AJC.com > Opinion > Woman to Woman > Archives > 2006 > August > 09 > Entry
Why do boys today do so poorly in school?
Diane Glass, a left-leaning columnist, writes the commentary this week and Shaunti Feldhahn, a right-leaning columnist, responds.
Diane Glass, a left-leaning columnist, writes the commentary this week and Shaunti Feldhahn, a right-leaning columnist, responds.
Commentary
The land of opportunity looks bleak for American boys struggling academically with poor grades and lower rates of college participation than girls. Once out of college, young men now face more competition in the workforce than ever before.
While some cite a “feminized” learning environment as reason for boys lack of scholastic interest and future success, public school room practices haven’t changed enough to explain recent trends. It’s not like boys are being deprived of pencil protectors. Today’s school rooms are no more antagonistic to testosterone-induced urges than a sterile corporate environment or the myriad laws we follow every day ensuring a civil society.
The truth is: I don’t think boys were ever really required to do well in school to succeed. If you look globally, other industrialized countries are having the same issue. Education was a pat to, but not a requirement for success. For generations, boys were assured at least blue collar jobs at higher pay than most women ever could earn. Now, blue collar jobs are being replaced by a service economy, and the playing field at work and on the playground has leveled to include women and girls. Boys get through school only to discover that competition in the workplace, from women, from immigrants, even from aging baby boomers, is intense. This is simply the face of social change in an economic system that naturally seeks efficiency.
If you look at the history of “women’s work,” women have gone from bread makers to bread winners, in spite of so-called natural inclinations as nurturers. If there are any natural behavioral tendencies in the sexes, well then, people can adjust. Women did.
There may be biological differences in how boys learn, but what’s happening in today’s schools has nothing to do with institutional bias or a “feminized” curriculum. It has more to do with the nature of today’s competitive environment, and perhaps with the fact that that environment is more complex and interconnected. Increasingly, we live in a time that requires, and rewards, collaborative decision-making over command and control warriors. Boys will have to learn to adjust to that.
Rebuttal
So there’s no cause for alarm that boys are thirty percent more likely to flunk out of high school and avoid college altogether? Or that K-12 boys are two to three times more likely than girls to be suspended, expelled or diagnosed with a learning disability or emotional disturbance?
By that same token, we shouldn’t have worried in the sixties when we saw girls lagging in math and science. Girls weren’t exactly doing poorly in science, you see, and there were no institutional problems in their learning environment: it’s just that boys were doing really well. Right?
I challenge any “boys don’t need help” naysayer to honestly examine the evidence. Dozens of studies in every arena from childhood development to brain science show that our educational process not only favors girls over boys, but actually set boys up for early learning failure and discouragement. Because boys lag girls developmentally, they are not nearly as ready to read and write in kindergarten – yet today, that is what is required. Boys have less serotonin than girls, and learn by manipulating things, not sitting quietly at a desk – yet if they don’t, they are labeled disruptive. Too many boys develop painful educational insecurities, shut down youthful interest in learning, and focus instead on video games, sports or whatever else makes them feel adept.
We must stop killing the potential of at least a third of our future men. As Michael Gurian, author of The Mind of Boys, said in an interview, “Twenty years of brain research shows how differently girls and boys learn. Most teachers in K-6 are female, and that’s great, but the system has not trained them to teach to boys. Our schooling system is not set up for boys. It needs more movement, kinesthetic learning, impulsive learning, yet the current system is erasing all those things.” And he pointed out how simple the adjustments can be. “For example, boys are spatially-dominated, so if schools have them draw before they write, they’ll have better success at writing.”
As a mother, I’m infuriated by the argument that my young son just has to stop resting on his male laurels. Our schools must adjust for him just as we did for girls thirty years ago.
Comments
Commenting is now closed for this entry.
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By Brian Curtis
August 14, 2006 09:04 AM | Link to this
Wow, the spam is really getting annoying now.
As to the topic: No clue, sorry. I’m not an education or psychology specialist and I have no kids.
By Renee
August 14, 2006 09:07 AM | Link to this
I only have one question….is this seriously the topic for the week!!!
By E. Lewis
August 14, 2006 09:13 AM | Link to this
Boys do so poorly in schools because they can get away with it and still be successful.
Given that a man with a high school diploma can earn as much if not more than a college educated woman, what incentive do boys have to do better?
Academics have never been a must have for boys. From day 1 when they show any athletic prowess, that is where the emphasis will be. You can’t read the paper without seeing some story about how a male athlete with lower GPA is getting into some college or the scandal du jour about grade fixing in high school of college so the athlete can remain eligible to play.
By E. Lewis
August 14, 2006 09:15 AM | Link to this
Boys do so poorly in schools because they can get away with it and still be successful.
Given that a man with a high school diploma can earn as much if not more than a college educated woman, what incentive do boys have to do better?
Academics have never been a must have for boys. From day 1 when they show any athletic prowess, that is where the emphasis will be. You can’t read the paper without seeing some story about how a male athlete with lower GPA is getting into some college or the scandal du jour about grade fixing in high school of college so the athlete can remain eligible to play.
By NetBanker
August 14, 2006 09:25 AM | Link to this
Well good morning kids! I’m pretty much in the same situation as BC so I really can’t contribute.
Renee…I’d love to see a discussion about whether or not the rise in free/low cost municiple wireless web access (as is being done in Philly and Boston) could contribute to terrorism by making it easier for terrorists to use the web anonomously to communicate and plan attacks. That thought occurred to me while reading about the Boston program in the Business section yesterday. While I think it’s good to attempt to bring low cost web access to low income families is that really the job of our local governments and what is is the potential security risk?
By Renee
August 14, 2006 09:40 AM | Link to this
Net, a much better discussion, as well as very valid points. I for one, don’t think it’s the job of the local governments and the potential security risks are enormous.
By LBC
August 14, 2006 09:53 AM | Link to this
Apparently, what Diane Glass believes, along with a few other bloggers is this: When a 5 year old boy starts kindergarten, he knows that in 12 years he will be able to succeed with a poor education just because he is male. Knowing that at 5years old, and 6, and 7, and so on, he chooses to slack off.
Just who teaches these adolescents to be so astute and cocky? Their moms?
So, in Glass’s man hating world, this is the kind of logic that explains the poor performance of boys in school.
Good luck in the rest of your life Diane - you’ll need it. Life is tough. Life is tougher when …..
By Billy
August 14, 2006 09:55 AM | Link to this
Could it be that both are right to smoe degree, or would that be a harbinger of impending doom?
Regarding the “disruptive” argument — I was anything but. I never got in trouble, especially not for disrupting class. In fact, I don’t remember my classmates really being disruptive in elementary school. Sometimes, of course, but for the most part we, as a whole, were not near as rowdy as kids today seem to be. And I fail to see how that is because of the way schools teach. For one, it’s not like their methods changed that drastically between the time I was there and the time I started noticing the change in behavior. I’m thinking it’s more likely that parents are less likely to discipline their kids for acting up. Maybe there’s a biological factor.
I can’t say for sure, but boys’ problems have a much deeper acuse than not being allowed to draw begore writing.
By Sheryl
August 14, 2006 09:55 AM | Link to this
As a mother of sons and the oldest daughter of a family of women and nieces, I totally agree with Shaunti Feldhahn, which is disturbing because I usually don’t. We are creating a class of young men that already feel inferior and hopeless. We are not doing either our young men or young women any good with the current manner of teaching method.
By lozen
August 14, 2006 10:21 AM | Link to this
Could somebody please explain to me what the teaching method is that is harming boys so much? I didn’t realize teaching methods had changed so drastically since my boys were in school. The public school system has always seemed to me to be an environment to teach all kids, boys and girls, to sit still, obey, fit in, and work in a factory someday whether it’s the business office factory or the general motors factory. I could agree with this statement if it were applied to both boys and girls. “Our schooling system is not set up for (children) boys. It needs more movement, kinesthetic learning, impulsive learning, yet the current system is erasing all those things.” The current system? Those things were never a part of my schools or my sons so I’m not sure what it is exactly that’s being erased. I’d love to hear what RF thinks about this.
LBC can you explain exactly why you call Diane a “manhater”. I don’t see that in what she wrote.
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By Billy
August 14, 2006 10:23 AM | Link to this
I have to say that the AJC is pretty good about getting the spam off the board each day, but they need to take some steps to prevent it in the first place.
By kimberly
August 14, 2006 10:30 AM | Link to this
Maybe if Shaunti would stop wasting so much time posing as a “journalist” (I use the term LOOSELY here) and spend more time reading to her sons, taking them to the library, and encouraging them to expand their minds beyond their tiny, narrowly-defined little “only we right-wing Christians are right” view of the world, then they might grow up to be smart, get scholarships, and become President one day, like Bill Clinton.
By Nikita
August 14, 2006 11:12 AM | Link to this
There’s a basic problem with Shaunti’s argument — which is that it claims there is a problem for all boys when additional, well-assessed, and accurate statistics make it clear that boys in general do o.k., but minority boys do VERY BADLY.
Any solution to the problem would have to look at the causes of certain populations doing significantly worse than others and wouldn’t be as simple as the “readjustment” of the educational system to meet the purportedly different needs of boys. After all, we have issues with girls not performing well in certain subjects as they age — but we don’t readjust those subjects so they’re easier. Instead, we work on ways to interest more girls in those subjects.
By lozen
August 14, 2006 11:13 AM | Link to this
Where is the tiara? Bring it now and give it to Kimberly! Clapping, clapping, clapping for Kimberly.
By Renee
August 14, 2006 11:23 AM | Link to this
Kimberly, I do have to have say well said, lol…
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By NetBanker
August 14, 2006 11:28 AM | Link to this
What I’m really hearing out of this discussion is that a return to single-gender classrooms in a mixed gender school is probably the best solution. This would allow both genders to be taught in a fashion that best meets a particular gender’s instinctive learning style, removes the distraction of the the opposite (especially important post-junior high), yet still provides for interaction between the genders. Not all topics/subjects would need to be single gender such as art and music (if these still exist).
By NetBanker
August 14, 2006 11:39 AM | Link to this
Our schools must adjust for him Shaunti….spoken like a true ‘librul.’ Where is your conservative position of ‘personal responsibility’ in a statement like that? Why isn’t in incumbent upon your son to adapt to the situation?
I tend to agree with Billy. It’s been a LONG time since I was in school, but the boys weren’t disruptive or overbearing in class. I think he’s on target that it’s more a matter of discipline at home setting the tone for what is acceptable behavior. I’ve heard from too many teachers that parents tend to stick up for the kid’s poor behavior and blame the school as a first line of defense. If the kids know that they can misbehave in school without real consequence then why bother to do what the teacher asks? They just aren’t smart enough to know that they are setting themselves up for failure by not participating actively in school, but their parents should be smart enough to know better. I recall my Dad telling me that my job was to go to school, pay attention, and always make my very best effort. We were also taught to respect our elders and knew that any word of misbehaving when under the supervision of an adult would result in being punished at home as well as being made to go back to the adult to apologize.
By kimberly
August 14, 2006 11:40 AM | Link to this
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By lozen
August 14, 2006 11:50 AM | Link to this
All I ask for is objective studies showing that boys and girls really do learn that differently. Then that boys are being ruined by the schools (and not, as Netbanker and Billy suggest) overly lenient and irresponsible parents. Nikita you are absolutely right. There was no big uproar about the studies supposedly showing that girls were being cheated in the classroom because teachers unconsciously gave boys more attention, called on the boys more and expected more from the boys than the girls!
By Billy
August 14, 2006 11:57 AM | Link to this
Net — Do you personally believe single-gender classrooms are a good idea? And at what point do you stop that separation? In middle school, when hormones are starting to run wild? Do you keep it through high school? I dunno, it seems like most of the smart kids in my class were girls. Were we separated by gender and phased & tracked at the same level we were, I would have been one of like five male students in most of my classes. This would never have worked, so we would’ve been placed in regular college prep classes in which the vast majority of students were placed even if they were pretty much never going to go to college.
I, for one, feel like it could benefit boys and girls to have that interaction. We need to have teachers and administrators who can bring out the positives of each child, regardless of gender, and help them positively influence each other. As I said before, I do not remember this disparity in grade school, the time where the separation would likely occur. I think inter-gender interactions in older kids could be hurt if they haven’t spent time interacting with one another previously.
By Billy
August 14, 2006 12:08 PM | Link to this
Net — I’ve heard from too many teachers that parents tend to stick up for the kid’s poor behavior and blame the school as a first line of defense.
Lozen — …overly lenient and irresponsible parents.
Exactly. With almost any kid who is considered a troublemaker you will find either parents who are largely absent or parents who are too lenient and prone to defend their kids at all costs. The children whose parents are absent will fail and fall through the cracks. The ones whose parents are lenient and quick to deny the problem will often succeed academically, but will continue to be disruptive in class. That is just my personal experience, of course — the kids with absent parents become criminals while the kids with overly protective parents become narcissists (politicians, to a certain extent…)
By lozen
August 14, 2006 12:13 PM | Link to this
Ha Billy! …narcissists (politicians, to a certain extent…)
By morgan-lynn
August 14, 2006 12:22 PM | Link to this
Right on ,Diane !We males can take it.Anyway ,why is it thought that if one does well in one subject ,one should do well in all.I have alway resented that ,because I was verbal, I had to do well also in mathematics .What stupidity on the part of the schools! Now I study what I am adapted for and not what the schools made me suffer for. I am glad we didn’t have gender-based schools.More school nonsense. I t really is a matter of individuality.
By Billy
August 14, 2006 12:50 PM | Link to this
Cynthia Tucker’s got a good one today…
By Nikita
August 14, 2006 01:01 PM | Link to this
Check out David Sadker’s rebuttal to the original “War on Boys” piece in the Atlantic Monthly: http://www.american.edu/sadker/waragainstboys.htm
By Billy
August 14, 2006 01:03 PM | Link to this
Ha Billy! …narcissists (politicians, to a certain extent…)
I’m not kidding, lozen. When I think of the “My child is great even though he gives all his teachers crap” crowd, one classmate of mine comes to mind. Overly political, once gave a report in health class that science proves homosexuality is unnatural because the human rectum was not designed to accommodate the human phallus…
By Chilao
August 14, 2006 01:48 PM | Link to this
homosexuality is unnatural because the human rectum was not designed to accommodate the human phallus
well, the anus WAS designed for expulsion only. LOL (distinct from rectum of course but..)
Sucre in the soda pop, that is why boys do so poorly in school. Why do well in school when our culture puts more emphasis on sports and music videos?
By GOB
August 14, 2006 01:50 PM | Link to this
I must say, I have a new found respect for teachers. Today has been my first day with students back, but I have done more work in the past 2 weeks than in several years sitting in a cube all day. So far, so good though.
