Journalism interview with Bill Moyers

Starts at   11:31       but the whole show is funny. After watching this i thought it was really cool way to break it down..thought i would share.

http://www.thedailyshow.com/full-episodes/wed-june-1-2011-bill-moyers

Random quotes somewhat related to this class

"Where's your will to be weird?"- Jim Morrison

"Each generation wants new symbols, new people, new names. They want to divorce themselves from their predecessors." Jim Morrison

“The only people for me are the mad ones, the ones who are mad to live, mad to talk, mad to be saved, desirous of everything at the same time, the ones who never yawn or say a commonplace thing, but burn, burn, burn, like fabulous yellow roman candles exploding like spiders across the stars and in the middle you see the blue centerlight pop and everybody goes "Awww!”Jack Kerouac

“Boys and girls in America have such a sad time together; sophistication demands that they submit to sex immediately without proper preliminary talk. Not courting talk- real straight talk about souls, for life is holy and every moment is precious.” Jack Kerouac

"When wondering what my English teacher was thinking when he makes us turn in and make so many damn steps when assigning us projects. I envision him jumping up and down behind his desk as the due dates get closer, eagerly awaiting to find out what cleaver little stories we have come up with. After read them his hopes dashed by our lack of creativity and he fails us all!"-Random Facebook Friend

MLK letter

It seems to me that MLK was addressing the general public while calling out those he addressed the letter to. Almost like he was saying this is my case, this is what we have tried, this is what we want, but wanted the public to know it was now in the hands of the priests and reverend to solve. In naming those who could change the state of affairs at the time directly he was leaving them no choice but to do something. In stating his case he was gaining appeal from those who may read it and side with him. Forcing the hand of those who placed him in jail in the first place to stand up for their way of thinking and prove he is guilty. Those in question along with all of Birmingham itself would also then have to admit their part in the unjust behavior he was seeking to change.

Final thoughts

What all this talk about technology has done for me, is opened my eyes. Iphones, Google and distractions were common place for me. I didn't notice the extent in which information technology had a grip on me. The other night I noticed that I was multi-tasking to the extremes. It was a math book, calculator, math website, canasta website, ipod, text messaging, and an English essay. At the point that I started to laugh when my English essay about technology and it's distractions was "distracting " me from my card game. I wouldn't have noticed this type of behavior if we hadn't been talking about it recently. I think technology is awesome, will always be that way.I  also still think that it will lead us down a path that we will not be able to return from, but at least I am enjoying the ride.

Distracted by technology...?

http://blog.trutv.com/dumb_as_a_blog/2011/05/using-two-cell-phones-while-driving-a-bus-is-dumb.html?link=dumbrss

I thought that I would share this news story to show you what kind of headlines are distracting me from what I am supposed to be doing...

Technology

I try not to sugar coat the love/hate relationship that I have with technology.  I remember my teen life without technology very fondly. I know what I am missing every time I log on to my computer or my son with his xbox. I remember being able to mountain climb in Colorado or travel to concerts without someone blowing up my phone. I was literally free without contact, now I have become a text pro. Yet I still get mad at my daughter and frequently take away her iphone for pulling it out at the dinner table or at a football game. I am a walking contradiction, and I love it. I am who I am right? I am still in touch with reality though I know that when I want to I can shut off every electronic item in my house and annoy the kids with an outdoor star presentation. I still approach each and every new gadget that comes out with awe and excited jumps. I don't know I think that knowing both sides and still taking that step you are making an educated choice.  You can't really turn around and blame the crack for the addict. It makes no sense. Technology didn't entrap you? If we used it for what it's meant for,  to be an small accessory to our education, we probably wouldn't be complaining so much. I remember when cell phones were "for emergencies only", now it's hands free and cars out of control. Win some lose some. There is no perfection to any aspect of life, you are bound to make someone mad. We can't live without it, I can't live without it. I am going into a field of medicine that requires it to keep you and I healthy in our day to day lives. The invention of Penicillin! If we had to take the passion we have behind blaming the crack and blamed ourselves. The blame game would end quickly. And happily?

facebook, google, and wikipedia......responsibilty ??? cheating???

