World Politics

[Anonymous]

So quit teaching and open a business and, mosty importantly, QUIT COMPLANING ABOUT A PROFESSION YOU CHOSE

Hey douchebag, read the whole thread. That was covered.

 

[Hugh Januss]

So quit teaching and open a business and, mosty importantly, QUIT COMPLANING ABOUT A PROFESSION YOU CHOSE

Did you even read any more than the last two pages, or do you just like to say stupid things?

Edit: I see TFF covered that question already.

 

[CentralCaliBike]

Teaching a class and being responsible for 180+ people every day, (people who are adolescent, hate going to school, 30% of whom only want to disrupt what you are trying to do,- had a wise old teacher tell me one time that out of a class of 30, 10 will hate you, 10 will love you, and 10 don't care, and that my job was to keep the 10 that don't care from hanging out with the 10 that hated me- all of whom owe you work daily, many of whom fail to hand it in, meaning you have to continue to to work with them because your job depends on it, then attend any after school activities you are involved in (mine was coaching cross country and track-which I received a whopping $800 for the year for the extra 15 hours per week I spent doing that, then you have to grade everything that does come in, log all of that into a system of grading, attend teacher's meetings once per week, 5-10 parent conferences each week, Department meetings once per week, and probably 1-2 other meetings per week...well you get the point) is very different from teaching a lesson, and in now way constitutes knowledge of what it is like to be a teacher.

Tell you what, go to a local business that has around 150 employees and ask the owner if he/she would still do their job for $35,000 (counting in benefits) if he/she were unable to effectively discipline his workforce because he couldn't fire them regardless of how they behave up to and including threats to his/her life. Because a teacher performs the functions of a business owner under the conditions I just described.

Not disagreeing with you about the difficulty of the job at all.

 

[CentralCaliBike]

And the conditions into which they were brought (unasked mind you) are deplorable and you didn't live through them, but you feel that you can sweepingly judge them? Yes, they deserve to bear the responsibility for their crimes, but failing to understand the complexity of the situation that brought them there does nothing to help solve it. Building more prisons is one answer, but a poor one, and one that will eventually bite a civilization in the a$$. Changing just one kid is worth the effort because generally, those are the kind who might just change a couple of others later in life. Especially if the pay warranted their joining the ranks of teachers.

Yes, I feel that I can judge them - I know many were not brought into great living conditions, but in some situations they do have family members who seem to have figured out how to succeed in the same environment.

As a former teacher I cannot believe that you did not come into contact with students who caused yourself (and their fellow students) a great deal of concern for personal safety.

Having spent a number of years looking at every record available (including lengthy interviews with family and friends) of extremely violent individuals, I believe that significant (but not complete) responsibility lies with the home environment, but that does not absolve the young criminal for their actions - they still know when you pull a trigger someone is likely to die, someone will have a family who will be in pain, someone will no longer exist.

 

[Hugh Januss]

Yes, I feel that I can judge them - I know many were not brought into great living conditions, but in some situations they do have family members who seem to have figured out how to succeed in the same environment.

As a former teacher I cannot believe that you did not come into contact with students who caused yourself (and their fellow students) a great deal of concern for personal safety.

Having spent a number of years looking at every record available (including lengthy interviews with family and friends) of extremely violent individuals, I believe that significant (but not complete) responsibility lies with the home environment, but that does not absolve the young criminal for their actions - they still know when you pull a trigger someone is likely to die, someone will have a family who will be in pain, someone will no longer exist.

Hard to sell kids on that last concept when we live in a society that glorifies (and in some cases makes a good living off) ultra violent video games where you score points for killing people in spectacular ways until you get killed and then come back and play again.

 

[Anonymous]

Yes, I feel that I can judge them - I know many were not brought into great living conditions, but in some situations they do have family members who seem to have figured out how to succeed in the same environment.

As a former teacher I cannot believe that you did not come into contact with students who caused yourself (and their fellow students) a great deal of concern for personal safety.

Certainly I had students who fit that description. I had one who was extremely intelligent (never came to class, but somehow always got A's on tests) and very up front about the fact that he made more money in a week than I did in a month by selling drugs. He was a sociopath who would have shot me in a heartbeat if he felt he needed to. And there were countless others. However, I refuse to look on them as human waste regardless. I think is comes from working as a guardian ad litem and seeing the deplorable conditions in which many of them live.

Having spent a number of years looking at every record available (including lengthy interviews with family and friends) of extremely violent individuals, I believe that significant (but not complete) responsibility lies with the home environment, but that does not absolve the young criminal for their actions - they still know when you pull a trigger someone is likely to die, someone will have a family who will be in pain, someone will no longer exist.

I agree completely.

You and I are not that far off many times.

 

[Anonymous]

"Certainly I had students who fit that description. I had one who was extremely intelligent (never came to class, but somehow always got A's on tests) and very up front about the fact that he made more money in a week than I did in a month by selling drugs."

But of course...they are brought up in a system that tells them that money equals life and more of it...that unless you are rich, you are a big *** loser...they hear this everyday...so of course they are going to do this...it is our system...

 

[CentralCaliBike]

"Certainly I had students who fit that description. I had one who was extremely intelligent (never came to class, but somehow always got A's on tests) and very up front about the fact that he made more money in a week than I did in a month by selling drugs."

But of course...they are brought up in a system that tells them that money equals life and more of it...that unless you are rich, you are a big *** loser...they hear this everyday...so of course they are going to do this...it is our system...

I have some friends who spent a number of years in Russia - they tell me that our mafia primary school kids in comparison to what they have over there - the Russian mafia is extremely materialistic in a society that was supposed to consider capitalism the most evil in existence.

