Dakryn's Batshit Theory of the Week

[The Ozzman]

I usually don't agree with unions, but a teacher's union would be fine.

 

[genocide roach]

The problem with NCLB was that it rewarded high test scores. This meant that the schools needing the money were least likely to get it. Seems backwards to me.

yay! it loaded

i agree. we should increase funding for low testing schools. see my curve plan

nec: how do we know who needs it most? testing. or send a delegation to every school to gauge how they are doing. but that doesnt seem like it would be entirely effective either.

and how do we solve the overpopulation and technology problems? building new schools, hiring teachers, and buying computers all requires money.

and lets not forget one important details federal funding isnt the only source of income for schools. STATES need to properly manage their money and fund their schools as well. and the minute the feds try to step in to tell a state theyre fucking up, the state will blow a gasket and then nothing gets done because of politics and image. maybe states cant manage their money because the schools sucked back when they went to school there. garbage in, garbage out.

the entire situation is fucked up. the only sure fire way to even everything out is stop school! or privatize it. hey thats an idea. instead of funding schools, give tax kickbacks to get kids into private schools. much like giuliani reccomended for health insurance. but then again, who decides how much money should be given out...

dont mind me, i'm just arguing with myself
~gR~

 

[skeptik]

and how do we solve the overpopulation and technology problems? building new schools, hiring teachers, and buying computers all requires money.

...

Which is why they need money?Which is why you give those school money?

 

[genocide roach]

but how do we decide who gets the money? lol

now i see why i could never be a politician.
~gR~

 

[skeptik]

We decide based on need. If a school has 50 students per class room, then they need money.

 

[Pessimism]

Very nice discussion imo

Here is a link to his education reform section of his site; it may or may not be enlightening, but (obviously) it will take some digging to find the actual damned documentation. Till I find it, here is the link:
CLICKY CLICKY

Again, take with a grain of salt till the written proposal is found. Jut because a politician is saying one thing doesn't mean the legal document won't say another. It's all about implementation in the end - if it's economically feasible then it'll have the greatest chance for passing in congress. Unfortunately, most congressmen only vouch for statutes with immediate benefits...

 

[zabu of nΩd]

This is pretty cool:

Seven caves found on Mars
September 24, 2007

New images from Mars, taken by NASA's Mars Odyssey spacecraft and the Mars Global Surveyor have shown what appears to be at least seven entrances to large caves on the slope of Arsia Mons, a Martian volcano. Scientists believe the caves are very large and they believe that they lead to the subsurface of Mars.

All of the cave entrances, which were named "The Seven Sisters", are at least 100 to 250 meters (328 to 820 feet) in diameter and scientists say that "somewhere on Mars, caves might provide a protected niche for past or current life, or shelter for humans in the future." Infrared images show that the temperature variations from night and day show that they are likely caves.

"They are cooler than the surrounding surface in the day and warmer at night. Their thermal behavior is not as steady as large caves on Earth that often maintain a fairly constant temperature, but it is consistent with these being deep holes in the ground," said Glen Cushing of the United States Geological Survey (USGS) Astrogeology Team and of Northern Arizona University located in Flagstaff, Arizona.

However Cushing is not saying that there maybe life in the caves for sure because most of them are at very high altitudes.

"These are at such extreme altitude, they are poor candidates either for use as human habitation or for having microbial life. Even if life has ever existed on Mars, it may not have migrated to this height," added Cushing.

The caves are believed to have been formed as underground stresses around the volcano caused spreading and faults that opened spaces beneath the surface. Some of the holes are in line with strings of bowl-shaped pits where surface material has apparently collapsed to fill the gap created by a linear fault.

NASA planes to use the Surveyor and the Odyssey to find more possible caves at lower altitudes in the future.

http://en.wikinews.org/wiki/Seven_caves_found_on_Mars

They totally need to build a subterranean base on Mars. That would be the coolest thing ever.

Except for having to resupply the occupants whenever they run out of air or water. That would kinda suck.

 

[MasterOLightning]

I usually don't agree with unions, but a teacher's union would be fine.

