As I do regularly, I am watching John Stewart and he got me to thinking about our national media yet again. I am old enough that I remember the network newscasts of Chet Huntley, David Brinkley, and Walter Cronkite who let us know what was going on in the world using experienced reporters in the field bringing facts into our living rooms every night. Serious information given in an honest way.
When CNN came along, they upped the game by focusing only on news 24 hours a day, and bringing an international view to world issues. Then came Headline News, which I particularly enjoyed because I could get all of my news, sports and weather in a half-hour any time day or not.
Those days are gone forever. Time Warner has presided over the steady decline and marginalization of CNN. They turned Headline News to HLN, which panders to the lowest most puerile stories of death of the innocent. Now CNN tries to use Twitter to get commentary, and stoop to the silliest of stories. Yeah, at times they do great reporting, and most of it is international news. Witness how they covered the protests in Tunisia, and Egypt in the spring.
MSNBC, and Fox to not provide news coverage, they just throw out commentator after pundit after talking head to repeat the networks talking points. In my opinion, they do more harm to intelligent debate then they do to provide clear information.
The average American is intelligent enough that they can be given all the facts and they would reach informed decisions on the issues. Sadly what they get is falsehoods, innuendo and distortions, making it tough to get clear information.
Fortunately the advent of the Internet, people willing to make the effort and sift through the skewed information from the left and right are able to find information to make those informed decisions. But lord have mercy it is hard.
If you are reading my blog and you think that I have a bias, well you will be right. I will never tell you that I have all the facts. I am not always right in my opinions. What you will find is that I will read any comment you post and I may choose to respond to it. I am not looking for an ongoing debate, since I long ago learned that only facts can change minds, and even that seldom succeeds. If you don't agree with me and choose to comment, I hope to learn something and will not take it personally.
Now
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Monday, July 25, 2011
New Blood
It has been an interesting spring and summer around my part of the world. Two critically important jobs have been open and the excitement over who would fill them has been palpable. No, it wasn't some political position, nor was the the president of a local bank. Even though my church got a new minister, that wasn't even the big news. No, it was the hiring of football coaches for the area high schools.
Okay, before I go any further let me give you a little background about myself and the area where I live. In the beautiful mountains I call home, football is king. Tremendous pride is felt in each community when our boys take the field on Friday night. Rivalries are strong and vocal. I live in a town that shares a state line with another community. The combined population is around 15,000 folks. On the first Friday of football season 10,000-12,000 of us gather to watch the two high schools renew their rivalry. Community pride and bragging rights are on the line.
As for me, I am a self professed football junkie. I am at a high school game every Friday night and have season tickets to the nearby ACC power Virginia Tech. My wife says if East Podunk was playing West Podunk and it was on the tube I would be watching; and she is right. For the sake of clarity, I should note that I have ties to both towns where the coaching changes are taking place. I live in one and work in the other.
Both of the high school vacancies came about due to less than ideal situations. In one case the incumbent coach resigned in June after one season citing health reasons. In the other case the coach, who also served as athletic director, was not reappointed following an investigation by the school board of improprieties. That coach had been a long time assistant, and had been the head man for six years, including back to back 1-10 seasons.
Each school has a proud football past. Each has one a state championship, with one owning three. One school has had four coaches in 50+ years, the other has had 4 coaches in 10 years. Both communities have high expectations.
In small communities the question always arises will the new coach be someone already working in the school system or will they go outside and bring in new blood. The other question was would they be hiring an experienced coach or someone young an untested.
I what may have been a shock to both communities, the new coaches are coming from outside the system and both will have taken their first head coaching jobs. Both have coaching experience in college as graduate assistants. One has served as an assistant coach at a military school that has a strong post-graduate program.
It will be interesting to watch how the season progresses and watch these two new leaders as they mold and shape young men into winning teams. And yes boys and girls I will keep you updated.
Okay, before I go any further let me give you a little background about myself and the area where I live. In the beautiful mountains I call home, football is king. Tremendous pride is felt in each community when our boys take the field on Friday night. Rivalries are strong and vocal. I live in a town that shares a state line with another community. The combined population is around 15,000 folks. On the first Friday of football season 10,000-12,000 of us gather to watch the two high schools renew their rivalry. Community pride and bragging rights are on the line.
As for me, I am a self professed football junkie. I am at a high school game every Friday night and have season tickets to the nearby ACC power Virginia Tech. My wife says if East Podunk was playing West Podunk and it was on the tube I would be watching; and she is right. For the sake of clarity, I should note that I have ties to both towns where the coaching changes are taking place. I live in one and work in the other.
