and was living with a grandmother who was in the hospital on and off his Jr.year and he was afraid he would be left alone again. He had an aunt that taught at the school but I guess they were not close because she,my sister, didnt know they were related until years later so I assume the poor kid felt all alone.

He started staying after school so he could hang around my sister,she was the chess club coach(can you say nerd!)and was a sponsor for the Sr. class so her days were very long. He started doing better in school,started taking care of himself and even got a girlfriend.

The next year,his Sr. year,his grandmother passed away. He got even closer to my sister. In fact,he showed up at her front door,twice. You can imagine how that freaked her out! Oh,we live in a tiny town and the school was in a neighboring town only 4 miles away,not like she was hard to find. Once she let him know about boundaries,he didnt do that again. She did tell the guidance counselor about this and while he was in his foster home,no he did not go live with his aunt for some reason,she set up counseling for him.

At graduation,the boy hugged my sister and told her thanks to her he was alive. She was like aw ty but you deserve all the credit. He very calmly said "No,you dont understand. I was going to kill myself once my grandma died. " Well,as you can imagine,my sister was floored! After a few are you serious,he explained that being able to express himself freely in that journal and slowly beginning to trust my sister,he decided he didnt want to check out after all.

2 years later,I was in WalMart with my sister and we hear "Ms.G!",I swear we hear that every time we go somewhere,even out of state,and she turns and its him. He comes running up and gets her in a bear hug and they are in the electronics dept. crying like babies and I of course am like "WTF." They talk while I keep busy and she later tells me he is now working his way through college and doing very well. She said that is what makes her go to work everyday.

Does it always have a happy ending? No.

One of her chess kids was brilliant. In fact,the school created the chess team for him. He and his mother moved to the area and once they found out there was no chess team,they went to the school board and asked for one. Fast forward a few weeks later and there is a chess team. The kid had a full-ride scholarship to some very nice college(I dont remember the name) and had to stay active to keep his scholarship.

The boys mom used a cane to walk and anytime her son did something to displease her,she hit him with it. It didnt matter where they were,he was hit and it happened often. She pushed him very hard and Im sure she thought she was doing what was best for him but sadly,it turned tragic.

The boy didnt show up for school one day and the truant officer went to his home. No answer. The next day,no boy and another visit. Still no answer. On the third day,the cop went in the house. Skipping over the gruesome stuff,she had hit the boy once too often I guess and the mom was dead in the home. He had beat her with the cane.

It took a few hours but he was found hiding in a local barn. I dont know how he was found so fast but I assume friends let the police know places he hung out. He was arrested and in jail awaiting trail. He refused any visitor but my sister. He actually asked to see her. Before she was able to go visit,he took his own life in his cell. He was 16.

I swear this is true and I can send the link to the St.Louis Post Dispatch that carried the sad,tragic story if anyone thinks Im being dramatic.

So,the point Im trying to make is with the pencil thing,yes,saying no,you cannot have one you should be responsible for yourself isnt a bad thing(teaching a child to be strong and independent is never a bad thing) but what works for one doesnt always work for the other. A teacher isnt just there to teach a kid,they become a surrogate parent to some. Teachers are also counselor,shrinks,advisers,mentors,referees,life coaches,etc... and there is no way they are paid enough for their services or given the thanks from society that they deserve.

Im sorry everyone,all this teacher talk really got my old noggin going and I over shared.

Brillke,

Thanks for understanding.

There are others who work hard for nothing - next on the list - social workers and police. It's just the few in the country that don't know their boundaries that make ALL of the peeps in the profession look really, really bad. I'm talking about the other two as well.

Offshore drilling????
John we need to stop now before
I have a conniption.
NO offshore drilling.....None!
We don't need to drill..We gots all kind of other resources and they know it.
Oil and the Bush's are like two peas in a very big tightly crowded pod..Ask AI..She from Austin Texas...They know stuff down yonder.
Nuclear....I'm not so convinced against of.
Well that one is iffy for me... My heart says..but...well NO. If they could make it fool proof....sure......And the waste and all.
Yeah NO...Never mind ...Windmills are nice.lol
As George Carlin said this earth will shake us off like a bad case of fleas... And I can't
remember who said this to me recently but they said that it's not to protect the earth from us
us..being careful and all...It will recover once we are gone for sure....Not drilling and all the rest like global warming precautions.
It's to protect US so that we can sustain here.
If we keep up we will kill ourselves.
THAT makes sense to me...So the 'serves who
say it's all an inconvenient truth...Well it may be to the be end and end all of this earth as a planet.....But not to us as a life species.


Jmsvnho and you have the floor kind sir.

Tater... I agree with you....it is the same arguement that is currently in the news regarding the "N" word... if that word is not to be used by whites then it should not be used by blacks either is it is bad then it is bad ...period. I do not care what Whoopie thinks here....culturally , morally or whatever...that attitude is a double standard and needs to stop.

Eeeeeeeek..... heading out....Bye Ford!
I won't say a woid!!!!!!
Owww but I wanna but I won't!

Eeeeeeeeeek lol

Snag I have to disagree.... if you watch the news today in most open forums it is the liberals that do their best to break up and disrupt discussions while the conservatives allow dialogue ... the problem occurs when liberals can't back up their claims with facts so the only answer for them is to stop the exchange of ideas. Think of your Alec Baldwins and Sean Penns, etc....they have made outlandish statements to the media time after time that do not hold up to examination and when confronted they just try to shout the other party down.

I was always under the impression that the epithet "monkey" spoke more to the evolutionism/creationism debate than it did to anything blatantly racial. White or black, if you're an evolutionist, then we're all originally "monkeys."

That's just in my understanding, of course. I could be totally in the wrong. Wouldn't be the first time.

As a professional auto technician I can attest to all of you that while that will help a little it just goes to show that Obama has NO CLUE as to what really needs to be done except spout out simplistic edicts .... makes me think of Al Gore (shudder.....)