OkieDokie's Blog

While the nation has their eyes on the private affairs of John and Elizabeth Edwards, Daniel Allen Everett and many people like him have their eyes on our youth.  Daniel Everett arranged thru an online chat to meet a 14 year girl for sex.  Fortunately, in this case, it was a sting operation and the middle aged man pictured below was caught in the act.

Showing up on the doorstep of his adolescent prey in a World's Greatest Dad t-shirt...most likely with the naughty little thought of Hoozyer Daddy, little girl?!

They say a picture is worth a thousand words, well this one only says three:

"What a Moron"!!!!

While James McGovern's foodstamp challenge seems very thoughtful and compassionate, it is misinformed and clouded with incomplete information.

It was stated that he lived on a food budget of $21 per week which is the average foodstamp allotment people receive.  The UNDERSTATED piece of information is the word AVERAGE!!!

Foodstamps are based on income.  Those who receive fewer foodstamps have more income, and are expected to be able to supplement their food budget with wages earned...so his $21 budget sounds good, but it is for effect only!

Finally...using HIGH cost estimates:

• 1 bag of lentils         $4
• 1 Carrot                     $.50
• 1 Small Onion         $.50
• 1 Celery Stalk         $.50

Salt/Pepper Combo Shaker set:  $1.25

Water:  Budgeted into utilities / not food stamps

Will make a soup that will feed my family of four for a week with money to spare!!!  What point is Congressman McGovern really trying to make with his Living on Lentils for a week?

 

 

 

 

Oh wow…that was amazing!  I swear I heard the Law & Order “DOINK DOINK” sound as I typed the title for my blog.  Admit it; you know the one that I am talking about…the "dramatic" sound that plays during scene transitions in each Law & Order episode to grab your attention and put you on the edge of your seat because something good is about to happen…

Maybe that’s a sign?!  After seeing a couple of interviews, and hearing a couple of sound bytes from the Paul Harvey Show, I have to say I’m liking the idea of Fred Thompson, who has had a very diverse career and is likened to President Reagan, throwing his hat into the ring of presidential candidates.  

Is it possible that Fred Thompson is the only true conservative the republicans have running as viable candidate in the 2008 Presidential Primary?  What are your thoughts?

I applaud your efforts to take charge of the content and quality of your children's education.  Although the opinions for why it is wrong vary, the results you seek are laregely supported.  I am not a lawyer. However, I am a parent, much like yourself, who considers ensuring the quality of my children's education to be one of the single most important responsibilities I have to them as their parent.

I can not in good conscience say that the judges ruling had no merit based on the grounds presented before him. What I can say is, I think I found the solid legal ground for you and other parents in this situation to stand on.  Please see below, the provision that I have copied and pasted directly from Massachusetts State Law.

MGL Chapter 71, Section 32A:  (aka: Parental Notification Law)

Every city, town, regional school district or vocational school district implementing or maintaining curriculum which primarily involves human sexual education or human sexuality issues shall adopt a policy ensuring parental/guardian notification. Such policy shall afford parents or guardians the flexibility to exempt their children from any portion of said curriculum through written notification to the school principal. No child so exempted shall be penalized by reason of such exemption.

Said policy shall be in writing, formally adopted by the school committee as a school district policy and distributed by September first, nineteen hundred and ninety-seven, and each year thereafter to each principal in the district. A copy of each school district's policy must be sent to the department of education after adoption.

To the extent practicable, program instruction materials for said curricula shall be made reasonably accessible to parents, guardians, educators, school administrators, and others for review.

The department of education shall promulgate regulations for adjudicatory proceedings to resolve any and all disputes arising under this section.

 

Opposition will undoubtedly try to argue that the content does not address human sexual education and/or human sexuality issues.  This argument can be countered with content taken directly from Wikipedia, an online encyclopedia that is open to a large contributor base, that draws a large number of editors from diverse backgrounds. By allowing user edits,  Wikipedia  has significantly reduced regional and cultural bias found in many other publications, making it very difficult for any group to censor and impose bias.  This site is used  world wide, increasing in popularity, often considered as the go to site when researching any number of topics.  More importantly, educators have considered it to be a credible source for students to obtain data on school research projects.

