As regular readers know, one of my hot buttons is the continuing deterioration of educational quality in the U.S. Especially in public schools where teachers unions are primarily responsible for the decline, if not total disappearance, of worthwhile learning. And another proof of the deteriorating value appeared yesterday when, according to MyFoxOrlando, the The Florida Department of Education lowered the performance level standard on a state writing exam after only 27 percent of fourth graders passed.
The test scores range from zero to six and a decision to lower the standard from a four to a three was made in an emergency conference call Tuesday because fourth grade teachers say the test inadequately reflected their pupils' writing abilities. They claim the main reason the students did poorly was the test subject was too hard because it proposed: "Suppose you or someone else had a chance to ride a camel. Imagine what happens on this camel ride. Write a story about what happens on this camel ride."
Many teachers were upset by the test results of course, and naturally blamed the question for the poor showing, rather than their teaching capabilities or curriculum faults. They cited reasons such as camels not being indigenous (my word, not theirs) to Florida, and therefore they doubted that most fourth grade students would know what a camel was. Perhaps they'd have been happier with a flamingo, I don't really know.
However, I got my education in New York City where we were taught about most species inhabiting Earth. We also have a zoo in Central Park, so maybe I had an unfair advantage because I knew what a camel was while still quite young.. There was also a huge billboard sign in Times Square where "Joe the camel" blew smoke rings all day long promoting his cigarette brand.
But all the forgoing about NYC notwithstanding, I think camels are an excellent subject for Florida students. Because camels, whether having one hump or two, are best known for the long lengths of time they can sustain without needing water which is why they're used in arid climates such as vast deserts.
Therefore, if I'd been tasked to write an essay about camels in Florida, I'd point out the fact that due to the poor quality of education there, it's likely the state will eventually become a wasteland and as such will be just like a desert. And when that happens, since there won't be very much access to sustenance, animals that can go days without water or food will have huge value which means that those who know all about them will have a significant advantage too. And my guess is that when that happens, not one of those who prevail will have been a Florida teacher.
That's it for today folks.
Adios
Thursday, May 17, 2012
Wednesday, May 16, 2012
BloggeRhythms 5/16/2012
Although I've spent my business life in sales, there's something about advertising I simply don't understand. Because the incumbent's apparently worried now that he won't raise as much money as he expected for ads that he planned to spend substantial millions on during his campaign.
The reason I'm confused is because what I've always seen take place is that regardless of how much money's been spent promoting products, after those products have been in the market for a while, users find out whether they actually work as promised or not. And in the incumbent's case I doubt there's any voter who's going to buy some hyped promise about his ability to build a rosy future, or accept his attempts at blaming others for his own faults, unpreparedness for office and absence of leadership, when they're confronted with examples of failures each and every day.
In that regard, and in keeping with my listing of administration errors, there's another one today where according to Bloomberg on-line the president's "decision in February 2011 to hold the Democratic National Convention in North Carolina looked like a bold move to reclaim a state he’d won in 2008. Today, it’s more like an awkward fit."
The article goes on to point out that, "the state’s Democratic Party is mired in a sexual harassment scandal. Voters just approved a state constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage, which conflicts with Obama’s view on the issue. Convention fundraising has been slow, and labor unions tapped to fill the financial gap are angry the convention will be in a city -Charlotte- with no unionized hotels and in a state where compulsory union membership or the payment of dues is prohibited as an employment condition. "
Additionally, North Carolina’s 9.7 percent unemployment rate is above the national average and one of its top employers, Bank of America, has announced job reductions while the incumbent's scheduled to accept nomination at Bank of America Stadium in September. About which, Don Kettl, dean of the school of public policy at the University of Maryland stated, “It’s inconceivable that they would move the convention. But they may wish that they had placed their chips on another swing state.”
