DADvocate

UPDATE I decided to add the update to the top to try to receive more input. This update is simply my reply to the teacher's reply.

Thank you for replying. I'm not sure how else I could have "reacted" to the situation that would have been significantly different. I do believe I was trying to look at the entire picture. If Alex were to report others for misbehavior he would undoubtedly catch a lot of flack from his peers and, perhaps, be ostracized. It's not reasonable to expect students to report other students in most cases. Alex had told me that the sub stated she
was reporting the whole class. I know the particular child I identified as obnoxious quite well and have been around him in many situations. I have never seen anything that would make me believe he would act significantly different in the classroom but I could be wrong.

An anecdote regarding an incident that happened when I was in the 8th grade. While the teacher was out of the room, many of us misbehaved quite badly. (I'll omit the details.) When the teacher returned he told us the entire class would be punished unless the kids who misbehaved identified themselves. Although 15 to 20 kids misbehaved, another guy and myself decided to say we did it. When we went to the principal, I believe he realized what really happened. He gave us a painless paddling and we became class heroes. I still respect that principal to this day and never got in trouble again that year.

In high school, I the principal falsely accused me of something and wouldn't believe me or my friend when we told him otherwise. I had liked him quite well before that, even gone flying in a private plane with him, after that I lost all respect for him. Things happen in the minds of children over incidents we barely notice sometimes.

I am Alex's father. It is my responsibility to ensure, as far as
possible, that he is treated properly. Schools want parental involvement. I check his homework nearly everyday. I do everything I can to support his extra-curricular activities. I believe Mason County is an excellent school system. I am happy he is able to attend it and I am happy for the discipline that is enforced there.

I have spoken with Alex regarding the situation and he does not know I contacted you. Alex's mother and I put a great emphasis in good behavior and eduction. Please let me know if you have any other concerns regarding Alex.

That principal in the 8th grade knew what was going on. He had two excellent students from upper middle class backgrounds, professional parents, the top two athletes in their class, excellent grades, polite and mannerly. He made it appear as if we got punished but essentially complimented us for our actions. We loved him for it ever after.

Oh, and the misbehavior? Throwing wadded paper into light fixtures which began smoking profusely and could have started a serious fire. Nowadays, we'd probably ended up in juvenile.

If you never have, you need to read Kentuckian Jesse Stuart's experiences as a teacher. We're talking fist fights with students in which Jesse KO'd one once.

All this reminds me of my homeroom teacher in the 9th and 10th grades at the old Young High School in South Knoxville, Floyd Bean. Mr. Bean was a throw back to I'm not sure when. He parted his hair in the middle when it was the least fashionable thing your could do. He was extremely polite and mannered. His dress was neat but nondescript. He enjoyed telling us stories during homeroom time.

One story involved an incident about 15 years earlier (early 50's). An angry student came to his classroom after school with the intention of beating up Mr. Bean. Unbeknown to the student, Mr. Bean had been prize fighter in his earlier days. Mr. Bean described the student's face as looking like a "bowl of grape jelly" when they were finished. We ALL respected Mr. Bean. He was a little on the old side but looked very fit and I was pretty sure he could take me any time he wanted.

Young High was a pretty rough school too. The starting center on the varsity basketball team my sophomore year eventually want to prison for killing a guy in a bar fight. There were some other very tough teachers and I got to see them in action once. Yes, we respected them very much. I'll tell you about it soon.
End of update

Perhaps the title should read "Does My Kids' Schools Really Want More Parental Involvement." It seems any time you get into a discussion of elementary or high school eduction, student academic performance and student behavior you hear about the importance of parental involvement. I don't dispute this for a second but I truly wonder how sincere schools are when they ask for greater parental involvement.

Whenever I've gone to the school with a complaint or criticism I always walk away dissatisfied. Today I wrote and email to my 13 year old son's algebra teacher concerning and incident in which he received "break detention" and a threat of suspension if it happened again. The incident was students being too rowdy when a substitute teacher had taken over for a day.

The incident was handled the next school day by the teacher immediately telling all girls to leave the classroom. You can imagine how this riled me up when first hearing it. Then the male students were pressured to admit or deny their involvement. My son and two others admitted to it. According to my son many others were involved but lied their way out of it. I believe him without a doubt. Also, I don't believe for a second that no girls were involved at all.

I'm proud of my son for owning up to his responsibility. He never complained about the detention. He only complained that the girls were given a free pass and that others were allowed to lie and get out of it.

