FORGET BUDGET CUTS: HOW ABOUT CUTTING SODIUM - CHECK OUT THESE FOOD PLACES AND SEE HOW CLOSE TO DEATH YOU REALLY ARE...

Just a quick scare - check out the amount of sodium packed into some of these eat out places. Remember the daily range of soium for most people is in the 100 - 2500 mg day range... Click the above image to read the site... I'm gonna check my blood pressure now... MisterWriter

THE JUNE ISSUE OF THE CONCORDIAN IS HITTING 260 CONCORD LOCATIONS... CHECK IT OUT!

Click the cover to read the online version...

THE MDUSD CAN'T AFFORD IT BUT TONY THE TIGER CAN - HELP PLEASANT HILL MIDDLE SCHOOL GET A NEW FIELD IN THIS NO COST CONTEST - hurry, ends Sunday and tell a friend

I'm all in favor of creative ways to fund things - here the Frosted Flakes people will remake a sports field at a school based on the number of votes. Pushed by a PHMS parent, the school is a semi-finalist right now, but needs more votes. No parcel tax needed here, folks, simply go to the site and VOTE for them. You may vote once a day. The whole thing ends Sunday. "This is a great way to bring something to our kids and our community at no cost to the taxpayers of our community," said MDUSD Trustee Gary Eberhart. "Voting ends this month so time is of the essence." "If they end up in the top 30 Tony the Tiger and his friends will refurbish the baseball field and track," writes a PH dad. "PHM is falling behind so please vote. We know that we can not afford to do it on our own. The ball field is used for little league games all the time." Click HERE and then select "Vote Now" then use the SEARCH box and enter CA - Pleasant Hill Middle should pop up. Good luck PHMS - I voted already today!  MisterWriter

WHY WE SHOULD BE FUNDING LEARNING EVEN IF WE DO NOT FUND EDUCATION - LISTEN TO THIS LITTLE JAZZ BAND, WILL YA!

We learn by doing. At least that is what the true, unadulterated function of a good education is all about. Here, the Concord High School Jazz Ensemble, under the direction of Gary Courtney, play the Music and Market on May 28 at the Todos Santos Plaza.  Click the video below the picture to hear what I mean. Concord High School Jazz Ensemble at Todos Santos.   Learning and education are not synonymous. Funding to education may be in the toilet; but the true measure of an intelligent society, let alone species, is to always push their best forward.  We learn by doing. Let them do what they are doing so well. The rest are just details. MisterWriter

PROP 8 MAY GET TO STAY BUT THE POINT WAS LOST ALONG THE WAY

While the California Supreme Court upheld the Prop 8 standing thus ending future same sex marriages, what it did by affirming the 18,000 marriages that existed is to make the state a same sex marriage state, regardless whether more take place. Since the whole argument revolved over the word "marriage" as opposed to having the same legal rights in all capacities except the word "marriage" the fact that 18,000 such marriages exist and will continue to exist makes Prop 8 supporters the winners and losers at the same time. Granted the whole campaign was a smear of confusion and half-truths on both sides, and granted that playing on the public fear of some wildly flamboyant education on the merits of gay, lesbian and transgender history taught in the classroom was a master stroke of negative PR, the fact remains through all the angst, anger, protests, not to forget millions spent in promoting both sides of the debate the end result was not much different than bitterly contested custody disputes in the state; joint custody. Without endorsing a side, I am more amazed at the energy that people put in to public policy that invades the privacy of the individual, in this case a sexual orientation. That individuals should be able to be so riled over a word "marriage" to the extent of denying others the same rights they enjoy and inflict their views in this manner is illogical given the spate of things that lurk unwanted in our society. Why not tackle something more invasive like crime, pedophiles or high school dropouts? Perhaps we should ban the word "dropout" in the hope that it does something to change the reality of the current situation. Perhpas we should spend less time and money worrying about the pain death row inmates might feel upon execution. I felt the same way about the abortion/pro-life battles that at one point extended to doctors being shot because they agreed to perform the procedure. What kind of insanity exists in a country built upon freedoms, regardless of their validity, when one group is happily shooting another group in the name of God because it conflicts with their view on life?  It is not about what is right or wrong but rather about your right to inflict your way upon others just because you believe it. We are very good at throwing terminology out like a shield. Terms like "conservative values" or "liberal whackos" and so on. These are not absolutes; neither are they shields to be used to protect others from our own fearful ignorance. Perhaps that is a better question for this nation. For if we have the right to judge others then we certainly should expect that at some point we will be judged with the same level of absolutism and righteousness as we have seen during the above two mentioned issues.   I feel sorry for both sides of the gay marriage issue. The rights of people to exist in peace and with freedom of choice in this country are paramount to the foundation of the principles of democracy. Just like there is no such thing as being slightly pregnant, there is no such thing as partial freedoms. What this whole exercise showed is more our puritanical foundations based on absolutes and fears than a measure of pride at a society based on equality and freedom, regardless what you do in the bedroom. And at the end of the day, California is a same sex marriage state, at least for 18,000 people who said "I do" and nothing will change that. Read the ruling HERE. MisterWriter