 

[Anonymous]

"Certainly I had students who fit that description. I had one who was extremely intelligent (never came to class, but somehow always got A's on tests) and very up front about the fact that he made more money in a week than I did in a month by selling drugs."

But of course...they are brought up in a system that tells them that money equals life and more of it...that unless you are rich, you are a big *** loser...they hear this everyday...so of course they are going to do this...it is our system...

Oh, I agree, drug dealers are pure capitalists.

 

[Anonymous]

I have some friends who spent a number of years in Russia - they tell me that our mafia primary school kids in comparison to what they have over there - the Russian mafia is extremely materialistic in a society that was supposed to consider capitalism the most evil in existence.

Methinks the Russian mafia learned a few things from Western Capitalism...my god, think about it a little would you Central...

 

[CentralCaliBike]

Methinks the Russian mafia learned a few things from Western Capitalism...my god, think about it a little would you Central...

Are you saying that crooks and criminals had to learn bad behavior from businessmen

Look back over history, bullies have been around a lot longer than Western banking systems. Mafias and street gang behavior is capitalistic in that they are focused on making money - but they are also interested in causing those around them to fear them which is not a foundational requirement for Capitalism.

 

[Anonymous]

Are you saying that crooks and criminals had to learn bad behavior from businessmen

Look back over history, bullies have been around a lot longer than Western banking systems. Mafias and street gang behavior is capitalistic in that they are focused on making money - but they are also interested in causing those around them to fear them which is not a foundational requirement for Capitalism.

Ha...come on Central...be serious...what I am saying is the the russian mafia certainly didnt get their ideas from Marx and european socialist ideals ala norway and belgie and the evil finland and all of their social programs...morelike, they got them from the hidden hand of adam smith and your buddy, allan greenspan...now those folks have a lot in common with the russian mob...

 

[Anonymous]

Central...if you want a real mind warp...read this:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/global/2009/dec/13/drug-money-banks-saved-un-cfief-claims:)

 

[Anonymous]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/global/2009/dec/13/drug-money-banks-saved-un-cfief-claims


rather...this is the one as it didn't go before...

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

Are you saying that crooks and criminals had to learn bad behavior from businessmen.

More likely politicians. Not to mention sports stars, rappers, etc.

 

[CentralCaliBike]

More likely politicians. Not to mention sports stars, rappers, etc.

We certainly have a culture of criminal activity in the US (I know it is not just here as I have seen gang pictures from kids in Europe) but criminal culture is as old as human history - not that the politicians, rappers, and sports stars are helping set a better example.

 

[Buffalo Soldier]

Having spent a number of years looking at every record available (including lengthy interviews with family and friends) of extremely violent individuals, I believe that significant (but not complete) responsibility lies with the home environment

Exactly my point. It is very hard to have any impact on their home environments, so all the efforts should go to education.

The biggest problem, i think, lies in an anti-school culture, caused by an feeling of anomie, that will only get bigger if you give up on them at school. Self-fulfilling prophecy once again...

 

[Buffalo Soldier]

We certainly have a culture of criminal activity in the US (I know it is not just here as I have seen gang pictures from kids in Europe) but criminal culture is as old as human history - not that the politicians, rappers, and sports stars are helping set a better example.

That's not an excuse at all...

 

[CentralCaliBike]

Exactly my point. It is very hard to have any impact on their home environments, so all the efforts should go to education.

The biggest problem, i think, lies in an anti-school culture, caused by an feeling of anomie, that will only get bigger if you give up on them at school. Self-fulfilling prophecy once again...

Think about this problem from the point of a parent with a child at the school - your child gets to spend time in class with someone who does not want to be there, brings and uses narcotics at school, and also brings weapons and is attempting to recruit your child into his gang >>> not succeeding in the recruitment, this individual decides that your child needs to be taught a lessen so he starts threatening your child and eventually catches him "slipping" and then he starts shooting at your child.

I have seen this scenario (or some variation) on a number of occasions - I just do not believe that this individual should be allowed the freedom to bring this environment to the students at school.

 

[CentralCaliBike]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-1242011/DAVID-ROSE-The-mini-ice-age-starts-here.html

Interesting article on global cooling - looks like we have two to three decades of much cooler weather ahead

 

[Bala Verde]

Sarah P. returns to journalism and joins Fox. Beware Katie C!

Was Post

 

[BroDeal]

Sarah P. returns to journalism and joins Fox. Beware Katie C!

Was Post

What Palin means for America:

http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/story/23318320/mad_dog_palin

 

[Hugh Januss]

Sarah Palin gets deal as Fox commentator
‘It’s wonderful to be part of a place that so values fair and balanced news’

That is all, that headline speaks for itself.

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

Interesting article on global cooling - looks like we have two to three decades of much cooler weather ahead

I'm not exactly sure why you're posting this stuff? Do you really think we need to go back to the days of low or no pollution controls? Or that everyone who thinks climate changes is an issue to be concerned with wants to destroy all industry? Or that the only scientific reports that are objective about climate change are those from the "right"? I don't get it.

 

[CentralCaliBike]

I'm not exactly sure why you're posting this stuff? Do you really think we need to go back to the days of low or no pollution controls? Or that everyone who thinks climate changes is an issue to be concerned with wants to destroy all industry? Or that the only scientific reports that are objective about climate change are those from the "right"? I don't get it.

The UN, media and a number of politicians keep claiming that there is no debate about man made climate change (what they used to call global warming) - Then there were the hacked emails which people a few pages back were stating had been misconstrued - this is just one of the climate change supporters admitting that perhaps the media, politicians and his fellow scientists might have been crying fire in a theater with the ridiculous claims that many nations are about to go underwater.