I Guess It Had To Happen...
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Texas schools are teaching US History - specifically, the Boston Tea Party (what I consider to be the tipping point toward the American Revolution) - as if it were a terrorist act. At the root of every country's origins, one would more than likely be able to discover what would now be called a "terrorist act". [moved to the Soapbox to let the discussion open up a little. - Chris Maunder.]
".45 ACP - because shooting twice is just silly" - JSOP, 2010
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You can never have too much ammo - unless you're swimming, or on fire. - JSOP, 2010
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"Why don't you tie a kerosene-soaked rag around your ankles so the ants won't climb up and eat your candy ass." - Dale Earnhardt, 1997Freedom fighter or terrorist. It depends on which side you're on.
People say nothing is impossible, but I do nothing every day.
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Texas schools are teaching US History - specifically, the Boston Tea Party (what I consider to be the tipping point toward the American Revolution) - as if it were a terrorist act. At the root of every country's origins, one would more than likely be able to discover what would now be called a "terrorist act". [moved to the Soapbox to let the discussion open up a little. - Chris Maunder.]
".45 ACP - because shooting twice is just silly" - JSOP, 2010
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You can never have too much ammo - unless you're swimming, or on fire. - JSOP, 2010
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"Why don't you tie a kerosene-soaked rag around your ankles so the ants won't climb up and eat your candy ass." - Dale Earnhardt, 1997John Simmons / outlaw programmer wrote:
Texas schools are teaching US History - specifically, the Boston Tea Party ... as if it were a terrorist act.
This means the whole country is going to start teaching it this way, because normally everyone else follows Texas's choice of textbooks... :| EDIT: Also, I'm interested to hear what our neighbo(u)rs across the pond think of this...
The United States invariably does the right thing, after having exhausted every other alternative. -Winston Churchill America is the only country that went from barbarism to decadence without civilization in between. -Oscar Wilde Wow, even the French showed a little more spine than that before they got their sh*t pushed in.[^] -Colin Mullikin
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John Simmons / outlaw programmer wrote:
Texas schools are teaching US History - specifically, the Boston Tea Party ... as if it were a terrorist act.
This means the whole country is going to start teaching it this way, because normally everyone else follows Texas's choice of textbooks... :| EDIT: Also, I'm interested to hear what our neighbo(u)rs across the pond think of this...
The United States invariably does the right thing, after having exhausted every other alternative. -Winston Churchill America is the only country that went from barbarism to decadence without civilization in between. -Oscar Wilde Wow, even the French showed a little more spine than that before they got their sh*t pushed in.[^] -Colin Mullikin
What's a textbook? We don't use those in my child's school. They use handouts and computers for reference.
------------------------------------- Do not do what has already been done. Absolute power corrupts absolutely.. but it ROCKS absolutely, too.
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What's a textbook? We don't use those in my child's school. They use handouts and computers for reference.
------------------------------------- Do not do what has already been done. Absolute power corrupts absolutely.. but it ROCKS absolutely, too.
Doctor Nick wrote:
They use handouts and computers for reference.
Those handouts are written by someone. And assuming they aren't using Wikipedia to teach American History, the online stuff is probably some sort of official publication as well.
The United States invariably does the right thing, after having exhausted every other alternative. -Winston Churchill America is the only country that went from barbarism to decadence without civilization in between. -Oscar Wilde Wow, even the French showed a little more spine than that before they got their sh*t pushed in.[^] -Colin Mullikin
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Texas schools are teaching US History - specifically, the Boston Tea Party (what I consider to be the tipping point toward the American Revolution) - as if it were a terrorist act. At the root of every country's origins, one would more than likely be able to discover what would now be called a "terrorist act". [moved to the Soapbox to let the discussion open up a little. - Chris Maunder.]
