Practicing Alternative Dispute Resolution Finding humor in the daily Stuff; Occasionally waxing poetic and philosophical; Preserving a history for my family
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Move here You CRAZY PEOPLE!!!!!
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Halloween pictures finally
Finally got a replacement camera cord. I don't have a picture of Maggie. She was Minnie Mouse and SOOOOOO cute. I'll have to get it off Grandpa Jensen's camera.
The EVOLUTION OF A CENTRIST CONSERVATIVE
Recently a friend of mine mentioned that I seemed to have changed political directions since college. My views have changed a little, I guess. 3 years in Law school really impressed upon me the need for restraint in government. We studied over and over and over the messes made by overzealous, unrestrained legislatures and executive powers. I'll admit that many of my professors were conservative, but I never felt as if the information we were getting was entirely one sided.
In addition to the time in law school, my views have been shaped by paying taxes, owning a small business, and raising and educating kids. I feel that small business should be encouraged, and that currently it is somewhat penalized. We pay many of the same taxes as the big corporations, but receive many fewer benefits. I worry that our new president doesn't see the difference between Corporations and Corporate America.
Educationally speaking, I think No Child Left Behind is a monumental debauchle that has left All Children Behind--because the focus on Test scores has left all children lacking in essential programs like gifted and talented, music, physical education and art. We have never, as a nation hoped to turn out students who can do basic math and read at a base level. We Americans teach children to reach for the stars in whatever field they choose and we let them get a feel for what they're good at by giving them opportunities to stretch and try new things.
I am all for accountability. It is a good thing. THE NCLB accountability, however, penalizes fantastic schools who make the best use of every penny they have when they don't make Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP). There are 40+ areas of accountability and if even 1 of those areas is inadequate the school is deemed to have not met AYP. THis is ludicrous. In effect it penalizes schools for their location. In S. Utah, for example there is a huge migrant population. They move in throughout the year and because they're registered at the school, they must be tested and meet these AYP standards despite the fact that they often don't speak enough English to be tested sufficiently. This is just one example. So many others abound. My children's schools have regularly met AYP in all but 1 area of NCLB and been considered a "failing" school. But they are given no credit for eeking out an amazing choir with no money or after school programs that enrich everybody's life. Instead teachers teach to a test, a lowest common denominator, and our energized, excited kids get ignored because teacher has more pressing needs. I guess you can tell I'm a little passionate about this subject.
So maybe I have changed a little, but not substantially. I'm still a closet quasi-feminist. I still strive to be eco-friendly. And I still think Conservative talk show hosts are arrogant and vitriolic. Maybe not so different after all.
In addition to the time in law school, my views have been shaped by paying taxes, owning a small business, and raising and educating kids. I feel that small business should be encouraged, and that currently it is somewhat penalized. We pay many of the same taxes as the big corporations, but receive many fewer benefits. I worry that our new president doesn't see the difference between Corporations and Corporate America.
Educationally speaking, I think No Child Left Behind is a monumental debauchle that has left All Children Behind--because the focus on Test scores has left all children lacking in essential programs like gifted and talented, music, physical education and art. We have never, as a nation hoped to turn out students who can do basic math and read at a base level. We Americans teach children to reach for the stars in whatever field they choose and we let them get a feel for what they're good at by giving them opportunities to stretch and try new things.
I am all for accountability. It is a good thing. THE NCLB accountability, however, penalizes fantastic schools who make the best use of every penny they have when they don't make Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP). There are 40+ areas of accountability and if even 1 of those areas is inadequate the school is deemed to have not met AYP. THis is ludicrous. In effect it penalizes schools for their location. In S. Utah, for example there is a huge migrant population. They move in throughout the year and because they're registered at the school, they must be tested and meet these AYP standards despite the fact that they often don't speak enough English to be tested sufficiently. This is just one example. So many others abound. My children's schools have regularly met AYP in all but 1 area of NCLB and been considered a "failing" school. But they are given no credit for eeking out an amazing choir with no money or after school programs that enrich everybody's life. Instead teachers teach to a test, a lowest common denominator, and our energized, excited kids get ignored because teacher has more pressing needs. I guess you can tell I'm a little passionate about this subject.
So maybe I have changed a little, but not substantially. I'm still a closet quasi-feminist. I still strive to be eco-friendly. And I still think Conservative talk show hosts are arrogant and vitriolic. Maybe not so different after all.
Wednesday, November 05, 2008
WEIGHING IN ON OBAMA
Throughout this campaign I've been sort of flummoxed. I haven't been a huge fan of McCain or Now President-elect Obama. I am struck with the historic nature of President Obama's election. My feelings about him have nothing to do with his race. My concerns have been that when I'm done listening to him I feel that he has some valid arguments, I even feel that he "Understands my plight" (the plight of everyman)but I am NEVER clear what he's going to do about it. He is soooo articulate, sooooo intelligent. But I STILL DON'T KNOW WHO HE IS. I worry that he won't protect the constitutional freedoms we have fought so long to preserve. I worry that he doesn't realize that Small Business Owners are not exactly "Corporate America" but he acts as if they were. I worry that he will not uphold the sanctity of life and the family that I consider of paramount importance. I have long struggled with the Republican stance on education so there I have a tendency to agree with him. He's just so much of an unknown and that makes me a tad nervous.
My fervent hope is that the mantle of the office of President of the United States will impress upon President Obama a need for restraint in "REFORMING" health care and Taxes and a need for bipartisanship. My fervent prayer is that our president who received 52% of the vote of the American people will not forget the OTHER 46% of us. The president is the president of ALL the people. Not just the 52% who voted for him. I hope he remembers that.
My fervent hope is that the mantle of the office of President of the United States will impress upon President Obama a need for restraint in "REFORMING" health care and Taxes and a need for bipartisanship. My fervent prayer is that our president who received 52% of the vote of the American people will not forget the OTHER 46% of us. The president is the president of ALL the people. Not just the 52% who voted for him. I hope he remembers that.
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