Here is the email I sent in its entirety:

Dear Ms. Teacher,

Alex related to me the incident two Fridays ago in which his class basically acted up while a substitute teacher was filling in for you. He stated that on Monday all girls were told to leave the class and then people who claimed they did not participate in the misbehavior were also allowed to leave. Alex told me that quite a few students who did misbehave, claimed they didn't and left, leaving only himself and two other students.

I have no problem with Alex receiving break detention for his actions but do have other concerns. First, the bias in favor of girls disturbs me quite a bit. Fewer and fewer boys are completing high school, entering college, etc. Females out number males in law school, medical school and overall college numbers. I believe much of this problem is because school environments are much more conducive to the female personality and not the more active
males. Schools need to be seeking and implementing ways to more fully involve boys not singling them out as trouble makers. Additionally, only a videotape of the class would convince me that no girls misbehaved. I have three sisters and two daughters. I know better.

Secondly, Alex's mother and I work hard at teaching him to be honest. Obviously our efforts are not in vain. I know many of the other students. At least one of the students, that Alex says misbehaved but got off because he claimed he didn't, rates among one of the most obnoxious kids I've met as I found out when helping chaperone school activities. The manner in which
this problem was dealt with encourages students to lie which is
counter-productive to what his mother and I, and probably you, are
trying to teach Alex.

Lastly, the threat of suspension strikes me as heavy handed given the above circumstances, Alex's overall behavioral/academic record and that, unfortunately, substitute teachers have taken the brunt of student misbehavior for decades. I substituted at MCMS about 15 years ago myself. It ain't easy. Alex never complained about the detention but is concerned about the possible suspension in that it would be easy for someone else to act up and he end up being unfairly punished, especially considering how this incident was handled.

I am certain that these problems can be handled in a manner that is more amelioratory and more effective. While I am not genuinely concerned about Alex completing high school or college, many other boys are much less likely to do so than girls. Efforts should be made not to alienate boys from school. Spending 7 hours or more a day in a school dominated by female teachers may not be as easy as you think for boys. Plus, in this case, the three boys that had the honesty and courage to take responsibility for their misbehavior should probably be rewarded for not lying like many of their classmates.

Below are several links to articles and information concerning the
difficulties and obstacles boys are facing in schools today.

Here is her response.

To begin with, the sub stated some boys in the class were misbehaving and stated the area where they were seated. My students know that if they misbehave for a sub, there will be severe consequence for this. I
did tell the girls to leave, due to the fact that no female was
identified as a problem for that specific day. This was not due to them being female, but the sub's note. I asked the students to be honest and they were. There was no complaint given to me that anyone else was involved when I handed down punishment. If I had been informed I would have done more research into the incident. Alex should have told me if there was a problem instead of saying absolutely nothing to me. I am not sure what you have been told, but I do not show favoritism toward the girls, I am actually harder on the girls than the boys. I know and understand that boys tend to be more hyper than girls and that is why I allow some of the behavior that I do in my class. Ask, you should be given a truthful answer on that one too.

I am glad that you do not object to his detention. I have rules that I enforce no matter who a student may be. All my students are treated as equally as possible. I only used suspension as a step if the behavior happens repeatedly as it is not tolerated in any situation on this team. Ms. xxxxxxx also had to come to the class and reprimand them the day that I was out, so it was not just the sub talking about their behavior(Ms. xxxxxx is next door and the noise level interrupted her class).

As you state in your email some students are very obnoxious, but you have to remember that they act differently around various people. What you see may not be what I see out of a certain kid, that is what happens and how things get started with students in the first place. I appreciate your candor, but you also have to look at the whole picture and not just one side of it.

Alex is a great kid and I have no issues with him whatsoever that should cause any type of problem in the future. He is a very intelligent child and he knows what is right. I did tell my class today that they need to address me so that I can address an issue and not hear about it from others. I respect my students and will always listen to them and try to work with them in all aspects, if they give me the chance to do so.

I would really appreciate if you would have given me the chance to
explain before you reacted. I am also forwarding this to Mrs. zzzzzz so that she will know I took care of it.

I really hope that this helps to clear the problem up and that you do not think any less of me or this team. I think the world of Alex and would hope that he can get over this incident.

Is it just me or does it irritate you when a reply starts "To begin with,..." I always feel the intended completion is "you're an idiot."

Does this teacher really believe this: "I asked the students to be honest and they were."? When I was a student we lied like hell to get out of trouble.

And, what about this: "There was no complaint given to me that anyone else was involved when I handed down punishment. If I had been informed I would have done more research into the incident. Alex should have told me if there was a problem instead of saying absolutely nothing to me." Jees, one of the strongest taboos among teens is ratting on someone else. People have gotten punched for this.