I will try to contribute to the topics when I get the chance. Dont miss me too much…
Oh yeah, and what was I thinking when I said I would coach freshman football?? yikes.
By lozen
August 14, 2006 02:10 PM | Link to this
Thank you Nikita for posting the link. Very interesting. Just what I suspected.
By blablabla
August 14, 2006 02:31 PM | Link to this
boys do so poorly in school today because everybody does so poorly in school today. the public school system in this country simply does not work very well, which is truly unfortunate.
it seems pretty obvious to me that men and women process information differently. because of this, boys and girls may respond to static teaching techniques quite differently. if we truly believe that boys and girls learn differently, we would be foolish not to utilize this knowledge to enhance learning performance for all of our children.
furthermore it would be just as wrong today to not respond to the needs of boys as it was to fail to respond to the needs of girls in the past. two wrongs don’t make a right; let’s start doing things better.
all of that said, teachers and funding are only a part of the education equation. parents have to play a key role, and emphasize the value of education. therein seems to be a problem area.
By Nephew
August 14, 2006 03:44 PM | Link to this
Who are all of these boys doing so poorly? My Partner has a nephew that does (and always has done) VERY WELL in school (all As & a few Bs), in addition to playing football AND baseball.
Of course his parents guide him, teach him, spend time with him, know about his life, his friends, his subjects, talk to him, discipline him.
Shaunti - maybe it is not the school being the reason your kid is doing so poorly in school and subsequently life. Sounds to me YOU AND YOUR HUSBAND, are the ones to blame.
By John Doe
August 14, 2006 04:21 PM | Link to this
When they do this research on boys, do they also research homosexual boys? I have noticed that some or most of the homosexual boys are the ones that do adapt and realize that they need to do better in the classroom since they are inclined to not do so well on the athletic field.
By The72John
August 14, 2006 04:45 PM | Link to this
When they do this research on boys, do they also research homosexual boys? I have noticed that some or most of the homosexual boys are the ones that do adapt and realize that they need to do better in the classroom since they are inclined to not do so well on the athletic field.
LOL! How stupid. Sexual preference doesn’t have anything to do with athletic aptitude, one way or the other. The only reason you don’t see as many gay succesful atheletes is because A) The ones who are out there are in the closet because they would have no career, and B) Homophobia is so ingrained into children at a young age, particularly in the locker room, that younger gay kids are often driven away from sports before they have a chance to become truly successful.
By NetBanker
August 14, 2006 05:09 PM | Link to this
they are inclined to not do so well on the athletic field. Hey! I earned 7 Varsity letters for athletics in high school and would have had more if they’d have offered Tennis and Lacrosse during separate seasons.
OK…I was almost ready to hit POST when I clicked that darn side button on my mouse that shot be back a page and lost my message. GRRRRRRR!!! Damn mouse!
GOB…congrats on surviving your first day! No wonder they hired you if you were willing to teach AND coach right off the bat!
Billy…why not have single gender classes through high school? My parents both graduated from single gender high schools. They both went on to prestigious institutions of learning and earned their master’s degrees.
I do agree that with Advanced Classes single gender is not that important at that level of learning. If one has gotten into AP then you’re serious about learing and not goofing off in class. If I recall most of my AP classes were about evenly split female/male and there was always a healthy level of competition that wasn’t focused on gender. Now that I really think about it of the 20 people in AP English and Math I had gone to school with at least 8 of them since 1st grade AND all of our parents worked on the Army base. Geez….we could have been experiments!! THAT would explain a LOT!!
By GOB
August 15, 2006 07:41 AM | Link to this
Hey! I earned 7 Varsity letters for athletics in high school and would have had more if they’d have offered Tennis and Lacrosse during separate seasons.
Yeah, but that was probably before you chose to be gay…jk
By Randy
August 15, 2006 08:21 AM | Link to this
Off subject, but I see where the History Channel has a special on sunday night, where the director of “Titanic”(James Cameron) shows proof that the things in the bible actually did happen. It shows proof of the Ark, parting of the Red Sea, etc. They found these by going back 3,500 years(which is what the bible says, instead of 3,200 years which is what scientists have always done before) For those of you who are interested in the truth and possibly finding a relationship with the creator of the universe.
By Randy
August 15, 2006 08:30 AM | Link to this
Warning though, evil will try to keep you from finding the truth. So many of the people who post on this site will try to dispell the History channel evidence of the bible. Ignore their posts and protect your immortal soul(give yourself a chance to go to heaven).
By Chilao
August 15, 2006 09:10 AM | Link to this
Randy - PBS had something similiar this past spring, a series called Walking the Bible or something like that. Of course they also offered scientific explanations for some of the Biblical actions, such as the ten plagues in Egypt and the RedSea parting. I did not watch every episode.
By Billy
August 15, 2006 09:44 AM | Link to this
Right, Chilao. Randy, the fact that some things happened in the past is not really the issue. The question should be, “Did things happen exactly like the Bible says they did?” For instance, I don’t doubt that there may have been a man back then that built a big boat. I do doubt that he was able to fit two of every animal on board. As Chilao indicated, I have read scientific theories for the Great Flood (a common theme in world religious belief) and the parting of the Red Sea. It is possible that these things actually did occur to some degree and the superstitious people of the time ascribed supernatural causes to them.
By Just Being Me
August 15, 2006 09:59 AM | Link to this
Great. I finally come back after nearly 4 months away, and this is the subject that greets me… wonderful.
I guess I’ll be back next week…
By Chilao
August 15, 2006 10:00 AM | Link to this
Look at all the submerged villages, 200-600 feet below water(if memory serves me correctly), under the Black Sea off the northern coast of Turkey.
By Billy
August 15, 2006 10:01 AM | Link to this
Great. I finally come back after nearly 4 months away, and this is the subject that greets me… wonderful.
Yeah, it’s a lame one…
By Randy
August 15, 2006 10:02 AM | Link to this
Billy, Isn’t the same questions we have about the bible and a creators existance also the same beliefs and doubts we have in everyday life? Some people don’t believe they can pass college, therefore they are doomed before they start, some people don’t believe they can make and save a million dollars, therefore they are doomed before they start, etc. Maybe GOD, gives us the same information on his existance and we believe it or we don’t. I think, there is exactly the same evidence that God exists and that he doesn’t exist. Some of us choose to believe in his existance, some of us choose not to believe.
By CHilao
August 15, 2006 10:03 AM | Link to this
JBM - welcome back, and Yes, I yawned as well, on the topic. (since I do not have kids, let alone any in grade school)
By lozen
August 15, 2006 10:12 AM | Link to this
How did Noah catch the Pandas and the Polar Bears is what I want to know? I guess the dolphins and the whales just swam and swam but what about the frogs? Did they just jump on board voluntarily every so often or maybe hitch a ride on the floating bodies of all those poor sinners Yahweh decided to drown? So this god who knows everything that is going to happen creates human beings in his image, right? Then he decides they’re not doing what he thinks they should be doing so he destroys all of them (children, babies in the womb, grandmothers, etc.) except Noah and his family. If he knew everything it should have been no surprise they would not be so obedient. Either he’s flawed and doesn’t obey orders, or he didn’t know everything or he’s just a sadist. Which is it Randy?
By lozen
August 15, 2006 10:19 AM | Link to this
JBM, welcome back to the most exciting religious discussion in Atlanta! It is so elevated ya know. We all learn a lot about the supernatural on this blog. Why it’s almost as good as theology school. ;-) Where have you been?
By Randy
August 15, 2006 10:31 AM | Link to this
I guess Lozen is on the side of “I don’t believe”. Lozen I watched a show on PBS a week or so ago(you said you saw it also). It had a couple of writers who use to be atheists, but now they are agnostic(as both said they can’t prove God doesn’t exist, so they can’t be atheists). The guy also said, no matter what he believes(even if he believe in the “big bang”) what came before that?? You pick, what I consider small reasoning “frogs” and use that as your defense. Why don’t you look at God from a “Judge in a court” perspective and look at evidence on both sides? I find much more evidence(really overwhelming) that a creator does exist. I can’t believe that the universe just “happened”.
By Just Being Me
August 15, 2006 10:32 AM | Link to this
Lozen, yeah all this stimulating conversation makes me feel so unintelligent. LOL! I’ve been around… had some family issues that I needed to tend to, so I couldn’t do the blog thing.
By Billy
August 15, 2006 10:39 AM | Link to this
Randy, there is no evidence either way as far as God’s existence is concerned. There is no way to get that sort of evidence.
And if we are to assume you are correct about the “equal evidence” bit, are we talking about a god in general or the bipolar, passive-aggresive, manic-depressive, narcissistic God of the Bible? I believe in a God, but I can’t believe in the God you pray to. He’s mean.
By Billy
August 15, 2006 10:43 AM | Link to this
Someone please explain to me how this is logically correct: “Even if the Big Bang happened, what was before that? That something must be God. Therefore, the Bible is factually accurate to the last detail.”
By Chilao
August 15, 2006 10:46 AM | Link to this
Anybdoy see the DatelineNBC this weekend about the minister in Tulsa, OralRobertsUniv grad, who, after seeing the Rwandan refugee situation on TV, begin questioning things, could not accept they deserved it for being Moslem(were they even?) and concluded Hell was presently here on Earth.
By Randy
August 15, 2006 10:46 AM | Link to this
Lozen, On your comment “this god who knows everything and creates human beings etc”. God didn’t create Robots, he decided to create a living being that could reject him(as evidenced by you) or accept him(as evidenced by me). He gave us free will, so we could freely choose him or not. As I said earlier, there is evidence on both sides of every thing you do in life(choose to bond with the creator, or reject him). Choose to believe you can pass college, or have doubts. God gives us this unbelieveable power(that most of us don’t use, including me sometimes)that we can accomplish or go anywhere we think we can. We can be a multi-millionaire, we can be a great person who helps others, we can go to heaven and bond with him if we think we can. Does heaven exist “Absolutely”, can you go there, Yes, it’s in your power, just do what your conscience tells you. Can you reject this, unfortunately, yes. But if we couldn’t reject it, it wouldn’t have as much value to us.
By Chilao
August 15, 2006 10:50 AM | Link to this
Billy - you are dealing with flawed logic since there are many who will argue that because there were ancient Egyptians, who enslaved the Jews(all from the Bible and historically accurate), then therefore EVERYTHING you read in the Bible HAS to be true, since there used to be ancient Eqyptians who enslaved the Jews.
By Randy
August 15, 2006 10:52 AM | Link to this
Billy, The God I pray to(the creator)isn’t mean. He doesn’t do anything mean. How do you see that he is mean??
By Toad
August 15, 2006 10:55 AM | Link to this
At times I’ve been an atheist and now I guess I’m an agnostic since I don’t believe whether god exists is knowable. Therefore I haven’t “rejected” god but just don’t believe. I still wonder about all sorts of things including what happens after death.
By Billy
August 15, 2006 10:55 AM | Link to this
Lozen, On your comment “this god who knows everything and creates human beings etc”. God didn’t create Robots, he decided to create a living being that could reject him(as evidenced by you) or accept him(as evidenced by me). He gave us free will, so we could freely choose him or not. As I said earlier, there is evidence on both sides of every thing you do in life(choose to bond with the creator, or reject him). Choose to believe you can pass college, or have doubts. God gives us this unbelieveable power(that most of us don’t use, including me sometimes)that we can accomplish or go anywhere we think we can. We can be a multi-millionaire, we can be a great person who helps others, we can go to heaven and bond with him if we think we can. Does heaven exist “Absolutely”, can you go there, Yes, it’s in your power, just do what your conscience tells you. Can you reject this, unfortunately, yes. But if we couldn’t reject it, it wouldn’t have as much value to us.
Randy, couldn’t I regurgitate all this right back to you, but replace “God” with “The Flying Spaghetti Monster”?
By Chilao
August 15, 2006 10:56 AM | Link to this
Many wild mustangs out west have reverted to the look of the original Spanish barbary pony, dark brown, many with striped hair on their legs. Montana has herds of these mustangs. If you put 2(m/f) of every breed of cattle in a large field, had them breed over generations, eventually they would all look like Texas Longhorns, the closest thing we have to the original animal, Europe’s extinct Auroch.(bos taurus).
Some argue ‘Back to God’s original plan’ for those animals, others argue ‘back to preferred natural selection’ for those animals.
By Billy
August 15, 2006 10:56 AM | Link to this
Billy, The God I pray to(the creator)isn’t mean. He doesn’t do anything mean. How do you see that he is mean??
Randy, read the Old Testament.
By Toad
August 15, 2006 11:05 AM | Link to this
Yeah, Yahweh is a jealous spiteful god. Look at what he did to Job because of a bet with Satan.
By Randy
August 15, 2006 11:08 AM | Link to this
Do I believe the bible is true, Yes absolutely. However, it wouldn’t matter to me if some of it were “symbolic”. The way I see it is, A)the universe didn’t create itself in the beginning(no matter how far back you go in time, probably billions of years)a being with a conscience had to create the universe(as we have consciences) B) why create something if you are not going to have any interaction with that creation. C) you must give that creation “freewill” or they will not be content. (for example my 15 year old daughter played on the high school softball team last year, this year she didn’t want to play, even with the coaches talking to her, begging her to play, I coached her for 8 or 9 years to get her to this point, so I really wanted her to play. Can I make her, NO. It wouldn’t be any good, so she has free will). Same principal Jesus works with. I love all my children, some choose to love me back, some don’t, but I(God) can’t force them to love me. It wouldn’t be a true love.
By Billy
August 15, 2006 11:09 AM | Link to this
Stewart Gilligan Griffin — “I love God. He’s so deliciously evil.”
By Toad
August 15, 2006 11:12 AM | Link to this
Billy, who is Stewart Gilligan Griffin?
By Billy
August 15, 2006 11:19 AM | Link to this
Stewie on Family Guy.
By Billy
August 15, 2006 11:23 AM | Link to this
why create something if you are not going to have any interaction with that creation
You’ve never just watched an aquarium or ant farm or something? Not interfering, dictating rules for the inferior beings, but just watching to see what happens?
By Just Being Me
August 15, 2006 11:24 AM | Link to this
I see nothing has changed here… as usual, the conversation always comes back to homosexuality and/or the Bible.
LOL! Unbelievable.
By Toad
August 15, 2006 11:30 AM | Link to this
I like what Lily Tomlin said, that she’s afraid God has Alzheimers and forgot about us.
By Toad
August 15, 2006 11:37 AM | Link to this
as usual, the conversation always comes back to homosexuality and/or the Bible.
The discussion on why boys don’t do well in school didn’t even last past one day — worse than last week’s topic.
By The72John
August 15, 2006 11:42 AM | Link to this
Billy, The God I pray to(the creator)isn’t mean. He doesn’t do anything mean. How do you see that he is mean??