ANOTHER REASON TO CONTROL MIDDLE SCHOOLERS...

A Pierce County mother says she's horrified by a cartoon video - posted online - that showed several ways to kill her sixth grade daughter. The cartoon was made off school grounds by some of her daughter's classmates, girls aged 11 and 12. Titled "Top Six Ways to Kill Piper," it includes depictions of girls shooting her, making her commit suicide, poisoning her and even pushing her off a cliff. Beth Smith tells KING5-TV the cartoon was set to a Hannah Montana song called "True Friend" and posted on YouTube. Her daughter Piper attends Elk Plain School of Choice in Spanaway, Wash., as do the girls who made the video. The fact that none of the middle schoolers considered this to be beyond poor taste, especially given the spate of school related violence that has cropped up over several years makes one realize that the standards of conduct are low and getting lower by the day. MisterWriter

IF THEY ARE PUSHING 3 YEAR COLLEGE INSTEAD OF 4 TO SAVE YOU MONEY, SHOULDN'T THEY HAVE JUST OFFERED 3-YEAR PROGRAMS TO START WITH?

I guess the inability to grapple complex math concepts is behind the move of colleges to increase the ranks! Now you can get your degree in 3 years instead of 4 thus "saving you money." So why was this not pushed as a better option in the first place instead of sucking an extra year of tuition/student loans out of the student body? Is that greed?  Click HERE to read more... The flaw in their logic of using the summer to complete course work in order to graduate sooner, is that you are STILL paying the same amount of money since the number of units you need remains the same - you just cram it in a shorter period. So it seems to me that this is just not a good solution to getting that basket weaving degree you've always dreamed of!  How about making it cheaper to get that degree? MisterWriter

HAVE A NICE MEMORIAL WEEKEND-listen to some CHS jazz - it is a better education format

MisterWriter

MAJOR BLOOD LOSS AT MT. DIABLO HIGH SCHOOL - NO CASUALTIES!

Sorry for the dramatic headline, but this was a story worth sharing.  Mt. Diablo High School students donated a total of 61 pints of blood on May 21.  Well done MDHS. That is a gift that keeps on giving. Here is more information... “Each of these donations can be separated into three components – red blood cells, platelets and plasma – so these 61 pints have the potential to help save 183 lives,” Red Cross Communications Manager Sara O’Brien said.  “We’re very proud of the Mt. Diablo High School students.” Prior to the drive, the Red Cross and Mt. Diablo High set a goal to collect 50 pints of blood. The students exceeded expectations for the drive by 22 percent. “Introducing blood donation to high school students is very important.  By making donation a regular activity in school, many students become lifetime blood donors,” O’Brien said. High school and college students provide nearly 29 percent of the blood the Red Cross collects for local patients. The Red Cross has a blood donor center in nearby Pleasant Hill (140 Gregory Lane). To learn more about donating blood, go to HelpSaveALife.org or call 800-GIVE-LIFE (800-448-3453). Have a safe Memorial weekend. MisterWriter

HAPPY FRIDAY - A SOFT PICTURE TO START YOUR DAY

There is something serene about being a duck in a pond on a lazy summer afternoon as you drift past a weeping willow on your way to the other side of the bank where the rest of your feathered family is basking in the sun. Sometimes you just need to stop and hear the ducks quack. The rest of life's problems can wait. Happy Friday. MisterWriter