And aside from the preceding issues is the fact that the state's also where the federal trial of it's former Democratic U.S. senator, John Edwards, is taking place. He's accused of using almost $1 million in campaign contributions to help hide an affair with his pregnant mistress while running for president in 2008.
So, when you add up all the negatives in the North Carolina mix I have to wonder what good ads would do to reverse a boatload of actual fact. Because I truly believe that anyone who'd buy the words of an ad while living amidst the actual truth is almost certainly too dumb to find a voting booth.
That's it for today folks.
Adios
The reason I'm confused is because what I've always seen take place is that regardless of how much money's been spent promoting products, after those products have been in the market for a while, users find out whether they actually work as promised or not. And in the incumbent's case I doubt there's any voter who's going to buy some hyped promise about his ability to build a rosy future, or accept his attempts at blaming others for his own faults, unpreparedness for office and absence of leadership, when they're confronted with examples of failures each and every day.
In that regard, and in keeping with my listing of administration errors, there's another one today where according to Bloomberg on-line the president's "decision in February 2011 to hold the Democratic National Convention in North Carolina looked like a bold move to reclaim a state he’d won in 2008. Today, it’s more like an awkward fit."
The article goes on to point out that, "the state’s Democratic Party is mired in a sexual harassment scandal. Voters just approved a state constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage, which conflicts with Obama’s view on the issue. Convention fundraising has been slow, and labor unions tapped to fill the financial gap are angry the convention will be in a city -Charlotte- with no unionized hotels and in a state where compulsory union membership or the payment of dues is prohibited as an employment condition. "
Additionally, North Carolina’s 9.7 percent unemployment rate is above the national average and one of its top employers, Bank of America, has announced job reductions while the incumbent's scheduled to accept nomination at Bank of America Stadium in September. About which, Don Kettl, dean of the school of public policy at the University of Maryland stated, “It’s inconceivable that they would move the convention. But they may wish that they had placed their chips on another swing state.”
And aside from the preceding issues is the fact that the state's also where the federal trial of it's former Democratic U.S. senator, John Edwards, is taking place. He's accused of using almost $1 million in campaign contributions to help hide an affair with his pregnant mistress while running for president in 2008.
So, when you add up all the negatives in the North Carolina mix I have to wonder what good ads would do to reverse a boatload of actual fact. Because I truly believe that anyone who'd buy the words of an ad while living amidst the actual truth is almost certainly too dumb to find a voting booth.
That's it for today folks.
Adios
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
BloggeRhythms 5/15/2012
Over time, I've cited many examples here of lessons the business world taught me. And I think they're valuable because they not only work, but they're also predominately based on pure common sense,which brings me to today's subject.
I distinctly recall a time quite a few years ago when I was doing poorly at my job as a regional sales manager in which I was measured and compensated primarily based on the production of my sales team, as well as myself. Upon being reviewed by my manager who asked why my results were so dismal, I replied that I honestly had no specific excuse or reason and in fact that each and every one of us was "trying as hard as we could."
Hearing my "excuse," he replied that significant effort alone wasn't always the answer to success and gave me the graphic description of a person striving all day to push down a thick brick wall with his shoulder. However, by quitting time even though the person had "worked" very hard for hours, that wall would be still be there because it was simply not possible to get the job done that way, it required a different method and approach. Consequently, it made no difference how much effort was spent if there weren't positive results, and in the end, folks buying from me was the only proof of hard work that counted.
I thought of that situation today when reading an item by Charlie Spiering in The Washington Examiner on-line stating that in talking to a show host, Chuck Todd on MSNBC, "Obama campaign deputy manager Stephanie Cutter dismissed today's CBS/New York Times poll showing that 67 percent of people believed Obama made his decision on gay marriage for political reasons. Only 24 percent said that Obama did it mostly because he thinks it is right.”