".45 ACP - because shooting twice is just silly" - JSOP, 2010
-----
You can never have too much ammo - unless you're swimming, or on fire. - JSOP, 2010
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"Why don't you tie a kerosene-soaked rag around your ankles so the ants won't climb up and eat your candy ass." - Dale Earnhardt, 1997But since there is no voting, I will say it again. No citizen of the U.S. is capable of being a terrorist against the U.S. based on the founding doctrines of our country. Allowing anything else, pollutes the original ideal of our country (applies to U.S.). Those ideals are the right to revolt, to overthrow a tyrannical regime, the right to fight for what is right even if it is the government that is wrong. Calling citizens a terrorist allows history books to call patriots terrorists and tyrannical monarchs righteous. Down vote me if you want (HAH) but I am right. What Timothy McVeigh did was wrong, illegal, immoral, and killed my step sister, but was it terrorist? Not to me, did he deserve to be convicted and punished like he was, most likely. But, I still don't call him a terrorist.
Need custom software developed? I do custom programming based primarily on MS tools with an emphasis on C# development and consulting. I also do Android Programming as I find it a refreshing break from the MS. "And they, since they Were not the one dead, turned to their affairs" -- Robert Frost
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But since there is no voting, I will say it again. No citizen of the U.S. is capable of being a terrorist against the U.S. based on the founding doctrines of our country. Allowing anything else, pollutes the original ideal of our country (applies to U.S.). Those ideals are the right to revolt, to overthrow a tyrannical regime, the right to fight for what is right even if it is the government that is wrong. Calling citizens a terrorist allows history books to call patriots terrorists and tyrannical monarchs righteous. Down vote me if you want (HAH) but I am right. What Timothy McVeigh did was wrong, illegal, immoral, and killed my step sister, but was it terrorist? Not to me, did he deserve to be convicted and punished like he was, most likely. But, I still don't call him a terrorist.
Need custom software developed? I do custom programming based primarily on MS tools with an emphasis on C# development and consulting. I also do Android Programming as I find it a refreshing break from the MS. "And they, since they Were not the one dead, turned to their affairs" -- Robert Frost
Ennis Ray Lynch, Jr. wrote:
What Timothy McVeigh did was wrong, illegal, immoral, and killed my step sister, but was it terrorist? Not to me, did he deserve to be convicted and punished like he was, most likely. But, I still don't call him a terrorist.
He inspired terror in other people. That is the dictionary definition of a terrorist... :doh:
The United States invariably does the right thing, after having exhausted every other alternative. -Winston Churchill America is the only country that went from barbarism to decadence without civilization in between. -Oscar Wilde Wow, even the French showed a little more spine than that before they got their sh*t pushed in.[^] -Colin Mullikin
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Texas schools are teaching US History - specifically, the Boston Tea Party (what I consider to be the tipping point toward the American Revolution) - as if it were a terrorist act. At the root of every country's origins, one would more than likely be able to discover what would now be called a "terrorist act". [moved to the Soapbox to let the discussion open up a little. - Chris Maunder.]
".45 ACP - because shooting twice is just silly" - JSOP, 2010
-----
You can never have too much ammo - unless you're swimming, or on fire. - JSOP, 2010
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"Why don't you tie a kerosene-soaked rag around your ankles so the ants won't climb up and eat your candy ass." - Dale Earnhardt, 1997Maybe they think an act of defiance against the king (by divine right) was an against their god?
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Doctor Nick wrote:
They use handouts and computers for reference.
Those handouts are written by someone. And assuming they aren't using Wikipedia to teach American History, the online stuff is probably some sort of official publication as well.
The United States invariably does the right thing, after having exhausted every other alternative. -Winston Churchill America is the only country that went from barbarism to decadence without civilization in between. -Oscar Wilde Wow, even the French showed a little more spine than that before they got their sh*t pushed in.[^] -Colin Mullikin
Well some of the handouts are created by the teachers over the years but as for reference they use the library for research if need be. The only issue with this is if you have a 50 year old teacher using handouts from the 70s. :-D Seems to be working out all right so far but this is the new way of doing things so of course nobody has found loopholes yet. :-D The other thing that might blow your mind is that they have little to NO HOMEWORK. The only measure of whether they understand is by actually using the material and tests. Took awhile to get used to but the more you think about it it makes sense.
------------------------------------- Do not do what has already been done. Absolute power corrupts absolutely.. but it ROCKS absolutely, too.