No, no, no. No, no, no, no, no. Teachers are the last profession that needs a large scale unions. What unions do is protect the majority, which, it should go without saying, are mediocre. What percent of teachers are actually really good? Ten? Most teachers are just so-so. Unions would fight against incentive based systems, because incentives, by nature, benefit the minority, which goes against broader goals of the group. Unions also make it remarkably difficult to fire bad performers. I saw a thing on 20/20 where in New York, they weren't able to fire teachers who had slept with students, due to the rigid protocol set by the union for firing teachers.

By the way, my dad was a teacher for over 30 years, and my mom also spent probably 20 years teaching, so I have some idea what I'm talking about here.

I don't like these plans for schools where we just pump more money into them. That has been shown time and again to not work. The education system requires a radical overhaul where all schools are privatized, and every child is given a substantial voucher that will allow them to go to any school (until the elite ones jack up tuition way beyond the voucher level). Over the course of a few years, schools that perform well will attract more vouchers and profit, and those that perform badly will lose students and money, and be forced to shut down. Under this system, the measure of success has more to do with a general satisfaction level for parents/students, and far less to do with test scores.

It's too obvious, really.

 

[skeptik]

Money-pumping methods of school assistance have no worked because schools have not utilized the fucking money properly at all. My former high school gets millions annually, and frankly, a lot of that money just disappears. We need a plan that specifically enacts legislation for spending on particulars, and not just blank check assistance.

 

[The Ozzman]

MOL is correct about the high costs of unions, which is why I'm against them in general. Though, you can't have EVERY teacher be really good. You're going to have bad teachers, just like you have bad mechanics, bad doctors and bad attorneys. I think if teachers were paid more (through unions or some other type of special program) it would motivate them to perform better. You ever think that the majority of teachers are not great because they don't get paid enough to care? Teaching is a very noble profession and should get treated as such. Fucking professional athletes get paid more than teachers and they don't benefit society at all (other than entertaining us).

Anyway, private schools around here are already at least 12K a year to attend, so funding isn't really an issue for them.

 

[cookiecutter]

Private School vouchers?! I have to completely disagree there. We should make our public schools better not abandon children and parents to try and find a school. Not to mention finding people to organize the private schools. We need to keep them well funded and well regulated, not just let people go out into the unregulated world of private schooling.

 

[The Ozzman]

and GM workers go on strike:

GM Says UAW Has Launched a National Strike Against the Automaker

DETROIT (AP) -- Thousands of United Auto Workers walked off the job at GM plants around the country Monday, in the first nationwide strike during auto contract negotiations since 1976.

GM spokesman Dan Flores said the union launched a national strike after the late morning UAW strike deadline passed without agreement on a new contract, which would include a groundbreaking provision establishing a UAW-managed trust that will administer GM's retiree health care obligations.

Workers began picketing outside GM plants.

The UAW has 73,000 members who work for GM at 82 U.S. facilities, including assembly and parts plants and warehouses.

It remained to be seen what effect the strike would have on the automaker and consumers. The company has sufficient stocks of just about every product to withstand a short strike, according to Tom Libby, senior director of industry analysis for J.D. Power and Associates.

Charlie Coppinger, who has worked at GM's powertrain plant in Warren for 31 years, walked the picket line along with a handful of others shortly after the deadline passed.

The 51-year-old Rochester Hills resident said he hoped a strike could be settled quickly, but that union members were on the line to back the union and its bargainers.

"We're just here to support them," said Coppinger, who said leaflets were passed out indicating that the strike was on.

Flores said the automaker is disappointed in the UAW's decision to call a national strike.

"The bargaining involves complex, difficult issues that affect the job security of our U.S. work force and the long-term viability of the company. We remain fully committed to working with the UAW to develop solutions together to address the competitive challenges facing GM," Flores said.

GM had been pushing hard for the health care trust -- known as a Voluntary Employees Beneficiary Association, or VEBA -- so it could move $51 billion in unfunded retiree health costs off its books. GM has nearly 339,000 retirees and surviving spouses.

Worker Anita Ahrens burst into tears as hundreds of United Auto Workers streamed out of a GM plant in Janesville, Wis.