Todd admitted that the methodology of the poll was different, because it was a callback poll, but said "Put those caveats aside that's a lot of people saying that he did this for political reasons," noting that it was a 3-1 margin. Cutler replied that "We can't put the methodology of that poll aside, because the methodology was significantly biased," and that although she didn't want to bore the viewers with talk of methodology, she repeated that she believed the poll was flawed.
As for me, in keeping with today's personal example, I don't think a discussion of what political flunkies say about poll samples being flawed matters at all, it's only people's votes that actually count. And at the moment, although the administration's circling the wagons and spouting all kinds of political pap and gibberish, their brick wall's getting thicker by the minute and their shoulder's wearing out.
That's it for today folks.
Adios
I distinctly recall a time quite a few years ago when I was doing poorly at my job as a regional sales manager in which I was measured and compensated primarily based on the production of my sales team, as well as myself. Upon being reviewed by my manager who asked why my results were so dismal, I replied that I honestly had no specific excuse or reason and in fact that each and every one of us was "trying as hard as we could."
Hearing my "excuse," he replied that significant effort alone wasn't always the answer to success and gave me the graphic description of a person striving all day to push down a thick brick wall with his shoulder. However, by quitting time even though the person had "worked" very hard for hours, that wall would be still be there because it was simply not possible to get the job done that way, it required a different method and approach. Consequently, it made no difference how much effort was spent if there weren't positive results, and in the end, folks buying from me was the only proof of hard work that counted.
I thought of that situation today when reading an item by Charlie Spiering in The Washington Examiner on-line stating that in talking to a show host, Chuck Todd on MSNBC, "Obama campaign deputy manager Stephanie Cutter dismissed today's CBS/New York Times poll showing that 67 percent of people believed Obama made his decision on gay marriage for political reasons. Only 24 percent said that Obama did it mostly because he thinks it is right.”
Todd admitted that the methodology of the poll was different, because it was a callback poll, but said "Put those caveats aside that's a lot of people saying that he did this for political reasons," noting that it was a 3-1 margin. Cutler replied that "We can't put the methodology of that poll aside, because the methodology was significantly biased," and that although she didn't want to bore the viewers with talk of methodology, she repeated that she believed the poll was flawed.
As for me, in keeping with today's personal example, I don't think a discussion of what political flunkies say about poll samples being flawed matters at all, it's only people's votes that actually count. And at the moment, although the administration's circling the wagons and spouting all kinds of political pap and gibberish, their brick wall's getting thicker by the minute and their shoulder's wearing out.
That's it for today folks.
Adios
Monday, May 14, 2012
BloggeRhythms 5/14/2012
For those who believe in big government and uncontrolled federal spending, a perfect example of why that can't possibly work can be seen in the latest fiscal news from California.
According to The New York Times on-line, Governor Jerry Brown disclosed in a video posted on YouTube that the state's shortfall was now projected to be $16 billion, up from $9.2 billion in January. He said he'd propose a revised budget on Monday to deal with it, stating, "We are now facing a $16 billion hole, not the $9 billion we thought in January. This means we will have to go much further and make cuts far greater than I asked for at the beginning of the year.”
According to The New York Times on-line, Governor Jerry Brown disclosed in a video posted on YouTube that the state's shortfall was now projected to be $16 billion, up from $9.2 billion in January. He said he'd propose a revised budget on Monday to deal with it, stating, "We are now facing a $16 billion hole, not the $9 billion we thought in January. This means we will have to go much further and make cuts far greater than I asked for at the beginning of the year.”
The budget shortfall increased dramatically in the last six months, forcing state officials to assemble a series of new spending cuts that are likely to mean further reductions to schools, health care and other social programs already battered by nearly five years of budget retrenchment, state officials announced on Saturday.
At the same time, the deficit projections -which have been increasing since Mr. Brown and the Democratic-controlled Legislature approved a budget last summer- suggest that the state may have been overly optimistic in estimating what kind of revenue it would take in. Even though Mr. Brown, in taking office last year, pledged to end what he said were the tricks lawmakers regularly used to paper over budget shortfalls.
