Author: David

*sigh* Sometimes you just have to bite the bullet…

But sometimes, the bullet, she bites back. heh

As you can see (unless you’re a first-time reader :-), I’ve changed my blog template. The old one had become inexplicably corrupted a couple of weeks ago, things were crowded and messy, oh, heck, it was just time for a change.

This template (bones obtained here and totally screwed up by me, no doubt-heh) was pretty much what I was looking for–3 columns, barebones layout. Pretty simple, really. I still have quite a bit of work getting some of the scripted blogrolls to display properly, and you’ll notice a lot of archived (and even some from as recent as… the beginning of this week!) posts will look a bit wonky–especially if any graphics have been inserted that were sized for the old layout in absolute sizing instead of percentages. Because of Blogger glitches, I’ve also used three or four different ways (different softwares, different uploading techniques) to keep things going over the last couple of weeks, especially. Those Blogspot glitches seem to have cleared up with the last coupla server changes, so maybe future posts will be better, and I may even have time to go back and fix a few of the more recent ugly posts.

But posting is going to be intermixed with tweaking over the next few days (or week), so expect a slightly bumpy ride, eh?

🙂

Note: from here on out (until I change my mind… again), all Open Posts will include “O.P.” in the subject line.

I’ve blogged on the “65¢ Solution” before, but as it’s gaining momentum, I thought it about time to touch base with the idea again. (But do CLICK through that link above to this one, too, ‘K?)

Following up, even a cursory read reveals the typical problem with good ideas: feature bloat, leading to an invocation of the

“Nationally, 61.5 percent of education operational budgets reach the classrooms. Why make a fuss about 3.5 percent? Because it amounts to $13 billion. Only four states (Utah, Tennessee, New York, Maine) spend at least 65 percent of their budgets in classrooms. Fifteen states spend less than 60 percent. The worst jurisdiction — Washington, D.C., of course — spends less than 50 percent.”_1_

Of course, as per my assertions here and elsewhere , I believe that a large part of the wasted dollars in public education are monies spent on school administrators. An optimistic guesstimate would be that perhaps 1 out of 1,000 public school administrators is not an absolute idiot. Most are idiots and actively harmful to the process of teaching/learning.

“… according to the National Center for Education Statistics, the category of support services outside the classroom includes crucial student services such as librarians, school nurses and transportation.”

So while, yes, I do believe the 65% Solution is a good idea on paper, the way it’s working out is just more of the same old educaca: shuffle non-essential crap into the “classroom instruction” definition so that administrators can claim to be meeting a goal of spending a certain percentage of their funding on classroom instruction. (Sports? Classroom instruction?!?!?! Gimme a break!)

Linked at Cao’s Blog, Adam’s Blog, Don Surber, Stop The ACLU, Stuck on Stupid, Diane’s Stuff, MacStansbury, TMH’s Bacon Bits, Euphoric Reality, Peakah’s Pub, and Basil’s Blog.

Here’s what I like most about the recent spate of Open Trackback posts: discovering new (to me) bloggers. I think what I may do over the next few Open Posts is feature one or two that have “discovered themselves” to me via tracking back to my Open Posts.

He describes himself as

“… a middle aged happily married guy. Still a Registered Democrat but I’m really disapointed in my party right now. A complete News and History Junkie with lots of opinions.”

Did he say “news and history junkie”? Well, check out The Real Ugly American. He has something to say. And he’s definitely a news and history junkie. Try this post out for size: Headlines 11.07.05. There’s bound to be something significant you missed that he has a link to in that post. And that’s just one. From last week. Or how about his Democrats React to Suggestion of Supporting Iraq / Open Trackbacks, posted Monday

? Get over there and read it!

I love this stuff!

One more, and then it’s time for YOUR posts. Just include a link to this post and trackback to here. Your blognames, links and summaries will fill the rest of this post.

Freedom Folks. Funny stuff. Why I trust polls. Droll. Very, very droll. I could read this kinda stuff every day. In fact, I think I will!

Check my (left) Sidebar for the

Check my (left) Sidebar for the Open Trackback Alliance and Open Trackback Provider blogrolls and hit ’em all!

Linked at Cao’s Blog, Adam’s Blog, Don Surber, Stop The ACLU, Stuck on Stupid, Diane’s Stuff, MacStansbury, and Basil’s Blog.

Oops! Oh-Wah. Oh-Wah tah. Oh-Wah tah-goo. Oh-Wah tah-goo Siam. Yep. Still not enough of the Holy Brew in me yet. One of the folks I link to above got a “sorta multiple trackback” cos I accidentally )stupidly) posted a duplicate of this post with auto-trackback (for one link, only) enabled. No, I do not know which one cos in my coffee-deprived state, I deleted the doop post before checking.

*sigh*

Apologies.

Oh-Wah tah-goo Siam.

I’ve been playing around with slowly modding a new template for TWC over here. Anyone who has the time and the inclination to make a few helpful suggestions, feel free to pop on over there and be (brutally, if you wish) helpful.