IF YOU DO NOT KNOW WHAT THIZZ IS AND YOU HAVE KIDS AT CLAYTON VALLEY YOU HAD BETTER LEARN FAST SAYS STUDENT REPORTER

As reported on Claycord.com from an article in the current Clayton Pioneer (p16), student reporter Michelle Trosclair has exposed what she calls an epidemic at the school. Thizz, aka Ecstacy, easy to get, easy to hide and very much in use among teenagers.  Cost: $2 a shot or $5-10 a pill. Click HERE to read Claycord's take on it, click HERE for a CBS-5 story on Thizz use, and click HERE for some good resources that may help you. By the way, Longs/CVS Drugs sells home drug testing kits -one version tests for 7 drugs including Thizz. It costs about $30 for a test, but the results are instant! Thizz stays in your urine around 6 days for people who do not use regularly, or up to 30 days for habitual users. From a website on the topic, this gem for your consideration: "thizz is NOT pure extacy.....thizz is a bunch of shitty drugs ( meth, heroin, extacy, coke, and acid if your lucky...;) ) all mixed up and put into a pill press and ther u have thizz....thizz will fuck u up and it feels fucking fantastic but dont do it too much it IS ONE of the worst drugs out there...thizz goes for $10 a pill and $5 if u got hookups...people that say thizz is pure ex can refer to molly which is pure ex ....thizz isnt.....the best way to take them is by crushing them up and snorting them but if u dont wanna look like a fucking drug addict then u pop them in your mouth and chew them up nice and good, they taste like shiiit (thats whay mac dre calls it the thizz face because it tastes soo bad u put a bad look on your face, "put a look on my face like i smelt some piss..." (thizzle dance by mac dre) and u swallow them and then wait a little while and u will soon be feelin urself... ey wanna pop (thizz) on saturday i got some pink naked ladies (a type of thizz)" And what will you look for? Another gem: "Being under the influence of thizz. Charactarized by euphoria, openess, extreme bonding and sociability, appreciation of music, flowing with music and loving life more than ever before, loving everyone you see, hugging and feeling everyone you see, stroking things, becoming mesmerized by lights, jaw clenching, tense shoulders that need to be massaged, sucking ciggarrettes down like a vacuum, drinking rediculous amounts of water, and getting hyphy." In my opinion, the rampant drug use, alcohol use, cigarettes and more, all things that are banned by law, ed code and should be common sense items for parents, along with bad attitudes and the inability of the school to adequately enforce the student population is at the crux of why most of the fancy, overpriced, education systems do not work.  More on that later... after you get back from Longs... MisterWriter

THE POST-MEASURE D PLAN FOR THE MDUSD HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETICS TO BE RESTORED.

The recently formed United Mt. Diablo Athletics Foundation, chaired by CVHS's Pat Middendorf and hosting a variety of key players from Jeff Adams on, has started raising funds for the restoration of high school athletics with a $3000 from haircuts at Sports Clips. In addition, MDUSD trustee Gary Eberhart reported on the MDUSD Blog that it was also likely that players would need to make some kind of voluntary donation to play. “I assume that it will have to be funded entirely by parent/student donations,” Eberhart suggested. “Many districts do this already, typically asking students to donate about $400 per sport that they would like to play. The donations will have to be. If there are enough donations to fund the program, we will be able to have a sports program.” Click here to read the full posting. The next UMDAF fundraiser is slated for Wed. May 27 from 11am - 9pm at Chevys Fresh Mex in Pleasant Hill.  Click the picture above to visit the UMDAF website.

WE NEVER LEARN: OUR HISTORY OF IGNORANCE AND POLITICS IN EDUCATION MADE FOR THE STRANGEST BEDFELLOWS

On this first day after a resounding defeat of the Special Election propositions that affected education, and the MDUSD's Measure D, I am reminded of an excellent article written by George Will (Click HERE for the full article) that says: "But in 1966, the Coleman report, the result of the largest social science project in history, reached a conclusion so "seismic" ... that the government almost refused to publish it. Released quietly on the Fourth of July weekend, the report concluded that the qualities of the families from which children come to school matter much more than money as predictors of schools' effectiveness. The crucial common denominator of problems of race and class -- fractured families -- would have to be faced. In 1994, Congress grandly decreed that by 2000 the high school graduation rate would be "at least" 90 percent and that American students would be "first in the world in mathematics and science achievement."  It did not.  Moynihan, a social scientist, understood that social science tells us not what to do but what is not working, which today includes No Child Left Behind. Finn thinks NCLB got things backward: "The law should have set uniform standards and measures for the nation, then freed states, districts and schools to produce those results as they think best." Instead, it left standards up to the states, which have an incentive to dumb them down to make compliance easier." And yet we still see horrific dropout rates, horrific numbers of high schoolers unable to write literate sentences. And this despite all the money thrown at devising ways to teach instead of focusing on creating accountability at home and an expectation of what the function of school is and an expectation of conduct to go along with that. It is time to overhaul a failed system. It is time to unload political agendas, special interest agendas and anything else that is not designed to produce a qualified and productive member of society and that may well take less talk and more action. School is not a day care. Public schooling may be a right but it should also be considered a privilege. And if you or your children believe that being the dregs of society is your God given right, schools should have the right to place you at a school for the dregs of society so that the rest of the students can actually learn in a conducive environment free of your lunacy. And that takes the citizenry having a standard rather than a free-for-all approach. It takes having a clear code of conduct outside of school that does not encourage shortcuts or cheats. It takes no longer rewarding the idiots of the world, no matter how entertaining they may be. And that may be the hardest part to change because we are now quite set in our ways, thrashed into accepting everything as normal because to speak out would be so "sixties" and so "old school." There is no saving education right now. It is being deconstructed because of economics; nonetheless it can limp on for many years to come, all the while with our children paying the price. With the failure at the polls, it is time to hasten the demise and develop a system that we can truly take pride of rather than one that cannot stand on its own merits. MisterWriter

