Thanks, but no thanks

As I was looking through my school my email yesterday I was informed about a visit from our State Superintendent of Public Instruction to the school I teach at. Normally this would be some measure of a point of pride for our campus. Sadly, in todays environment it is not.

Our school, district and state is in the worse shape in terms of educational funding that I have ever witnessed in my 16 years of teaching. While the economic struggles are well documented throughout the entire nation, in our state, they are at a crisis.

Our state is a Republican infested mess. Frankly, I think both political parties are just a mess. Either they are elements of destruction or are so preoccupied with doing what is politically correct, they in effect do nothing. Arizona is a haven for retirees who feel that there obligation to public education has passed with their children being grown up. Many of our state legislators, who are in fact Republican scum, wouldn't think of sending their children to public schools. They opt for a private education. They won't come out and say it, but.....the thought of their precious darlings attending school with those pesky people of color is just too proletarian for their fabricated socially elevated status.

You may say, "How can this be? Have we not an A-A elected president?" Well, keep in mind that Arizona has been referred to as the "South Africa of the Southwest" not too many years ago. This tradition of intolerance and thinly veiled racism is alive and well in the Grand Canyon State.

I DIGRESS

I do not wish to hear any palaver from a man who has dismantled so many valuable assets for publically educated students in our state. This big footed boob has not championed the importance of education for the students, including my own damn kids!!!, and the impact education has on their respective futures. He is here to feast on the achievements of students, teachers and parents despite his bungling and misguided efforts at the Arizona Department of Education. What a self-seeking political parasite. Away with him!!

This individual has political aspirations of serving as the next Attorney General of Arizona. It might interesting to see him prosecute himself for malfeasance of office. Oh wait, he couldn't do that as an elected Attorney General could he?

Another blinding zap of knowledge gained afflicts this life long learner.

Warning Signs

When having an alt isn't working

First off, I want to preface this blog by asking those of you that use alts in SL to please don't stop. You have no idea how much you can energize a place by your mere presence. People will ponder who you are and many times the subterfuge is so pathetically lame, it's magical.

People come and people go in the metauniverse. Some by choice, disinterest or by their sheer nastiness when they are socially removed by a group. I'll focus on the latter for the remaining portion of this blog.

The sure giveaway about many alts is that they travel in pairs. A nasty, manipulative person will always find one dupe-accomplice to roam with. This is a dead giveaway. Often they will also incorporate some segment of their name into their alts identity. Vanity is a bitch isn't it?

Alts can provoke such reactions in people. Most are curious if not bemused. Some want to leap into the mystery with both feet and tenaciously hang on until an identity can be ascertained. I imagine I can float to all viewpoints.

My favorite person to be with when alts are afoot is Blissie Boucher. They irk her. Alts I mean. Other stuff irks her to, but for this we will go with alts. I will never talk to her on voice. see RL pictures of her and that is ok. But if were to tell her that I think our neighborhood is being invaded by alts she would fly out of NY non-stop to Phoenix, cab from the airport and start kicking some alt ass upon her arrival. She's like that. Alts do that to her.

What do they do to you?

A step back in time....

Yesterday at the Wordpress WordCamp in Phoenix was interesting. Not so much the content which was frankly over my head for the most part. It was a glimpse or a vignette into the gaping maw of what is the human condition. In myself and outside of myself.

I was really disgusted at what cruel spirited comments can be posited forth when they can be semi-anonymous. This guy, I thought he was pretty cool and effective, was giving his talk and people were tweeting some of the rudest bullshit about his presentation.

Really brought home the fact that courage and risk taking are rare commodities these days. Not extinct but rare. These people in the crowd snipped and just made the most lameass comments. Most were little college kissasses who would never have the guts to say something face to face. That might be scary!

One of the more unsavory elements of technology is a decline in face to face social skills. Lots of people are so disconnected. They can't read someones facial expressions or body language because they have that disconnected elements via facebook, twitter or what have you. They live with a self-imposed buffer between them and others.

Back to the aforementioned speaker. Kim was so upset by the behavior of the audience towards this presenter that we spoke to him about a possible grant collaboration. The brief conversation illuminated us to the fact that he has worked with at-risk youth, has had a gun held to his head. Real shit in the real world. Not hiding behind this device or that. Fucking pussies.

I doubt these negative nabobs could speak before 5 people, let alone 500. Oh, by the way, the dudes name is Jayson Cote. He is not a coward and the audience was full of them. Google him for some interesting stuff.