 I think that these advances in technology have not only made some students lazy but given them misinformation which they use to complete assignments. In the process of making schools meet the technological advancements the school becomes wi-fi capable...leaving the student sitting in their seats using phones and computers to "play" on face book, and other websites instead of actually listening to the lecture.  Then when the assignment comes due they go for the quick fix which are sites like Wikipedia, which are filled with cites from other students who make up the information, and the work shows it. In the good old days if you had to spend hours in a library looking for the book you needed you were dedicated to your assignment, obviously if you're in the library. It wasn't as easy as it is now to buy a report, or look up a you tube video on a math formula.  There is no sense of pride or responsibility in work these days in school anymore. Take responsibility for your actions, put down the face book and actually learn something. That's what you are paying for? Would you expect the same type of attitude and service from your waitress? No, right? So why should your instructors except the same type of crappy devotion from their students. Its not the teachers fault if the student is on face book and not listening....There are 30 other students who will listen to a math slope formula. Maybe one of them will learn the same old tired lesson the teacher has been preaching for years, because it works.  I know that statement doesn't represent all the students but a great majority.
 I, personally  fully admit use of Face book, mostly to keep in touch with my family like once a week unless otherwise drawn to it by an email. To me I feel that I am sharing my little family and exchanging pictures with all my brothers and sisters like you do at Christmas or other family holidays..not in class. When it becomes a habit  where a math class is the side note to your phone or your status, it's prison. It destroys the school system...what is the point of coming to a class if you are not going to actually put your whole into it....I don't get it.
       As far as Google,  I can not group this one with the other two..because this is the only one that actually is doing what it was intended for...looking up stuff on the internet. Linking you to other stuff....I don't know enough about it I guess to make an argument either way...but I have my KWL paper...so I will get back to that one.
 Wikipedia.. it was a cool idea...a nice little web bound set of  encyclopedias  online...wow...save some space on a book shelf. When you start to allow just anyone in it with a magic eraser, it's a damn rumor mill. It is no longer the truth, its a bunch of made up junk. If people would not go and put stuff on there for fun and jokes, I am sure it would be a much more useful tool. Would you rely on a television show to be your English teacher??? From what I hear Glee apparently is rather educational. The main point on this is if you allow everyone to be a chef then the soup is going to be over done.  If you use such rumor mill to complete your tasks then well take credit for the F you get on your assignment...don't yell at the teacher because you reversed the formula. Was it really her fault?????? She gave you the formula... it's YOUR job to get the answer. If you don't understand that..there are at least three math centers on campus for tutoring. Join one.
Ok I am about done with that preach session....and wraps up my college experience for this week. Tune in again next week for more.....observations from the old lady who was raised right.

perfect example of how technology rallies the troops through word of mouth

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ahAz4c2H3Sw                                  



it's so cool watching how the news travels like the wave at a baseball game.All together chanting in celebration and pride. ....the only clueless ones were the ones who actually had something else to do...some form of fitness in the low-jacked world.  examples are everywhere.

Bloggers vs Journalist

I think that the big difference between writing for a blog and writing for a paper..is feeling and perspective. In a blog you have the chance to put your own spin on what you see and hear. I can spit out anything here to help you to read your way into my mind. The more descriptive the paragraph the more apart of the story my reader becomes. It doesn't matter if the story is entirely based in reality or truth for that matter, it's all about how I see the world.
In a newspaper, its nothing but the facts. A newspaper allows for very little personal expression as the owners of the  paper don't want to have any bias. In this type of story it is more important for the population to make it's own mind of the story...the paper just gives them the evidence to work with.

Technology..??

I think that technology is both good and bad for us as a society. If anyone got the chance to watch last night's south park...which is so fitting.....makes you wonder just because we can should we? I am going to save you all the  whole "when I was a kid I had to walk 9 miles uphill to the library to check out a book" because that is getting old. I think that all these advances are making life easier yet annoying. This computer, to me is for homework...email and games. The generation after mine...it would do everything for them but wipe their bottoms. It is amazing that these kids know how to tie a shoe... it is making them dumb this fancy technology business.  One example is that they are constantly multi-tasking....they never accomplish one full thing...its a bunch of little things that get half done if that.  If you were to cut and paste it all together, perhaps they would have a full education on one damn thing.  At best they are learning how to run a computer rather than learn how to wash a dish by hand. What is soap? Perhaps I am too old fashioned but I think a cellphone shouldn't be in the hands of a 9 year old. I think that kids shouldn't feel like they are unworthy of friends because they don't own a ipad. I believe that the greatest feeling a kid should have is an endorphin boost from crossing the finish line after a race rather than how many songs they can download before the get out of wifi range. Technology, as far as social media (iphones, facebook, and youtube), have only given us a faster way to process more stuff at once. It is not for the better! It will ruin us one day. As for the rest of technology, we need it to maintain the advanced society that we are....the horse to the car, the airplane, space shuttle etc. These are things of beauty, but they are meant to be tools. Not an addictive toy we must have in order to get out of bed in the morning. Generally when we see someone who has a hard time getting out of the bed in the morning without their addiction , we give them an intervention and send their butt to rehab. Hey you know they have a show about that? Too bad I am grounded from that picture box thing because I wouldn't stop playing my xbox.