THE RESULTS ARE IN: THIS IS THE FIRST DAY OF THE REST OF OUR LIVES. LONG LIVE THE DESIRE TO BE BETTER THAN THE MEDIOCRITY WE HAVE ENDURED.

What can I say? It is time to start a new revolution, one geared to making education a quality of value, beyond the politicians ability to play with it as a political tool, beyond uncertain funding. Beyond bullshit testing for the sake of meeting half-assed, underfunded political goals that are fundamentally meaningless anyway. Take heart that the war is not over; it has yet to begin. And in the end, with the right amount of support, we may take back our right to be leaders in the global economy and strive to create a generation worthy of that task. It is time to end all entitlement, remove all excuses, dispel those who try to milk the system and stand up to the inequities created by fear of lawsuits. The needs of them any outweigh the needs of the one. Are you up for the challenge? There are no other options. MisterWriter

SPECIAL ELECTION DAY...IT IS REALLY SPECIAL! YOU CAN BE SCREWED OR REALLY SCREWED. WHAT'S YOUR POISON?

The day is finally here and it reminds me of an old math word puzzle. It goes like this. A prisoner is about to be hanged. Bored, the king tells the prisoner that he wants to make it more entertaining. Make a statement, the king says and if it is true I will have you beheaded. If it is false, I will have you hanged. The prisoner thinks on this for a moment - what a great choice, death or more death. Finally the prisoner makes his statement which so confuses the king that the king lets him go. What did he say?  He said "I am going to be hanged!" Being a true statement under the new rules, the prisoner should have been beheaded, however, were the to be beheaded the statement would be proved false thus requiring him to be hanged. Ultimately, the confused king just let him go. The special election is far from special in any capacity. At best, with everything passing, the state is still in the hole by $10 billion and there will be added education cuts. At worse the state will be in the hole $21 billion and some change, and education will be cut even more. This is not a win-win situation and it has touched the anger of the residents of the state who fail to understand that, in large part, their legislators who have mucked up the system, have done so trying to pacify Californian's desire for that free lunch. Education will suffer, no matter the results. And for that most people are in agreement that the system needs to be changed. A total restructure of the goal and the financing of education in order to give our kids a chance to be leaders and not followers in the global economy.  Of course, listening to all the griping about party politics and special interest groups' causes and everyone having a right to something big without paying for it, I can see that we are still not learning anything! Don't forget to vote. And don't refuse to vote to make a point - it makes no point other than giving up the only power you retain. Apathy is no excuse. Neither is ignorance. I'll add a feed to election results as it becomes available. 11pm update: Right now 64% of precincts in at a 57% to 43% split in favor of D. All the props have failed except 1F. Will D survive? We'll know soon enough.  MisterWriter

SCAM PHONE CALLS COME FROM... CONCORD!!!!!!

I previously posted about those scam phone calls warning that your warranty is about to expire (HERE) and there has been much follow up in the media about it. Well shocker of shocks, it turns out that downtown Concord hosts one of the offices that conducts this scam. Read HERE to watch the report from KPIX's Anna Werner and then file a complaint against Access USA, the call center in Concord (Todos Santos Plaza) for Pacific Guard Warranty, with the Concord City Council, so that we can get rid of them! Way to go Anna Werner... How to Contact the Concord City Council Address: 1950 Parkside Drive, MS/01 Concord, CA 94519 Phone: (925) 671-3158 Fax: (925) 798-0636 citycouncil@ci.concord.ca.us MisterWriter

WILL CALIFORNIA BE UP FOR SALE TOMORROW?

