Sunday, June 25, 2017
Blogger instead of Canvas for today!
Welcome to EDGE and my blog. Here is a tentative schedule for today, Monday, June 26, 2017...
1. Introducing our staff...
2. Roster
3. Rules: A. Attend every workshop. No excuses. B. Listen for instructions. C. Participate. D. Put phones away until break. E. Take notes and study them. F. Work together. G. Be prepared (sleep at night, eat right, etc.). H. Have fun and have a sense of humor... Meet new people... Keep an open mind. I. No fried foods in class, please.
4. SQ3R...
S= Survey or scan. How long is the passage? Author? Graphics?
Q= Question.. Write down 3 questions you have about material BEFORE you read it.
R= Read... step 3, not step 1. Keep reading and don't stop.
R=Recite. Answer questions you asked. Also speak your answers.
R=Review. Go over your answers and study them.
Now apply this to our article of the day.
5. On Course. Stay motivated. Your instructors are here to help you, but unlike high school, we cannot read your minds. Ask questions. Come to office hours. Ask for help. Study together. Use TASC on online tutors for help. Ultimately, you are responsible for your success.
6. Accuplacer study skills. Test-taking cheat sheet.
7. Games...On a small piece of paper, write down: 1. Favorite food 2. Favorite TV show or movie. 3. Favorite band or music.
8. Using Canvas...
9. Questions?
10. Let's get started on getting you ready for College of the Desert, on improving your reading and English skills for Accuplacer and beyond, and on becoming a professional person.
11. Databases... Go over process. COD lib guides. Now practice searching for _______.
12. Journal writing--100 words about when you should have been responsible about school....
Saturday, February 18, 2017
Reoccurring dreams...
One aspect that reoccurs is "flying"... I am able to move my arms and legs and fly, almost like swimming. No one seems to notice that I am flying, just me. I am able to see things that no one else can see from my flying heights.
Another reoccurring dream is looking for my son.In fact, when I woke up this morning, in real life, I went to my son's room to see if he was here. No luck. Window open. Blinds open. Bed made but no one in it.
In my dream I was talking to an AA reading teacher, who had an outdoor reading camp set up. I saw my son go by and go into a bar. He had a straw hat on, that was mine of course, and shorts, walking around alone as usual.
Later, I spoke to Denzel Washington, to whom I was explaining about my son. Searching for my son. Then a voice told me, "This is the story that you have been searching for." Meaning about searching for my son, playing detective. Same as in real life when I had to search for my brother, but he was already dead.
Then later, back to dream, I was in Joe's house, talking to his kids and wife. She was speaking of a tradition in their neighborhood when they could not have visitors, " in this white and brown" neighborhood." We were playing games, push a plastic button and a movie and song would play.
What does flying represent? Simply like swimming? Or the power of reason, by being able to see things clearly?
The story? Yes, searching for the graffiti artist, who keeps wandering off and getting in trouble. But there is no secret code in his writing, so it is a mystery or detective story after all.
Another reoccurring dream is looking for my son.In fact, when I woke up this morning, in real life, I went to my son's room to see if he was here. No luck. Window open. Blinds open. Bed made but no one in it.
In my dream I was talking to an AA reading teacher, who had an outdoor reading camp set up. I saw my son go by and go into a bar. He had a straw hat on, that was mine of course, and shorts, walking around alone as usual.
Later, I spoke to Denzel Washington, to whom I was explaining about my son. Searching for my son. Then a voice told me, "This is the story that you have been searching for." Meaning about searching for my son, playing detective. Same as in real life when I had to search for my brother, but he was already dead.
Then later, back to dream, I was in Joe's house, talking to his kids and wife. She was speaking of a tradition in their neighborhood when they could not have visitors, " in this white and brown" neighborhood." We were playing games, push a plastic button and a movie and song would play.
What does flying represent? Simply like swimming? Or the power of reason, by being able to see things clearly?
The story? Yes, searching for the graffiti artist, who keeps wandering off and getting in trouble. But there is no secret code in his writing, so it is a mystery or detective story after all.
Friday, January 20, 2017
In-Augur-ation 2017
A student asked me yesterday in class, "Do we get extra credit if we watch the inaguration?" I responded tersely, "No, you lose points." Instead of watching the inauguration, I have decided to reflect on some of the best of America: no, not Obama, or Reagan, not Kennedy, no, not FDR or TR. One of the few Americans who understood it was... Samuel Langhorne Clemens, yes Mark Twain.
He understand better than anyone how religion is used in the US; how hypocrisy is such a HUUUUUggggge sin here. Allow me to pepper you with a few good quotes.