"As you state in your email some students are very obnoxious." I didn't state "some" students are very obnoxious. I stated one student was very obnoxious. I've known this kid as long as he's lived in this town, he's spent the night at my house, etc., not a bad kid but very obnoxious.

"I would really appreciate if you would have given me the chance to
explain before you reacted." I realize I came down more strongly than most parents but what kind of chance was I supposed to give her? She never notified Alex's mom or I. In these circumstances I always copy the supervisor so that there is no misrepresentation of my words.

The few times I've complained over the last 12 years, I'm left feeling that the school staff either didn't listen, didn't care, or were only interested in defending their position. There appears to be no openness to actual input.

Once I complained about how a coach yelled, screamed and cursed. I was asked if it was just "loud coaching." At the end of the season I sat in a complaint meeting concerning the coach with about 8 other parents and the school superintendent. It's too late when the season is over. If this coach had treated girls in the same manner someone probably would have assaulted him.

I didn't tell my son I sent the email. But I think it's important that the school knows I'm looking out for him. He's a straight A student, etc, etc. But I know from experience that sometimes a single unfair, or overly harsh incident can send a child the wrong way.

I realize the problem of misbehavior and substitute teachers. Forty years ago, we giving them hell. If all these school people are so smart, how come they haven't found a way to prevent this during that 40 years?

Tweeners sounds like something from Jeff Foxworthy's "Redneck Dictionary" but tweeners are kids ages 8 to 12 years. Apparently tweeners are becoming the new teens. "But child development experts say that physical and behavioral changes that would have been typical of teenagers decades ago are now common among "tweens" — kids ages 8 to 12."

Apparently experts are concerned about some of the developments happening with tweens.

The shift that's turning tweens into the new teens is complex — and worrisome to parents and some professionals who deal with children. They wonder if kids are equipped to handle the thorny issues that come with the adolescent world.

[---]

Beyond the drugs, sex and rock'n'roll their boomer and Gen X parents navigated, technology and consumerism have accelerated the pace of life, giving kids easy access to influences that may or may not be parent-approved. Sex, violence and foul language that used to be relegated to late-night viewing and R-rated movies are expected fixtures in everyday TV.

[---]

But as the limits have been pushed, experts say the stakes also have gotten higher — with parents and tweens having to deal with very grown-up issues such as pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases. Earlier this year, that point hit home when federal officials recommended a vaccine for HPV — a common STD that can lead to cervical cancer — for girls as young as age 9.

"Physically, they're adults, but cognitively, they're children," says Alderman, the physician in New York. She's found that cultural influences have affected her own children, too.

Earlier this year, her 12-year-old son heard the popular pop song "Promiscuous" and asked her what the word meant.

"I mean, it's OK to have that conversation, but when it's constantly playing, it normalizes it," Alderman says.

She observes that parents sometimes gravitate to one of two ill-advised extremes — they're either horrified by such questions from their kids, or they "revel" in the teen-like behavior. As an example of the latter reaction, she notes how some parents think it's cute when their daughters wear pants or shorts with words such as "hottie" on the back.

As the father of a tween girl and two teen boys, I've certainly faced the problems mentioned. Despite having grown up with the drugs, sex and rock & roll of the Sixties and Seventies, I find some of today's music worrisome.

What is "Ridin' Diry?"; My daughter thinks it's driving drunk. I think it's something else but I'm not telling her. Last year at this time, I blogged about theThanksgiving experiences of visiting my family. This included an incident where my two youngest children used the term "gay" to describe someone's appearance and were confronted by my gay sister with, "What's wrong with being gay?"

Chldren don't need to deal with this stuff. Most children this age don't have the abstract reasoning ability to adequately process the issues involved. Additionally, they simply don't need the pressure of having to deal with some adult's sexual issues. I'm not sure when I first learned homosexuality existed but I am sure that it was several years later in life than when my children found out.

In a related article here are some tips for dealing with tweens.

• SET LIMITS
• THINK "TEACHABLE MOMENT."
• PICK YOUR BATTLES
• CREATE A CIRCLE OF LIKE-MINDED PARENTS
• STAY CLOSE

I find that I do all of these things, therefore it is an excellent list.

Setting limits is quite important. Some parents won't prohibit their kids from going to an R-rated movie because the kids will see it anyway, sneak in the movies, see it at a friends on DVD, etc. This may be true. But more important is that the child knows where the parents stand. This is how we teach values.