Well, he inflicted you upon us, didn’t he?
A)the universe didn’t create itself in the beginning(no matter how far back you go in time, probably billions of years)a being with a conscience had to create the universe(as we have consciences)
False. This is an assumption on your part rooted in your superstition that has absolutely no basis in science. There is nothing that says that the universe HAD to be created. This is a religious-based assumption that you cling to because you lack the intellectual capacity to appreciate the vast and incomprehensible forces that hold the universe together.
Randy, seriously - go join God. Today. Do us all a favor.
By The72John
August 15, 2006 11:44 AM | Link to this
Oh, and welcome back, JBM. Actually, we’ve had mostly civil non-religious, non-gay conversations the last several weeks. I have no idea who pulled Monkey-Randy’s chain and made him decide to inflict his presence upon us again.
Hopefully he’ll go away soon and sulk so we can get back to actual conversation.
By Just Being Me
August 15, 2006 12:13 PM | Link to this
LOL@ John! I see you haven’t changed either! :-) Yeah, I actually started feeling a little sick reading Randy’s nonsense… it still amazes me that people can actually convince themselves that they’re right even when they make absolutely no sense. I used to laugh at it, but it’s really not that funny any more. It’s pretty sad now… Poor Randy.
Thanks for the welcome back.
By NetBanker
August 15, 2006 12:27 PM | Link to this
Yeah, but that was probably before you chose to be gay…jk I think it was seeing all those nekkid or semi-nekkid nicely built, clean cut, athletic guys in the locker room that turned me gay.
How did Noah catch the Pandas and the Polar Bears is what I want to know? Good question, but if you look at an illustrated version of the Bible all the animals just lined up in pairs to get on the boat so I don’t think Noah had to actually catch them all. But that still doesn’t explain how Noah managed to build an ark AND travel to continents that no one knew existed to round them all up. Maybe God told a male and female of each species to head on over to Noah’s and get on the boat. But that still doesn’t explain how a male and female of the species unique to the American and Australian continents managed to cross the open sea to get to Noah. For example, to the best of my knowledge armadillos can’t swim so how did they get to the Middle East to get on the boat?
Welcome back JBM! I hope all has been worked out with your family and that all is well. John’s right, we really haven’t discussed religion quite so much while you were gone…maybe it’s YOU! hehehehe…yeah right!
He doesn’t do anything mean. How do you see that he is mean?? OMG!!! Is this a serious question?! I suppose turning Sarah into a pillar of salt because she dared look back upon the city that was her home being destroyed is the act of a kind God? Forcing the jews to wander in the desert for 40 years after having been enslaved by the Egyptians instead of sending them straight home was an act of kindness? On top of which the jews are God’s Chosen People!! Geez, if God does that to his favorites look out everyone else!!!
By lozen
August 15, 2006 12:59 PM | Link to this
Poor Randy is right. JBM you’re right on the money: “it still amazes me that people can actually convince themselves that they’re right even when they make absolutely no sense.” Poor Randy; he’s just not a very convincing salesman for god.
By morgan-lynn
August 15, 2006 01:05 PM | Link to this
Lozen,once again you are on the mark. Now if in Heaven, there is free will and no evil, why not on earth? Do not special plead or beg the question .Why all the horrid tests? A few tests would suffice.Theists prove too much and help my case in saying we would be robots if we could not do wrong .They allege we want paradise when we bring up the subject of evil and a god,but that is a strawman and all or nothing fallacy . But if they insist on perfect people who are not robots in Heaven, why not here? I bet sOME will respond with special pleading and begging the question . Logic is the bane of theists. Fr. Griggs rests in his Socratic ignorance and humble naturalism .
By Billy
August 15, 2006 01:16 PM | Link to this
Good question, but if you look at an illustrated version of the Bible all the animals just lined up in pairs to get on the boat so I don’t think Noah had to actually catch them all. But that still doesn’t explain how Noah managed to build an ark AND travel to continents that no one knew existed to round them all up. Maybe God told a male and female of each species to head on over to Noah’s and get on the boat. But that still doesn’t explain how a male and female of the species unique to the American and Australian continents managed to cross the open sea to get to Noah. For example, to the best of my knowledge armadillos can’t swim so how did they get to the Middle East to get on the boat?
Or how about this — What did Noah and his family eat for 40 days? What about all the animals? Did they have to take a few dozen zebras so the two lions would have something to eat? Why take the pigs when the pig is an unclean animal? And what do you do with the massive amounts of crap generated by all those animals over 40 days? Just dump it overboard? If they’ve found what they think to be the Ark they should test all around it for signs of ancient animal dung.
By lozen
August 15, 2006 01:17 PM | Link to this
Netbanker, I don’t think Randy has read the bible. I think he listens to what the preacher says but has never read it. I would just make a wild guess that Randy doesn’t read too well. The worst thing about religion is it teaches people like Randy to think they have all the answers when they live in total superstition and complete nonsense. I’m sure Randy would say Sarah turned herself into a pillar of salt because she disobeyed. Obedience is the most important thing don’t ya know! And the reason why all those kings and emperors and politicians after Constantine loved christianity. If people think they’re going to hell unless they believe in an invisible, unprovable god who demands obedience, it’s so much easier to get them to obey the king and Bush without question! It’s a great thing for those in power.
By Jack
August 15, 2006 01:19 PM | Link to this
Segregate the schools by gender and the males would do better. Imagine a starving man having to take a test in math while sitting next to him is a hot, juicy, tender steak. I would think his concentration would not be on math.
By Mamoru
August 15, 2006 01:20 PM | Link to this
I learn through concept and association, and I do poorly at outright memorization. On top of that I was a sickly child, which set me back 5 to 10 years in early childhood development.
To those who are curious about the health problems I faced then continue, if not please skip this paragraph., I had inner ear infections for the first 4 ½ years of life which effected my hearing and balance, which in turn effected my speech development and communication skills. Not to mention a whole host of other medical problems. The infections were not properly treated until after my mother was finally convinced to get a second opinion. On top of that lazy eye which I had to have treated until I was six. I neither want nor desire pity or attention. I’m just trying to build a foundation. Everyone has problems, some more than others. I know I was extremely lucky. The early seventies is the time stamp for medical treatment in a rural setting.
Of course my teacher’s attitudes when I was in school was I needed to learn how to adjust. Just the attitude I would expect from a left winger. My apathy towards the left has been earned.
Instead of doing any kind of adjustment to meet my learning abilities, which are unconventional by any sense of the imagination. I was labeled ADHD and learning disabled and put on the slow track and special education class.
I did not academically awaken until the sixth grade. I jumped from a 2nd grade math level to a 6th grade math level in math and a 5th grade level in reading. I worked hard, but my achievements were hardly acknowledged or celebrated. I kept a low 70 average and was public embarrassed by the math teacher for not doing enough extra work to drive up my grade. What little self esteem I had built up came crashing down.
Foranitly I was befriended by some of the top students which proved to be a positive influence on me. I redoubled my efforts in the 7th and 8th grades. I had managed to build my way to a High C to low B average. I had finally adjusted. My goal was enter the college prep classes in high school. Didn’t happen. My wonderful advisors blocked my attempt. Come to find out years later there was a little known state law /or policy in GA that blocked students in special education from declaring the college prep track or taking college prep classes in high school. The Democrats were fully in charge at the time. Again my apathy is earned.
10th grade I got out from under the special education track. It was too late to declare a college track, but I took as many college prep classes as I was allowed. Kept a mid b average in those classes, but as you have probable already derived, my grammar and spelling held me back.
I think Shaunti is on the right track with adjusting the learning environment. I’m uncertain if separating the genders is on the right track. I personally would have had better results if I had understood how I learn at the time.
While it is slow going, I do enjoy telling my older teachers I run across about the college classes I’m taking. There is a slight thrill in watching the preverbal chin hit the floor and/or the double take then the sudden cover up when they offer me congratulations. Just five more classes and I’ll have my first real associates degree.
A right wing wacko
By Billy
August 15, 2006 01:25 PM | Link to this
That’s a fair point, Jack. But what about gay kids? Would we have to put them in with the girls? We can’t put lesbians in with guys, cause guys think lesbians are hot, too. So, we’d have to have one school for straight guys, one for gay guys and straight girls, and one for gay girls. It gets too complicated.
By The72John
August 15, 2006 01:30 PM | Link to this
Or how about this — What did Noah and his family eat for 40 days? What about all the animals? Did they have to take a few dozen zebras so the two lions would have something to eat? Why take the pigs when the pig is an unclean animal? And what do you do with the massive amounts of crap generated by all those animals over 40 days? Just dump it overboard? If they’ve found what they think to be the Ark they should test all around it for signs of ancient animal dung.
And what would have been the first thing that all the predator species did after leaving? Without consistent prey-animal populations, how did the predator-animal population survive to repopulate the various species? How did the PREY animals manage to survive long enough to repopulate their species while being eaten by the predators? With only a single breeding pair, how did any species manage to survive given that they lacked necessary genetic diversity?
How did all the other animals period survive after the freaking T-Rexes and Allasaurs and Raptors hatched out, for goodness’ sake!
By lozen
August 15, 2006 01:33 PM | Link to this
Perhaps we might use Randy as an example of the boys who do so poorly in school?
By Billy
August 15, 2006 01:38 PM | Link to this
Of course my teacher’s attitudes when I was in school was I needed to learn how to adjust. Just the attitude I would expect from a left winger. My apathy towards the left has been earned.
Come to find out years later there was a little known state law /or policy in GA that blocked students in special education from declaring the college prep track or taking college prep classes in high school. The Democrats were fully in charge at the time. Again my apathy is earned.
How old are you? You do realize that the Democrats who controlled Georgia and most of the South since the end of Reconstruction were not liberals, right? They were conservatives. The idea of inclusion in regular classes and whatnot is a liberal idea. The very concept of free public education is liberal. Your “apathy” is actually for the right — conservatives, the sort of people that were against the government providing education, against integration, against inclusion in general.
They really scored wiht you — limited your education and, in doing so, allowed you to get develop the idea that the other side did it…
By lozen
August 15, 2006 01:40 PM | Link to this
Gosh Mamoru I have to say your political savvy (Of course my teacher’s attitudes when I was in school was I needed to learn how to adjust. Just the attitude I would expect from a left winger. My apathy towards the left has been earned.) is just about on a par with Randy’s religious understanding.
By Jack
August 15, 2006 01:40 PM | Link to this
Didn’t think about that Billy. I just remember all the drooling going on when I was in school.
By The72John
August 15, 2006 01:45 PM | Link to this
Perhaps we might use Randy as an example of the boys who do so poorly in school?
Or how about this knucklehead:
Of course my teacher’s attitudes when I was in school was I needed to learn how to adjust. Just the attitude I would expect from a left winger. My apathy towards the left has been earned.
Um…why do you feel it necessary to link your political ignorance and prejudices with this topic? What does being either right- or left- leaning have to do with one’s ability to teach? Oh, I know…nothing. At all.
And just so you know, since you seem to like to repeat it over and over, I believe the word you’re looking for is antipathy. Apathy, in the words of Andre the Giant “does not mean what you think it means”.
Oh. And “associates degrees” were made up by Community Colleges so that intellectually challenged knuckle-draggers such as yourself can feel good about completing remedial-level college work.
By Scalia
August 15, 2006 01:47 PM | Link to this
A school for gay boys and straight girls? That would be funny. Let’s have some fun with the stereotypes for a second. The school would be immaculate and the decorations would be impeccable. The school plays and costumes would rock. Tom Ford and Versace could help out with the costumes. Tom Felicia from Queer Eye could do the decorating. The dance program can come from Jai. The food would be exquisite with the cook from Queer Eye. And Lifetime and Will Grace will be on the TVs in the top notch gym. Dance and house will be playing during the workouts. Aerobics any hour during the day.
By The72John
August 15, 2006 01:49 PM | Link to this
Apathy, in the words of Andre the Giant “does not mean what you think it means”
Woops - actually that would have been Mandy Patinkin, not Andre.
By NetBanker
August 15, 2006 01:53 PM | Link to this
what about gay kids? Would we have to put them in with the girls? This line of questioning assumes that because one has a pen-is gay men want it. That is as valid as saying that because all women have breasts all heterosexual men find all women desirable. The solution is easy…put the gay boys in a class with ugly straight boys. [grin]
By Renee
August 15, 2006 02:01 PM | Link to this
too funny scalia!!
By Nikita
August 15, 2006 02:02 PM | Link to this
Randy, I am agnostic and eternally interested in the search for God, meaning, whatever. One of the central tenets of christianity is that it is by faith alone — which is what you have. You have faith that a demonstrably complex university had to be created by a being. However, this isn’t true. There are multiple explanations for the creation/coalescence/whatever of the universe into its present form, and unfortunately we silly humans don’t know enough about the universe to prove or disprove any one of them. Your faith tells you it’s god, while my non-faith tells me we can’t assume it is.
As for the actual argument, a) Shaunti’s selectively reading and b) while it makes sense to separate some portions of the populations for particular purposes, wholesale segregation by sex, race, or other inherent distinction leads to the fiction that is separate but equal. And while that can be done, and can succeed in private education, because it is done with a population which supports it and affirmatively opts into it, it is illegal to force a segregated system upon the public.
By Randy
August 15, 2006 02:03 PM | Link to this
Well y’all would like to think that just me and a few others believe what I believe. I went to church sunday and since school is back in session it was packed(around 5,000 people). You would like to think I’m uneducated (almost a MBA from American university in Wash DC). You would like to think I’m unsuccessful(own almost 5 million in Real estate and just got approved for another 2 mill). However, this site does prove one thing to me. The old saying “you can’t argue anyone, into heaven” just like “you can take a horse to water, but you can’t make him drink”. I have had a life changing experience thru Jesus Christ and there are just to many more like me, to think that life changing experience was not real. Good luck in your search for the truth.
By The72John
August 15, 2006 02:04 PM | Link to this
The solution is easy…put the gay boys in a class with ugly straight boys. [grin]
SMACKS NET ON THE BACK OF THE HEAD
By Nikita
August 15, 2006 02:11 PM | Link to this
Er, make that universe. And I was polite to you — so why are you slamming me, exactly?
By The72John
August 15, 2006 02:12 PM | Link to this
You would like to think I’m uneducated (almost a MBA from American university in Wash DC).
Here we go again with this. Randy, you lack the reasoning and writing ability to be accepted into college much less graduate school. And even if on the remote chance you actually did get accepted into a graduate program and then suffered the head injury that has reduced you to your present state of semi-retardation, any credits you completed would have long ago lapsed. So you aren’t “almost” anything.
You would like to think I’m unsuccessful(own almost 5 million in Real estate and just got approved for another 2 mill).
