This has been making the rounds on the Internet and just in case you missed your spelling lesson then feel free to practice.
The last 4 letters in American is ... I CAN
The last 4 letters in Republican is ... I CAN
The last 4 letters in Democrats is ... RATS
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Thursday, February 25, 2010
PISD Finally Some Sensible Thinking
After reading the local 'read' this past weekend I finally felt like some sensible thinking was taking place. The PISD school board actually talked about spending the excess reserve they have been stealing from taxpayers pockets for years. The way I understand it through the years the taxpayers should have been receiving from the PISD a reduced property tax rate. However, the PISD school board chose to take your hard earned money and place it in their own bank account rather than reduce your tax rate and let you keep your money. Still ticked at how they arrived at such a large reserve in which the PISD over budgeted expenses and under spent the budget on purpose to create the large reserve balance. Anything left unspent at the end of the year from what I understand is required to be moved into the reserve fund. Also I understand that this is a typical practice for most school districts across the state. School districts create their own slush funds!
Now the PISD feels the need to reduce the reserve and use it on construction projects and building updates. This is sensible thinking on their part. Should have been thinking this way all along. However, I did read with interest the article and it called for a 'multi-purpose' facility. Folks this is a CODE NAME for NEW Gymnasium and athletic facility. We need to be using that 'slush fund' on brain power, i.e. math, science, reading, writing, etc. From the coffee shop roundtables I understand this high school produces non-prepared advanced education material. I have to say I witnessed this first hand when a friend of mine asked me to read his grandchild's paper written for an advanced English class. Now I am no expert in writing, grammar, etc.; however, I can say that based upon what I reviewed his grandchild was not going to be prepared to do college level work. If advanced educational institutions have reduced their standards then his grandchild might have a shot. I would like to add that this is not only a problem ingrained here in the PISD for it is with most school districts across this state. The level of instructions has become 'thinned' to the point of no substance.
CODE NAME Gymnasium usually equals 'multi-purpose facility'. The PISD school board could be setting the taxpayers up for a future bond election. They could also be setting you up for an election to raise the local property tax rate as well from $1.04 to $1.05 +. Be on your toes for Twi-lite Super has a history of raising tax rates to fund pet projects, i.e. 'multi-purpose facility'. Keep a watchful eye on how your funds are spent. If such an election should come to pass then you will be required to make a decision. Be ready if such should come to pass!
Now the PISD feels the need to reduce the reserve and use it on construction projects and building updates. This is sensible thinking on their part. Should have been thinking this way all along. However, I did read with interest the article and it called for a 'multi-purpose' facility. Folks this is a CODE NAME for NEW Gymnasium and athletic facility. We need to be using that 'slush fund' on brain power, i.e. math, science, reading, writing, etc. From the coffee shop roundtables I understand this high school produces non-prepared advanced education material. I have to say I witnessed this first hand when a friend of mine asked me to read his grandchild's paper written for an advanced English class. Now I am no expert in writing, grammar, etc.; however, I can say that based upon what I reviewed his grandchild was not going to be prepared to do college level work. If advanced educational institutions have reduced their standards then his grandchild might have a shot. I would like to add that this is not only a problem ingrained here in the PISD for it is with most school districts across this state. The level of instructions has become 'thinned' to the point of no substance.
CODE NAME Gymnasium usually equals 'multi-purpose facility'. The PISD school board could be setting the taxpayers up for a future bond election. They could also be setting you up for an election to raise the local property tax rate as well from $1.04 to $1.05 +. Be on your toes for Twi-lite Super has a history of raising tax rates to fund pet projects, i.e. 'multi-purpose facility'. Keep a watchful eye on how your funds are spent. If such an election should come to pass then you will be required to make a decision. Be ready if such should come to pass!
Monday, February 15, 2010
Holiday Schedule
What a crock!
Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr. – Monday, January 18th
George Washington’s Birthday (commonly known as President’s Day) – Monday, February 15th
Columbus Day – Monday, October 11th
WE the taxpayers pay for government employees to have a day off. Why? What makes these folks any better than you or I? Don't give me that crap about honoring. A friend of mine once told me that the best way I could honor him on the day of his funeral was by working and producing. He said "taking time away from being productive to hear a preacher talk about how good a person I was is a total waste of time." The best way you can pay your respects and honor to me is to be working. "Once I am in that casket I want know if you are honoring me or not honoring me." With this line of reasoning the best way to honor these three who have holidays named for them is to be productive. If we have to labor to pay the bills then the folks who work in the government arena need to be working as well. If you desire to continue to honor the three individuals then take a day off without pay. That is what the rest of the working taxpayers would be required to do.