Read the entire list. If you don't fully understand, dig for more information.

Love those tweeners.

Some mean and nasty commenters at this morally corrupt blog accused me of lacking compassion and all sorts of terrible things. I can't mention the particulars because the cruelty is too great to bare.

Just to set the record strait, I'M AS COMPASSIONATE AS THE NEXT GUY. During my life I have consistently tried to be aware of the plight of the down-trodden, pour, less fortunate and the French. If someone has left a jar to collect money for an operation for their second cousin on the counter at a convenient, I might put money in it.

When I leave work each evening, there is a homeless man sitting in the median at the traffic light. I feel sorry for him. It looks like a pitiful existence. I don't give him any money but I don't honk my horn if the light turns green while the person in the car in front of me gives him money.

Speaking of driving to work, my drive to work is 60 miles one way which gives me time to reflect. Since most of the trip is through rural areas, I've noticed that many farmers and other rural folks can't afford a car as nice as mine. That makes me sad. Maybe I bought more car than I really need, but a BMW 325is sure does make the trip more fun. And the sound system is great.

Being intensely interested in national and international events, because we are a global village, I watch a couple of hours of cable news each day. The world is covered with hunger, disease, pain, suffering, over-population and water. Mostly water, water covers about 71% of the earth. With my 42" flat panel, wide screen TV, I can really, really see just how bad things are. I would have bought a larger TV but I wanted the Klipsch RF-83 Home Theater System and I do have some limits to my finances.

The only other show I watch on TV with the same regularity, is "The Girls Next Door." Man, that Huge Hefner is one lucky dude. He's 80 or more years old and has three hot chicks living with him. If those girls lived with me, I'd be dead by the end of the week. Anyway, I voted for John Kerry to try to alleviate these problems but, as usual, the Republicans cheated, stoled the elections, and continued their exploitation of the whirled. I mean, I feel their pain.

I actually feel guilty for having a 3,125 sq. ft. house with 3 baths and a custom kitchen when I see the conditions in which most of the people of the world live. Some people still live in huts and shanties. How can they stand those tropical climates without air conditioning?

I care about the environment too. We have weigh to much pollution due the greed of corporations and Republicans. Heck, I tried using those new fluorescent bulbs but I didn't like the light. Instead, I bought an insert for my fireplace to heat my house with wood, less pollution from coal burning power plants that way.

Yes, I am a compassionate person. "Judge not lest ye be judged" all you neigh sayers and other punks. Heck, I am so compassionate that I almost feel sorry for the Kentucky football players and fans that have lost to Tennessee for 22 years in a row now.

Beat that!!

I AM COMPASSIONATE AS THE NEXT GUY. I'm just not sure who the next guy is.

UPDATE: Perhaps if I prayed for the death of Dick Cheney the liberals mentioned above would realize just how truly compassionate I am. (Hat tip to DrHelen)

P.S. If you think that some words are misspelled or incorrectly used, don't worry, they are add homonyms.

You Are The Stuffing

You're complicated and complex, yet all your pieces fit together. People miss you if you're gone - but they're not sure why.

Hat tip to GM Roper

Hint - Conservatives

Another story comes to light concerning giving and caring. Philanthropy expert Arthur C. Brooks has written a book "that concludes religious conservatives donate far more money than secular liberals to all sorts of charitable activities, irrespective of income."

This is not the first time the charitable giving of conservatives has been pointed out. Michelle Malkin made a very nice colored chart of The Generosity Index, compiled by The Catalogue For Philanthropy that showed that 25 red states that voted for Bush ranked more charitable than any blue state. Of course, there were the surprised liberals when Dick Cheney's charitable donations were made known in his tax return.

More on Brooks and the book:

The child of academics, raised in a liberal household and educated in the liberal arts, Brooks has written a book that concludes religious conservatives donate far more money than secular liberals to all sorts of charitable activities, irrespective of income.

In the book, he cites extensive data analysis to demonstrate that values advocated by conservatives -- from church attendance and two-parent families to the Protestant work ethic and a distaste for government-funded social services -- make conservatives more generous than liberals.

The book, titled "Who Really Cares: The Surprising Truth About Compassionate Conservatism" (Basic Books, $26), is due for release Nov. 24.

When it comes to helping the needy, Brooks writes: "For too long, liberals have been claiming they are the most virtuous members of American society. Although they usually give less to charity, they have nevertheless lambasted conservatives for their callousness in the face of social injustice."

[---]

Harvey Mansfield, professor of government at Harvard University and 2004 recipient of the National Humanities Medal, does not know Brooks personally but has read the book.