Role of Education...you said I could rant...right?

   It is much easier to start out thinking about how the society would look like without any role of education in that society. Any other way would not only shine a light on the benefits of the current system but it's flaws, and leave us occupied with those.   Sometimes we really don't appreciate what we have until it's gone.
So if you think about it.....The thousands of buildings that are dedicated to school education are gone. That includes all the current schools, the ones that are shut down (because we can't afford to run them), those newer schools for troubled students that are on every corner and the ones that are set to open next week. I know this sounds stupid but think about it thousand of buildings....all over the country either aren't there or just vacant.
All those classrooms with their happy little drawings on the wall are now empty, 30+ kids per room...now sitting at home with at least one parent. That parent's primary job is now completely all about their kids. Like it used to be in the good old days.. Now mom/ dad is no longer in the work force...it's a one income home if he/she is lucky enough to have spouse to help carry the weight.  That one income goes straight to housing, food, and health. No shopping trips to the mall, to a fancy sit down dinner, or to a football game. Who could afford it? Let's be safe and say each family has one child. Still it's not enough money for anything outside basic needs.
 Don't you think this no education system would only last one generation? The world marketplace gets no money, the children get a simple education from a stay at home parent, and we have empty buildings everywhere taking up space.
We need education. We need to have people spending the money that they earn from their big time pay jobs.
We need people to be educated enough to create our cellphones , ipods and all the other crap we can't live without. That's how we became the bigger badder world we are.
The best solution.... In Colorado and Wyoming (when I was a kid) it didn't matter what "side" of the tracks you came from...there were two or three schools per town. If you lived on the east side you went to EAST high school, same West High school, or Central high. Three buildings full of eager to learn kids. They all had the same budget, they were equal.  There was no need for extra schools sitting around sucking up money, or space. If the kid was a "troubled" youth..they were "tried out" at the other schools. If you didn't fit, you don't graduate. Simple. Its a backwards step solution, but it works. San Jose's extra schools could be used  for other things, housing for homeless, shelters, day cares..on and on with the useful stuff. 
The classroom sizes are already to big: right.  because we are already condensing schools,  the problem is that we are opening new schools in the place of the ones we just shut down.  For example: School A elementary and School B middle school,  they have worked sitting next to each other for decades. One day They have to combine to the middle school building because we can't afford to run them both. Now School A building is empty, every one is at school B. What to do with the closed school? ....expand both schools to take up both buildings ( increasing the amount of kid's it could hold????) NO! we make it into School C a brand new alternative high school and daycare.. now we are stretching our money for four schools instead of two. Of course we can't afford anything.
If education is required for K-12, it should be open to everyone. College.. if you don't want to go, don't. Parents should not force their children to go to college. Yes, you need a college education to be successful and we all want that. But if the child, by college age, hasn't figured this out and dedicated themselves really to themselves. Then don't force them to take up space somewhere else because you want them to be something they don't want to be or do. Those who should be in college are those who want to be there.  This cuts out a lot of students who are too busy facebooking, texting and etc to pay attention. Those spaces could be used on people who want to achieve better for themselves. This saves the financial aid wasted on people who aren't using it for what it is supposed to be for.  The schools would have money in a savings column.
I know it's rather preachy for someone who is above the normal age of a college student by at least 10 years. I look at like this, I made a choice to parent early. I chose well. Now it's time for me to aim to be successful outside my house. I set a great example for my kids, for their future paths, Love, support and quality time. If college wasn't open to people like me, I couldn't have made the choice  I did and put it off until I felt they were ready on their own.  I wouldn't be able to give back to my society with my ideas, and funds. As appealing as spending the rest of my life with nothing to do after they leave the nest is........I am too young for a rocking chair and would be bored out of my mind with nothing to do. (Bonus: the house would be super clean) To think if schools weren't open access,  that's what I would have to look forward to. WHAT FUN!!!