Also, while you are at it - when did we start getting 'snow days'? The county and the city hall were both shut down Friday February 12, 2010 for the snow. The roads were clear by 10 AM. We the taxpayers should not be required to pay for you to have an extra day off at our expense. Especially when the rest of us working taxpayers rolled our bottoms out of bed and made our way to a real job where actual production takes place. 98% of government employees could not make it in a real job. If you think that as a dump truck driver, meter reader, etc. that making $10 an hour is justification for the taxpayers to provide additional benefits in the form of extra holidays - I got news for you - most of us don't make $10 an hour to ride around all day in a taxpayer funded vehicle. We dang sure don't get as many paid holidays as WE the taxpayer afford to our government working place holders.
Most of us are getting tired of hearing about how over worked and under paid you are compared to the rest of the working world. Most of us don't have retirement benefits. Especially the kind where you contribute to both Social Security and your additional retirement plan at our expense. Most of us only get one: Social Security. Why should you be any different? You want to enhance your retirement then get a second and third job like the rest of us who are not on the government payroll. With regards to health insurance most of us don't have any, so quit your whining about what you feel is poor coverage. Those that do have health insurance have an insurance plan that carries a high deductible in order for us to be able to have an affordable plan. Sick pay how about three days a year in comparison to your one day a month for a total of 12 a year. Most government employees get to carry over their sick days from year to year. We are not afforded such luxury. I want even go into your taxpayer funded vacation days against our one week a year.
You still want to debate your over worked and under paid against the rest of the taxpaying public? To think this all started with a discussion about holidays!
Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr. – Monday, January 18th
George Washington’s Birthday (commonly known as President’s Day) – Monday, February 15th
Columbus Day – Monday, October 11th
WE the taxpayers pay for government employees to have a day off. Why? What makes these folks any better than you or I? Don't give me that crap about honoring. A friend of mine once told me that the best way I could honor him on the day of his funeral was by working and producing. He said "taking time away from being productive to hear a preacher talk about how good a person I was is a total waste of time." The best way you can pay your respects and honor to me is to be working. "Once I am in that casket I want know if you are honoring me or not honoring me." With this line of reasoning the best way to honor these three who have holidays named for them is to be productive. If we have to labor to pay the bills then the folks who work in the government arena need to be working as well. If you desire to continue to honor the three individuals then take a day off without pay. That is what the rest of the working taxpayers would be required to do.
Also, while you are at it - when did we start getting 'snow days'? The county and the city hall were both shut down Friday February 12, 2010 for the snow. The roads were clear by 10 AM. We the taxpayers should not be required to pay for you to have an extra day off at our expense. Especially when the rest of us working taxpayers rolled our bottoms out of bed and made our way to a real job where actual production takes place. 98% of government employees could not make it in a real job. If you think that as a dump truck driver, meter reader, etc. that making $10 an hour is justification for the taxpayers to provide additional benefits in the form of extra holidays - I got news for you - most of us don't make $10 an hour to ride around all day in a taxpayer funded vehicle. We dang sure don't get as many paid holidays as WE the taxpayer afford to our government working place holders.
Most of us are getting tired of hearing about how over worked and under paid you are compared to the rest of the working world. Most of us don't have retirement benefits. Especially the kind where you contribute to both Social Security and your additional retirement plan at our expense. Most of us only get one: Social Security. Why should you be any different? You want to enhance your retirement then get a second and third job like the rest of us who are not on the government payroll. With regards to health insurance most of us don't have any, so quit your whining about what you feel is poor coverage. Those that do have health insurance have an insurance plan that carries a high deductible in order for us to be able to have an affordable plan. Sick pay how about three days a year in comparison to your one day a month for a total of 12 a year. Most government employees get to carry over their sick days from year to year. We are not afforded such luxury. I want even go into your taxpayer funded vacation days against our one week a year.
You still want to debate your over worked and under paid against the rest of the taxpaying public? To think this all started with a discussion about holidays!
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
America! Is it all going to hell?
Over the last year you have continuously heard the talking heads inform us about how bad things are and how bad things will continue to get. Well I am here to inform you that there is light at the end of the tunnel - ALWAYS. Our globalized world needs to be properly groomed from time to time just as a forest requires wildfires from time to time to prosper. I have enclosed a link to a recent article in the Atlantic on How America Can Rise Again.
http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/201001/american-decline
http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/201001/american-decline
Monday, February 8, 2010
Virtual immigration v. education dilemma
I know this is a little off topic for this blog; however, it is interesting stuff for the future. Perhaps our public school students will one day be taught by a virtual immigrant, and we will have no need for Twi-lite supers' in the new world.
Technology driven alternative - virtual immigration. Work that doesn't require local market knowledge or face-to-face contact with customers is increasingly performed in distant locations and shipped back across national borders.
Much of virtual immigrants' work involves importing or exporting specialized knowledge and information. A US based company may send financial data to New Delhi, where an Indian bookkeeper cobbles it into a report. For US companies virtual immigration enhances global competitiveness, and US services firms grow and profit by expanding overseas.
Developed nations like the US have an abundance of highly skilled workers and this highly skilled talent with knowledge is usually exported to developing nations via virtual immigration. The work of lawyers, accountants, architects, consultants, and engineers are just a few examples of knowledge exported from the US by virtual immigrants. US legal knowledge ranked high on the virtual immigrant export list from the US. An over abundance supply of lawyers in the US has caused them to seek work outside the country and many have taken on the role of virtual immigrants.