"His main finding is quite startling, that the people who talk the most about caring actually fork over the least," he said. "But beyond this finding I thought his analysis was extremely good, especially for an economist. He thinks very well about the reason for this and reflects about politics and morals in a way most economists do their best to avoid."

Brooks' findings parallel my personal observations.

Caring demands a sacrifice and/or effort on the part of the caring person whether in parenting or some other aspect of life. Telling your children that you love them is fine and dandy. But, unless you spend time with them, spend money on them, work and sacrifice for them, they won't feel that you love and care for them.

Many liberals believe that caring for the poor and down-trodden means taking money from some via taxes and giving it to others is caring. It's not. It's placating the masses. Socialism is a greater opiate than religion ever has been or will be.

CNN reports that students in major urban areas generally do worse on a standardized science test than students in other areas.

Fourth-graders in nine of the 10 city districts had lower average scores than public school students nationally. The only exception was Austin, Texas, where they performed at the national average.

In eighth grade, all 10 urban districts had average scores below the national average.

The science scores are from the 2005 National Assessment of Educational Progress, a test given nationwide periodically on a range of subjects. It is viewed as the best way to compare student achievement across state and district lines.

Besides Austin, the urban districts that participated in the comparative look were: Atlanta; Boston; Charlotte, N.C.; Chicago; Cleveland; Houston; Los Angeles; New York and San Diego.

[---]

The topics covered on the tests include earth science, physics, chemistry and biology.

The article does not identify and cause but does note "high teacher turnover and a lack of emphasis on teacher training as problems in urban school districts."

One thought I have is that students in urban areas have less contact with "real" science in their lives. Living in a rural area, my kids have a creek behind our house, see plants and animals on a daily basis. Kids that help with farm work learn about chemistry, biology, earth science as part of daily life. Having these experiences, they are more easily able to relate the material they learn in school to real life. Thus, they remember and understand it more easily.

My son and I can look for fossils in nearby limestone cliffs and road cuts. We've watched calves be born, planted, grown and sold corn which is more complex than you might imagine. In urban areas such experiences are much harder to come by.

A few years ago, my niece's science class built a genuine rowing scull to demonstrate principles of physics. They had engineers and rowing coaches consult with them. They learned quite a bit during the course of the year. (The teacher received Teacher of the Year honors for Kentucky.) Basic classroom instruction is boring. Schools could incorporate projects like this one into their curriculum.

If schools integrated more hands on experiences with the formal studies, students would quite likely perform better academically. It's worth investigating.

GM Roper has written a superb analysis of Democrat/liberal psycho/social dynamics I've read anywhere, Group Think - The Democrats and Their Allies.

I'm always hesitant to call something a must read but this is.

A co-worker of mine found this WMD* for sell online at an affordable price.



I think I need two.

* Weapon of Mass Distraction

Leading up to the elections, the nation discussed numerous domestic and foreign issues including Iraq, the war on terror, health care, minimum wage, corruption, et cetera. A couple of items that received only passing mention is our aging Congress and its poor work ethic.

The average age in the Senate is the highest in history before the elections and probably remains so.

Sen. Robert Byrd, D-W.V., is an institution. He's the longest serving senator in U.S. history. He's also 88 years old, and if he wins re-election -- he's the clear favorite in his race -- he'll be 95 at the end of his ninth term.

But Byrd isn't alone. Also up for re-election is Sen. Daniel Akaka, D-Hawaii, who is 82 and would be 88 at the end of his third term, if re-elected. And over in the House, the 83-year-old Rep. Ralph Hall, R-Texas, is running for a 14th term.

Congress, in fact, is the grayest it's ever been, and don't expect this to change much after the November midterms. The average age of a senator is 60 (the oldest ever) and the average age of a member of the House is 55 (the oldest in more than a century).

Congress has also done very little work. Lou Dobbs notes Congress' laziness and allegiance to corporate America.

This Republican-led, do-nothing Congress is on its way home for a five-week vacation. I'm sure while there, they'll be glad to explain to their constituents why they need so much rest in a year in which they will work fewer than 80 days.

The Republicans in Congress have little to brag about when they return home. And the Democrats have a lot of explaining to do, as well. Once the party of the New Deal, Fair Deal and Great Society, the party of working men and women, the Democrats are now buried as deeply in the pockets of their corporate masters as are the Republicans.

Emphasis mine.

Harry Truman railed against the do-nothing Congress in 1948. But this Congress is lazier.