Both of the high school vacancies came about due to less than ideal situations. In one case the incumbent coach resigned in June after one season citing health reasons. In the other case the coach, who also served as athletic director, was not reappointed following an investigation by the school board of improprieties. That coach had been a long time assistant, and had been the head man for six years, including back to back 1-10 seasons.
Each school has a proud football past. Each has one a state championship, with one owning three. One school has had four coaches in 50+ years, the other has had 4 coaches in 10 years. Both communities have high expectations.
In small communities the question always arises will the new coach be someone already working in the school system or will they go outside and bring in new blood. The other question was would they be hiring an experienced coach or someone young an untested.
I what may have been a shock to both communities, the new coaches are coming from outside the system and both will have taken their first head coaching jobs. Both have coaching experience in college as graduate assistants. One has served as an assistant coach at a military school that has a strong post-graduate program.
It will be interesting to watch how the season progresses and watch these two new leaders as they mold and shape young men into winning teams. And yes boys and girls I will keep you updated.
Sunday, July 24, 2011
Where is The Silent Majority?
In the late 1960's and early 1970'a Pres. Nixon spoke often of the Silent Majority. That was his name for those honest hard working folks who weren't in the streets letting their freak flags fly celebrating sex, drugs and rock and roll, or protesting the war in Vietnam. Nixon claimed that this constituency supported him and his administration. This group never gave Nixon control of Congress, but he did use the rhetoric to accomplish a great deal for the country; i.c. getting us out of an unpopular war, establishing diplomatic relations with China, and the easing of tensions with Russia. (Yes, I am giving this paranoiac man his props.) I leave the Watergate and all to others.
These days it seems that the only ones in the country who remain silent are those who are independent thinkers or those in our society who are voiceless. I read an interesting little story today that said that in Virginia incumbents receive 99.6% of their campaigns from business and corporate interests. That tells me who has a voice in my state.
The Supreme Court ruled that money equals speech so therefore we have all these interests pouring tons of money into every political discussion. The amount being spent on just the debt ceiling lobbying is obscene. Each interest group has huge organizations spending money to sway the electorate's opinions and those of the elected.
So my questions stands, where is the Silent Majority? I have to say, that I am a part of the Silent Majority and I am willing to bet you or others you know are too. We need to get off our duffs and make our voices heard. The solution to America's woes are not in the hands of ideologues, they are reasonable, and practical and they are found in the middle ground and not the extremes of left or right. We the Silent Majority need to step up and make our feelings known.
These days it seems that the only ones in the country who remain silent are those who are independent thinkers or those in our society who are voiceless. I read an interesting little story today that said that in Virginia incumbents receive 99.6% of their campaigns from business and corporate interests. That tells me who has a voice in my state.
The Supreme Court ruled that money equals speech so therefore we have all these interests pouring tons of money into every political discussion. The amount being spent on just the debt ceiling lobbying is obscene. Each interest group has huge organizations spending money to sway the electorate's opinions and those of the elected.
So my questions stands, where is the Silent Majority? I have to say, that I am a part of the Silent Majority and I am willing to bet you or others you know are too. We need to get off our duffs and make our voices heard. The solution to America's woes are not in the hands of ideologues, they are reasonable, and practical and they are found in the middle ground and not the extremes of left or right. We the Silent Majority need to step up and make our feelings known.
Saturday, July 23, 2011
An Old Dog Learning New Tricks
Ok, I admit that I am old. How old will remain one of life's mysteries, unless I decide to tell. Even at my age, I still enjoy learning. I hope to continue to learn until my mind gives out on me. Well, he is blathering again I hope he gets to the point, if there is one.
There is a point. This summer I started taking a series of online classes. A new experience for me. It is an asynchronous class so I work on the assignments when I want to and the way I want to. It has been a great experience for me in that I have not done this before, and the structure allows me to work when I want to, day or night.
Now for the rest of the story. The class is in preparation for completing a certification on using technology in teaching. Most of my peers would think, "no problem for him because he is so tech savvy." Or so I thought. It turns out that I am not as savvy as I can be. So I have had to work my tail off to get a handle on what I needed to do and what I need to learn to get better.
This has been an interesting experience and I have learned a great deal. It is more important as I noted in one of my class journal entries that, "I now know what I don't know, and more importantly I know where and how to learn it." As I remind my students regularly, "Ignorance can be fixed. Ignorance just means you don't know." All of us can be taught.
There is a point. This summer I started taking a series of online classes. A new experience for me. It is an asynchronous class so I work on the assignments when I want to and the way I want to. It has been a great experience for me in that I have not done this before, and the structure allows me to work when I want to, day or night.
