I have been registered Independent (Unenrolled) for my entire adulthood. I have voted for Republican Governors, I have voted for Democrat Senators. I have voted for Independent local politicians, and this election I just might vote for a Libertarian Congressman. In fact, I tend to lean conservative when it comes to fiscal issues, and liberal when it comes to social issues, but I stand on either side of the line for many issues. Gay rights matter to me. Gun rights matter to me. I believe we have the Constitutional right to bear arms against a tyrannical government (which I hope we don't have come January), and believe that not just anyone should be able to buy a gun. Black Lives Matter to me. Military and domestic law and order matter to me. I am anti-abortion and pro-women's rights, including the right to choose what she does with her body. Human rights matter to me. Immigration matters to me. But none of this seems to matter in this election. All that matters is that we have two candidates that it seems most people either hate or love, with no in-between. But being a moderate, I need that in-between. And it is with the full belief that we need balance in our government, I am now going to tell you why it is IMPERATIVE that you vote for Hillary Clinton JUST BECAUSE she is a woman.
In order to help you to understand my argument, I am going to use another controversial topic as an illustration - Affirmative Action. The intent of Affirmative Action, in simplest terms, is to hold organizations accountable to make their workforce mirror the overall demographics of our society. So, if 10% of our society is black, then 10% of their workforce should be black, and so on. That also means that 50% of our executive positions, and our boards of directors, and our middle management, should be women. Of this I think we can all agree. And we need this law because without it, our organizations and corporations just would not do it. They wouldn't have to, so they wouldn't bother. That is the reality of the business world.
Now, many say that Affirmative Action doesn't work because it forces companies to hire unqualified or underqualified candidates JUST BECAUSE they are black, or Hispanic, or Asian, or female. That is not the case at all. Follow me here. If a company has an open position, and they received 200 resumes for it, they will then filter out the candidates to, say, the best 10. These are the 10 most qualified for the position of the 200 who applied. That means that they are all pretty much the same when it comes to qualifications. They have about the same education and/or experience. They are equivalent, or they wouldn't have made the cut from 200 down to 10.
Now, I am going to tell you that companies NEVER just choose the one candidate who is the "most qualified." In fact, it would be a bad idea to do so in most cases. Why? Well, you might not be paying enough for the most qualified. Or you might not want someone who will be bored by the position and move on quickly. You might not want someone who expects a promotion too quickly. Regardless the reason, you don't automatically choose the most qualified. (No, in fact, I am not saying that Clinton and Trump are equally qualified. In fact, Trump is not qualified at all for the position of the top politician of the United States. That doesn't seem to matter to his supporters, so it doesn't matter to my argument here. If we were just electing the most qualified candidate, there would be no election. But I digress...)
So, we don't just automatically choose the most qualified candidate for a job. Back to our hypothetical 10 candidates. Let's say that 8 of them are white, 1 is black, and 1 is Asian. Of these, 3 of the whites are female and the rest are male. Who do you choose? Well, I already told you they are about the same in qualifications. Affirmative Action says that given that equality, if you do not already have 10% black in your workforce, you should choose the black man. Or if you do not already have 50% women in your workforce (especially if it is an executive position or middle management that leads to an executive position), you should choose one of the women.
Now, many would say that is discriminatory against white men. It is not. When you have equally qualified candidates for the position, you are then choosing between them based on the best fit for your organization. Now, I'm not saying you base it on who "felt right" in the interview. Of course a white male will "feel right" more often than not if the interviewer himself is white. The point here is that you want (and need) diversity, not more of the same. So don't hire more of the same. Hire the equally qualified black man, or the equally qualified woman, JUST BECAUSE. That is the only way you will have 10% black, or 50% women. Additionally, you will be going a long way toward breaking barriers and creating a work environment where EVERYONE feels, and believes, and knows that they can do anything in your workplace. They can move up because they have seen others like them do the same. Or they can aspire to be the first, since it seems that other barriers have been broken. Not to mention how beneficial it is for your customers to see themselves reflected in your workforce. And yes, we do pay attention.
This is why I think you SHOULD vote for Hillary Clinton JUST BEAUSE she is a woman. It is well beyond the time a woman should be elected President. And don't tell me you would vote for a woman if it weren't Hillary Clinton. She is the most qualified candidate for President we have EVER had in this country. That leaves only the argument that you don't like her, as a person. Well, I don't know her as a person. Many have spoken out about her likable personality, and it still does not seem to make a difference. The difference as I see it is that we have a standard for the person who can do the job, and a standard for the person who can act Presidential. She has met these standards with flying colors. The only standard left is the one which we hold for all women. We expect Hillary to be better than Donald, better than every male President we have ever had in the past 240 years. We expect her to bring home the bacon AND fry it up in the pan. It's time we let go of the cooking, and leave that to the experts who went to cooking school. Hillary Clinton is an expert in law and politics. If you say you can't vote for her just because she is a woman, then examine her behavior as though she were a man. You wouldn't tell a man to smile, or judge him based on his clothing choices, or tell him he was too loud. Let's end the double standard by judging the candidates on their experience, or their humanity, or their empathy. Donald Trump has none of those qualifications. But if you want to say that those qualifications don't matter, then by all means, vote for Hillary Clinton JUST BECAUSE it is about time we do this. It is about time the West Wing had a woman's touch.
Monday, November 7, 2016
Wednesday, June 11, 2014
Travel Writing
Here's my first rave: I LOVE learning about navigating a boat. It is amazing how much there is to know. Sure, I went out on boats all the time as a child, and have even .. driven?... sailed?... piloted?... ah, heck, taken them out... as an adult, but tooling around on a lake on a motorboat to go fishing is nowhere NEAR what's involved in sailing. To begin, I have enrolled in an online sailing course (I know, how funny is that?!?) to learn the theory. I chose NauticEd and I like what I have seen so far. (Use the promo code "hamiltons" if you decide to take one yourself and want a discount. And yes, we will require all crew to take courses with them, so if you want to join us at any point... but you have some time...) I ordered my navigation tools from Landfall Navigation. I can't wait to receive them. I'll write more soon!