Tomorrow the Special Election will show the minds of the voters of the state. With bad news on the budget scene if the Props pass and dire news if they do not, one thing is certain; the state does not function in a healthy way.  Rising on this election locally is Measure D, the MDUSD funding measure that will offset the horrors of budget cuts to the tune of thirty million over the past few years, and promising to return high school athletics, teachers and programs that otherwise seem doomed. Even with the portent of some cash flow from the measure, teachers are being warned to expect potentially more layoffs during the summer. Whatever you do, however you feel about the issues or the propositions, be sure to cast your vote tomorrow and have your voice heard. Whatever the end result, change will come. Change must come. MisterWriter

IT'S GONNA BE A HOT WEEKEND... BEE-HAVE YOURSELVES!

Have a nice weekend.

MisterWriter

THE BLUE PILL OR THE RED PILL: THE GOVERNOR'S NEW PRESCRIPTION FOR ECONOMIC HEALTH

The Governor released two scenarios for his May revise of the budget that I shall call the blue pill and the red pill. As is, the blue pill guarantees  "a $3 billion reduction in education spending. This could mean a school year shortened by five days."  If the props fails then the red pill adds to the effects of the blue pill with "education funding cut by an additional $2.3 billion. A $5.4 billion cut would force schools to shorten the school year by 7.5 days, increase class sizes and layoff even more teachers to absorb the reduced funding levels." And then let's sell the state prisons since we are letting the prisoners all go anyway, sell the Los Angeles Coliseum and whatever else can be unloaded...ummm, sell to whom? Isn't real estate dead right now? FOR SALE, STATE PRISON $1 only. As is. Borrow - I mean steal - $2 billion from local governments. "The Governor has fought to protect the coffers of local governments throughout his administration, but a $21 billion budget deficit leaves the Governor no choice."  Bend over and feel the power of the state! "Release thousands of undocumented immigrant inmates. With an additional $5.8 billion problem, the Governor would be forced to release thousands of undocumented immigrant inmates directly into federal custody." How about sending them away permanently? Why are we housing them? Not on the press release was my suggestion to turn the state capital into a brothel, with the soon to be legalized drug sales taking place on the ground floor and in the tourist gift shop. Alternatively the porno industry still has a positive cash flow, and they could rent out the facility for a bunch of "special movies." If you watch the video (CLICK HERE) you will notice the same cheesy blue chart showing the increases in revenue he was seeking two years ago when he was in the county pushing reforms. Reality is very strange. MisterWriter

CIRCLING THE RIM OF THE GIANT TOILET BOWL, EDUCATION AND THE STATE PREPARE TO TAKE THE FINAL PLUNGE...THANKS TO THE INCOMPETENCE OF THOSE IN CHARGE...and our own delusions