The reason I mention California's dilemma is because the state has been a bastion of taxing and spending for decades, and as such clearly demonstrates that by turning economic principles upside they've broken their own fiscal back. The government employs some thirty percent of the workforce, providing extensive benefits which include significant sums to retirees.
Now, while all of these benefits and perks sound extremely good when promised, in reality they disregard one hugely important question: Where will the money come from to pay for it all? And that's the rub. Because due to egregious taxation, environmental restrictions and over-legislation, most real industry, and therefore tax-revenue employers, have left the state to prosper elsewhere.
So, here we have an actual model of what happens when politicians allow social causes and theory to take precedence over real-world considerations, such as revenue production. And in doing so, not only won't those expectant of huge benefits receive them in the future, they also face losing what they've already gained via legislation, because sooner or later if overly gratuitous laws aren't reversed the state will be totally bankrupt and consequently paying no one at all.
Therefore, the lesson to be learned here is that free rides aren't really possible at all, no matter how convincing politicians may try to appear. And when that fictional bubble bursts, things actually become much worse. Which is why others in the nation have now gotten a very clear picture from California of what to expect for the whole nation if the current administration is elected again.
That's it for today folks.
Adios
Sunday, May 13, 2012
BloggeRhythms 5/13/2012
I think it says a lot about how miserable things are for Democrats that they have to duck discussion of issues critical to the nation, such as the economy, foreign affairs, their health care legislation debacle, and illegal immigration, among others, because of the horrendous damage they've done to each. And their latest diversion attempt is via the Washington Post trying to paint Mitt Romney as some kind of childish prankster.
And although Romney says he doesn't really remember clipping some fellow high school students hair -which the Post is trying to equate with being some kind of capital crime punishable by withdrawal from the presidential campaign- he readily states that yes, he indeed enjoys practical jokes and likes to have fun when he can.
In that regard he related to Fox News that "We have in our family of course, a number of things that we do like pushing people out of a boat, short sheeting their bed, putting corn flakes in their bed, a lot of jokes and tricks that we play among ourselves,"
He also told a story about a state trooper who once short-sheeted his bed and to retaliate Romney said, the next morning at breakfast he wore a big smile because the trooper was going to see how he reacted. So pretending not to notice, Romney instead wrote up an official-looking letter to himself from the hotel, saying they'd fired the maid due to improper bed-making. Then when the "letter" arrived at his office, his secretary showed it to the state trooper.
The trooper was so upset, his boss told him he had to call the hotel and explain to the manager that he was the one that had done it, not the person they'd fired. And then when the manager had absolutely no idea what the trooper was talking about, the trooper realized the joke was on him. "So, we play tricks even with the people I work with," Romney said.
I mention this today because I think it illustrates that Romney seems like a well-rounded person, comfortable with success and unafraid of tarnishing his image by revealing a human side to his persona. And as for me, I'd much rather have a competent, seasoned executive with a sense of humor as POTUS than an uptight, phony failure whose only objective is deflecting blame to others for his mistakes.
On the other hand, though, when you sum it all up this entire administration's been a joke from the get-go. But unfortunately, it isn't very funny at all.
That's for today folks.
Adios
And although Romney says he doesn't really remember clipping some fellow high school students hair -which the Post is trying to equate with being some kind of capital crime punishable by withdrawal from the presidential campaign- he readily states that yes, he indeed enjoys practical jokes and likes to have fun when he can.
In that regard he related to Fox News that "We have in our family of course, a number of things that we do like pushing people out of a boat, short sheeting their bed, putting corn flakes in their bed, a lot of jokes and tricks that we play among ourselves,"
He also told a story about a state trooper who once short-sheeted his bed and to retaliate Romney said, the next morning at breakfast he wore a big smile because the trooper was going to see how he reacted. So pretending not to notice, Romney instead wrote up an official-looking letter to himself from the hotel, saying they'd fired the maid due to improper bed-making. Then when the "letter" arrived at his office, his secretary showed it to the state trooper.