 

Aspects of human SEXUAL behavior:  Scope

Sexual behavior is a very broad expression. It covers both common and less common behaviors, and includes a wide range of sexual behaviors from marital relationships to sexual abuse. Although in many cases sexual behavior is directed towards or within a relationship, this is not necessarily of the case and much sexual behavior is not.

As I mentioned before, I am not a lawyer.  I found this information while making sure that I stay informed on topics of education.  I offer it to you...FREE of charge...just one parent to another, in a united effort to minimize the social politics that is poluting both the quality and the effectiveness of our children's education.

 

 

I have to say that I am absolutely outraged at the answer given by Lexington School District and accepted by the media, in response to the lawsuit brought on by 4 parents regarding their children being taught about homosexual marriage in the elementary school.  The response being that that homosexual marriage is legal in Massachusetts, therefore they did nothing wrong.

Yes, there is a law that permits homosexual couples to wed.  (I am not against it and its not the issue here.) The law exists to provide individuals with the right to exercise choice, based on what they feel is morally right.  This doesn't mean that it is right, or right for everybody...which makes it a moral issue...and should not be taught in schools.

In a climate where there are concerns regarding education quality and performance in the US compared to other nations, and where teachers state they have too much to do, I can hardly see a place or justification for this being taught. 

Allow me to lighten the load.  You do not have to teach morals to our children.  There is one thing off the plate!  Is there anything else that is being taught unnecessarily?

I hope that the media is not really going to accept "We did nothing wrong as an answer"!!  And I am quite concerned that the Department of Education is remaining silent on this issue, rather than taking swift action.

Why aren't questions being asked like:

• Where does it state in the frameworks created by the MA Department of Education that this should be included in the curriculum?
• Where on the MCAS test does it question children concerning who is marrying who, or why? 

When they find out it does not exist in the frameworks...Follow-up with questions like:

• Why is the school spending funds from the budget on things that are not recommended as part of the curriculum? 
• If the school didn't buy it and it was brought in by the teacher:  
• Why is the teacher bringing in material that has not being approved thru the school, nor complies with the MA DOD frameworks. 
• Why is the school supporting the teacher in this activity?

Am I completely off the charts here?!  How do others feel?

It is commonplace to hear educators complain about having to do too much and not getting paid enough, or to hear the superintendant of schools speak to a community about budget deficits and the need to lay off teachers, cut courses, etc...unless there is a vote for an override.  Don't get me wrong, I have been a big supporter of education over the years, and I certainly couldn't be a teacher...which is why I didn't choose it for a profession, nor would I expect a teacher to be able to do mine..., but I am completely baffled when I hear the same speaches each and every year...even after an override or two.  With that being said, it is clear that funding isn't necessarily the issue...maybe the educators were correct initially when they said they had to do too much.  

I think its time as concerned parents, members of communities, voters...we should take a look at this system and re-evaluate its purpose.  What is the purpose we want public education to serve for our youth? What do we want to see as a result of the education of our children?  Are the core subjects mentioned previously too much? Are they not enough?  What else should be taught in the schools?  How should it be taught?

Being involved in my children's education of the years, this has been a topic I have thought about.  In light of the recent articles of news covering topics related to issues invovling education, I wonder how others feel on the topic?

Well who said working out isnt fun?! Looks like a blast to me! It's advertised as being physical therapy for kids. But I am thinking...I could get rid of a couple of large pieces of equipment, dump my unreliable workout partner...

Gone are the days of getting outdoors and romping in the fresh air, bike riding, kick ball...

In all seriousness...with the hype about obesity in kids, and the unfortunate fact they kids today are referred to as the gaming generation, I see this as being marketable.

Do they have all sports programmed...I'm seeing virtual training down the road. Heck, virtually anything is possible.

Technology to be available to hospitals all over the country by the end of the year. Ok, so when does the home version hit the market?

http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/2006122
7/NEWS04/612270379

Now here is a fine example of keep it simple stupid. Can hardly wait to see if it takes off, no pun intended. Wouldn't that be something if eight months from now we witness his dream come true?

How would you like to travel in this vehicle? And would this mean we would have to re-design the big dig?!!! Hmmm, I wonder how it's fueled.