Conference back40::soapbox

Note 211.0 by SX4GTO::OLSON 

    >For those who assumed that American families and schools were falling
    >apart, a  new report relays good news: Families are in some ways
    >stronger than they were 20  years ago, and that is having a positive
    >effect on children's performance in school. 
    
    we don't hear much about this because it isn't "good news". we DO hear
    a lot about the troubles with and within schools. that's good news. the
    fact is, if you want good schools, and successful students in those
    school, then YOU MUST get involved. those that feed on the "good news"
    brought forth by the media fall into two groups:
    
      1. those that don't have time for their kids and use schools and 
         school functions as places to raise their kids. these people 
         expect schools to instill values and common decency in their kids.
         or at the very least, keep the kids out of their hair so they can
         keep up the tennis lessons. these kinds of people are hypocrites.
    
      2. those that keep screaming that government isn't doing enough to
         make schools safe, effective, trusting. these people either don't
         have time for schools, or have given up hope of being able to do
         anything about them. thus, they cuse the government for not
         investing more money in their ideal school.
    
    you want good schools? be prepared to sacrifice for it. its NOT
    SOMEBODY else's job people. its YOURS!

    DougO:
    
    Are the standards the same today as they were 20 years ago?  If so,
    then that's a sign of hope.
    
    On the other hand, what good is a 1600 score on your SATs if you are
    from a dysfunctional family and contemplate suicide from time to time?
    This is where I believe the local church (church, synagogue, any place
    of worship) needs to be more proactive!  If it isn't the job of the
    school to raise our children (and it isn't), then how do we motivate
    the flower child generation to do the proper thing so they won't screw
    their kids up any more than they already have?
    
    -Jack

    > For their own research, Grissmer's team looked at math and reading
    > scores from  the National Assessment of Educational Progress, a federal
    > testing program regarded  as a more accurate yardstick. 
    
    I still have some of the printouts from NAEP testing from my
    gradeschool and middle school years.
    
    DougO

    
    Buncha lies, now that "cuts" are in the air, expect all of these
    "no-so-bad" type of stories, with trumped-up stats.  Don't be fooled.
    
    Cut em off at the knee.  bb
    

    >with trumped-up stats. 
    
    if their stats are falsified, from federal data, they'll be easily
    discredited.  if that doesn't happen, you're blowing smoke.  The data
    exist.  Deal with it, Dorothy.
    
    DougO

    
    Nope, they don't.  Marriages are falling apart - check your
    Almanac divorce rates.  School performance HAS levelled - in a
    trough after twenty years of decline.
    
    Now that the "Department of Education", which educates nobody, is
    endangered, they try to discredit the facts.
    
    And for your info, SAT takling, as a percentage, is in DECLINE.
    
      bb

	Jack, do you think the flower children are screwed up?

    Glenn,
    
    Been to any of the homeless shelters lately? Some of that croud I know
    hangs out there. Burnt out from massive quanities of LSD..... They were
    part of that cool group that sometimes you were shunned from... God
    Bless that! Guess there is always that second side to the coin.;0)
    

	What % of the homeless make up the overall flower child population
rauh? A high %? You'll probably find a lot of people from every group who are
homeless. But do they make up the majority of that group? Nope.

An excerpt from a 1950s high school Home Economics textbook: 

How To Be A Good Wife
=====================

Have dinner ready.  Plan ahead, even the night before, to have a delicious
meal - on time.  This is a way of letting him know that you have been thinking
about him and are concerned about his needs.  Most men are hungry when they
come home and the prospect of a good meal is part of the warm welcome needed.

Prepare yourself.  Take 15 minutes to rest so that you'll be refreshed when 
he arrives.  Touch up your makeup, put a ribbon in your hair, and be fresh 
looking.  He has just been with a lot of work-weary people.  Be a little gay
and a little more interesting.  His boring day might need a lift too.

Prepare the children.  Take a few minutes to wash the children's hands and
face.  If they are small, comb their hair, and if necessary change their
clothes.  They are little treasures and he would like to see them playing
the part.

Minimize all noise.  At the time of his arrival eliminate all noise of the
washer, dryer, dishwasher, or vacuum.  Try to encourage the children to be
quiet.  Be happy to see him, greet him with a smile and be glad to see him.