Dear Mr. Governor Brown Sir

   I know you understand the situation our schools are in from your days founding charter schools in Oakland. In fact it was a major selling tool in your bid for re-election. A shining commercial advertisment of how in the trenches you are on this topic. Even better that you had success in an Oakland district. What I don't understand is that now that you've been rewarded with a new fancy seat as governor that you're not trying to fix every district the same. I know, I know these things take time. So, why the budget cuts? How do you fix the  " challenges the educators have, " "improve local control and flexibility", and "increase cal grant funding by 50%"  by taking more money from the schools? All at the same time? Is this 50% increase on top of the funds we had before the cuts or what we have now?
      Children are our future, if we do not educate them then who will? I think if anything we should be trying to come up with more ideas on how to raise money for these important things. Instead we pay people to sit and try to figure out the best way to budget what we have left after their salaries. With the same gusto we use to sell a product or ourselves in an election, we should be out there seeking and creating ways to earn more money. Any good profitable idea will do as long as it works. Isn't that a piece of America's backbone, invention and sales? For what is it worth take a second look at Prop.19...I'm sure there is a benefit in that. Cut it and mold it until it suits everyone...cash flows in, people who don't wish to see it don't have to look in that store, and the possible entire state of California admitting it's use. Aren't taxes on  a full access cards and it's sales enough to get us by just a little?
    If you are not particularly fond of that proposition, it's alright, there are many more. Everyone has an idea or a way of doing things a little bit different but no one ever tries to compromise. It's an all or nothing society with no gray area. Bill Gates, himself, knows that it wasn't just his ideas alone that made him who he is, it was a collaboration.  If you take away money from giving my generation and the next an education, who's tired ideas will you seek?  If those ideas didn't work the first go around what says they will the second or the third time? I hope you see the areas where I could be confused and maybe clear them for me. As well I hope you consider a few of these ideas, it doesn't hurt to look.
   
      

today's joy

I thought I totally messed up the first on the spot essay! At least made the teacher cry at the sad way I presented my case. ....Tada I guess I did better than I thought..maybe?

I am confused?

I just finished the weekend’s dose of reading. A few things began rolling around in my head about the topics we have covered, my upcoming essay and my college experience thus far.  The only thing that keeps coming up is “Personal responsibility.”  Whatever are you talking about Sara? Well me, if I am understanding this correctly.. We give the children tests to ensure that the school and teachers are correctly doing their job. Then based on the test results, we reward them. The government will then send a little cash their way to buy more books, and more teachers.  I don’t know it seems like a pretty weird system  where the kids are not only responsible for the teacher but for themselves throughout their schooling. Even being taught to the test, you hope the child fills in the right box you told them….leaving it in the child’s hands.
       What if they spent the entire second grade year ignoring their teacher until CST’s come around. They score high after being given the answers. Third grade rolls around, they are now smashed with more information that their second grade brain is not ready for. That child is now two years mentally/educationally behind his friends, all because he was daydreaming. His or her troubles being missed due to a high CST score.  What else would you expect a 10 year old to do with this situation?  This is truly where we are grouped…if a child can teach themselves throughout elementary school they have taken responsibility for their education. If they don’t then they will never actively take a part and will settle where they fall.  Are they a team player or a drone who follows the game plan without saying a word? Seems a little messed up…Makes a person hope that all teachers are really dedicated to their students and not  to the politics of their school.  I know the parent is involved in making sure their child is learning well. Right?

Welcome to my public discourse!!!

When I was a child, shortly before the advent of fire an flintstone cars, I had a dream. I would grow up to be a FBI profiler. Seems a little twisted for the mind of a nine year old I know. Behavior, people watching was a game I used to play. I made out though as I grew older I gained a great ability of predicting people's behavior and moves. I can tell you what a couple is talking bout at 100 yards! Score! Sadly , this dream faded with age and responsibility.  Before I had a chance to research colleges I choose my daughter as a junior year graduation present.  Don't get me wrong, her life didn't dash my dreams, just delayed them.Tada Helllllo English class!!!!
 My daughter the mini genius is now looking into high schools and colleges, my son is a little man now almost to junior high. Invest a little me time??? Sure ! My dreams have changed through work experience though. I no longer want to be an FBI profiler. The more I worked in the health care field ( EMT, Medical Assistant) the more I realized that I wanted to work with expecting moms. They are the ones who literally glow and beem with happiness, big change from the things I have seen. As I said in class just once I want to tell a mom it's an alien. Tension breaker. Anyway that's my hopes and dreams , career plan and me. I still have no idea what I want to learn in this class, but am willing to learn whatever you want to teach me.