Hmmm…and if you do actually own this real estate, by your own admission you got it by taking advantage of the poor and destitute. I wonder what Jesus would say about someone who preys on the very people He commanded you to protect? I doubt he’d like you very much, Randy.
I have had a life changing experience thru Jesus Christ and there are just to many more like me, to think that life changing experience was not real. Good luck in your search for the truth.
This brings me back to my head injury theory. One man’s coma-induced hallucination is another man’s “life changing experience”.
No doubt you would tell the millions of others worldwide who have had epiphanic experiences confirming for them their own belief system that your coma…er…experience…is more valid than theirs.
By Randy
August 15, 2006 02:16 PM | Link to this
Nikita, On one of my earlier posts, I talked about a show a week or so ago about 2 writers who were agnostic now. One said something interesting, he said that we humans know so little about this earth that for us even to get close to having any substantial knowledge, we would need someone who is 9 or 10 times as smart as Einstein. To me that is the key, we can’t possibly know anything substantial, so how can I as a inferior thinking person(compared to 10 times Einstein)say that God doesn’t exist. So you are right “faith” comes into play, God doesn’t have to prove to me he exists, he lives in my “heart”. Also, people find the creator thru their conscience(which is eternal) not their intellect, which only knows what it has seen and heard on this earth(which as discussed earlier extremely inferior and lacking)and is not eternal. Your body and intellect are designed to perish here on earth, your soul and conscience will exist eternally.
By Billy
August 15, 2006 02:17 PM | Link to this
That is as valid as saying that because all women have breasts all heterosexual men find all women desirable.
Well, for middle and high scool boys that’s not that big a stretch!
By Chilao
August 15, 2006 02:19 PM | Link to this
Didn’t think about that Billy. I just remember all the drooling going on when I was in school.
especially over the cheerleader we all heard might be lesbian?
By Randy
August 15, 2006 02:21 PM | Link to this
72John, My writing is off, not alot of need for that in my business, I attended American university in late 70’s and early 80’s. I basically buy houses from banks, they forclosed on the people not me. If you don’t want to believe, that is your choice. I absolutely believe!
By Billy
August 15, 2006 02:25 PM | Link to this
Nikita, On one of my earlier posts, I talked about a show a week or so ago about 2 writers who were agnostic now. One said something interesting, he said that we humans know so little about this earth that for us even to get close to having any substantial knowledge, we would need someone who is 9 or 10 times as smart as Einstein. To me that is the key, we can’t possibly know anything substantial, so how can I as a inferior thinking person(compared to 10 times Einstein)say that God doesn’t exist. So you are right “faith” comes into play, God doesn’t have to prove to me he exists, he lives in my “heart”. Also, people find the creator thru their conscience(which is eternal) not their intellect, which only knows what it has seen and heard on this earth(which as discussed earlier extremely inferior and lacking)and is not eternal. Your body and intellect are designed to perish here on earth, your soul and conscience will exist eternally.
Randy, this same “logic” applies to the opposite: As an inferior thinking person, how can any of us say God does exist?
By lozen
August 15, 2006 02:26 PM | Link to this
Jim Jones convinced hundreds to drink the koolaid Randy. That crazy eyed man convinced several to kill themselves to go to the space ship in the tail of the comet. Mass hallucination just about covers you and the hundreds of others you mention. A lot of people used to believe the world was flat and the earth was the center of the universe. If it hadn’t been for agnostics and atheists the majority would still believe that. Would you consider going back to school and taking just one Intro to Logic class? Please.
By The72John
August 15, 2006 02:27 PM | Link to this
Question with boldness even the existence of a god; because, if there be one, he must more approve of the homage of reason, than that of blindfolded fear.
I came across this quote of Thomas Jefferson’s in a letter he wrote to a correspondent in Paris. The rest of the letter is worth reading, particularly the section on religion. It can be found here: http://odur.let.rug.nl/~usa/P/tj3/writings/brf/jefl61.htm
One said something interesting, he said that we humans know so little about this earth that for us even to get close to having any substantial knowledge, we would need someone who is 9 or 10 times as smart as Einstein.
Just because this person makes this statement doesn’t make it accurate.
so how can I as a inferior thinking person(compared to 10 times Einstein)
Randy, you’re an inferior thinking person compared to 10 times my dog.
By Chilao
August 15, 2006 02:36 PM | Link to this
I believe all the Southern Democrats of that era long ago, have shown their true colors by converting to the GOP.
By lozen
August 15, 2006 02:37 PM | Link to this
72John, why don’t you just say what you mean? LMAO
By lozen
August 15, 2006 02:41 PM | Link to this
Randy, we love you; you make any one of the other people on this blog look 10 times smarter than Einstein - compared to you.
By Randy
August 15, 2006 02:44 PM | Link to this
Lozen, You see there is a problem with anyone who uses religion to further his own agenda(as Jim Jones did). Just like many people have used the muslim faith to attack innocent people. I’m a Christian, but I have my feelers out when I watch a program on TV or go to a church for the first time. A prime example is Benny Hinn, and how he cures people of terminal diseases on TV. Can God cure diseases(yes, if they don’t interfer with his overall plan)but does he give any people that gift. No, he doesn’t give that power to anyone. The bible says it, something to the effect of beware of false prophets. I look for certain things when I go to a new church, what is their focus, if it’s money that’s bad. However, all churches need money to pay their bills. So it’s like a pastor I know said once, “we are not focused on money, but that is part of the thing needed to operate”. He is a sincere Christian and really doesn’t care about money. But, you must look at a Church’s heart, why do they exist, the one I go to exists to lead people to the truth, if it weren’t for that they would do something else. Saying this, let me say that most churches are “right with the lord”. People who are true Christians can smell a bad church pretty quick. What is in their heart.
By Scalia
August 15, 2006 02:46 PM | Link to this
72John, you come so hard for Randy. He takes a battering, and keeps on coming back.
By Randy
August 15, 2006 02:49 PM | Link to this
Unfortunately, 72John is like a 400 pound person who you tell “hey you need to lose weight” and they get mad, start calling you names and insulting you. I have to keep in mind(and this is my weakness)that Jesus loves him, just as much as he loves me and that one day he might get “real” with himself realize it’s going to be very lonely on his death bed without Jesus and accept God’s love. So I might have to spend eternity with him also, this I would be glad to do, as with everyone on this site.
By Billy
August 15, 2006 02:56 PM | Link to this
I believe all the Southern Democrats of that era long ago, have shown their true colors by converting to the GOP.
Apart from the select few who refuse to because Lincoln freed the slaves…Sort of like Robert Duvall indentifying himself with the Republican Party because all of the atrocities perpetrated against blacks back in the day were done so by Democrats. Yeah, that may be the case, but they are all either dead or Republican today.
By The72John
August 15, 2006 02:58 PM | Link to this
72John, you come so hard for Randy. He takes a battering, and keeps on coming back.
He’s like one of those clown punching bags, and with similar intellectual capacity.
I have to keep in mind(and this is my weakness)
Truer words have never been spoken.
Unfortunately, 72John is like a 400 pound person who you tell “hey you need to lose weight” and they get mad, start calling you names and insulting you.
Hmm, actually it’s more like I’m a normal-sized person and you’re some kind of derranged bulemic who starts ranting and raving at all the people who aren’t bulemic just like you. Then, when they rebuff you, you rationalize their dislike of you by telling yourself that it’s them, and not your incessant badgering and abuse, that causes them to dislike you.
By Billy
August 15, 2006 02:58 PM | Link to this
I LOVE Benny Hinn…all those women running around in lingerie…and a catchy theme song, too!
By a wordtothewise
August 15, 2006 03:07 PM | Link to this
For 5,000 years, the ruling class has cultivated, rewarded, and amplified the voices of those storytellers whose stories affirm the righteousness of Empire and deny the higher-order potentials of our nature that would allow us to live with one another in peace and cooperation. The struggle to define the prevailing cultural stories largely defines contemporary cultural politics in the United States. A far-right alliance of elitist corporate plutocrats and religious theocrats has gained control of the political discourse in the United States not by force of their numbers, which are relatively small, but by controlling the stories by which the prevailing culture defines the pathway to prosperity, security, and meaning. In each instance, the far right’s favored versions of these stories affirm the dominator relations of Empire.
THE IMPERIAL PROSPERITY STORY says that an eternally growing economy benefits everyone. To grow the economy, we need wealthy people who can invest in enterprises that create jobs. Thus, we must support the wealthy by cutting their taxes and eliminating regulations that create barriers to accumulating wealth. We must also eliminate welfare programs in order to teach the poor the value of working hard at whatever wages the market offers.
THE IMPERIAL SECURITY STORY tells of a dangerous world, filled with criminals, terrorists, and enemies. The only way to insure our safety is through major expenditures on the military and the police to maintain order by physical force.
THE IMPERIAL MEANING STORY reinforces the other two, featuring a God who rewards righteousness with wealth and power and mandates that they rule over the poor who justly suffer divine punishment for their sins.
These stories all serve to alienate us from the community of life and deny the positive potentials of our nature, while affirming the legitimacy of economic inequality, the use of physical force to maintain imperial order, and the special righteousness of those in power
By Randy
August 15, 2006 03:10 PM | Link to this
I been called many things in my life, however, stupid and ignorant are one of them.
By Jack
August 15, 2006 03:15 PM | Link to this
“72John, you come so hard for Randy”
and I thought John didn’t like Randy! HAHAHAHAHAH!
By The72John
August 15, 2006 03:20 PM | Link to this
I been called many things in my life, however, stupid and ignorant are one of them.
I couldn’t make this stuff up better if I tried.
By Brian Curtis
August 15, 2006 03:20 PM | Link to this
Two, actually.
By Chilao
August 15, 2006 03:20 PM | Link to this
I been called many things in my life, however, stupid and ignorant are one of them
often?
think you missed an intended word there. LOL (or maybe not…..)
By Randy
August 15, 2006 03:23 PM | Link to this
My evaluation of Lozen, probably someone with strong Christian ties. However, at some point in Lozen life from someone Lozen looked up to, who was not a believer and that person said something and destroyed Lozen faith(if there was ever any). So now Lozen goes around saying(from her pride, one of the seven deadly sins)I’m not stupid. I don’t believe in God. See she had a life-changing experience the wrong way. She lets pride rule her reasoning. I had someone who was my best friend try to do that with me a few years back(destroy my faith). But I reasoned thru it. God will supply the answers, if you are open minded and open hearted.
By Billy
August 15, 2006 03:23 PM | Link to this
I been called many things in my life, however, stupid and ignorant are one of them.
Was this intentional? If not…Hi-larious.
By Toad
August 15, 2006 03:31 PM | Link to this
So Lozen can’t think for herself? Someone said something to destroy her hypothetical faith which she’s said nothing about?
By Randy
August 15, 2006 03:32 PM | Link to this
It’s not that 72John doesn’t like me. What I say conflicts causes a major conflict in 72John. My evaluation of 72John, 72John has alot of passion, in fact that what scares him the most, his heart tells him that what I’m saying is real, but that would be a major conflict with his sexual preference(notice I didn’t say lifestyle). Therefore, the saying “I think you argue to much” comes into play here with 72John.
By Randy
August 15, 2006 03:33 PM | Link to this
It’s not that 72John doesn’t like me. What I say conflicts causes a major conflict in 72John. My evaluation of 72John, 72John has alot of passion, in fact that what scares him the most, his heart tells him that what I’m saying is real, but that would be a major conflict with his sexual preference(notice I didn’t say lifestyle). Therefore, the saying “I think you argue to much” comes into play here with 72John.
By Toad
August 15, 2006 03:34 PM | Link to this
The reason Randy’s pop psychoanalysis of Lozen irks me is because when I was in high school and tried to explain to my mother why I was an atheist she asked me who I heard this from.
By Randy
August 15, 2006 03:35 PM | Link to this
A little humor never hurts.
By Zack
August 15, 2006 03:36 PM | Link to this
You have to remember that teachers today aren’t so much told to teach but instead to be “change agents.” Schools are outlets for brainwashing, and the school system in and of itself is pretty sorry, hence our being behind so many other countries the way we are.
Girls have a tendency to be more organized and to value an education more. Given the fact that males are more aggressive, sitting in a classroom environment might seem a boring and could lead to daydreaming and wanting to get outside. (I do remember always being more focused AFTER P.E.) Also, it’s hard for such aggression to be put to use when teachers have students in these small groups all the time, which is about the biggest time-waster in history. Also, these small groups are intended to promote said brainwashing.
If you think I’m being hard on the school system, feel free to do some research and see for yourself.
I did well in school, but also, I was fortunate to attend good schools where teachers actually cared and didn’t try to impede everyone. Also, there was more discipline, a LOT more discipline. The idea of cell phones going off and people text-messaging each other while a lecture is being given was non-negotiable.
By Scalia
August 15, 2006 03:38 PM | Link to this
Randy, why must you provoke the lion? That’s like a little kid pulling on the tail of a dog, and not understanding why the dog bit them.
Ah, I’m so glad that football is back. I missed my favorite sport. I hope the Falcons do well this season. It was great to see them beat the Patriots at the preseason game last weekend.
By Billy
August 15, 2006 03:39 PM | Link to this
It’s not that 72John doesn’t like me. What I say conflicts causes a major conflict in 72John. My evaluation of 72John, 72John has alot of passion, in fact that what scares him the most, his heart tells him that what I’m saying is real, but that would be a major conflict with his sexual preference(notice I didn’t say lifestyle). Therefore, the saying “I think you argue to much” comes into play here with 72John.
Do you even know what words mean?
By Scalia
August 15, 2006 03:42 PM | Link to this
Randy, why must you provoke the lion? That’s like a little kid pulling on the tail of a dog, and not understanding why the dog bit them.
Ah, I’m so glad that football is back. I missed my favorite sport. I hope the Falcons do well this season. It was great to see them beat the Patriots at the preseason game last weekend.
By Toad
August 15, 2006 03:46 PM | Link to this
Randy, here’s a teaching moment: A lot is two words. Alot is not a word. Seeing this once or twice doesn’t bother me, but repetition does. For example, my co-worker kept talking about how her water heater “bursted.” After about the tenth time, I screamed “Burst!” “It burst!”
By The72John
August 15, 2006 03:52 PM | Link to this
It’s not that 72John doesn’t like me
Yes…actually it is.
What I say conflicts causes a major conflict in 72John.
If the conflict between laughter and nausea is the conflict to which you refer, then you are correct!
in fact that what scares him the most, his heart tells him that what I’m saying is real,
What actually scares me the most is that there are actually adult who still cling to your kind of irrational, unreasoning, superstitious and primitive view of the world.
but that would be a major conflict with his sexual preference(notice I didn’t say lifestyle).