Some don'ts.  Don't greet him with problems or complaints.  Don't complain if
he's late for dinner.  Count this as minor compared to what he might have gone
through that day.  Make him comfortable.  Have him sit back in a comfortable
chair or suggest he lie down in the bedroom.  Have a cool or warm drink ready
for him.  Arrange his pillow and offer to take off his shoes.  Speak in a low,
soft, soothing and pleasant voice.  Allow him to relax and unwind.

Listen to him.  You may have a dozen things to tell him, but the moment of his
arrival is not the time.  Let him talk first.

Make the evening his.  Never complain if he does not take you out to dinner or
to other places of entertainment.  Instead try to understand his world of
strain and pressures, his need to be home and relax.

THE GOAL:  Try to make your home a place of peace and order where your husband
can renew himself in body and spirit.

    Hmmm...
    
    Where's the part about popping out of that big cake barearsed
    and tearing his cloths off?

    .10
    
    Actually those are good things for a work-at-home Mom to do.  
    
    

       Oh, Nancy, I do hope this signals your return to Soapbox.  Not
       that we have any particular shortage of individuals who are on an
       Eisenhower-era middle ground of socio-political perceptions, but
       it can occasionally be tiring pot-shooting at the same sitting
       ducks.
       
       --Mr Topaz

    Translation:
    
    "I miss your witty repartee Nancy.  I have been more of an interminable 
    bore, if that is possible, in your absence.  Your presence here
    radiates light and energy into an otherwise dull and lifeless forum."  
    
    He misses you, I think.  
    
    Brian

    Brian, you've been studying the The Mr. Topan Interpolation /
    Extrapolation Handbook is see.

    Mr. Topaz,
    
    I can totally relate to that which you have stated.  On occasion,
    having to duck, I've become quite fond of the bellies on those
    pot-shooters.  :-)
    
    Nancy

    .14
    
    This is a good pick-up line. :-)

    re: .10
    
    Should I ever have to choose between world peace and a 
    clean house, world peace will win every time.
    
    In 60 years or so I will be dead, and no one will care what my
    house looked like.  However, the people and animals who benefitted
    from the time I gave them (which would have been spent in the 
    otherwise useless task of sloshing about the house) will miss
    me and may, in turn give others the gift of their attention because
    of what I had done.  That beats stacks of neatly folded laundry
    hands down.
    
    Mary-Michael

    
    
    Yeah but, Mary-Michael???
    
    How will your house smell after having animals running around in it for
    60 years???
    
    :)
    

    
    I have time to work on world peace now, because I have a cleaning lady.
    
    

    re: .20
    
    Thank goodness!  I was afraid everyone was too busy :-)
    
    re: .19
    
    That's purposeful cleaning, Andy.  That's allowed. :-)
    With 5 cats, 3 (soon to be 4) ferrets, 5 fish tanks and
    1 SO (who's just a tad sloppy), some amount of cleaning
    is necessary on a regular basis... :-) :-)  I just don't
    dust the high shelves as often (even though I can see
    my Irish grandmother frowning) :-)
    
    

    Hmm???  Did anyone see fanatical housewife in .10 ???? I didn't.  I saw
    responsible behavior for a woman who is at home with a family.
    
    Oh well.. different spins for different filters.

    re .10
    
    That text was read as part of the best man's speech at a wedding I went
    to in March. It was very funny :*)

re: Note 211.22 JULIET::MORALES_NA

  > Hmm???  Did anyone see fanatical housewife in .10 ???? I didn't.  I saw
  > responsible behavior for a woman who is at home with a family.
  > 
  > Oh well.. different spins for different filters.


I wouldn't see anything wrong with this either, provided the husband is
just as caring. But let's face it...this isn't an idealistic
world we live in.

I could not respect anyone who would cow-tow to another, when the other were 
not deserving of it. I don't see how that person could continue to do that
and maintain some level of self respect.

I'm sure your mileage may vary on this...

Bob

    >I wouldn't see anything wrong with this either, provided the husband is
    >just as caring. But let's face it...this isn't an idealistic
    >world we live in.
    
    I understand what you are saying, but......
    
    Why do we have to base our behavior [doing right] on what other's do or
    don't do?