The stakes are high, akin to mass suicide on a state level as the budget abyss, ever changing in size and shape, dominates the political, cultural and economic landscape of the state. Next Tuesday the state propositions on the Special Election will steer the direction in which the state mismanagement of funding will go, although, by their own admission, will not significantly change the overall direction.  Even with the props passing the budget gap is still huge resulting in the state passing that along down to a city level. Should the props fail, the amount would be significantly higher. Death or rapid death. That is the choice. While many people believe, and not incorrectly from past trends, that this is all political posturing, at this juncture I no longer agree with that premise. Sure, there will always be political shoving matches, especially over the corpse of public education; however the revenues are no longer present. Whatever your stance, I do believe that we all agree the system is damaged, that we are not providing the education we should be providing, that we are not competitive globally and that the future looks bleak. Where we disagree is how to change this. Already the cities are reacting.  Concord issued a press release slamming the state's intent to repair their screw-ups by stealing from the cities once again. Is that protection money? "CONCORD, CA (May 14, 2009) — The Concord City Council passed a resolution at its meeting Monday, May 11 declaring a state of severe fiscal hardship. This action follows a recommendation by the State of California Department of Finance to borrow $2 billion (8 percent) in local government property taxes to meet the state’s budget shortfall. “The City of Concord can’t afford the state’s raid on our property taxes when declining property and sales taxes have already forced the City to propose police and employee layoffs, unpaid furloughs and reductions in services to balance the budget,” said City Manager Dan Keen. In Concord, the state property tax grab equates to approximately $2.4 million that the City will lose in services in the community. “We are already fighting to fill a $14 million hole in an $80 million budget. We can’t afford another $2.4 million on top of that.” Keen said. As it is, the City is already spending down its reserves and looking at severe program cuts and possible layoffs." California still faces a deficit of $15.4 billion in the fiscal year that starts July 1. This is projected to grow to $21.3 billion if voters reject the propositions during next week's special election. Locally, Measure D, designed to bring back high school athletics, library, music, vice-principals and other items slashed with a $7 million infusion, will most certainly be affected by an additional state cut to education. Based on past trends, this amount could be an added $14 million for the district to chop from its already anorexic budget. Projecting a worst case scenario, now looking more likely in the face of the governor's deficit adjustment, MDUSD trustee Gary Eberhart told The Concordian (May 2009) that: “We could close schools,” Eberhart said. “Closing six to seven schools would save us about $7 million, about half of the cuts we would need to make.  If Measure D fails, MDUSD may consider eliminating everyone in administration. That would save $2 million, still a massive shortfall.  "It would result in a state takeover similar to what happened in Oakland,” Eberhart explained. “The state comes in and behind closed doors makes whatever cuts will reach the balanced budget. The board has nothing to say.” Regardless of political beliefs, it is easy to see a cascading failure in what is an already thin education system. In my opinion, even a best case scenario is not offering the hope of fixing the system; it will merely provide time to maintain the system while changes are examined. With the national recession expected to continue for the next year or more, California is poised to remain fiscally handicapped well beyond that time frame. The inherent problems that exist within the state legislature and the manner by which the state operates shows no sign of changing and almost certainly change at a state level will have to be forced. California is no longer the land of plenty. We are not the golden state. We face crippling economic prospects, a huge dropout rate that is hovering at around 32% of high schoolers (despite the state claim of 20% - Click HERE to read that story of mine) and our graduates are entering colleges with a full 25% requiring remedial instruction just to complete undergrad course work. This is a pathetic situation. There is no one solution that will remedy this. Like an illness that has spread from organ to organ, we are in danger of total system failure. Californians need to become aware of all the aspects that affect life in this state, not just the provincial elements. This is not about a school district. This is about a way of thinking, an expectation of entitlement and the free ride we have been having which created the groundwork for the recession in the first place. Greed is greed. Sloth is sloth. It is time to stop. The political landscape of the state needs as much of an overhaul as the economic structure and education. It has to start somewhere. That is Tuesday at the special election, regardless how you vote, be prepared to demand a change. California deserves better. Don't you think? MisterWriter

I TOLD YOU ABOUT THIS SCAM AND HAPPILY IT SHOULD BE DONE SOON...

Back in November I shared with you one phone scam involving warranty calls and how it affected consumers both in the transaction as well as the out of area phone numbers they used to avoid detection (often in other countries). Click HERE for that story. Well now the FTC is suing several companies after having tracked them down to stop the calls. "Attorneys general in Arkansas, Indiana and Missouri have taken similar actions over the calls offering deals on extended warranties, which have brought about 300,000 inquiries and 4,000 complaints to the Better Business Bureau from consumers over the past two years. The calls come even if the consumer has signed up for the national "Do Not Call" registry, which is maintained by the FTC." "I'm not sure which is worse, the abusive telemarketing tactics of these companies, or the way they try to deceive people once they get them on the phone," Leibowitz said. "Either way, we intend to shut them down." About time. Read that story HERE

JOBLESS - DON'T WORRY:BE HORNY

Well the world is just not screwy enough but now Pfizer is giving away meds including Viagra to people who lost their jobs. I guess that will soften the blow or maybe it will enlighten a hard situation, enrich the blood flow against those flaccid moments that life has thrown your way as you lift yourself from the gloom and stand erect wondering what you needed a job for in the first place because this is just way more fun! Read on...HERE

MEASURE D -PINK DAY - 413 TEACHERS AXED - WHAT A DAY! ARE YOU FEELING APPRECIATED YET? LOOK WHAT YOU MISSED!

What a depressing day. First the news about 413 teachers axed at the MDUSD, and then there is the Governor warning that a failure in this election will mean a $20 billion budget hole that even the Terminator could not destroy, and of course, it is the Day of the Teacher and I'll bet they all feel special, yet again.  Here are some of the photos and the videos from the Measure D Rally today through Concord. We'll talk more about that in the days ahead. If you are inclined to learn more about what YOU can do, click HERE.  Otherwise read my earlier postings about the utter devastation that is coming our way. MisterWriter

20 PERCENT OF CALIFORNIA HIGH SCHOOLERS FAIL TO GRADUATE OR IS IT REALLY 32% WITH FUZZY MATH. For all the millions spent, didn't we just wind up leaving them behind, anyway?