Notice that once again it’s the religious fanatic who has the obsessive interest in other people’s sexuality.
Therefore, the saying “I think you argue to much” comes into play here with 72John.
The quote, oh educated one, is “The lady doth protest too much, methinks”, and it’s from Hamlet. Just another little “I’m smarter than you” bit of trivia, just for fun.
By NetBanker
August 15, 2006 03:52 PM | Link to this
OOOWWWW! HUH?! WHAT?! What’d I say?! Did you lose your sense of humor today, John?
we can’t possibly know anything substantial, so how can I as a inferior thinking person(compared to 10 times Einstein)say that God doesn’t exist. And as someone pointed out we can’t say that He does exist. For all we know we’re an intergalatic ant farm in some intelligent alien’s science class. Or maybe we’re like ‘Horton Hears a Who’ floating along not knowing we’re a spec of dust in an infinitely larger world.
By The72John
August 15, 2006 03:56 PM | Link to this
Oh geeze, after a whole day of Tweedledee, Tweedledum has decided to join the fray.
By The72John
August 15, 2006 04:01 PM | Link to this
OOOWWWW! HUH?! WHAT?! What’d I say?! Did you lose your sense of humor today, John?
You wanted to take all the hot guys out of the classroom, you nimrod!
By Billy
August 15, 2006 04:02 PM | Link to this
Or maybe we’re like ‘Horton Hears a Who’ floating along not knowing we’re a spec of dust in an infinitely larger world.
Like the galaxy in the cat’s collar in Men In Black, or the marbles the giant aliens are playng with at the the end of that movie.
By Chilao
August 15, 2006 04:11 PM | Link to this
For all we know we’re an intergalatic ant farm in some intelligent alien’s science class.
LMAO - had not heard that one, mine has always been “For all we know, ALL of the universe that we know of could fit into something the size of a tick on some large hairy carnivore”
By blablabla
August 15, 2006 04:18 PM | Link to this
i have a love/hate relationship with this blog. i hate seeing the same topics discussed over and over, but i love seeing the creative putdowns.
scalia - i too am so stoked for a return to the gridiron. i think the birds will be much improved on defense once all the new additions settle in. unfortunately they play in the second toughest division in football. the pre-season game with the pats was probably the most enjoyable pre-season game i’ve ever seen. i’m sure i’ll be skewered for this, but schaub should be the starting QB over vick.
By Toad
August 15, 2006 04:20 PM | Link to this
The intelligent alien’s science class experiment: Give creatures a beautiful planet and the brains to invent things and see how long it takes them to make their planet uninhabitable.
By The72John
August 15, 2006 04:24 PM | Link to this
i have a love/hate relationship with this blog. i hate seeing the same topics discussed over and over, but i love seeing the creative putdowns.
Believe it or not, we get sick of it too.
i’m sure i’ll be skewered for this, but schaub should be the starting QB over vick.
Screw that - Shockley FTW!
By Toad
August 15, 2006 04:24 PM | Link to this
Please, I can’t take football talk. I’d rather hear a fundie expound on the Bible than who should be quarterback.
By Jack
August 15, 2006 04:27 PM | Link to this
I thought the Sun was the nucleous of an atom and our solar system is one of billions of atoms making up the toenail of a lower life form in a different space and time.
By Xuy
August 15, 2006 04:29 PM | Link to this
beby.. Indiana Car Accident Lawyer,
Bitte!
By The72John
August 15, 2006 04:30 PM | Link to this
Please, I can’t take football talk. I’d rather hear a fundie expound on the Bible than who should be quarterback.
Please extinguish your torch and leave the blog. The tribal council has spoken.
By lozen
August 15, 2006 04:34 PM | Link to this
Ha, Ha, Ha, Ha, Haaaaaaa! I’m gagging it’s so funny. The people in the office think I’m losing it. Tweedledee and Tweedledum! The meaning of life Randy is bacteria. They created us just to carry them from one place to another. God is the first bacteria. Keep it up Randy and Zack; this is hilarious. Randy I know you almost have a degree in psychology or you couldn’t analyze me the way you do! If the conflict between laughter and nausea is the conflict to which you refer, then you are correct! Ha, ha, ha, ha, haaaaaaaa!
By Bjorn
August 15, 2006 04:34 PM | Link to this
Schaub = career 68.8 passer rating, 0-2 in two starts, 49.3% completion rate….I don’t think so.
By lozen
August 15, 2006 04:39 PM | Link to this
*By Toad
August 15, 2006 04:24 PM | Link to this
Please, I can’t take football talk. I’d rather hear a fundie expound on the Bible than who should be quarterback.* I second that Toad!
By Zack
August 15, 2006 04:39 PM | Link to this
Typical bigotry and foolishness from Lozen and John. I can’t say I’m surprised.
By lozen
August 15, 2006 04:40 PM | Link to this
Where exactly is Mara BTW?
By The72John
August 15, 2006 04:42 PM | Link to this
Typical bigotry and foolishness from Lozen and John. I can’t say I’m surprised.
First, define bigotry, and then identify it in our posts.
By Billy
August 15, 2006 04:43 PM | Link to this
Schaub is better than Bjorn wants to admit. And Vick’s stats aren’t spectacular. Vick’s value lies with the fact that his team believes he can help them win. When he’s out, everyone else is shaky. Hence Schaub’s 0-2 record. Schaub is definitely a quality quarterback, and he’s the Falcons’ only hope of salvaging the season should Vick get injured.
By Toad
August 15, 2006 04:45 PM | Link to this
Please extinguish your torch and leave the blog. The tribal council has spoken. You’ve chased me away to the Wooten blog. Now there’s a hate/hate relationship!
By Jack
August 15, 2006 04:47 PM | Link to this
Vick is a glorified running back. he will get hurt from running the football and the birds will be in the toilet.
By Chilao
August 15, 2006 04:52 PM | Link to this
Schaub - I assume he is a quarterback and I assume on the Atlanta Falcons team? Did my educated guess work? LMAO
wow, Billy said all that in his post(patting myself on the back)
By Billy
August 15, 2006 05:01 PM | Link to this
Great deduction, Chilao! lmao…
By Just Being Me
August 15, 2006 05:09 PM | Link to this
~rocking back and forth, cracking up~
Oooh, Miss Sophia home now. Heeheeheehee hee hee hee. I say, Miss Sophia home now! Pass me them peas…
By Kevin
August 15, 2006 05:13 PM | Link to this
Getting back to the column, let me share a teacher’s perpesctive of the schedule of a typical 8th grade male student.
Science - 50 minutes
Ga. History - 50 minutes
Pre-Algebra - 100 minutes (yes, I said 100 minutes, but luckily lunch splits up this class)
Break - 20 minutes (Oops! I couldn’t keep from talking during pre-Algebra, so no break for me.)
PE - 75 minutes (But only every other day. On the non-PE days I get to take Chorus!)
Language Arts - 100 minutes (Oh how I love to sit through 1 hour and 40 minutes of Language Arts to end my perfect day!)
Can anyone begin to see why boys have no desire to be in school? I am a 2nd year male teacher (I teach Pre-Algebra and Algebra I). I cannot believe the lack of free time these young men have to burn off excess energy so that they can come into the class room and concentrate. I don’t believe I could sit through that schedule 5 days a week for 180 days. Neither can they.
By The72John
August 16, 2006 08:06 AM | Link to this
So…Kevin’s observation is that the problem with the educational system and boys is that the educational system emphasizes…education?
I had no idea that school was supposed to be play time interspersed with bursts of learning.
By Lyrazel
August 16, 2006 08:57 AM | Link to this
Seems to me that the reason boys are doing so poorly in school is because schools must cater to whims of them in control of the budget. When you have NCLB demanding that children be taught to a specific question test, teaching to individual students is abandoned for pre-approved study plans. According to NCLB boys are doing poorly. NCLB has links to the military who uses these scores to evaluate a students military potential. They are disturbed boys are not excelling in this curriculum thus America has this crisis! Would another testing program prove different?
Second, the urgency for sports is more consuming for boys than girls. Boys are expected to be in athletic programs and ridiculed if they are not by their peers and coaches, teachers and parents. Many parents insist on sport-involvement through a boys life because it helps their well-rounded development thus, the hours spent at practice could be spent in libraries or in engineering club, or math club. In American schools one notices boys excel in school when their parents emphasize learning over sports. Its usually a student who never made it to the squad who wins the spelling bee or is class valedictorian.
Also, how much does culture play in this? While an education is provided to all students some students value learning more while other students value being hip, cool and a group member. The students who value their education more are the ones who excel in school and beyond: same as it ever was.
Why is everything a crisis in America?
By blablabla
August 16, 2006 09:02 AM | Link to this
bjorn - those stats are from about a six game sample. he’s a much better passer than vick. we know what we have in vick - a running QB who’ll never throw for 3000 yards in a season and will barely crack 200 yards passing most games. vick is a gimmick that we’ll never consistently win with.
john - SHOCKLEY?!! what is it with you guys and that dude? dawg fans just love him. what’s the gig - i don’t see it.
toad - how can we not talk football when we’re in joja, and it’s august?
By Kevin
August 16, 2006 09:02 AM | Link to this
72John,
Spend 5 days teaching a class full of 14 year olds and you will understand that school should be learning time interspersed with periods of play to refresh and refocus the mind.
By lozen
August 16, 2006 09:21 AM | Link to this
JBM, did you see the musical “The Color Purple” at the Fox? It was wonderful! I could not see how that book and movie could be turned into a musical, but it was one of the best plays/musicals I’ve ever seen. Interesting. Kevin doesn’t see a need for 14 year old girls to have periods of play to refresh and refocus the mind? It would seem to me that both genders would need this equally. 72John, you are amazingly cruel sometimes - asking Zack to define “bigotry” when you know he cannot do it! ;-)
By The72John
August 16, 2006 09:30 AM | Link to this
john - SHOCKLEY?!! what is it with you guys and that dude? dawg fans just love him. what’s the gig - i don’t see it.
He sat on the sidelines for most of his career because he wanted to play for UGA, even though there were a number of Division 1 schools he could probably have started for, and then when he got his chance he turned in a great season. That’s the main reason we like him so much.
On top of that, he’s got a strong arm, he’s highly intelligent and calls a great game, scrambles well…he’s a very solid player and I think given a chance he’ll do very well.
Spend 5 days teaching a class full of 14 year olds and you will understand that school should be learning time interspersed with periods of play to refresh and refocus the mind.
Sorry, but that’s just a cop-out. You’re catering to the idiotic notion perpetuated by religious conservatives bent on defining the “differences” between the genders on their terms. You’re suggesting that boys are fundamentally less mature, less capable of self-control, less capable of academic discipline that girls, and that does a trememdous disservice to men everywhere.
Other school systems manage to teach not only those subjects you so sneeringly dismissed but also Latin, Greek, Classical Literature, advanced sciences and mathematics, and, yes, even more of the arts courses you so obviously lack respect for. They manage to do this at the very ages you claim boys find it impossible to concentrate.
What is it you teach, again? PE?
By lozen
August 16, 2006 09:32 AM | Link to this
wordtothewise, I found this interesting: THE IMPERIAL SECURITY STORY tells of a dangerous world, filled with criminals, terrorists, and enemies. The only way to insure our safety is through major expenditures on the military and the police to maintain order by physical force. I just saw the Ben & Jerry/Move On founder on the tavis smiley show illustrating with oreo cookies how much money the US spends on the military! That was amazing. We spend so much more than everybody else on the planet put together. The amount of fear we have for other countries and groups like Al Quaida seems a little extreme. He shows how we could take a few billion from the military for other things, like education, health care for all, and still be spending billions more than any other country on our military. Reminded me again of 1984.
By Troglodyke
August 16, 2006 09:41 AM | Link to this
Can anyone begin to see why boys have no desire to be in school? I am a 2nd year male teacher (I teach Pre-Algebra and Algebra I). I cannot believe the lack of free time these young men have to burn off excess energy so that they can come into the class room and concentrate. I don’t believe I could sit through that schedule 5 days a week for 180 days. Neither can they.
Actually, you are probably correct, Kevin.
But isn’t school supposed to be a place where young people prepare for the workplace? If so, then boys need to learn to sit still for a full day, because they ain’t gonna be getting a chance to go out and hoot and holler and burn off excess energy during the workday.
Real life is sometimes a B!tch.
By Troglodyke
August 16, 2006 09:41 AM | Link to this
Can anyone begin to see why boys have no desire to be in school? I am a 2nd year male teacher (I teach Pre-Algebra and Algebra I). I cannot believe the lack of free time these young men have to burn off excess energy so that they can come into the class room and concentrate. I don’t believe I could sit through that schedule 5 days a week for 180 days. Neither can they.
Actually, you are probably correct, Kevin.
But isn’t school supposed to be a place where young people prepare for the workplace? If so, then boys need to learn to sit still for a full day, because they ain’t gonna be getting a chance to go out and hoot and holler and burn off excess energy during the workday.
Real life is sometimes a B!tch.
By Bjorn
August 16, 2006 09:51 AM | Link to this
bla - Vick passed for 2900+ yards in 2002(under Reeves no less). Not quite 3000, but not too shabby. Oh yeah, and he took the team to the playoffs with no pass protection, and a very weak group of receivers twice. Not bad for a gimmick. I like Schuab, and I think he is a nice player. The Falcons will need him, because Vick will get banged up. He will get his chances to start, just like Doug Johnson….remember him?
If you don’t ‘see it’ in Shockley, then you don’t follow much college football. Extremely talented…just had to wait his turn. Not a UGA fan, but I was pulling for him last year, and I hope he gets his chance as a pro.
Ok, enough football chat….for now!
By The72John
August 16, 2006 09:57 AM | Link to this
But isn’t school supposed to be a place where young people prepare for the workplace?
Actually, I think this statement (no offense intended, Troglodyke)sums up the major problem with education in this country. Education shouldn’t be about preparing people for the workplace, it should be about preparing people for life.
Education broadens your horizons, makes it possible for you to enjoy more things, to appreciate more, to get more out of your leisure time, not just your work time. If we focused on education as a tool for building complete, thinking human beings rather than just for creating the next generation of Office Space Miltons, we might be a little more successful.
By lozen
August 16, 2006 10:10 AM | Link to this
72John, again you are ROTM. You’re catering to the idiotic notion perpetuated by religious conservatives bent on defining the “differences” between the genders on their terms. What do you is it that frightens the rel-cons so much about the idea that maybe there isn’t that much innate difference between males and females?
By Billy
August 16, 2006 10:16 AM | Link to this
John, I have to back Kevin to a degree here. We always had recess in elementary school. Even in middle school (a mere 15 years ago) we had time at lunch to eat and then go outside for 15-20 minutes. Now kids make the trek to the cafeteria, spend 20 minutes eating, then hike back to class.