Many argue that outsourcing is bad; however, outsourcing is a two way street and the US has received a net gain from outsourcing. We need to get off our 'high horse' and start inventing things we can manufacture here in the US with our skilled labor force. Then again one has to ask do we have a skilled labor force in this country? Our public school results support the fact we have a dwindling educated labor force in this country. Could one make the argument that professional educators turned school administrators have been the down fall in the reduction of our educated labor force? A question to be pondered by the not so educated!
Technology driven alternative - virtual immigration. Work that doesn't require local market knowledge or face-to-face contact with customers is increasingly performed in distant locations and shipped back across national borders.
Much of virtual immigrants' work involves importing or exporting specialized knowledge and information. A US based company may send financial data to New Delhi, where an Indian bookkeeper cobbles it into a report. For US companies virtual immigration enhances global competitiveness, and US services firms grow and profit by expanding overseas.
Developed nations like the US have an abundance of highly skilled workers and this highly skilled talent with knowledge is usually exported to developing nations via virtual immigration. The work of lawyers, accountants, architects, consultants, and engineers are just a few examples of knowledge exported from the US by virtual immigrants. US legal knowledge ranked high on the virtual immigrant export list from the US. An over abundance supply of lawyers in the US has caused them to seek work outside the country and many have taken on the role of virtual immigrants.
Many argue that outsourcing is bad; however, outsourcing is a two way street and the US has received a net gain from outsourcing. We need to get off our 'high horse' and start inventing things we can manufacture here in the US with our skilled labor force. Then again one has to ask do we have a skilled labor force in this country? Our public school results support the fact we have a dwindling educated labor force in this country. Could one make the argument that professional educators turned school administrators have been the down fall in the reduction of our educated labor force? A question to be pondered by the not so educated!
Friday, February 5, 2010
Culture reading
Jack Goldstone has read the culture of the future and presents the following:
1) World population will stabilize at 9.15 billion by 2050
2) Global income will increase more than population
3) Europe and North America are becoming less significant in the global economy
4) GDP in Europe and North America will fall from 68% of global GDP in 1950 to less than 30% in 2050
5) Stimulus for economic growth will come from Brazil, China, Indonesia, Mexico and Turkey
6) Europe and North America are aging at unprecedented rates
7) In America, the population aged 60 or older will double by 2050 to 30% of the nation
8) America will have less workers by 2050
9) The year 2010 likely will be the first time in human history that a majority of the global population will live in cities rather than rural areas
10) Civil unrest in the world will continue to increase
1) World population will stabilize at 9.15 billion by 2050
2) Global income will increase more than population
3) Europe and North America are becoming less significant in the global economy
4) GDP in Europe and North America will fall from 68% of global GDP in 1950 to less than 30% in 2050
5) Stimulus for economic growth will come from Brazil, China, Indonesia, Mexico and Turkey
6) Europe and North America are aging at unprecedented rates
7) In America, the population aged 60 or older will double by 2050 to 30% of the nation
8) America will have less workers by 2050
9) The year 2010 likely will be the first time in human history that a majority of the global population will live in cities rather than rural areas
10) Civil unrest in the world will continue to increase
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
PISD News
While traveling I let the local 'rag' stack up and over the past weekend I took the time to catch up on the local news. A slew of folks running for local office. It appears that many don't have a clue about the job they seek, and most just have an interest in drawing a check off the taxpayer. Make sure you spend the time to understand the real reason a candidate is seeking office.
Now on to the PISD news...................the PISD school board gives Twi-lite Super a pay raise and extend the contract. Guess the PISD board members failed the basics of grade school in that one should not reward for poor performance. Every PISD board member should be nominated for the highest award in the land...........a cabinet post in the Obama administration!
From reading all the past 'rags' it appears the local crime rate is about to overtake the DFW area.
Now on to the PISD news...................the PISD school board gives Twi-lite Super a pay raise and extend the contract. Guess the PISD board members failed the basics of grade school in that one should not reward for poor performance. Every PISD board member should be nominated for the highest award in the land...........a cabinet post in the Obama administration!
From reading all the past 'rags' it appears the local crime rate is about to overtake the DFW area.
Monday, February 1, 2010
Education dispute
A number of disputes in education pit parents' and citizens' groups against professional educators. Citizens' groups assert that schools are public institutions that should be governed by the local citizenry through their elected representatives. Sad to say that most of the folks you elect to school boards immediately become hijacked by the professional educator. In the 20th century, the school superintendent and his or her administrative assistants came to exercise more and more control over operations of the school. The superintendent has assumed much of the policy making. The superintendent receives direct advice from attorneys, architects, accountants, and educational consultants, and generally sets the agenda for school board meetings. The superintendent has become the unelected board President. It is sad that we have let our schools be taken over by the professional administrator. Our state constitution mandated local control and not professional control.
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