Living History

February 11, 2012

The Dallas school system was (I guess) trying to give one sort of history lesson, and actually ended up giving another. Officials scheduled a field trip for fifth-grade students to see the movie “Red Tails,” a story of black fighter pilots in WWII. There was only enough room for 5,700 students, so they sent the boys. The girls stayed at school and watched a movie about a black girl who triumphs in a spelling bee.

Officials thought the fighter pilot movie would appeal to the boys more than the girls.

The lesson I’m taking away is that the glass ceiling isn’t even close to being history.

Move Over, Mark Twain

January 31, 2012

If you haven't seen the column about the letter from former slave Jourdon Anderson to his former master, go to the Yahoo! home page and type in "Letter from former slave". It should take you to a column by Eric Pfeiffer at The Sideshow, which gives excerpts of the letter.

If Mr. Anderson had taken up writing professionally, he could have given Mark Twain and Bret Harte a run for their money.

Happy Groundhog Day

February 2, 2012

Just like last year, the February 2nd edition of the Statesman is chock-full of noteworthy tidbits. Read on:

Let's Work out the Bugs First

February 2, 2012

There’s a push to put digital textbooks in schools. They’ll be easier to update, which means that schools won’t have to shell out $70 per textbook every time a new discovery is made or a new edition is printed. They’ll also be easier for students to carry.

What I want to know is how the schools will stop people from hacking in and putting anything they choose to into the programs. (“Hey, Mom, did you know that Christopher Columbus discovered Pluto?”)

A Model of Efficiency

February 2, 2012

A woman who bought a Honda hybrid sued in small claims court because the car didn’t deliver the 50 miles per gallon that Honda claimed it would. She took the case to small claims because she figured that the case would get settled quickly, and, at a cap of $10,000, Honda would pay up rather than drag out the case, as would happen with a class-action suit.

She won, and was awarded $9,867. Bless her heart!

A Model of Inefficiency

February 2, 2012

Here’s a dilemma: The F-35 Lockheed jet, an advanced fighter jet, is years behind its development schedule and billions of dollars over budget.  One senator claims that part of the problem is that the Defense Department wants more bells and whistles than the plane actually needs; but the project won’t get killed outright because the kinks are close to being worked out and, more importantly from a legislative point of view, if they stop production, thousands of real and potential jobs will be lost.

No word on what would happen to the jobs if they designed something that actually worked and put that into production.

Calling The Mentalist

February 2, 2012

Students reported the actions of Mark Berndt, a teacher whose classroom behavior was so disgusting that you’ll have to read about it for yourself, to school officials. The counselor interviewed the girls and concluded that they were making up stories; and there things rested from 1991 until 2010, when a photo lab technician called police about pictures that Berndt had dropped off to be developed. So for an additional 20 years, this guy had access to students.

Being a teacher is a scary thing. Students can say things and ruin your reputation unjustly, costing you your livelihood and possibly sending you to jail.

Being a student is a scary thing, because people can abuse you and you might not be believed if you report it.

Being a counselor is a scary thing, because how do you know who’s telling the truth? Students’ safety and teachers’ reputations depend on you.

Too bad each state school system can’t have a real-life Mentalist, like fictional Patrick Jane, who would be terrific at reading people and know who’s telling the truth and who isn’t.

Are there any out-of-work fake psychics who would like to apply for the job?