Should schools’ primary focus be on actual education? Absolutely. But I cannot help but think that problems like childhood obesity and ADHD are somehow related to the fact that kids no longer have any time during the day to burn off steam. When they eat then go straight back to class, the energy rush from lunch kicks in during class, when they have no opportunity to use said energy.
As far as the long classes, I have very mixed feelings. I was anything but the hyper kid. While I may have had a touch of ADD, it always manifested itself in daydreaming and whatnot. I was never bouncing off the walls. Still, I can’t imagine that I would have really enjoyed 1 1/2 hour classes. I got bored in class as it was.
That said, the block scheduling does allow for more classes in a scool career. This means the school can have a better variety of classes. My family and I would have been saved a lot of trouble had I been exposed to a Sociology or Psychology class and realized that I would enjoy a major in the social sciences far more than engineering.
But I digress…Getting the kids to do some sort of physical activity during the day will only help them academically. Of course, no one needs a daily hour and a half PE class. Or even every other day. Thirty minutes a day would be great. It wouldn’t be so much activity as to sap their energy for the rest of the day, but it would provide enough so that the kids won’t ever be bursted ;-) with pent-up energy.
By Billy
August 16, 2006 10:19 AM | Link to this
I just saw the Ben & Jerry/Move On founder on the tavis smiley show illustrating with oreo cookies how much money the US spends on the military!
Here’s a link for everyone here:
http://www.truemajority.org/oreos/
By Billy
August 16, 2006 10:21 AM | Link to this
“I’ll burn the building down…”
By blablabla
August 16, 2006 10:29 AM | Link to this
john, i buy the loyalty thing with shockley. very commendable. and he’s definitely talented. i just remember how he blew your shot at the title a few years back because of that pick-6 he threw in the florida game.
bjorn - how could i forget doug johnson! i just don’t think vick is accurate, and i think he’s terribly overrated just because he’s a fast runner. career 54% completion rate and enough starts and stats to make a realistic conclusion about his passing ability. i doubt he will ever be much better over a long period of time. vick could never throw for 300 and 3 scores (no ints) against the defending champs. schaub did it with the same crappy receivers vick has/had.
By Jack
August 16, 2006 10:37 AM | Link to this
“I can’t sing, I ain’t pretty, and my legs are thin….but don’t ask me what I think of you, I might not get the answer that you want me to.”
Lions and tigers and bears. Oh my!
By lozen
August 16, 2006 10:38 AM | Link to this
Thanks for the link Billy. I belong to TM and get their emails, but somehow I missed that; it’s awesome.
By Troglodyke
August 16, 2006 11:14 AM | Link to this
Education broadens your horizons, makes it possible for you to enjoy more things, to appreciate more, to get more out of your leisure time, not just your work time. If we focused on education as a tool for building complete, thinking human beings rather than just for creating the next generation of Office Space Miltons, we might be a little more successful.
John, you heretic! I mean, if everyone enjoyed their lives, who would run the factories? Who would sit at their desks and do the mind-numbing number-crunching that is so vital to our stable economy?
Work is work, dagnabbit! It’s not supposed to be fun. And anyway, if the education system in our country actually did happen to start working the way you envision, the religious fundamentalists would lose millions of followers. Why, that would be a shame, seein’ as how this is a Xtian country and all. I mean, all them thinkin’ people would undermine the church’s teachings. Then we’d be ripe for bein’ blowed up by them terrorists.
Cuz you know it’s our heathenism that the Islamic fascists hate. I’m sure their hatred towards us has nothing whatsoever to do with the fact that Xtianity is the dominant religion here. Nope, nothing at all.
How’d you like that seque? ;-)
By Billy
August 16, 2006 11:22 AM | Link to this
*Thanks for the link Billy. I belong to TM and get their emails, but somehow I missed that; it’s awesome. *
Lozen, that thing’s upwards of a couple years old, I think. I got it in an email before the 2004 elections if I remember correctly.
By The72John
August 16, 2006 11:46 AM | Link to this
Cuz you know it’s our heathenism that the Islamic fascists hate. I’m sure their hatred towards us has nothing whatsoever to do with the fact that Xtianity is the dominant religion here. Nope, nothing at all.
No, I think it has more to do with our pattern of involvement (or interference, depending on your perspective) in middle east politics. We’ve consistently supported (understandably) governments and leaders that tend to be, if not secular themselves, at least open to secular and Western interaction. Those groups that are opposed to secularism and Westernism in any shape, form, or fashion don’t react well to that.
Add the emotional catalyst of the Israeli/Palestinian conflict and our unilateral support (correctly perceived or not) of Israel, mix it with the poverty and lack of opportunity of many young people in Middle Eastern countries, and toss in a dash of Wahabist-style rhetoric and extremism, and BAMN - you’ve got anti-US sentiment and terrorists willing to blow us up.
By lozen
August 16, 2006 11:47 AM | Link to this
Troglydyke, you amaze me with your perspicacity at 11:14!
By Billy
August 16, 2006 11:54 AM | Link to this
…toss in a dash of Wahabist-style rhetoric…
I don’t see what a spicy Japanese sauce has to do with anything…
By The72John
August 16, 2006 11:59 AM | Link to this
I don’t see what a spicy Japanese sauce has to do with anything…
That’s wasabi, you goober ;-) As if you didn’t already know that.
By Chilao
August 16, 2006 12:09 PM | Link to this
wasabi sauce, great on swordfish. yummy, yummy.
By Renee
August 16, 2006 12:15 PM | Link to this
Okay, I just caught up some on the blog, and I must admit I am cracking up….
I leave for one day and everybody misbehaves!!
And how did I miss JBM???
By Renee
August 16, 2006 12:42 PM | Link to this
bla- I’m beginning to start to take back a lot of what I said about Cynthia Mckinney. Have you read the article in the AJC today? She is past ridiculous, in my opinion, this time.
By Just Being Me
August 16, 2006 12:58 PM | Link to this
~waving at Renee~ Hey Pumpkin!!! Feeling better today?
~rolling my eyes at Blablabla~ IS THERE A REASON YOU HAVEN’T EMBRACED ME WITH A BIG OLE HUG YET????????? I’ve been gone for 4 months!! How’s the wifey and the baby-to-be?
By NetBanker
August 16, 2006 01:00 PM | Link to this
You wanted to take all the hot guys out of the classroom, you nimrod! Hellloooooo?! Do you want our younger gay brethren to pay attention to hot guys in class (thus mimicing their straight peers in mixed gender classes) or to LEARN? They can cruise the hotties during lunch, gym, sports, and between classes. BTW, why are you calling me a rebel and great hunter?
JBM…laughed at The Color Purple reference! You’re blog family has missed you!!
Off to try to catch up reading the blog over a late lunch.
By Jack
August 16, 2006 01:02 PM | Link to this
Ms.McKinney should go campaign in New Orleans. They deserve her.
By The72John
August 16, 2006 01:16 PM | Link to this
BTW, why are you calling me a rebel and great hunter?
Excerpted from Word Detective:
According to the Random House Historical Dictionary of American Slang, we may have none other than Bugs Bunny to thank for the more modern slang use of “nimrod” to mean “idiot” or “jerk.” In one particular 1940s cartoon, Bugs sarcastically referred to the hapless hunter Elmer Fudd as “Poor little Nimrod.” Although “nimrod” had already been used mockingly for a number of years, Bugs’ popularity probably gave this “idiot” sense a huge boost, and it is now used in contexts that have nothing to do with hunting.
8-P
By NetBanker
August 16, 2006 01:29 PM | Link to this
Ms.McKinney should go campaign in New Orleans. They deserve her. Maybe we could marry her off to Ray Nagin! They’d make a lovely pair, huh? King and Queen of a “Chocolate City”?
Lozen! You’re much smarter than to need to ask why the religo-fascists need to continue to harp on the differences between the genders! You know as well as most of us that if women are characterized as different and more emotionally driven than men it’s easier to marginalize them and to rationalize why they should just stay home, pop out babies, and take care of their man. I think the real underlying reason is that the white men driving the religo-fascist movement have esteem and control issues as in they have little of the former and make up for it by demanding too much of the latter. They feel more like “real men” when their wives are financially dependent upon them and are submissive.
Renee…Thank Goodness you’ve seen the light on Cynthia! I don’t wish her ill, but she needs a major reality check on life.
By blablabla
August 16, 2006 01:51 PM | Link to this
jbm - i didn’t know you were back. i myself am posting on an irregular basis and not really keeping up too much with all of the discussions. i probably went a couple of months without posting at all. i must have missed anywhere you had posted. i am thrilled to be in your presence once again, though, as always. i’m well and hope you are also. mrs bla is getting quite large. we’re six weeks out; four if it’s a c-section.
By Renee
August 16, 2006 01:57 PM | Link to this
Heyyyyyy JBM sweetie….feeling much better today (but somehow I think the sarcasm was dripping with your original question).
Net - I tend to agree with you after reading that article. I’ve really tried to be behind her, but this is getting beyond ridiculous!
By The72John
August 16, 2006 02:01 PM | Link to this
Darnit, do I have to bring religion back up to get the conversation flowing?
By blablabla
August 16, 2006 02:02 PM | Link to this
renee - i see what you mean about mckinney. while i am somewhat guilty of seeing what i want to see in her to conclude she’s a ranting wack-o, i think she’s largely hurt herself with the things that she’s done and said. to blame her loss on electronic voting machines when she lost 60-40 in an election that wasn’t even as close as it was expected a few days before is just comical. in my mind she’s become a caricature. that’s a shame.
By lozen
August 16, 2006 02:03 PM | Link to this
Net, definitely that’s part of it. It seems to me there’s more, but I can’t quite put my finger on it. I think about “The Handmaid’s Tale” and the roles of women. The handmaids were policed by other women and the wives and really trapped in a morass of rules and regulations. The men didn’t really have to follow all the religious rules; they’d found ways around all that and could do anything they liked on the sly. I think about the biblical view of women as totally unimportant. That passage naming what a good woman is like always made me so mad when I was a teen. In the past, women were very valuable as free labor, taking care of the children, the house, the sh-t work basically, (although nobody ever pointed that out until feminism). How does romantic love fit into this? The idea that men and women are incomplete without each other and bring totally different characteristics to their union and therefore can’t be happy without being married? And it’s understood of course that women are just naturally submissive and like to clean toilets! ;-)
By NetBanker
August 16, 2006 02:04 PM | Link to this
Back at you from Wikipedia (there were some even better things, but they were from Christian web sites so I stuck with the secular one):
In the Bible and in legend, Nimrod (Standard Hebrew נִמְרוֹד Nimrod, Tiberian Hebrew נִמְרֹד Nimrōḏ), son of Cush, grandson of Ham, great-grandson of Noah, was a Mesopotamian monarch and “a mighty hunter before the Lord”. He is mentioned in the Table of Nations (Genesis 10), in the First Book of Chronicles, and in the Book of Micah. In the Bible he is an obscure figure; in later interpretations, as recorded by Josephus and the rabbis who compiled the midrash, he is the subject of innumerable legends. The most prominent of these was the story that he built the Tower of Babel.
8-P
By Zack
August 16, 2006 02:30 PM | Link to this
Netbanker—If you think “secular” means “objective”, let’s just say you’re far from the truth.
By The72John
August 16, 2006 02:43 PM | Link to this
Netbanker—If you think “secular” means “objective”, let’s just say you’re far from the truth.
The irony of this statement is overwhelming.
By Renee
August 16, 2006 03:02 PM | Link to this
Unfortunately Christians are soooo far from “objective” is not even funny. The amount of Christians that aren’t objective far surpasses the objective ones. Why is it you can’t see beyond your beliefs? What makes your beliefs a reality??? Who told you to speak on God’s behalf??? Who asked for God’s interpreted opinion in the first place.
Somebody stop me quick…..
By Chilao
August 16, 2006 03:09 PM | Link to this
Renee - Stop, quickly. LOL
By The72John
August 16, 2006 03:12 PM | Link to this
I think a perfect solution to the terrorism/extremism problem is to set aside an island where we put all the extremists of whatever religion, all the ones who are absolutely convinced that they not only know the truth but are obligated and called by god to share that truth with everyone else and let them kill each other off.
By Renee
August 16, 2006 03:17 PM | Link to this
How miserable Christianity seems….as a Christian, you no longer have to worry about your wrongs, but you have to now start policing everyone else’s wrongs. And almost everything is wrong therefore, you are constantly busy, in the policing mode. Everything is bad, everyone is sinners, you are the only good one…what a miserable friggin life, unless you have a MAJOR superiority complex…
somebody stop me…….quickly…..
By Renee
August 16, 2006 03:32 PM | Link to this
John, unfortunately, I’m starting to agree with you…
My mother-in-law is one of these “extremists” and we aren’t on speaking terms. It’s always something, and my patience is short….
God is good, you are bad…homosexuality is baaaad, drugs are baaaaad blahblahblah (not to be confused with blablabla) LOL
By Chilao
August 16, 2006 03:33 PM | Link to this
Renee - Stop, quick. LOL
By Kevin
August 16, 2006 04:09 PM | Link to this
72John,
From your posts I can tell that you are a well-educated and intelligent man. That is why I cannot fathom your objections to allow students small breaks in between classes and PE every day (at least 30 minutes - and yes Lozen, girls need PE time as much as the boys do). From experience I can tell you that these breaks well help our students become stronger, not weaker academically. Billy at 10:16 am – thanks for the support.
Also, be careful of your assumptions. I have never been a coach. I don’t teach anything but math. I would love to teach a Trig or Calculus class, but not many 14 year olds are ready for that. In high school I can promise you that I was a much more valuable member of the Literary and Math teams than I was the football team. Don’t you frequently chastise others in your posts about judging? It appears you are no more immune to stereotypes than the rest of us.
If you truly want to fix the problems in our schools, then quit your current job, get a teaching certificate, and help us out. Otherwise, stick to debating Randy on philosophical/ religious/ political topics.
If you decide to get a teaching job, maybe you’ll be fortunate enough to teach at a school similar those mentioned in your earlier post. A school filled with nothing but 14 year old Rene Descartes, capable of solving Bernoulli’s equation while studying the teachings of Plato.
But be careful when you teach them about Greek culture. The students might learn that the Greeks put on emphasis on developing the mind AND body. Once that Pandora’s Box is opened their first question will be “Mr. 72John, when are we going to have PE”?
By lozen
August 16, 2006 04:13 PM | Link to this
Hey, let Renee get it out of her system! What are friends for anyway?