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Texas schools are teaching US History - specifically, the Boston Tea Party (what I consider to be the tipping point toward the American Revolution) - as if it were a terrorist act. At the root of every country's origins, one would more than likely be able to discover what would now be called a "terrorist act". [moved to the Soapbox to let the discussion open up a little. - Chris Maunder.]
".45 ACP - because shooting twice is just silly" - JSOP, 2010
-----
You can never have too much ammo - unless you're swimming, or on fire. - JSOP, 2010
-----
"Why don't you tie a kerosene-soaked rag around your ankles so the ants won't climb up and eat your candy ass." - Dale Earnhardt, 1997John Simmons / outlaw programmer wrote:
specifically, the Boston Tea Party as if it were a terrorist act.
...and the teaching of creationism, banning the teaching of Darwinian evolution (or at least down-grading it to an unproven hypotheses). Fundamentalism (be it religous or otherwise) is a dangerous path, but it doesn't half look like the first few bricks on that (very long) road from outside. For the 10 years I've known more about America than that I learnt in school (very little) via visiting for work and seeing relatives, I cannot but help feel that there is an almost endless number of pockets of fundamentalist style behaviour all over the place, kinda frightening tbh. (If anyone is at all offended, please accept my apologies, it was not my intent, it's just an observation)
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But since there is no voting, I will say it again. No citizen of the U.S. is capable of being a terrorist against the U.S. based on the founding doctrines of our country. Allowing anything else, pollutes the original ideal of our country (applies to U.S.). Those ideals are the right to revolt, to overthrow a tyrannical regime, the right to fight for what is right even if it is the government that is wrong. Calling citizens a terrorist allows history books to call patriots terrorists and tyrannical monarchs righteous. Down vote me if you want (HAH) but I am right. What Timothy McVeigh did was wrong, illegal, immoral, and killed my step sister, but was it terrorist? Not to me, did he deserve to be convicted and punished like he was, most likely. But, I still don't call him a terrorist.
Need custom software developed? I do custom programming based primarily on MS tools with an emphasis on C# development and consulting. I also do Android Programming as I find it a refreshing break from the MS. "And they, since they Were not the one dead, turned to their affairs" -- Robert Frost
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Well some of the handouts are created by the teachers over the years but as for reference they use the library for research if need be. The only issue with this is if you have a 50 year old teacher using handouts from the 70s. :-D Seems to be working out all right so far but this is the new way of doing things so of course nobody has found loopholes yet. :-D The other thing that might blow your mind is that they have little to NO HOMEWORK. The only measure of whether they understand is by actually using the material and tests. Took awhile to get used to but the more you think about it it makes sense.
------------------------------------- Do not do what has already been done. Absolute power corrupts absolutely.. but it ROCKS absolutely, too.
Doctor Nick wrote:
a 50 year old teacher using handouts from the 70s
They're using handouts from before they were teachers...
Doctor Nick wrote:
they have little to NO HOMEWORK. The only measure of whether they understand is by actually using the material and tests
The problem with this is that they have little to no feedback about how much they have learned before they are tested on it. A student is much more likely to learn the material if they did poorly on homework before the test than if they do poorly on the test. There is no motivation to learn it after the test has already been taken. If they know that they don't know the material well because of homework, they still have the motivation of a test to learn the material.
The United States invariably does the right thing, after having exhausted every other alternative. -Winston Churchill America is the only country that went from barbarism to decadence without civilization in between. -Oscar Wilde Wow, even the French showed a little more spine than that before they got their sh*t pushed in.[^] -Colin Mullikin
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John Simmons / outlaw programmer wrote:
specifically, the Boston Tea Party as if it were a terrorist act.
...and the teaching of creationism, banning the teaching of Darwinian evolution (or at least down-grading it to an unproven hypotheses). Fundamentalism (be it religous or otherwise) is a dangerous path, but it doesn't half look like the first few bricks on that (very long) road from outside. For the 10 years I've known more about America than that I learnt in school (very little) via visiting for work and seeing relatives, I cannot but help feel that there is an almost endless number of pockets of fundamentalist style behaviour all over the place, kinda frightening tbh. (If anyone is at all offended, please accept my apologies, it was not my intent, it's just an observation)
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Out of curoisity, these fundamentalists have done what to you? Just trying to understand why you'd be 'kinda frightened'.