In yet another affirmation to the failure of the current system of public education, the California State Department of Education released its report on last year's dropout numbers showing a whopping twenty percent official dropout rate. And yet the graduation rate was only 68 percent. The charts clarify a graduation rate of 68 percent with an "other" category of 11 percent that comprise of 5th year seniors, deceased students, etc... I call that figure a failure to graduate which means that the failure to graduate figure should really be 32%, not 20%, don't you think? In true head-in-the-sand optimism State Superintendent Jack O'Connell said he was pleased that the rate had dropped one percent over the previous year. That figure is about 7000 students dropping out per day. According to the CCTimes figures dropout rates for the nearby districts were as follows: Antioch: 26.2% Martinez: 6% Mt. Diablo: 23.6% Pittsburg: 26.5% San Ramon Valley: 3.1% And so I ask, with all the millions spent on educationally fuzzy logic materials and programs designed to raise the scores and motivate the students, why are the students just not motivated? Could it be that the system does not work? Could it be in need of a complete overhaul? Should it be that politicians should not decide what educational practices are best? On this day, the day of the teacher, I see an obvious dichotomy between what teachers do, for the most part very well despite their hands being tied, and what educational administration sees as a need for change. With all the pink slipped teachers paying the price of the state failure to budget accordingly, and all the DATA showing how poorly our education process is, at what point will teachers get a say in how to motivate and teach students? At what point does the public shout out "enough is enough" and demand a total overhaul, demand community schools and an end to the screwy funding system that is killing us in the global marketplace by killing the desire for our students to excel. MisterWriter

TODAY IS THE DAY OF THE TEACHER - IT'S A PINK DAY FOR THOSE 413 TEACHERS WHO HAVE BEEN PINK SLIPPED, and with under a week before election day things are as uncertain as ever.

Street Corner Demonstrations are slated for   3:30 – 5:30 p.m. Contra Costa Blvd and Monument Blvd Willow Pass Road and Contra Costa Blvd Treat Blvd and Clayton Road Ygnacio Valley Road and Oak Grove Road Willow Pass Road and Bailey Road Willow Pass Road and Salvio Wear Pink,  Bring your friends, co-workers, and family! Bring signs that ask commuters to VOTE YES on Measure D. Active parents MisterWriter

GLOBALLY SUBSTANDARD! That's what the international tests are showing for our students where more than 25% cannot demonstrate proficiency in baseline mathematics!

Let's face it, folks, all those millions spent on new textbooks, cramming standards and benchmarks down the throats of our attention deprived kids, and all because George said we couldn't leave anyone behind, and here we are almost a decade later and we left George behind, along with thousands of students who just have no clue how to study, what to study and why they should study it. Instead we are a nation of pant sagging, spitting and drooling pre-gangster wannabe's who jiggle our way across the landscape of life with snappy little finger/hand greetings and colorful euphemisms to use as base language because even the taggers can't spell. So when I read this kind of report I think, "so what's new?"  You can click the image for more test questions, but why depress yourself? Between our sad global competitiveness and our reality TV mentality, not to forget the black hole of state budget chasms rapidly approaching, we are at the edge of collapse, and ultimately change. "Responsibility educates," said Wendell Phillips and the trouble is clearly that we hold no one to any decent level of responsibility. You can lie your way out, cheat your way out, or claim some exemption like the color of your skin, some absurd disability, often defying logic, poverty even in the midst of shopping sprees, and an assortment of other ridiculous exemptions. We are globally substandard. What makes me sad is that we should not be. Americans are among the most ingenious, creative and clever of survivors - why we have allowed ourselves to bottom out in obese ignorance is beyond me. It was never acceptable to be second best. Now we are lucky to be in the top 10. Am I just bitching? No. Short of death, we can change this. I am just amazed that no one stands up in outrage. I am just amazed that we all have better things to do. It is no secret that I like sci-fi. The reason why I do is that it offers a promise of things to come, a time when we have flexed our mind and taken up a new challenge. We need a new challenge. America needs to reinvent the way life gets done. Just getting by is just not good enough. Screwing people just because you can is just not good enough. We always hear about diversity. There should be NO diversity here; we are American, and if you want to claim a national status under one diety, that should be the goal. So now what? I do not think I will cry when education goes down the toilet and has to be reborn like a phoenix. It is time to set things right. It is time to promise our children a brighter future than unfathomable debt. It is time to start again. Bring it on! MisterWriter

THE PERFECT TEACHER - BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE JAPANESE!