"Whenever you find that you are on the side of the majority, it is time to pause and reflect."
This business about "coming together as a country" and showing unity during a peaceful transition of power that is the American project is all phony elitist beltway provincialism. Don't put me in with the majority rules thing--otherwise, Hillary Clinton would be president, right? I am an American; I don't have to accept the president; he needs our approval; it's not the other way around.
Furthermore, as part of the majority, that 3 million more Americans who voted for her, we need to reflect: on how we got cheated; how the election was tainted. To return to the voting machines, America is still using a mish-mash of different voting systems, even within certain states: the old voting machines, yes those that in 2000 were manipulated, are still being used and were used in key swing states. Check North Carolina, Penn, Michigan, and Ohio. Check into sites that discuss voting methods used in different states.
This is after all our second tainted election in sixteen years. That was 2000 (not to mention 2004 as well). Every sixteen years now? That's often; I only get sick every twenty-five years. Trouble is: American public and media have no memory; it is a collective Alzheimer's disease about our own recent history. It's called long term memory, but we do not have one in terms of politics.
Another Twain quote:
"The best of us would rather be popular than right." How does that apply to today?
To end it all:
"I have no race prejudices nor caste prejudices nor creed prejudices. All I care to know is that a man is a human being, and that is enough for me; he can't be any worse."
That to conclude this post about using one's time well on this "historic" criminal day. America has become THE BANANA REPUBLIC that we have criticized in other countries. It is time to reflect but also to do something.
One immediate call would be to overhaul the election system. Use standard machines in all 50 states. Create nonpartisan federal election commission. This is a basic first step that should have been taken in 2000 after that international embarrassment. This does not even include discussions about doing away with the Electoral College....
He understand better than anyone how religion is used in the US; how hypocrisy is such a HUUUUUggggge sin here. Allow me to pepper you with a few good quotes.
"Whenever you find that you are on the side of the majority, it is time to pause and reflect."
This business about "coming together as a country" and showing unity during a peaceful transition of power that is the American project is all phony elitist beltway provincialism. Don't put me in with the majority rules thing--otherwise, Hillary Clinton would be president, right? I am an American; I don't have to accept the president; he needs our approval; it's not the other way around.
Furthermore, as part of the majority, that 3 million more Americans who voted for her, we need to reflect: on how we got cheated; how the election was tainted. To return to the voting machines, America is still using a mish-mash of different voting systems, even within certain states: the old voting machines, yes those that in 2000 were manipulated, are still being used and were used in key swing states. Check North Carolina, Penn, Michigan, and Ohio. Check into sites that discuss voting methods used in different states.
This is after all our second tainted election in sixteen years. That was 2000 (not to mention 2004 as well). Every sixteen years now? That's often; I only get sick every twenty-five years. Trouble is: American public and media have no memory; it is a collective Alzheimer's disease about our own recent history. It's called long term memory, but we do not have one in terms of politics.
Another Twain quote:
"The best of us would rather be popular than right." How does that apply to today?
To end it all:
"I have no race prejudices nor caste prejudices nor creed prejudices. All I care to know is that a man is a human being, and that is enough for me; he can't be any worse."
That to conclude this post about using one's time well on this "historic" criminal day. America has become THE BANANA REPUBLIC that we have criticized in other countries. It is time to reflect but also to do something.
One immediate call would be to overhaul the election system. Use standard machines in all 50 states. Create nonpartisan federal election commission. This is a basic first step that should have been taken in 2000 after that international embarrassment. This does not even include discussions about doing away with the Electoral College....
Sunday, June 17, 2012
NEW FORMS OF COMMUNITY...FACEBOOK?
One of the ideas mentioned at the end of MacIntyre's After Virtue was that the American imperium is winding down and so may bring on new forms of community. One such possibility is of course the Internet and even this weblog. One popular solution, many friends and colleagues told me, was facebook. I do not merely criticize the lack of capitalization. I spent many months on facebook, including adding photos and adding new friends. My solutions? It is not a good medium for any purpose: not for connecting with friends, let alone new ones; the language used by participants is dull and obscure; the photos and updates narcissistic and absurd. As facebook went public on the stock exchange, that was the last straw. And the stock is a terrible overpriced stock, even at 22 dollars a share. So much for connecting with old friends. So much for the new forms of community on the Internet. I am more at home on my Blogger soapbox.
Since the one minute philosopher is taken, I have by default decided to create the one paragraph philosopher. Each week I will take up some new philosophical topic and in keeping my CDC Reeve's dictum that some of the best writing is the shortest, I will attempt to introduce the topic and argue in one pithy paragraph. My thoughts on new forms of community will follow.
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