Probably the same old "throw in emotionjerking words for instant 'relatable'" bullshit that everyone seems to be so fond of nowadays. If you're morally opposed to something, never say it makes you angry. Say it scares you. Also children and their future and puppies. INSTAWIN! Case closed.
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Out of curoisity, these fundamentalists have done what to you? Just trying to understand why you'd be 'kinda frightened'.
It's not what anyone has done directly, it's a number of indirect things. Take a terror attack and assume for a moment the motivation for said attack was fundamentalist, you then have a fear of said type of thing happeneing again, your chance of being involved is slim but real. Now take teaching, kids grow up with poor discrimination between opinion, belief and fact which can lead to misinformed viewpoints and hence substantial differences of opionion between peoples of the world. Drop that difference into a string religious or political context and you have an increased risk of 'incidents', war, terror, trade disputes, all harmful (from my opionion). For clarity 'poor discrimination between opinion, belief and fact' is not a value judgement it simply notes that whatever you choose to believe afterwards is no longer driven primarily by whatever your own sound rartional judgement basis is. Then jump to politics, which in many places in the world is more divided within countries than for a long time since. Such internal differences tend to lead parties to 'stronger' policies that are heavily influenced by some dogma or belief system etc., this drives greater political differences between countries which at a minimum is bad for international relationships and the world is unquestionably a global place today, few countries are internally sustainable, relaying on trade for some major element of infrastructure (food, eneergy generation etc.) and beyond the minimum, well we have plenty of examples on-going now and in the past 30 years. How about the instability that always accompanies global and regional power balance changes, both of which are underway? They usually don't make the world a better place to live. Etc. All of which, from my opinion, makes the world a less fun place to live, often with more fear.
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John Simmons / outlaw programmer wrote:
Texas schools are teaching US History - specifically, the Boston Tea Party ... as if it were a terrorist act.
This means the whole country is going to start teaching it this way, because normally everyone else follows Texas's choice of textbooks... :| EDIT: Also, I'm interested to hear what our neighbo(u)rs across the pond think of this...
The United States invariably does the right thing, after having exhausted every other alternative. -Winston Churchill America is the only country that went from barbarism to decadence without civilization in between. -Oscar Wilde Wow, even the French showed a little more spine than that before they got their sh*t pushed in.[^] -Colin Mullikin
Colin Mullikin wrote:
EDIT: Also, I'm interested to hear what our neighbo(u)rs across the pond think of this...
Bit of a 'so what'? It was 200 years ago: who cares? And I hardly think throwing some tea into the water is an act of terrorism, more just a waste of good tea.
"If you think it's expensive to hire a professional to do the job, wait until you hire an amateur." Red Adair. nils illegitimus carborundum me, me, me
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John Simmons / outlaw programmer wrote:
Texas schools are teaching US History - specifically, the Boston Tea Party ... as if it were a terrorist act.
This means the whole country is going to start teaching it this way, because normally everyone else follows Texas's choice of textbooks... :| EDIT: Also, I'm interested to hear what our neighbo(u)rs across the pond think of this...
The United States invariably does the right thing, after having exhausted every other alternative. -Winston Churchill America is the only country that went from barbarism to decadence without civilization in between. -Oscar Wilde Wow, even the French showed a little more spine than that before they got their sh*t pushed in.[^] -Colin Mullikin
Colin Mullikin wrote:
EDIT: Also, I'm interested to hear what our neighbo(u)rs across the pond think of this...
Bit of a 'so what'? It was over 200 years ago: who cares? And I hardly think throwing some tea into the water is an act of terrorism, more just a waste of good tea.
"If you think it's expensive to hire a professional to do the job, wait until you hire an amateur." Red Adair. nils illegitimus carborundum me, me, me
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Probably the same old "throw in emotionjerking words for instant 'relatable'" bullshit that everyone seems to be so fond of nowadays. If you're morally opposed to something, never say it makes you angry. Say it scares you. Also children and their future and puppies. INSTAWIN! Case closed.
