How Is This A Good Thing?

In his his book,“Raising the Grade: How High School Reform Can Save Our Youth and Our Nation,” Bob Wise, a former governor of West Virginia, laments that “international comparisons rank the United States a stunningly unimpressive eighteenth for high school graduation rates, a lackluster ranking of fifteenth for high school reading assessments among 15-year-olds in developed countries, and an embarrassing 25th for high school math.”

How is this a good thing?

Statistics tell us that a third of the students enrolled in school drop out. Half of those who remain go on to graduate without the skills for college or a decent job.

How is this a good thing?

Those involved in the presidential campaign have yet to make improving secondary education one of their major issues.

How is this a good thing?

Invitation

Invitation

Oh do you have time
     to linger
       for just a little while
         out of your busy

and very important day
     for the goldfinches
       that have gathered
         in a field of thistles

for a musical battle,
     to see who can sing
       the highest note,
         or the lowest,

or the most expressive of mirth,
     or the most tender?
       Their strong, blunt beaks
         drink the air

as they strive
     melodiously
       not for your sake
         and not for mine

and not for the sake of winning
     but for sheer delight and gratitude—
       believe us, they say,
         it is a serious thing

just to be alive
     on this fresh morning
       in this broken world.
         I beg of you,

do not walk by
     without pausing
       to attend to this
         rather ridiculous performance.

It could mean something.
     It could mean everything.
       It could be what Rilke meant, when he wrote:
         You must change your life.

~ Mary Oliver

Reprinted without permission - Beacon Press, 2008

April Fools!

Hillary's April Fools

Democrat Hillary Rodham Clinton walked somberly into a press conference toady and stood before microphones. Reporters tensed, sensing something big might be afoot.

"This has been a very hard fought race," she said. "We clearly need to do something so that our party and our people can make the right decision. So, I have a proposal."

The tension grew. Reporters shifted in their seats. Was she dropping out of the race? Offering to join rival Barack Obama as his running mate?

April Fools!

"Today, I am challenging Senator Obama to a bowl-off," Clinton said, provoking relieved laughs from the assembled scribes.

Clinton carried on, making reference to Obama's disastrous outing at a Pennsylvania bowling alley Saturday.

"A bowling night. Right here in Pennsylvania. The winner take all," she went on. "I'll even spot him two frames."

"It is time for his campaign to get out of the gutter and allow all the pins to be counted. I'm prepared to play this game all the way to the tenth frame. When this game is over, the American people will know that when that phone rings at 3 a.m., they'll have a president ready to bowl on day one."

"Let's strike a deal and go bowling for delegates. We don't have a moment to spare, because it's already April Fool's Day. Happy April Fool's Day."

By Beth Fouhy - Associated Press Writer

Easter - never again in your lifetime

Megan with You-Know-Who

Easter is early this year. Easter is always the first full moon after the Spring Equinox (which is March 20). This dating of Easter is based on the lunar calendar that the Hebrew people used to identify passover, which is why it moves around on our Roman calendar.

Based on the above information, Easter can actually be one day earlier (March 22) but that is rare.

Here's the interesting part:

This year is the earliest Easter any of us will ever see the rest of our lives! And only the most elderly of our population have ever seen it this early (95 years old or above). And none of us have ever, or will ever, see it a day earlier!

It's a fact: The next time Easter will be this early (March 23) will be the year 2228 (220 years from now). The last time it was this early was 1913 (so if you're 95 or older, you are the only ones that were around for that!).

The next time it will be a day earlier, March 22, will be in the year 2285 (277 years from now). The last time it was March 22 was 1818. So, no one alive today has or will ever see it any earlier than this year!

Why, you ask?

Here's the condensed version. The Roman Empire's First Council of Nicaea convened in the year 325. The counsel decided three things:
1. They decided the rules that would determine the date of Easter.
2. Easter would always fall on Sunday throughout the world.
3. The date Easter would fall on could be determined indefinitely into the future.

So how is Easter day determined? Easter is always the first Sunday after the first full moon after the Spring Equinox (March 20). Just a tad confusing but as a result, Easter can never occur before March 22 or later than April 25 and the actual date that Easter falls on this year is the earliest you and I will ever see, in our lifetime.

Clayton Boyer from New Orleans did the research. Columnists Gordie Allen and Ramona Salmon featured this information.

Bobby on St. Patrick's Weekend

Senator Robert F. Kennedy declared his candidacy for president on March 16, 1968.

"I want the Democratic Party and the United States of America to stand for hope instead of despair, for the reconciliation of men instead of the growing risk of world war," he said.

Kennedy also stated, "I do not run for the Presidency merely to oppose any man, but to propose new policies. I run because I am convinced that this country is on a perilous course and because I have such strong feelings about what must be done, and I feel that I'm obliged to do all I can."

Universal Health Care

"Prescription medications have been discovered in the drinking water supplies of at least 41 million Americans. Or, as President Bush calls that, the Republican health care plan." ~ Jay Leno

Client No. 9

Lyndon Johnson once observed that the two things that make politicians more stupid than anything else are sex and envy.

Maybe Joy Behar, one of the female hosts on “The View”, got it right when she said, "Viagra is destroying our government."

Sometimers

"I have Sometimers---sometimes I remember and sometimes I don't."

~ Spike Lee

Cumulative Writing Folder

Cumulative Writing Folder

To become a better writer, you must often and review your past compositions to see how you can improve. This writing folder will help you do this—it will be a record of what you have written. The folder will also help your readers see your work over time. The written work that goes into this folder should be your best effort.