Including today, the 109th Congress will have been in session 93 days this year. At a comparable date in 1948, the 80th had been in session 110 days."

Will the new Democratic controlled Congress work harder? We'll have to wait and see. But I wouldn't bet on it. The Democrats don't seem any more committed to fighting corruption than the Republicans were. Instapundit notes some examples.

Maybe Congress needs extra rest because of all the old Senators and Congress persons. I doubt it. I imagine that the typical Senator and Congressperson is in it more for themselves than for the American citizen, thus the corruption problem. I would love for the Democrats to prove me wrong but they are not off to a good start. Of course, it will be hard to replicate the high ethical standards of the Clinton administration.

I am a Southerner. I grew up and lived the first 38 years of my life in Tennessee. My voice contains a combination of Southern drawl and hillbilly twang. I say "Ya'll" because I don't know any other word or phrase to take its place. Although I now live in Ohio, I love the South, which I is why I get all riled up when those damn Yankees put on airs of superiority. Frankly, I wouldn't mind kicking some Yankee ass.

In an article about the Ford/Coker Senate race in Tennessee, the New York Times started with this sentence.

Tennessee’s open Senate seat stayed in Republican hands on Tuesday night after a campaign that drew national attention for its nastiness and for Democratic hopes that it would break a longstanding race barrier.

"longstanding race barrier"

Guess what uppity New Yorkers. New York ain't never had no black Senators, period. Mississippi had two during Reconstruction, Illinois claims two and MaMassachusetts, one. To his credit, Harold Ford states that racism played no role in his loss.

If the New York Times wants to talk racism, why don't they talk about the governor's race in Ohio, Blackwell/Strickland. Ken Blackwell is a dark skinned black person, unlike Harold Ford, Jr. or Barack Obama. I've followed his career since I moved to the northern Kentucky/southern Ohio region. He is an honest, ethical man. He was soundly defeated by Strickland for the governor's race. There's plenty of racism in Ohio. During the past ten years the KKK has erected public displays in downtown Cincinnati during Christmas time.

There's plenty of racism in other places outside the South. This list of mass racial violence from Wikipedia doesn't show a single Southern city in the last 20 years.

• 1991: Crown Heights Riot
• 1992: Los Angeles
• 2001: 2001 Cincinnati Riots
• 2001: Seattle Mardi Gras Riots

But it does include Ohio, the state where a black man lost the governor's race.

Of course, Ken Blackwell is a Republican and quite conservative. The race card only gets played for Democrats. Only Southerners or law enforcement officers can be racist. The liberals at the New York Times have their heads so far up their collective butts that they are writing what they see, crap.

And now another uppity New Yorker, Rep. Charles Rangel, says, "...who the hell wants to live in Mississippi?" Charlie you should have brought this up last Semptember right after Katrina hit. We could have saved a lot of money rebuilding Gulfport, and other areas of Mississippi. We could have just moved everyone in Mississippi to that little bit of heaven called New York. Plus, you would have shown us just how much you compassionate Democrats really care.

Give me a choice between New York and Mississippi and I'll head south every time.

Hey, all you Yankees still living with Civil War stereotypes! This is the 21st Century. Besides, the South has been ahead of the North in many ways for a long time.

All literate, right-thinking Americans know that the first college in the nation to admit women students was Blount College (now the University of Tennessee). William Blount, Governor of the Territory South of the Ohio, secured admission of his daughter Barbara, Kittie Kain, Colonel McClung's daughter, and three other young ladies of the capital's aristocracy to the institution named for him.

If your editors have a genuine passion for verification, you can go to Knoxville and get all six names from the doorplates of the dormitories named for America's first coeds.

If you preening, narcissistic Yankees would quit adoring yourselves, you might see why the South is great. Come visit some time. But please don't stay. We don't need no New York South.

The Veterans Home in Georgetown, OH this morning. A misty rain is falling.


Entering the Veterans Home. The facility if only a few years old. Hopefully the veterans are living in the comfort they deserve.

A statue of Georgetown, Ohio's most famous veteran, U.S. Grant. Grant was born in Point Pleasant, OH but grew up in Georgetown. Grant's boyhood home is now a museum in Georgetown.

Curiously, Georgetown's second most famous hometown product is also a Grant, NBA player, Brian Grant. No known relation to U.S. Grant.

Bloggers all over are making intelligent analysis and commentary on the Democratic landslide in yesterday's elections. Liberal Patrick Armstrong at HurricaneRadio graciously says,

First of all, I don't see this as a mandate, I see this as an absolute repudiation of the child-like behavior of this Congress. Pelosi & Co. didn't have to represent a really good hand to take this electoral pot, they just had to beat the awful hand the Republicans were bluffing on.