Thanks.

What has John Kerry got to lose, well, except for the unremitting animosity of any honest person, by actually-finally-releasing his full records as he has repeatedly said he would?

Seriously. There are only two scenarios should he finally keep his word.

His account of his military service is revealed to be substantially as he has claimed, with only a few niggling inconsistencies that are consonant with the color that years give to memory. Critics on the “Right” would be quashed and his “base” would be assured. A clear win for Kerry.

Or, there could be substantial problems in his military record that would reveal him to be a liar, a cheat and a traitor. Critics on the “Right” would be incensed. His base, however, would be elated and energized, for these are all things that resonate strongly with them. Still a win for Kerry.

So, why will Jean Fraud sKerry NOT really release his records?

Well, since I’m not a licensed therapist, it’s perfectly ethical for me to speculate. 🙂 I think it must be a variation of egocentric personality disorder that makes it almost impossible for Kerry to admit error. He simply cannot afford to tarnish his own image of himself. If he were to admit his lies, deceptions-let alone his slanders and blatant (to the eyes of others) traitorous acts, he’d probably simply self-destruct. And yet deep down he knows his projected self image is completely at odds with his true self. Still, as long as he can paper over the already paper-thin façade of respectability he maintains, his political future is assured. After all, it’s all about appearance and nothing about substance in today’s political arena.

So, in the end, in order to “keep up appearances” Jean Fraud sKerry must make sure his soul stays lost…

(I’m really trying to work up a little pity for the guy. Really.)

**********************************

Join the blogbursts to help FREE Kerry’s 180 every Tuesday!

We’ve formed a blogburst group and here are the bloggers who are contributing so far. If you want to join the blogroll for Free Kerry’s 180, click here to email me, include the url for your blog.

The blogburst is every Tuesday, so don’t forget to blog about it. All you have to do is encourage Kerry to set his 180 FREE, I’ll send you the code for the blogroll.

The more people we have, the merrier!

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A few items that’ve caught my eye

According to Orson Scott Card, The Legend of Zorro “…is not a great movie. It’s barely a good movie…” but it has one (but at least it has that) saving grace. Amazing: a movie from Hollyweird with one redeeming facet. I expect pigs will fly next…

Oh, Card also reviews 1491: New Revelations of the Americas before Columbus . Hmmm… may be one to put on the Winter Reading List.

Dennis Prager and Thomas Sowell

have columns up that are, as always, worth a read. Prager points out just how clueless the Jordanian response to the recent wedding bombing is. Sowell points out some interesting gaps in arguments made for economic pressures as causes for The Burning of France.

In “Dog bites man” news:

Senate Republicans are demonstrating their spinelessness. Again. *yawn* Old news with a new headline. Fifty-count ’em, FIFTY!-British birds go belly up: Mass Media Podpeople all a-twitter.

Alito gives Loony Left Moonbats the runs.

(This is news?)

It’s that damned Global Warming again… heh

Chavez hasn’t got the news: all the good Marxists are against Fox hunting. Somebody hit the man with a cluebat. Please?

Rice cooking in the Middle East ?

Do I really want to know the rest of this story ?

I just like this lead-off: “John Howard has thumbed his nose at thousands of protesters opposed to his workplace changes.” About stinking time.

Best pic from the World Cup? Maybe this one?

heh

Bush arrives in Japan. God bless. Safe trip.

In the blogoshere…

NIF still MIA. Still.

Rich is trying out Google Analytics. Check back for updates.

Diane knows why Jean Fraud sKerry can’t release his records.

Sam has found what ALL you gals’ll want when (if) the Gulf Stream shuts down.

iHillary has the latest on L’intifada (thanks, Pete, I needed that).

TMH’s Bacon Bits is determined to add to my Winter Reading list , too.

An interesting Anatomy of a Photograph (from October) that I’d missed before. h.t. iHillary .

Hugh Hewitt notes ” Anger with Senate Republicans “. Well, duh. But yeh, juuuust in case one or two Republican’t Senators actually can and do read, perhaps pointing out the obvious is a good thing. I’m not holding my breath.

For some of the best reading around, try ” Off With the Gloves! ” and then just page on down at Dafydd ab Hugh’s Big Lizards . And his site is more than just his blog, so noodle around a while, eh?

Here’s a tale of Mummy’s Little Piggy , at Nickie Goomba. (Dead man not walking.)

Michelle Malkin gets in some mini-snark (amid the nice-nice) on the StoptheACLU/Glenn Reynolds interview . (Do notice the last interview question, neatly ducked by Instapundit. Does he blend puppies? 😉 And dig her ” Did Bush Lie? Google It “. *snirk* [BTW, Romeocat is thinking kinda along the same lines I am about Glenn’s “puppy” answer. Well, actually, I kinda think its, yeh, he likes puppies, but with what?]

R’Cat has, uhm, something for the ladies . Guys. Just Do Not Go There. Trust me on this one.