By David
August 16, 2006 04:21 PM | Link to this
Diane is so right - no class, race or gender should be given ANY special treatment for any reason whatsoever, period. Everyone should just buck up and accept their circumstances or lot in life. Why should the rest of us suffer or go out of our way to recognize differences and accomodate them? After all, as long as we have what we need, or have been given what we have, why should we risk losing it to others by helping them? You rock Diane - just remember how you got to where you are…a woman able to speak her mind in public, vote, wear low cut blouses “not to be looked at”, get special/preferential treatment because you are female…the list goes on and on!
By The72John
August 16, 2006 04:34 PM | Link to this
That is why I cannot fathom your objections to allow students small breaks in between classes and PE every day (at least 30 minutes - and yes Lozen, girls need PE time as much as the boys do). From experience I can tell you that these breaks well help our students become stronger, not weaker academically. Billy at 10:16 am – thanks for the support.
I have no objections to occasional breaks and PE every day. I had objections to the tone of your post, in which you made derisive comments about all academic and arts topics. That’s why I made snide “coach” references, not because all coaches are bad teachers, because they certainly are not, but because you sounded like some of the idiot coaches I know who are coaches first and teachers…um…fourth or fifth.
Don’t you frequently chastise others in your posts about judging? It appears you are no more immune to stereotypes than the rest of us
Re-read your post and tell me you don’t come across like someone who lacks any and all respect for education? My animosity towards your post is not “stereotyping”, its an assumption based on your post and its content.
To re-cap, you attacked every basic subject, mentioned PE once, and then signed off without ever making an argument about how to solve the problem. Had you said “There should be activity breaks between classes and PE every day”, I probably would have agreed with you and gone on.
*If you truly want to fix the problems in our schools, then quit your current job, get a teaching certificate, and help us out.
Sorry, I’m the child of two teachers, one elementary and one college. I know full well what character traits and qualities are required to be a good teacher, and I also know full well that I do not have them.
By The72John
August 16, 2006 04:43 PM | Link to this
Diane is so right - no class, race or gender should be given ANY special treatment for any reason whatsoever, period. Everyone should just buck up and accept their circumstances or lot in life
Here’s a little logic lesson for you, Dave. This is what’s called a “Strawman”. See, you change what Diane is actually saying, make it sound just crazy, and proceed to knock it down. You never actually touch the person’s REAL argument, and uneducated rubes such as yourself fall for it hook, line and sinker. Every time.
By NetBanker
August 16, 2006 04:49 PM | Link to this
Netbanker—If you think “secular” means “objective”, let’s just say you’re far from the truth. Zack…zip it!! I wasn’t speaking to you, I never implied secular = objective, and since I was responding to John the use of a secular rather than a Christian religious site to back my point was far more appropriate given his position on religion. One’s effectiveness in communicating is determined by how well they understand their target audience. Were you (or Randy for that matter) able to support a point without dragging your religion into it when communicating with people who don’t hold your belief system you’d get a much better response.
it’s understood of course that women are just naturally submissive and like to clean toilets! Hmmmmm…me thinks the women in my family missed this statement in the handbook. What page is that on so I can point it out to my mother? hehehehehe…yeah right! If my mother ever gave up being a strong, intelligent, out spoken person I’d know that aliens exist and that the being before me was an imposter.
Renee…your mother-in-law obviously doesn’t understand the importance of or proper use of pharmaceuticals at family gatherings. Otherwise she’d realize that sometimes drugs are gooooddd…especially when taken with alcohol. Anything that ends in ‘cet’ or ‘dan’ just can’t be bad.
By NetBanker
August 16, 2006 05:03 PM | Link to this
Kevin,
Bless you for teaching! I just don’t think that I’d ever have sufficient patience for the job. I agree with you that physical activity should be a part of every school day. I find it strange that it is not given that it used to be when I went to school. The only exception I can recall would be that in high school we were only required to have 2 semesters of PE in 4 years. Since I also participated in marching band and sports it wasn’t really an issue and given the size and layout of my high school one could be hard pressed to make it across the building from one class to the next in the allotted 10 minutes.
Before you come down too hard on 72John I do think there is some validity to his point. Culturally Americans seem to value sports over academics. Just think about it for a second. There is a section in the newspaper devoted solely to sports, but no corresponding section championing academics. Even high school sports are covered in the local newspaper with nary a mention that there was an interschool debate that occurred or that High School X’s math club won a regional competition. My recollections of high school were that the jocks got more respect and were considered more cool/popular than the nerds. On a personal note, it was with extreme pleasure that at my 5 yr high school reunion most all of the jocks had gotten waaayyy FAT while the nerds had matured into really interesting people with bright futures.
By tRuSs
August 17, 2006 03:55 AM | Link to this
!— Applying For Financial Aid,
—!
By Renee
August 17, 2006 10:23 AM | Link to this
where o where did my blog buddies go… where o where could they be….
By NetBanker
August 17, 2006 10:24 AM | Link to this
Slow blog day or are we broken, yet again?
By Billy
August 17, 2006 10:28 AM | Link to this
Who knows…
By Chilao
August 17, 2006 10:56 AM | Link to this
Renee - they stopped blogging, and obviously quickly. hahahahahahahahahahaha
By Billy
August 17, 2006 11:02 AM | Link to this
I haven’t been up to anything recently, but so it goes. Mostly I just sit in front of the computer masturbating to internet porn, but lately I can’t even get enthusiastic about that. Such is life. What can I say? It just gets harder and harder to find anything that truly shocks me anymore. It’s not worth the effort. By the time I succeed in finding elderly lesbian BBW midgets participating in a scatological donkey show, I could’ve just as easily gone to sleep.
By David
August 17, 2006 11:03 AM | Link to this
“You never actually touch the person’s REAL argument, and uneducated rubes such as yourself fall for it hook, line and sinker. Every time.” John - I note your tendency to assume others are less educated than you. You really are quite boring!
By Chilao
August 17, 2006 11:11 AM | Link to this
By the time I succeed in finding elderly lesbian BBW midgets participating in a scatological donkey show…
I guess that indicates you actually WERE successful? congratulations. LOL
after Lozen’s comment yesterday, I had to wonder if there were any pics of women cleaning toilets, IN A MAID’s outfit, but since I had other priorities last night…. Heh, could you do me a favor, and maybe find some? (j/k)
By Renee
August 17, 2006 11:34 AM | Link to this
ROTLMAO Billy….you should have put “pffft” on the end. That would have been the icing on the cake!
By The72John
August 17, 2006 11:48 AM | Link to this
“You never actually touch the person’s REAL argument, and uneducated rubes such as yourself fall for it hook, line and sinker. Every time.” John - I note your tendency to assume others are less educated than you. You really are quite boring!
I don’t assume, I base the judgement on your poorly constructed post. If you were educated, or had any kind of basic intelligence, you would have been able to produce something better than the trailer-trash ramblings you produced yesterday.
As it is, you spouted out something completely unrelated to the argument, presumably venting some kind of frustration built up from the fact that you have been unable to acheive the superiority over women that you, as a man, feel is your rightful due.
If you don’t want to be treated like a moron, then try not to sound like one.
By Lyrazel
August 17, 2006 11:59 AM | Link to this
Well, they think they found a long-missing child killer in that Ramsey case. Wouldn’t you know he would be from Georgia…
By lozen
August 17, 2006 12:32 PM | Link to this
Yeah Lyrazel, and he was married and straight! Gotta watch those heterosexual men around kids. Let’s make a few laws preventing them from getting married; you know, we need to preserve the sanctity of marriage. And definitely make some laws so they can’t ever adopt any kids!
By Renee
August 17, 2006 12:51 PM | Link to this
LOL lozen. I’m definitely happy for the family. I don’t know about anyone else but at one point I had my suspicions about them… Glad to know they they weren’t true.
It’ll give Nancy Grace something to carry on about tonight, though.
By NetBanker
August 17, 2006 01:11 PM | Link to this
LOL Billy! Just hilarious!
Lyrazel…I feel so much for the Ramsey family given what was done to them in the media and court of public opinion. You know their lives are scarred forever just like that family in California in the day care molestation case (shoot, I JUST lost their name in my head) that turned out to be completely false. This further shows how an innocent person’s life can be utterly demolished.
Lozen…We MUST protect the chiiiillldren! Not from the actual people who tend to hurt them, but from the people we can turn into boogey men like homos. And let’s not forget those sex offenders! We need to treat them ALL like they were convicted for child molestation. Especially those 17 year olds who are dating 15 year olds and had sex with them. If they did it with a 15 year old then goodness knows the next thing you know they’ll be trolling the elementary school bus stop trying to entice 10 year olds into goodness knows what. Sex offender must equal pedophile because if those protect the chiiilllldren people realize that most child molestation occurs at the hands of family members and very close family friends they might just actually focus on a real problem instead of a non-existent one.
By rob_ertmcswain@hotmail.com
August 17, 2006 01:29 PM | Link to this
I agree with both women. Boys should have concern over their scholastic lives just as we did for girls decades ago and decided to level the playing field more, because we left the boys behind in favor of the girls. Possilby assuming that the boys would respond by trying to become better students. There are boys who actually do quite well in school throughout their educational lives but they are in the minority because we favor sports related activities over academics for boys because that is an easier way for boys to excell than classroom learning is. I never felt the pull of going into athletics or becoming part of some sports team, having joined such extra curricular activities such as the Science club at my high school in my junior and senior years, nor did my parents push me to become an athelete either, prefering that I only be happy in whatever I chose to do. The fact that a couple of my grade school teachers determined that I was “gifted” when I showed some inteligent artistic aptitude for a classroom project for valentines day may have been the cause of their expectations for me. I hope that from my personal researches into quantum physics since the shuttle challenger disaster, so I could expand my personal knowledge base to possibly discover safer methods of getting into space should make them proud were it not for the fact that my father has been deceased for some ten years now and my mother lives by herself in her Condo. At the that time at the grade school I thought and felt that I had done something wrong and only wanted all the attention being shown towards me to go away after my parents were called to the school so the teachers and principle could talk to them about me when usually kids only go to the principles office when they do something bad. That has been affecting me to this day and it is still difficult for me to accept complements as they are intended or attempts at human kindness towards me. So I can agree with both sides but not on all the things they said. Though I must admit to favoring the rebuttal side of the discussion.
By lozen
August 17, 2006 01:34 PM | Link to this
“Boys should have concern over their scholastic lives just as we did for girls decades ago and decided to level the playing field more, because we left the boys behind in favor of the girls.” Can someone please tell me when this happened and how the playing field was leveled for girls? Is this true or just another neo-con myth?
By Scalia
August 17, 2006 01:44 PM | Link to this
Rob, my God, how are you able to breathe since you spend so much time kissing your own a-s-s.
I hope that from my personal researches into quantum physics since the shuttle challenger disaster, so I could expand my personal knowledge base to possibly discover safer methods of getting into space
Dude, you lost me here. It sounds like you are trying to sound smart a la Fatmoose, but are coming off kinda the opposite.
By Chilao
August 17, 2006 01:46 PM | Link to this
from Aug 7 USNews&World Report, from the Yale-graduate author of a book titled The Overachievers(about h.s. students applying for college)
“Education is no longer about a learning experience; it’s a game of Survivor where kids are strategizing…to beat the system.
By Justin
August 17, 2006 01:48 PM | Link to this
I agree. People should succeed on their own and not use excuses. Okay, why hasn’t all this equality spilled over to the family courts? Women still continue to pull the gender card when it is convenient.
By Chilao
August 17, 2006 01:49 PM | Link to this
from Aug 7 USNews&World Report, from the Yale-graduate author of a book titled The Overachievers(about h.s. students applying for college)
“Education is no longer about a learning experience; it’s a game of Survivor where kids are strategizing…to beat the system.
By Zack
August 17, 2006 01:53 PM | Link to this
John,
If you’d quit refusing to seek the truth, your posts would come out much better. All you do now is type what you hope is true. That’s all you have done the whole time on here.
By Renee
August 17, 2006 01:55 PM | Link to this
hahahahaha Scalia….
Chilao….stop Scalia, quickly….lol
By GOB
August 17, 2006 01:56 PM | Link to this
Rob - Uhhh…what?
By Chilao
August 17, 2006 01:58 PM | Link to this
and I have NO IDEA how that ended up twice. hit post once.
By GOB
August 17, 2006 01:59 PM | Link to this
If you’d quit refusing to seek the truth, your posts would come out much better. All you do now is type what you hope is true. That’s all you have done the whole time on here.
Oh, the irony…good times.
By The72John
August 17, 2006 02:06 PM | Link to this
I agree. People should succeed on their own and not use excuses. Okay, why hasn’t all this equality spilled over to the family courts? Women still continue to pull the gender card when it is convenient.
Oh geeze, he’s back and he’s dragging his sad-sack custody crap into a totally unrelated topic again!
If you’d quit refusing to seek the truth, your posts would come out much better. All you do now is type what you hope is true. That’s all you have done the whole time on here.
Yet again, Zack describes his own flaws…He desperately hopes that his narrow, superstitous fundamentalist viewpoint is true, even when reason and science refute it at every turn. Isn’t it tragic to see how religion can warp the mind of a young person?
By Renee
August 17, 2006 02:12 PM | Link to this
Chilao - actually, now, I think you should
stop ME quickly…..
Irony is an understatement!!
By Chilao
August 17, 2006 02:25 PM | Link to this
Renee - feel free, let loose, Lozen had a point, I was only attempting to Stop You since you Requested that SOMEONE stop you.
I know you MAY have thought I was trying to do a grammar correction thing, but I was not. LOL
By Jack
August 17, 2006 02:32 PM | Link to this
More fun watching them clean wearing half of the maid’s outfit! (top or bottom either is just fine)
By Renee
August 17, 2006 03:00 PM | Link to this
If you’d quit refusing to seek the truth, your posts would come out much better. All you do now is type what you hope is true. That’s all you have done the whole time on here.
Errr…enlighten us on the “truth”. Never mind, forget I asked….
As always, that “Christian Love” just shines through!
By Jack
August 17, 2006 04:15 PM | Link to this
The truth shall set you free!!!!!
By David
August 17, 2006 04:26 PM | Link to this
Hey John, now who’s getting hot under the collar and spewing forth like PWT? Hook, line and sinker. You bit and swallowed old timer.
By Chilao
August 17, 2006 04:38 PM | Link to this
David - did you mean that 72John fellow
By NetBanker
August 17, 2006 04:38 PM | Link to this
The truth shall set you free!!!!! And the song says “Let freedom ring”…rings are jewelry…jewelry is a sign of vanity…vanity is a sin…so the truth leads to sin. OMG!! No wonder fundies are against the truth!
By Sara
August 18, 2006 04:42 AM | Link to this
!— Belly Button Info Piercing, Online Mortgage Bad Credit, Catering Newark Service,
—!
By The72John
August 18, 2006 09:25 AM | Link to this
Hey John, now who’s getting hot under the collar and spewing forth like PWT?
Um…who?