"Oh my God, here they come," said Ahrens, 39. "This is unreal."

Ahrens has seven years at the plant, where she works nights installing speakers in sport utility vehicles. She waited outside the building Monday for her husband, Ron Ahrens, who has worked there for 21 years.

The couple has three children, including a college freshman, and Ahrens worried about how they would pay their bills.

"This is horrible, but we're die-hard union, so we have to," Ahrens said. "We got a mortgage, two car payments and tons of freaking bills."

More than a thousand UAW workers streamed out of GM's Delta Township plant near Lansing at 11 a.m. UAW members were handing out picket signs that say: "UAW On Strike." "I don't think it's a win for either side. It's too bad it's come to this, but we have given up a lot already," said Pat Haley, 50, from Dimondale, a quality control specialist who has been with GM for 31 years.

He said he didn't have a big problem with the VEBA, but he opposes a possible $5 an hour wage cut and restrictions on vacation time.

While GM has enough cars and trucks to withstand a short strike -- the automaker had about a 65-day supply of cars and trucks as September began, according to Paul Taylor, chief economist for the National Automobile Dealers Association -- it still would be costly for the company.

The UAW last struck GM in 1998. In that strike, workers at two GM parts plants walked out for 54 days, costing the automaker $2.2 billion. The strike, which occurred between years when national negotiations were held, was over work rules and GM's plans to eliminate jobs.

http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/070924/auto_talks.html?.v=46

 

[cookiecutter]

That's just what a failing company needs

 

[genocide roach]

Private School vouchers?! I have to completely disagree there. We should make our public schools better not abandon children and parents to try and find a school. Not to mention finding people to organize the private schools. We need to keep them well funded and well regulated, not just let people go out into the unregulated world of private schooling.

are you saying private schools dont have standards? shit, their standards are usually higher than public school!

the government usually fucks up everything it touches. private schools are a great example of what can happen when the government stays the fuck out!
~gR~

 

[MasterOLightning]

^Agreed. You can leave private schools alone. If they are bad, they will fail. If they provide a good education, they succeed. They require very little oversight.

As for vouchers, there should be a sliding scale inversely proportional to income. Living in the ghetto should net you a large voucher, while living in a mansion should net you a much smaller one.

In general, our schooling should be more like the programs in Europe. Secondary education is more specialized there. If there were high schools that had no athletics, that would certainly save money for things that actually matter. Other schools would have more of a trade emphasis, science emphasis, etc.

 

[The Ozzman]

The government provides limited funding to private schools. You all know that, right?

The private schools get a subsidy for materials related to general subjects like math and social studies, but won't fund any classes dealing with religion.

 

[A8]

this is not relevant but today i actually saw the food in the lunchline because usually i dont eat the school food and i noticed lots of shit was missing. Muffins, donuts, candy, soda... I asked and they said that New Jersey has passed a new law that no excessively sugary foods are being sold in highschool cafeteria's due to an obesity problem. I agree with trying to make the school a healthier place, but fuck if they got rid of the sugar then they should have gotten rid of all the food as well because its fried greasy shit. if people want to eat, they will eat, regardless of what is available to them. this is fucking retarded

 

[zabu of nΩd]

Fuck education, we need to put a base on Mars.

 

[zabu of nΩd]

this is not relevant but today i actually saw the food in the lunchline because usually i dont eat the school food and i noticed lots of shit was missing. Muffins, donuts, candy, soda... I asked and they said that New Jersey has passed a new law that no excessively sugary foods are being sold in highschool cafeteria's due to an obesity problem. I agree with trying to make the school a healthier place, but fuck if they got rid of the sugar then they should have gotten rid of all the food as well because its fried greasy shit. if people want to eat, they will eat, regardless of what is available to them. this is fucking retarded

They should just serve stuff like sandwiches, bagels, juice, carrots, salad, etc. It's not that damn hard to come up with a healthy lunch menu.

 

[A8]

they do serve those things but no one eats it because...


they also have pizza, fries, chicken nuggets, mozzarella sticks, more fried greasy shit that people eat instead