The trooper was so upset, his boss told him he had to call the hotel and explain to the manager that he was the one that had done it, not the person they'd fired. And then when the manager had absolutely no idea what the trooper was talking about, the trooper realized the joke was on him. "So, we play tricks even with the people I work with," Romney said.
I mention this today because I think it illustrates that Romney seems like a well-rounded person, comfortable with success and unafraid of tarnishing his image by revealing a human side to his persona. And as for me, I'd much rather have a competent, seasoned executive with a sense of humor as POTUS than an uptight, phony failure whose only objective is deflecting blame to others for his mistakes.
On the other hand, though, when you sum it all up this entire administration's been a joke from the get-go. But unfortunately, it isn't very funny at all.
That's for today folks.
Adios
Saturday, May 12, 2012
BloggeRhythms 5/12/2012
I had to smile this morning while scanning Bloomberg on-line because of an article that says Eduardo Saverin, billionaire co-founder of Facebook, Inc. "renounced his U.S. citizenship before an initial public offering that values the social network at as much as $96 billion, a move that may reduce his tax bill."
They say as much as $11.8 billion might be raised through the IPO, biggest in history for an Internet company and Saverin’s stake is about 4 percent, which at the high end of the proposed IPO market capitalization. That would be worth about $3.84 billion, although his holdings aren’t listed in Facebook’s regulatory filings.
I thought it amusing because, to me, it's another glaring example of how successful and productive people are always targets for the current administration. However, these purely socialist believers never seem able to really catch them. And that's because parasites simply seek out likely sources of sustenance but aren't generally very smart. Because if they were, they'd be able to figure out how to support themselves instead of seeking the blood of others.
Now I grant you that disavowing citizenship is certainly a bit extreme, but it also highlights the fact that the "system" is continually beaten by clever, entrepreneurial types because of their very nature. Therefore, even thousands of government bureaucrats with their basically dim minds, can't devise ways to catch them.
What's more, in another example, which unfortunately is a tragic tale, JP Morgan managed to lose $2 billion at a London trading unit yesterday from derivative trades. And I sense that the reaction to that one will be governmental cries for more laws, more oversight, and more encroachment of every type they can think of.
However, whatever remedies the bureaucrats dream up won't really matter much, if at all. Because while these governmental slugs are organizing committees, and beating this latest event to death in hearings and investigations, other entrepreneurs are out there devising other plans and ideas to hopefully make some money and keep as much as they can before the DC leeches can figure out ways to steal it.
That's it for today folks.
Adios
They say as much as $11.8 billion might be raised through the IPO, biggest in history for an Internet company and Saverin’s stake is about 4 percent, which at the high end of the proposed IPO market capitalization. That would be worth about $3.84 billion, although his holdings aren’t listed in Facebook’s regulatory filings.
I thought it amusing because, to me, it's another glaring example of how successful and productive people are always targets for the current administration. However, these purely socialist believers never seem able to really catch them. And that's because parasites simply seek out likely sources of sustenance but aren't generally very smart. Because if they were, they'd be able to figure out how to support themselves instead of seeking the blood of others.
Now I grant you that disavowing citizenship is certainly a bit extreme, but it also highlights the fact that the "system" is continually beaten by clever, entrepreneurial types because of their very nature. Therefore, even thousands of government bureaucrats with their basically dim minds, can't devise ways to catch them.
What's more, in another example, which unfortunately is a tragic tale, JP Morgan managed to lose $2 billion at a London trading unit yesterday from derivative trades. And I sense that the reaction to that one will be governmental cries for more laws, more oversight, and more encroachment of every type they can think of.