By NetBanker
August 18, 2006 09:28 AM | Link to this
So is Sara trying to say that people with belly button piercings and bad credit who apply for online mortgages work for catering services in Newark?
and for our animal lovers;
Inside pet’s brains A DOG’S DIARY 7 am - Oh boy! A walk! My favorite! 8 am - Oh boy! Dog food! My favorite! 9 am - Oh boy! The kids! My favorite! Noon - Oh boy! The yard! My favorite! 2 PM - Oh boy! A car ride! My favorite! 3 PM - Oh boy! The kids! My favorite! 4 PM - Oh boy! Playing ball! My favorite! 6 PM - Oh boy! Welcome home, Mom! My favorite! 7 PM- Oh boy! Welcome home, Dad! My favorite! 8 PM- Oh boy! Dog food! My favorite! 9 PM - Oh boy! Tummy rubs on the couch! My favorite! 11 PM - Oh boy! Sleeping in my people’s bed! My favorite!
A CAT’S DIARY Day 183 of my captivity. My captors continued to taunt me with bizarre little dangling objects. They dine lavishly on fresh meat, while I am forced to eat dry cereal. The only thing that keeps me going is the hope of escape, and the mild satisfaction I get from clawing the furniture.
Tomorrow I may eat another house plant. Today my attempt to kill my captors by weaving around their feet while they were walking almost succeeded - must try this at the top of the stairs.
In an attempt to disgust and repulse these vile oppressors, I once again induced myself to vomit on their favorite chair - must try this on their bed.
Decapitated a mouse and brought them the headless body in an attempt to make them aware of what I am capable of, and to try to strike fear in their hearts. They only cooed and condescended about what a good little cat I was. Hmmmm, not working according to plan.
There was some sort of gathering of their accomplices. I was placed in solitary throughout the event. However, I could hear the noise and smell the food. More important, I overheard that my confinement was due to my powers of inducing “allergies.” Must learn what this is and how to use it to my advantage. I am convinced the other captives are flunkies and maybe snitches. The dog is routinely released and seems more than happy to return. He speaks with them regularly. I am certain he reports my every move. Due to his current placement in the metal room, his safety is assured. But I Can wait; it is only a matter of time.
By Chilao
August 18, 2006 09:35 AM | Link to this
A teacher asked her class to write a composition about an interesting recent event in their lives.
A boy got up and began to read his essay: “Dad fell down into a well last week”.
“My goodness”, the teacher exclaimed. “Is he Okay?”
“He must be”, the boy replied. “He stopped yelling for help yesterday.”
NET - everytime I see that joke, I have to point out it obviously demonstrates the mental superiority of cats to dogs…(I am not a dog appreciator).
By Just Being Me
August 18, 2006 09:54 AM | Link to this
ROFLMBO @ Scalia’s 8/17/06 1:44p…. that is absolutely hilarious!
By lozen
August 18, 2006 09:58 AM | Link to this
Good Friday Morning! Weekend, la, la, la, la, la, la, weekend! A local business was looking for office help. They put a sign in the window, stating the following: “HELP WANTED. Must be able to type, must be good with a computer and must be bilingual. We are an Equal Opportunity Employer.” A short time afterwards, a dog trotted up to the window, saw the sign and went inside. He looked at the receptionist and wagged his tail, then walked over to the sign, looked at it and whined. Getting the idea, the receptionist got the office manager. The office manager looked at the dog and was surprised, to say the least. However, the dog looked determined, so he lead him into the office. Inside, the dog jumped up on the chair and stared at the manager. The manager said, “I can’t hire you. The sign says you have to be able to type.” The dog jumped down, went to the typewriter and proceeded to type out a perfect letter. He took out the page and trotted over to the manager and gave it to him, then jumped back on the chair. The manager was stunned, but then told the dog, “The sign says you have to be good with a computer.” The dog jumped down again and went to the computer. The dog proceeded to enter and execute a perfect program, that worked flawlessly the first time. By this time the manager was totally dumb-founded! He looked at the dog and said, “I realize that you are a very intelligent dog and have some interesting abilities. However, I still can’t give you the job.” The dog jumped down and went to a copy of the sign and put his paw on the sentences that told about being an Equal Opportunity Employer. The manager said, “Yes, but the sign also says that you have to be bilingual”. The dog looked at the manager calmly and said “Meow.”
By Just Being Me
August 18, 2006 09:59 AM | Link to this
Chilao, my dog said to tell you to kiss her behind! LOL!
NetB, I LOVE IT! Y’all may remember I have a dog and two cats (it was 3, but one attacked me in June so I had to let his butt go… wouldn’t you know, he was the only male in the house anyway! LOL). Anyway, hilarious!
By NetBanker
August 18, 2006 10:01 AM | Link to this
Chilao…having had both I’m not sure which species is smarter. Cats seem more aloof, in general. Having them all together I think I ended up with cat-dogs and dog-cats. Now that the sole 4-legged animal in the house is a dog I’m still not sure. We’re pretty convinced that our male white Akita has come back to us reincarnated as a female white Westie (She was born one month after he was put down).
By lozen
August 18, 2006 10:13 AM | Link to this
After a long illness, a woman died and arrived at the Gates of Heaven. While she was waiting for Saint Peter to greet her, she peeked through the Gates. She saw that it was so beautiful. Saint Peter came by; the woman said to him “This is such a wonderful place! How do I get in?” “You have to spell a word”, Saint Peter told her. “Which word?” the woman asked. “Love.” The woman correctly spelled “Love” and Saint Peter welcomed her into Heaven. About six months later, Saint Peter came to the woman and asked her to watch the Gates of Heaven for him that day. While the woman was guarding the Gates of Heaven, her husband arrived. “I’m surprised to see you,” the woman said. “How have you been?” “Oh, I’ve been doing pretty well since you died,” her husband told her. “I married the beautiful young nurse who took care of you while you were ill. And then I won the lottery. I sold the little house you and I lived in and bought a big mansion. And my wife and I traveled all around the world. We were on vacation and I went water skiing today. I fell, the ski hit my head, and here I am. How do I get in?” “You have to spell a word”, the woman told him. “Which word?” her husband asked. “Czechoslovakia.”
By morgan-lynn
August 18, 2006 10:27 AM | Link to this
You are so right ,Lozen. Bible -thumpers think that verses will impress the unsaved to become born again.John 3/16 shows human sacrifice . No Sky Pixie should demand any animal sacrifice.No Sky Pixie should demand worship . And any god should be subject to the same moral code as we,for that code is independent of any god .Any such being would just be another moral agent. Might does not make right.After reams and reams of paper, theists just put old garbage into new cans ,which we empty easily.Hick, Platinga and Swinburne are no match for George H. Smith , Michael Martin and Graham Oppy and Richard Dawkins! One can aver faith for evermore .
By lozen
August 18, 2006 10:27 AM | Link to this
guidelines for the busy cat(s) who will have a house to manage after adopting one or more humans. Water (also known as Cat Solvent) would be really great if it wasn’t so wet! Dripping taps are the best sources of fresh water in the whole house. Toilets are the next best (but the water inside must be colorless and contain nothing!) Therefore it is imperative that any sound of running water be immediately investigated in case a free drink may be obtained. The bathtub is the best place to lurk in the bathroom when a human is present. A plaintive meow or two and perhaps hopefully licking the faucet usually will get most humans to turn on the tap for you. If the bathroom door is closed, demand entry noisily (see Doors). The water dish is to be used only as a last resort in case the humans leave the toilet lid down and the tub and sink are dry.
If a human has a sufficiently wide-mouthed glassful of liquid, immediately stick your face into the glass. If the opening is too narrow, dip your paw into the liquid, swirl it around, and give it the taste test. You may be pleasantly surprised to find beer or even milk! In any case, if the liquid is good, continue to sample, but only while your human is distracted. Some of the best water is ornamented with those cold, hard buoyant cubes that bob up and down in the liquid when pressed lightly. If your human protests, lick the condensation on the outside of the glass.
By lozen
August 18, 2006 10:28 AM | Link to this
5.1 Games
a) “Catch Mouse”. The humans would have you believe that those lumps under the covers are their feet and hands. They are lying. They are actually Bed Mice, rumoured to be the most delicious of all the mice in the world, though no cat has ever been able to catch one. Rumour also has it that only the most ferocious attack can stun them long enough for you to dive under the covers to get them. Maybe YOU can be the first to taste the Bed Mouse!
By lozen
August 18, 2006 10:31 AM | Link to this
Cat Games (continued) “King of the Hill”: This game must be played with at least one other cat. The more, the merrier! One or both of the sleeping humans is Hill 303 which must be defended at all costs from the other cat(s). Anything goes. This game allows for the development of unusual tactics as one must take the unstable playing theatre into account. Warning: Playing these games to excess will result in expulsion from the bed and possibly from the bedroom. Should the humans grow restless, immediately begin purring and cuddle up to them. This should buy you some time until they fall asleep again. If one happens to be on a human when this occurs, this cat wins the round of King of the Hill.
By chuck
August 18, 2006 10:32 AM | Link to this
72john, you said:
Education broadens your horizons, makes it possible for you to enjoy more things, to appreciate more, to get more out of your leisure time, not just your work time. If we focused on education as a tool for building complete, thinking human beings rather than just for creating the next generation of Office Space Miltons, we might be a little more successful.
This statement is very astute. Education should be about exactly those things IN ADDITION TO PREPARING STUDENTS TO BECOME ACTIVE, EMPLOYED, PARTICIPATING, INFORMED, EDUCATED, CITIZENS.
I am not against p.e. and athletics and the arts, I just don’t think those things should take precedence over academic subjects and in many schools they do. Boys are just as capable of sitting in a classroom all day as are girls. To say otherwise is just misinformed. Every good teacher uses a variety of methods in the classroom, many of which offer opportunities for students to get up and move. There is some necessity for this, especially in the younger grades. These activities should be a natural part of the curriculum because they occur in the real world of work and leisure. I know of very few jobs that require employees to sit all day with no interaction with peers and no ability to move around in at least a limited way. Why should education be any different?
By Chilao
August 18, 2006 10:57 AM | Link to this
Two bulls were standing on the top of a hill. The old bull turned to the young bull and said “It’s really cold out today, I think I’ll go slip into a nice warm Jersey”.
JBM - hahahahaha, and here I was being so nice with ‘not an appreciator’ (compared to what I REALLY think about dogs)
Lozen - think I am caught up on the cat-sends, my outbox not backlogged anymore. LOL
By Chilao
August 18, 2006 10:58 AM | Link to this
“I just found out my boyfriend is cheating on me”, the comely coed complained to her friend.
“That’s terrible”, the friend replied. “Which one”.
By Renee
August 18, 2006 11:13 AM | Link to this
The jokes are too funny.
What’s equally funny is that I keep missing JBM!!
Owning both cat & dogs I have to say that dogs have wayyy more personality!! I used to be a complete cat person, and now I’m really, really for the dogs!! lOl
By chuck
August 18, 2006 11:51 AM | Link to this
Welcome back JBM. I haven’t been around much myself the past couple of months. I hope you are doing well.
Having just started to teach my daughter how to drive, I thought this one was mildly amusing:
Junior had just received his brand new drivers license. The family trooped out to the driveway, and climbed into the car, where he was about to take them for a ride for the first time. Dad immediately headed for the back seat, directly behind the newly minted driver.
“I’ll bet you’re back there to get a change of scenery after all those months of sitting in the front passenger seat teaching me how to drive,” said the beaming boy to the ol’ man.
“Nope,” came dad’s reply, “I’m gonna sit here and kick the back of your seat as you drive, just like you’ve been doing to me all these years.”
By chuck
August 18, 2006 12:15 PM | Link to this
I have five siblings … three sisters and two brothers.
One night I was chatting with my mom about how she had changed as a mother from her first child to her last.
She told me she really had mellowed quite a lot over the years …
“When your oldest sister coughed or sneezed, I called the ambulance. When your youngest brother swallowed a dime, I just told him it was coming out of his allowance.”
One day an old lady walked into the doctor’s office and was shown into a room. When the doctor came in and asked what the problem was, she answered, “I have awful gas, but it doesn’t bother me. You see, it’s completely silent and doesn’t smell at all.”
The doctor, after examining her thoroughly, gave her some pills and told her to take one everyday and come back in a week. The lady returned, and when the doctor asked if her problem was any better she replied, “Well I don’t know what you gave me, but now my gas smells terrible!”
The doctor replied, “Well, now that we’ve got your sinuses cleared up let’s work on your hearing!”
A tough old cowboy once counseled his grandson that if he wanted to live a long life, the secret was to sprinkle a little gunpowder on his oatmeal every morning.
The grandson did this religiously and he lived to the age of 93.
When he died, he left 14 children, 28 grandchildren, 35 great grandchildren and a fifteen foot hole in the wall of the crematorium.
By NetBanker
August 18, 2006 01:20 PM | Link to this
Lozen…those are really funny. I especially liked the heaven story and the catch mice. Abigale is definitely a dog-cat. Trying to catch ‘bed mice’ is absolutely one of her favorite games and she definitely attacks the heck out of those moving lumps in the bed. She even springs and pounces like a cat.
Chuck…all good points. Good luck with the driving daughter! I recall driving practice/lessons with my Dad and there was more than one occassion I came home in near tears. He was extremely demanding, especially when it came to parallel parking and driving in reverse. In retrospect it was worth every frustrating moment because I sailed through my test. To this day we still joke about it.
By chuck
August 18, 2006 01:42 PM | Link to this
Thanks NetB. I think I’ll be okay. I taught my wife how to drive a stick shift while we were engaged and we still got married. I hope I still have that much patience. I also had to teach my son to drive 3 years ago and I still have my hair and it hasn’t turned gray yet. Hope springs eternal!
By Scalia
August 18, 2006 02:21 PM | Link to this
It’s Friday, and time to have some fun.
Hey RF, are you back in school yet? If so, have the kids been angels this past week?
By Just Being Me
August 18, 2006 04:26 PM | Link to this
Thanks, Chuck.
~looking around~ Where’s RF?
Hey Net, you wanna talk about dog-cats? My Savannah is what I call a copycat dog! LOL! First, she began licking herself clean (my guess is that she was hoping I’d stop making her take baths). Then, she started eating the cat’s food. Then, she took to the windowsill… she’ll sit there and watch cars go by for hours. She’s always loved the bed mice game. And, you should see how jealous she gets when the cats jump onto the porch railing (Savannah can’t jump that high).
It was really amazing to watch her transform from shih tzu to tabby.
Y’all have a great weekend (and keep your fingers crossed for a good topic next week).
By NetBanker
August 18, 2006 04:57 PM | Link to this
Chuck…maybe you should open a driving school. (grin)
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August 18, 2006 08:45 PM | Link to this
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