Oh, BTW, does anyone have a solution for this guy ? Seems someone’s not potty trained.

Christine’s place is just a nice stop on a blogroll read. Oh, and do NOT miss this post

at her other blog.

For some eye candy, always put On Location With Rick Lee somewhere in your daily read. Try some comestibles . Yum. And this ? What an eye…

And while you’re at Rick Lee’s, have Kat’s stuff running in the background (after you read some of her journaling).

Of course, this is just a skip through my blogroll and a few daily reads, but I’m sure you’ll find more than one thing of interest and maybe a few blogs you’ll put on your daily reads.

Note the Open Trackback Post

below!

(Updated with the THM’s Bacon Bits links and links to the books.)

Update #X (heh): See Don Surber’s “GOP Goes After Weathervane Hawks/Open Post” and the open posts at MacStanbury’s Bonfire of the Anonymity’s III(again! See, Mac, I can try to make up for my snark about apostrohpes! 🙂 and NIF-MIA, still! And JackLewisis entering the Open Trackback festival. Welcome! Choose Life!has started a Tuesday Open Post, so get those links in there, too, ‘K? And *thumps self on head* how could I forget the fine “Open Post Meals” at Basil’s??? And *duh* (what’s with my memory, huh?) Outside the Beltway! (*sheesh* Will someone wake me when this internet thing is over? heh).

Free Kerry’s 180 Blogburst and Open Trackbacks Tuesday? Sweet! And be sure to check out all the news from Jay at Stop the ACLU, ‘K?

🙂

You know the drill: put a link to this post in a post of your own and trackback.

BTW, I’ve had several folks email me for the hack that let’s Haloscan show trackbacks on my front page. For that, I must thank Basil, of Basil’s Blog and The Alliance of Free Blogs.  BTW, that last link? To Basil’s tutorial on doing the hack. [See below.]

Have fun modding your templates, Blogger/Haloscan users! You’ll need to mod Basil’s hack, depending on your template, to get it to fit well, but it’s not that hard, and kinda fun if you’re into that sort of thing.

Edit: Oops. You noticed I forgot to put the link in for the hack, eh? (Yeh, thanks for the e-. You know who you are. :-). Here ’tis: Basil’s Hack. There. Happy now? heh

Nice little storm last night here in America’s Third World County. Looks like I’ll be in and out (as well as in and out—heh) today, since my broadband is wonky, electricity is blinking in and out (thank heavens for good UPSes!), and even my phone line’s a little “scratchy”.

It’s what “America’s Third World County” is about, folks. Gotta love it.

Meanwhile… Linked at NIF (who’s still on Monday—hope it’s not the sniffles or worse!), MacStansbury (who’s pushing The Bonfire of the Anonymity’s—what’s with the apostrophe, anyway?—and The Alliance of the Annonymous. Can I join? And if so, do you need my name? heh), and at Don Surber (where he has some potentially good news for schools). 

See my sidebar for other blogs with open trackbacks today (or just visit MacStansbury, Don Surber and NIF, why don’t you?).

Here are three items that can’t wait for the Stop the ACLU Thursday Blogburst:

Newdow Sueing To Remove “In God We Trust” From Money

“ SACRAMENTO, Calif .

The atheist who’s spent years trying to ban recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance in public schools says he’ll file a new lawsuit this week.

Michael Newdow says he’ll ask a federal court to order removal of the national motto “In God We Trust” from U-S coins and currency…”

Alito: Abortion is Not a Right

Judge Samuel A. Alito Jr., President Bush’s Supreme Court nominee, wrote that “the Constitution does not protect a right to an abortion” in a 1985 document obtained by The Washington Times…

Burying the Hatchett uhm, Stop The ACLU Interviews Glenn Reynolds (Instapundit)

Many of you may remember our reaction to Glenn Reynold’s sympathy for the ACLU. We recieved a lot of flak for this reaction, and suprisingly a lot of praise. However, many commented on my close mindedness of other views. While his views were differing, one of the main reasons I reacted the way I did was because he provided no means to debate him. I have thought about my reaction, and realizing the volume of emails he must recieve, I thought that perhaps my emails were lost in the shuffle, not ignored. So, after contacting Glenn, he has kindly provided a way for me to discuss the ACLU with him…

Be sure to read them all in their entirety. There won’t be a test, but you’ll benefit from the reads. 🙂

As Thanksgiving and Christmas approach…

…it’s time to consider giving from our bounty to those who are less fortunate than we. May I humbly suggest that when you consider gifts to give to those unfortunate souls detained at Guantanamo, you consider this:

I’m sure the lonely guys being held there will appreciate their own Maid Alice Chef Pig Figurine.

Linked at Don Surber.

This is soooo not news of any kind, in any way, shape, fashion or form to people who know me well…

Found this over at Something… and Half of Something

You are Pig Pen!

Which Peanuts Character are You?
brought to you by Quizilla

Linked at Committees of Correspondence and Bloggin’ Out Loud