Now for the rest of the story. The class is in preparation for completing a certification on using technology in teaching. Most of my peers would think, "no problem for him because he is so tech savvy." Or so I thought. It turns out that I am not as savvy as I can be. So I have had to work my tail off to get a handle on what I needed to do and what I need to learn to get better.
This has been an interesting experience and I have learned a great deal. It is more important as I noted in one of my class journal entries that, "I now know what I don't know, and more importantly I know where and how to learn it." As I remind my students regularly, "Ignorance can be fixed. Ignorance just means you don't know." All of us can be taught.
Where Are the Protectors of the Constitution?
I originally wrote this last fall, but after hearing Herman Cain espousing that Americans have the Constitutional right to stop a mosque from being built, I thought I would post it here.
As some of you know, I teach a little American History. The part that I teach to 6th graders deals with America's early days. As such, I know a bit about the subject. (hopefully more than the TV talking heads.) As the media driven anti-Muslim hysteria continues, I just have to speak my mind on the subject.
Many of America's first settlers truly came here to avoid religious persecution in their home lands. The Separatists (Pilgrims) came here to freely practice their faith without interference from the Puritans and the Church of England. The Puritans came seeking a place to freely practice their faith without the vestiges of the Catholic faith found in the Church of England. Their opposition led to them being persecuted in England as well.
French Huguenots came to America fleeing a religious war against them in Europe. The Quakers came to freely practice their faith, and in establishing Pennsylvania set the model for religious tolerance we find in our founding fathers. By the way, most of the founding fathers were Deists. A deist beliefs in God, but does not belong to a religious denomination.
The bottom line is that the Freedom of Religion established in the Constitution guarantees all Americans the right to freely practice their faith, and prohibits the Government from establishing a national religion.
As some of you know, I teach a little American History. The part that I teach to 6th graders deals with America's early days. As such, I know a bit about the subject. (hopefully more than the TV talking heads.) As the media driven anti-Muslim hysteria continues, I just have to speak my mind on the subject.
Many of America's first settlers truly came here to avoid religious persecution in their home lands. The Separatists (Pilgrims) came here to freely practice their faith without interference from the Puritans and the Church of England. The Puritans came seeking a place to freely practice their faith without the vestiges of the Catholic faith found in the Church of England. Their opposition led to them being persecuted in England as well.
French Huguenots came to America fleeing a religious war against them in Europe. The Quakers came to freely practice their faith, and in establishing Pennsylvania set the model for religious tolerance we find in our founding fathers. By the way, most of the founding fathers were Deists. A deist beliefs in God, but does not belong to a religious denomination.
The bottom line is that the Freedom of Religion established in the Constitution guarantees all Americans the right to freely practice their faith, and prohibits the Government from establishing a national religion.
What is a Debt Ceiling
I post this for my friends who are curious about what the Debt Ceiling does.
Maybe they need to go back to the old method where Congress approved the borrowing necessary to pay for each appropriation they make. Then they, and we would know what is being borrowed for and what is not. That boys and girls would bring accountability to each and every elected official.
"As the Government Accountability Office puts it in its useful primer on government debt:So basically the Debt Ceiling is nothing at all like a Credit Limit on a credit card which actually keeps you from buying more. Congress buys the stuff and authorizes debt when they appropriate the funds upon approval of a bill. Then when the debt ceiling is reached the Administration no longer is able to pay the bills.
“The debt limit does not control or limit the ability of the federal government to run deficits or incur obligations. Rather, it is a limit on the ability to pay obligations already incurred. While debates surrounding the debt limit may raise awareness about the federal government's current debt trajectory and may also provide Congress with an opportunity to debate the fiscal policy decisions driving that trajectory, the ability to have an immediate effect on debt levels is limited.” "
Maybe they need to go back to the old method where Congress approved the borrowing necessary to pay for each appropriation they make. Then they, and we would know what is being borrowed for and what is not. That boys and girls would bring accountability to each and every elected official.
Why Am I Doing This?
That is the question I have been asking myself as I start this. Is there an answer? I am not sure yet, check back and maybe we will all find out.
Writing is nothing new for me, I have always written. Most of my writing has been to just empty my mind and to clarify what I may be thinking on a subject. If you follow this the only promise I will make is that I will say what I think. I have not worried about what others may think for many years. Some things will be very personal. Some will just be random observations on this or that.
In the end, you may learn something or I will.
Writing is nothing new for me, I have always written. Most of my writing has been to just empty my mind and to clarify what I may be thinking on a subject. If you follow this the only promise I will make is that I will say what I think. I have not worried about what others may think for many years. Some things will be very personal. Some will just be random observations on this or that.
In the end, you may learn something or I will.
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