I doubt the actual Dems will be this realistic.

The Anchoress has plenty of thoughts, here are some of them. She's not happy with the MSM.

More than anything…more than ANYTHING…this election has given absolute carte blanche to the press, who may now operate openly and freely as the extended arm of the DNC Communications Wing. They will in no way attempt to restore faith with the American public. Hell, they got the job done, didn’t they? What’s to restore; clearly the distracted American public trusts ‘em just fine.

Frankly, the MSM is pathetic but still has influence.

GM Roper wrote an open letter to the Republican Party. He tells them:

You sat on your fat butts and spent like you were democrats. You refused to fight for the principles you were elected on. You broke your promise to the American people and they remembered that when they went into the voting booth. You fell down on the job.

There are some excellent comments to his post also.

The ever civil Ann Coulter actually lets loose with a rant.

In Franklin D. Roosevelt's sixth year in 1938, Democrats lost 71 seats in the House and six in the Senate.

In Dwight Eisenhower's sixth year in 1958, Republicans lost 47 House seats, 13 in the Senate.

In John F. Kennedy/Lyndon Johnson's sixth year, Democrats lost 47 seats in the House and three in the Senate.

In Richard Nixon/Gerald Ford's sixth year in office in 1974, Republicans lost 43 House seats and three Senate seats.

Even America's greatest president, Ronald Reagan, lost five House seats and eight Senate seats in his sixth year in office.

At Just Muttering, it is noted that there noticeablecable absence of Bush Derangement Syndrome today.

As for my, I'm going to panic. Why panic? Well, first off, panicking can be fun plus you get lots of attention. I'm checking out domiciles in which to survive the Apocalypse. It's time to read up and learn survival techniques. I'm honing my archery skills in the event I need to hunt and kill our food.

With enough time, the Democrats reach an understanding with terrorists that includes the deaths of thousands of innocent American citizens. Our lands will be given to needy illegal immigrants. Of course, we deserve this because we are evil people that have exploited others for decades. Many other ills will befall us.

Gloom, despair, and agony on me
Deep dark depression
Excessive misery
If it wernt fer bad luck
Ah'd have no luck at all
Gloom, despair and agony on me

Yet, according to Democratic rhetoric we will all be living in a utopia by the end of January, 2007. Can't wait.

Or, maybe, everything will be OK.

I'm predicting a political cycle similar to the one that began two years before Jimmy Carter was elected. Democrats gain some power, probably the presidency in 2008. They show everybody, again, how lousy of a job they do. Terrorism will be dealt with ineffectively during their watch. Real Republicans will then return to power.

Listen to this guy, obviously a Democrat, in Philadelphis try to explain why he blocked a Republican poll worker from entering the site.



Yeah, those Democrats want free and open elections.

Reading the November, 2006 issue of National Geographic I found an item of note in the "Inside Geographic" page toward the end of the magazine, a three quarter page blurb with full color photo titled "Girl Power." The blurb focuses on the seven girls who qualified for the finals of the National Geographic Bee. Approximately fifty champions from the 50 states plus U.S. territories, etc. participated. The blurb states this is the largest group of girls in the Bee in over 10 years.

I'm glad for the girls and find it curious that more girls haven't done well at this. But I also find it tiresome to read, again, the some old tribute to girls/women. There was no mention of the boy, Bonny Jain, who won the Bee or any of the other 40 to 50 something boys. I'm sure Bonny Jain got his moment in the sun but why is it so important to highlight these girls?

Certainly, there were other aspects of some contestants that were equally or more intriguing. I don't find this sort of attention to be good for girls or boys. The underlying message here to girls is "it is so unusual for girls to do well at this activity we must give extra attention to it because most girls are geographic dunces." The message it gives the boys is "too bad guys, no matter how much you excel we're going to focus our admiration on the girls." I don't see either message as being encouraging to either gender as a group. Plus, it helps set the stage for gender based warfare down the road.

Last Sunday, DrHelen posted about a Dr Phil show in which a man didn't want to pay child support for a child he fathered by a woman who told him she couldn't conceive. The post created quite a debate concerning men's rights versus women's rights, choices regarding parenthood and the like. Currently, all the choice past the decision to have sexual intercourse lie in the hands of the female.