They do not require a teaching credential, no union protection, no pay raises and likely get more respect than they get in the classroom right now - Japan introduced its first robot teacher that taught a class in Tokyo. "Saya, the female humanoid robot, taught a science and technology lesson to a class of 10-year-old pupils at Kudan Elementary School in Tokyo. With her neat brown hair, pink lipstick and skirt suit, the robot, created by scientists at Tokyo University of Science, has been designed to resemble as human a form as possible." See, who said monkeys can replace teachers? Robots can replace teachers! It is good to know that teachers are appreciated! Now watch school districts snap them up! Click HERE to read more. MisterWriter

FORGET THE $10 BILLION SHORTFALL - GOVERNOR TERMINATOR IS NOW CITING $21 BILLION. If billions become millions for the school district will the MDUSD and other districts face $21 million in additional cuts? Is it time for a recall yet?

Just when you were convinced that the condition of the state was dire, the latest projections from the Governator has doubled past projections.  For local school districts this amounts to complete and utter devastation beyond anything previously imagined. "People are angry at Sacramento. People are angry at the politicians, but they should not let that anger out on killing those initiatives because what they will do is, they will hurt their local community," said Schwarzenegger. Watch Arnold's announcement HERE. So I ask, at what point do we recall all the politicians in Sacramento? To wind up in this fiscal black hole is incompetence. For all the rhetoric about the quality of work being done by those elected officials reportedly representing us, I have to wonder just what they are really representing.  Granted we are in a recession; however the way Sacramento conducts business shows no planning, no foresight and selfish interests from pay raises to total ignorance in how to turn this around. I know that we have become accustomed to hearing numbers with millions and billions after them; this does not justify accepting that of state has become a total failure.  As it is the state takes from the counties and the counties take from the cities and the cities need to take from us. And for all of this taking what are we getting? Has our infrastructure improved? Well if the financially disastrous Bay Bridge construction is any example, it is no wonder we are in this hole. And the cheek of it comes to Arnold suggesting that the propositions on the May 19 Special Election will stem this financial curse (although the state, regardless of the outcome, will still be in the hole - add billions to the end of that number as well.) Way to go California. We disown our relatives for far less than what is happening now! MisterWriter

ONE TEACHER ASKS ABOUT "THE VOTE" - HER LETTER FOR YOU TO THINK ABOUT...

I received this from our friend Shauna: Dear Friends,        A friend of mine wrote an article titled, "What if it Really Didn't Matter?" recently, and it brought me to thinking about how we each need to step forward to make changes.  I have been hesitant to write you about the upcoming special election because I didn't think I had anything to add; I didn't have "insider information" to share.  But I am not sure if the urgency of this election is very clear, and with absentee ballots being out and the election in less than two weeks, I thought I would write.       I am writing today to ask you to vote yes on on 1A and 1B, and on Measure D. Measure D will cost MDUSD parcel owners about $99 per year for five years. At this point, if Measure D passes but the other two don't, we'll still have some pretty terrible budget issues to face. Here's a link to the district information: http://www.mdusd.org/NewsRoom/Documents/NewMeasures/measurehowyoucanhelp.pdf       In various conversations, one of the biggest concerns I have heard is that MDUSD has had some issues of mismanagement in the past. No one is more angry than I am about those issues of taxes and paperwork not getting filed in time.  I got assurance for myself that there will be an oversight committee made up of a variety of community representatives, and they will have to ensure that the money will be spent on the programs listed in the information.       The thing is that the current budget cuts have been crazy, but in reviewing the records, I don't know what other cuts could be made. If you know me at all, you know how much I believe that it's the "extras" that keep kids going to school. In a conversation with a College Park student recently, he told me that the reason he continued to do well in school was so that he could follow his dream of playing sports. I know he's not an unusual case.  We need to keep our programs both in and out of the classroom. Athletics, performing arts, various levels of classes... our students need to have access to all of these things. We also need to have technology, including hardware, software AND training for teachers and students. The deep cuts to technology support are also frustrating, because at both site and district levels we won't have enough people to keep things running, and much of our equipment is older and needs to be replaced.       I am not a resident of MDUSD, as you know. However, I have donated money to MDUSD, both in support of elections and to support classroom/school projects for my classes and others over the years. Our district needs your support too.       Thanks for listening. Love, Shauna