The focus correction system used in this folder might be something new to you. Don't worry; the system should help you improve your writing more quickly by focusing your attention on one, two, or three areas in any one composition. For example, in some compositions your reader will tell you to focus on your word choice and organization, while in others the focus might be on sentence variety and the use of details.

Your reader will tell what what the focus correction areas are before the final draft of your composition. Remember to follow the recommendations for composition form listed below. Some day, you'll pull out this folder and reread what you have written this year. It will be very interesting reading.

Reader Comment Key

Any time the reader stars a comment or abbreviation in the margin, it is a signal that it is a positive comment. Look for the starred comments. They will help you find your strengths.

* opening - good beginning for your composition

* closing - good ending for your composition

* W.C. - excellent word choice

* d. - excellent use of detail to support your idea

Sp. - the word with a check over it has been misspelled

awk. - this section does not sound right

cap. - there is a capitalization error in this line

frag. - this is a sentence fragment (an incomplete sentence)

run-on - there are two sentences punctuated as one

¶ - begin a new paragraph on this line

< - you left out something

? - I don't understand this

---

Composition Form

FIRST DRAFT

Do not be concerned with how the first draft looks — it's a working copy! It doesn't go in the folder.

• Write in pencil.

• Skip a line between each line you write. You can use this space for editing.

• Leave at least one inch margins on both sides of the paper.

When you have finished your first draft, read it out loud in a soft voice. Ask yourself these three questions:

1. Did I follow the assignment?

2. Does the composition sound right? Is it easy to read?

3. Have I carefully checked for problems in the focus correction areas?

When you can say yes to the above questions, have someone read your composition to you out loud. Go over questions 1, 2, and 3 together.

FINAL DRAFT (to go in your folder)

Be concerned about how your final draft looks. It represents your best work!

• Write in pen.

• Do not use paper ripped from a spiral-bound notebook.

• Write your name on the top line, right hand side; the date on the second line, right hand side.

• Keep the focus correction area(s) in mind.

• Write a title for your composition on the fifth line from the top. Capitalize all important words in your title and all other words longer than five letters.

• Leave at least one inch margins on both sides of the paper.

• Have a reader read it out loud to you, check the focus correction areas, and sign it at the end.

---

Ideas for this Cumulative Writing Folder were developed in conjunction with by John Collins.

Clinton Camp Conundrum

Will the generational gap formed by Obama's use of elegant language be too wide for Hillary to close?

Pop Culture Vernacular

Can a streetwise vocabulary draw out a demographic usually not seen near a voting booth?

Classic Speaking Gifts

Can call and response evoke a Yes in the Democratic primary?

Charm & A Smile

Can a glib golden boy be elected President of the United States?

Teddy like rock ‘n’ roll, is here to stay

As he crisscrosses the Super Tuesday primary states in an Obama financed Lear jet, Sen. Ted Kennedy opens his stump speech with this surefire applause line: One year from now, George W. Bush will be out of the White House.

The Constitution dictates Kennedy's statement is true.

First Laddie

Oh, you'll take the high road, and I'll take the low road.

Buzzword

"Change" is the undisputed stump word for the turbulent presidential campaign. From where does this word get its spellbinding power.

As Supreme Court Justice Potter Stewart once said about pornography: "I know it when I see it." This year's primary candidates seem to have a clear view of it. Hillary Clinton speaks of her years of experience "making" it. Mitt Romney wants to bring it "to Washington." Barack Obama promises you "can believe in" it. John Edwards proposes "we need" it. Fred Thompson says it "has been a part of every election since the dawn of elections."

In 1976, Jimmy Carter offered himself as "a leader" for change. In 1984, Walter Mondale held that "America needed" it. But Ronald Reagan avoided mentioning it as did Bill Clinton in 1996. President Bush too turned away from it in 2004.

Voting for change. Will it work its magic in 2008?

Looking for the traditional Democrat

In one especially elegant phrase, Barack Obama in his New Hampshire farewell outlined the importance of staying positive and dignified during the presidential campaign, and beyond: "We can disagree without being disagreeable."

On January 11th, 1964, Lyndon Baines Johnson used this same quote at a reception for members of the Democratic National Committee.

Hillary’s Political Midnight

In Henniker on the day before the New Hampshire primary, Bill Clinton said, "I can’t make her younger, taller or change her gender."

There may be no need. Because as pundit, David Brooks, points out waitress moms will stick with Hillary through thick and thin.

At her victory party, Hillary triumphantly proclaimed, "I found my own voice."

Heads up America. Change is on the way.

Let It Snow!

SnowCrystals.com!

Hope you're enjoying the holiday week. In case you haven’t recieved any snowflakes, here's a site containing some amazing photomicrographs of snowflakes and snow crystals.

Say It Ain't So, Roger!

He was a Chicago White Sox. He was illiterate. He was charismatic. He was a .356 batter. He was "Shoeless" Joe Jackson.

He was once asked, "It isn't true, is it, Joe?" He responded, "Yes, boys, I'm afraid it is."

He was a New York Yankee. He was a college graduate. He was charismatic. He was a seven-time Cy Young winner. He is Roger "The Rocket" Clemens.

He was mentioned 82 times in the Mitchell Report on steroid use in baseball. He declined to meet with Mitchell to discuss the charges.

It may be a long winter this year. See you in the Legends Field bleachers at 1:15 p.m. on February 29th.