Charter = Better?

This article in the NY Times suggests that charter students may be performing WORSE than public schools, although it appears some of the difference might be from more minority students. But wait a minute ... wasn't that the premise of No Child Left Behind - that "excuses" like the size of the minority population, etc will not be tolerated? Ah hah ... turns out education is more complicated than we'd like to believe!

I say this even with the bias of someone who agrees that we've got to have and enforce standards to prevent the slide of our educational system into the dumps!

Tween Marketing

I just watched a 60 Minutes story on Tween Marketing, where tweens (8-13 year olds) are recruited to be 'secret agents' who host slumber parties and convince their friends that the stuff they 'just happen to have' is cool! What the f*** is going on? I mean, what will these damn marketing firms stop at in their effort to undermine parental authority and brainwash our kids.

Sorry future-kids-of-mine, this is why you aint getting slumber parties, you aint getting malls, you aint getting shit ... you gonna be raised to be half-decent people ... cos half-decent trumps cool and bitchy!

The Big Chill

I found this article very interesting. I can attest to the benefits of stress management. I remember developing a limp due to a bad knee, and being in severe pain towards the end of my consulting career. A vacation in India and back to school and the limp and the pain were eventually gone!!

It's funny ... here life is going on, and there is so much to be excited about, from the chirping of the birds to the wonderful loving people we are surrounded by, and yet we allow some silly thing at work to trump 'em all!