However, whatever remedies the bureaucrats dream up won't really matter much, if at all. Because while these governmental slugs are organizing committees, and beating this latest event to death in hearings and investigations, other entrepreneurs are out there devising other plans and ideas to hopefully make some money and keep as much as they can before the DC leeches can figure out ways to steal it.
That's it for today folks.
Adios
Friday, May 11, 2012
BloggeRhythms 5/11/2012
As I've been mentioning for the past few weeks, there are no significant issues that the Democrats can mention while campaigning because all the things they've done, legislation-wise, to date have been disastrous mistakes. And in that regard, it's gotten so bad for their ardent supporters in the media, such as the Washington Post, no less, that they had to go all the way back to Mitt Romney's high school days to dig up a story about how he led some classmates to help cut an oddball's frilly locks.
According to writer Jason Horowitz, "John Lauber, a soft-spoken new student one year behind Romney at the prestigious Cranbrook School, was perpetually teased for his nonconformity and presumed homosexuality. Now he was walking around the all-boys school with bleached-blond hair that draped over one eye, and Romney wasn’t having it." So he came upon Lauber, tackled him and pinned him to the ground. "As Lauber, his eyes filling with tears, screamed for help, Romney repeatedly clipped his hair with a pair of scissors."
Now, as for myself, I grew up in Manhattan and frankly, attended some pretty prestigious schools myself. I also walked the streets, knew lots of other kids and also played lots of sports on my block, or in gyms and often in Central Park. And although I spent most of my time in pretty nice neighborhoods, kids are kids wherever and whoever they are. And compared to some of the fights, brawls and situations I was in where real hell broke loose over some pretty petty stuff, I'd say that simply clipping some guy's hair isn't worth a whole lot of discussion.
However, the reason I mention the Romney incident today is that when it allegedly took place he was probably sixteen or seventeen years old and obviously has matured quite a bit since then. But if what he did is truly an indication of how he thinks today, I'd much prefer someone who takes a stand and has principles, even if they're perceived as somewhat over the top, than another who panders, whines and weasels rather than stands up. And maybe that's why our nation's running, hiding and quitting all over the globe right now, because the other way takes some guts.
That's for today folks.
Adios
PS. Something didn't occur to me until a few minutes after I finished today's entry. But considering the incumbent's statement yesterday, maybe if he was in Romney's place at school, he'd have proposed marrying the other kid and left his hair alone.
MB
According to writer Jason Horowitz, "John Lauber, a soft-spoken new student one year behind Romney at the prestigious Cranbrook School, was perpetually teased for his nonconformity and presumed homosexuality. Now he was walking around the all-boys school with bleached-blond hair that draped over one eye, and Romney wasn’t having it." So he came upon Lauber, tackled him and pinned him to the ground. "As Lauber, his eyes filling with tears, screamed for help, Romney repeatedly clipped his hair with a pair of scissors."
Now, as for myself, I grew up in Manhattan and frankly, attended some pretty prestigious schools myself. I also walked the streets, knew lots of other kids and also played lots of sports on my block, or in gyms and often in Central Park. And although I spent most of my time in pretty nice neighborhoods, kids are kids wherever and whoever they are. And compared to some of the fights, brawls and situations I was in where real hell broke loose over some pretty petty stuff, I'd say that simply clipping some guy's hair isn't worth a whole lot of discussion.
However, the reason I mention the Romney incident today is that when it allegedly took place he was probably sixteen or seventeen years old and obviously has matured quite a bit since then. But if what he did is truly an indication of how he thinks today, I'd much prefer someone who takes a stand and has principles, even if they're perceived as somewhat over the top, than another who panders, whines and weasels rather than stands up. And maybe that's why our nation's running, hiding and quitting all over the globe right now, because the other way takes some guts.
That's for today folks.
Adios
PS. Something didn't occur to me until a few minutes after I finished today's entry. But considering the incumbent's statement yesterday, maybe if he was in Romney's place at school, he'd have proposed marrying the other kid and left his hair alone.
MB
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