I've advocated that men have similar rights as women. Instead of forcing abortion, allow men to disavow parenthood within a limited time frame beginning when first aware of the pregnancy or the child's existence. Enable men to collect repayment and other damages when fraudulently led to believe a child is theirs. Pass legislation protecting sperm donors from paying child support. Protect male victims of under age rape by an adult female from ever having to pay child support for a child conceived under such circumstances.

Presently, men a being forced to support children that aren't theirs. Sometimes they even pay child support for a child that doesn't and never did exist. Some women think sperm donors should pay child support. One woman tried to have a child using frozen embryo created by her and her now divorced husband who would have to pay child support.

Men are generally told "if they don't like it, just keep it in their pants." Hmm, wonder how this approach would work with women.

In response to DrHelen's post, Dr. Melissa Clouthier wrote a post on her blog. Dr. Melissa makes some excellent points.

IT'S ABOUT THE CHILDREN, PEOPLE! Our society is filled with such selfish, self-absorbed, indulgent adults that all they can think about is their own gratification and getting away with it with no obligation.

Just a few weeks ago, I wrote a post that touched on the same subject. In an update Dr. Melissa also writes:

Well, I'm for restricting everyone's reproductive rights--including women's. I believe abortion-rights have denigrated a woman's place in society. I believe that women have been the second biggest losers due to abortion. Ultimately, children have lost the most--their lives.

I agree. One of the ironies of feminism, which greatly protests women being treated as sex objects, is that women are now more of a sex object than before the birth of feminism. With the availability of birth control, abortion, etc., men using women and women using men for pleasure without commitment occurs commonly. Yet feminists and politicians continue to preach about abortion being a woman's inherit "right."

Dr. Melissa arrives at a less than flattering conclusion concerning men.

Men are the new victims. Welcome, men, to the horde of pathetic losers claiming their life is ruined by someone else. Wallow along with the rest of us, will you? Isn't that nice? Dr. Helen thinks men should unite and fight for their rights. It's already happening. And it is crazy. In this men's movement, no thought is given to the children. Oh, yeah! Them....

Here I disagree. A "pathetic loser" is someone who quits fighting and gives up. A pathetic loser just lies there and takes it. Maybe Dr. Melissa belongs to that seemingly ever increasing body of women who think that a man's only purpose in life is to serve them. And if you don't serve them well enough, they get your house, your furniture, your kids and much of your money.

Fighting for equality, freedom and justice traditionally ranks upon the most noble of pursuits. Did I miss something somewhere?

In Tennessee and elsewhere, there's been a lot attention to a couple of commercials against Harold Ford, Jr. One is a radio commercial by the Bob Corker campaign in which some delusional people with auditory hallucinations believe there are "jungle drums" playing in the background whenever Ford is mentioned. There are drums but definitely not jungle drums. In fact, the same drum beat plays in the background of another Bob Corker ad in which Ford is not mentioned.

In this case Corker's opponents are trying to use racism to lure votes from Corker. I doubt the efforts will make any difference as only liberals with paranoid delusions would believe the drums are jungle drums. And they are most likely not voting Republican anyway.

The other commercial, apparently by the RNC, hits lower notes. You can see it here. Two scenes in the commercial show a young woman with bare shoulders acting as if she's coming on to Ford. As I still hear on occasion racist references to black men dating white women, I find this commercial appealing to the racist feelings of some. Additionally, this commercial ranks among one of the most pathetic I've seen even without the racist innuendo.

(Hat tip to HalfBakered.)

One reason racism continues to be a problem in this country is that Democrats and Republicans keep racism alive in order to win votes.

HOWEVER, John Kerry managed to overshadow pretty much everything by, once again, contracting foot-in-mouth disease with his comments regarding the importance of getting an education in order to stay out of Iraq. Then Kerry makes the lamest of "apologies" by trying to claim it was a joke gone bad. I think this guy is really on the Republican payroll.

How can a seasoned politician, who if he thought for two seconds would realize virtually every American has a friend or relative in the service or is a veteran, make such an ignorant remark? Because he's as stupid, arrogant and out of touch as the liberals believe Bush to be. My father served in a WWII (non-combat), my uncle was a fighter pilot in the Marines during the Vietnam era and most likely flew some combat missions, my brother served in the Navy and I have a nephew who is currently a cadet at West Point.

Kerry simply reminds us why we can't trust the Democrats to provide a strong enough military to protect us from hostile nations.

Lyrics from John Kerry's theme song:

I started a joke, which started the whole world crying,
but I didn't see that the joke was on me, oh no.

I started to cry, which started the whole world laughing,
oh, if I'd only seen that the joke was on me.

My apologies to the Bee Gees.