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Probably the same old "throw in emotionjerking words for instant 'relatable'" bullshit that everyone seems to be so fond of nowadays. If you're morally opposed to something, never say it makes you angry. Say it scares you. Also children and their future and puppies. INSTAWIN! Case closed.
harold aptroot wrote:
Probably the same old "throw in emotionjerking words for instant 'relatable'" bullsh*t that everyone seems to be so fond of nowadays.
If you're morally opposed to something, never say it makes you angry. Say it scares you. Also children and their future and puppies. INSTAWIN! Case closed.Appreciate your view, but alas no, think I covered it in the previous e-mail with enough rational to note that it isn't knee-jerk, nor attention seeking. And I am not angry, the world has worked this way for as long as animals have lived on it, no point fighting that. However, such behaviour can be frightening.
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It's not what anyone has done directly, it's a number of indirect things. Take a terror attack and assume for a moment the motivation for said attack was fundamentalist, you then have a fear of said type of thing happeneing again, your chance of being involved is slim but real. Now take teaching, kids grow up with poor discrimination between opinion, belief and fact which can lead to misinformed viewpoints and hence substantial differences of opionion between peoples of the world. Drop that difference into a string religious or political context and you have an increased risk of 'incidents', war, terror, trade disputes, all harmful (from my opionion). For clarity 'poor discrimination between opinion, belief and fact' is not a value judgement it simply notes that whatever you choose to believe afterwards is no longer driven primarily by whatever your own sound rartional judgement basis is. Then jump to politics, which in many places in the world is more divided within countries than for a long time since. Such internal differences tend to lead parties to 'stronger' policies that are heavily influenced by some dogma or belief system etc., this drives greater political differences between countries which at a minimum is bad for international relationships and the world is unquestionably a global place today, few countries are internally sustainable, relaying on trade for some major element of infrastructure (food, eneergy generation etc.) and beyond the minimum, well we have plenty of examples on-going now and in the past 30 years. How about the instability that always accompanies global and regional power balance changes, both of which are underway? They usually don't make the world a better place to live. Etc. All of which, from my opinion, makes the world a less fun place to live, often with more fear.
Your post seems to address the human condition more than fundamentalism. I come from a particular view point first. I think people are angry first (and desire violence) and secondly find a cause to justify poor behavior. Again, the need to hate exists first and the reason attached to it is an after thought. That's why any cause usually has a healthy band of haters - even, ironically enough, peace causes.
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Doctor Nick wrote:
a 50 year old teacher using handouts from the 70s
They're using handouts from before they were teachers...
Doctor Nick wrote:
they have little to NO HOMEWORK. The only measure of whether they understand is by actually using the material and tests
The problem with this is that they have little to no feedback about how much they have learned before they are tested on it. A student is much more likely to learn the material if they did poorly on homework before the test than if they do poorly on the test. There is no motivation to learn it after the test has already been taken. If they know that they don't know the material well because of homework, they still have the motivation of a test to learn the material.
The United States invariably does the right thing, after having exhausted every other alternative. -Winston Churchill America is the only country that went from barbarism to decadence without civilization in between. -Oscar Wilde Wow, even the French showed a little more spine than that before they got their sh*t pushed in.[^] -Colin Mullikin
It's interesting because they actually now take the test before they even learn the content so they know where they need to work and the teacher knows what each student needs to work on. It actually leads to more directed instruction. Then they take the test again and if they fail a section they have to take the test again until they pass it. So like true developers they get to fail over and over again until they get it right. :-D Then again this is just a sample of what some of the teachers are doing. It doesn't work in every subject but it does solve the issue of teachers being overloaded with what is essentially busy work neither the students nor the teacher wants to deal with (complete for student and check for the teacher) and helps the student know areas of improvement. As I said, it's new and shiny right now because nobody has had a chance to prove it doesn't work yet but there's hope. The main message I've noticed is that the school is working to change the way the kids learn to fit more into an office environment instead of the old factory mentality. For example they no longer have a school bell because that was something originally designed to train kids for the whistle in a factory telling you when to go from one place to another. All interesting and in the end I think mostly crap but might as well try something right? :-D
------------------------------------- Do not do what has already been done. Absolute power corrupts absolutely.. but it ROCKS absolutely, too.