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
Springfield, MA Tornado June 1, 2011
My experience with the tornado has renewed my faith in humanity. I live in East Forest Park, one of the hardest hit areas in Springfield, Massachusetts. While the estimate for repairs to my house is over $30,000, I count myself lucky in comparison to my neighbors. My house still stands. It has not been condemned. It is not boarded up or falling down. The two schools down the end of my street, Dryden Elementary and Cathedral High, are being torn apart in an attempt to get them in shape before the beginning of school in less than two months.
While I feel traumatized repeatedly, having to see the devastation at least twice a day while I drive through my neighborhood, I can’t help but remember the neighborly love of the early days after the tornado. While there are plenty of stories regarding shady contractors, looting, attempted fraud, and a slow bureaucracy, I prefer to remember the loving spirit of my neighbors.
The next morning after the tornado, I took a walk with my camera. Everyone was in shock. I was asked repeatedly if I lived in the neighborhood. The nod of my head assured my neighbors enough for them to tell me their stories – of loss and of survival. They let me take pictures. Now, we are all tired of the gawkers, and pictures are becoming a rarity. Tempers flare when someone snaps one without permission of the property owner.
The day after the tornado, we were bound together by a common tragedy. Friends and neighbors still tell me stories of neighbors helping neighbors – pulling trees off each other’s’ houses, helping to cover roofs with tarps, exchanging contact information of trusted contractors. My most cherished memories will stay with me forever. People, strangers, carrying chain saws and gas cans, on a mission to help anyone they came across. Thirty fire trucks lined up along Plumtree Road, every one of them from a different location, different city, different state. Neighbors helping senior citizens who can’t afford to have repair work done on their houses and don’t have homeowner’s insurance. Neighbors offering free dinners to anyone who stops by. Amazing courtesy to other drivers on Sumner Avenue, one of the busiest streets in the city, normally filled with tempers, horns, speeding cars, and nervous pedestrians. And of course, the many charitable organizations offering food, clothing, furniture, and more to residents, as well as water and Gatorade to rescue workers.
While I try to shelter my nine-year-old daughter from the devastation she sees every day, I also try to make sure to share with her, to point out to her, the amazing resiliency of the human spirit, and the goodness I believe is inherent in all of us. God bless us all.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wm5l-3c_9Qw
While I feel traumatized repeatedly, having to see the devastation at least twice a day while I drive through my neighborhood, I can’t help but remember the neighborly love of the early days after the tornado. While there are plenty of stories regarding shady contractors, looting, attempted fraud, and a slow bureaucracy, I prefer to remember the loving spirit of my neighbors.
The next morning after the tornado, I took a walk with my camera. Everyone was in shock. I was asked repeatedly if I lived in the neighborhood. The nod of my head assured my neighbors enough for them to tell me their stories – of loss and of survival. They let me take pictures. Now, we are all tired of the gawkers, and pictures are becoming a rarity. Tempers flare when someone snaps one without permission of the property owner.
The day after the tornado, we were bound together by a common tragedy. Friends and neighbors still tell me stories of neighbors helping neighbors – pulling trees off each other’s’ houses, helping to cover roofs with tarps, exchanging contact information of trusted contractors. My most cherished memories will stay with me forever. People, strangers, carrying chain saws and gas cans, on a mission to help anyone they came across. Thirty fire trucks lined up along Plumtree Road, every one of them from a different location, different city, different state. Neighbors helping senior citizens who can’t afford to have repair work done on their houses and don’t have homeowner’s insurance. Neighbors offering free dinners to anyone who stops by. Amazing courtesy to other drivers on Sumner Avenue, one of the busiest streets in the city, normally filled with tempers, horns, speeding cars, and nervous pedestrians. And of course, the many charitable organizations offering food, clothing, furniture, and more to residents, as well as water and Gatorade to rescue workers.
While I try to shelter my nine-year-old daughter from the devastation she sees every day, I also try to make sure to share with her, to point out to her, the amazing resiliency of the human spirit, and the goodness I believe is inherent in all of us. God bless us all.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wm5l-3c_9Qw
Monday, March 28, 2011
Junk Mail / Spam Defense
Hey everyone! I told you that my next rant would be about junk mail. However, after recent developments in the news, I decided to focus on spam. No, I don't mean the canned meat you can buy in the supermarket. That would be Spam, not spam... Yes, my original intention was to discuss Junk Mail, meaning unsolicited and/or unwanted mail (both Snail Mail and E-mail) that we are all inundated with every day. My original aggravation was the hundreds of Bulk Mail items I get every day, as well as the ridiculous amount of mail that makes it to my Inbox because I supposedly subscribed to something just by doing business with a company. Of course, don't even get me started about the junk mail my father receives (mostly catalogs) in our USPS mailbox every day...
Anyway, by this point you are probably interested in what I meant by recent developments in the news. Well, on March 17, the US government, Microsoft, and other industry partners, brought down Rustock, a botnet believed to be responsible for sending 30 BILLION spam e-mails PER DAY! Now, the press has touted this as a huge development, which it is, but when taken in context, it can also be seen as a drop in the bucket. The estimation is that Rustock was responsible for 40% of the world's spam. Using those numbers, you can see that would mean spam bots send out 75 BILLION spam e-mails PER DAY! Now, I always tell my students not to use Wikipedia as a credible source in their academic documents, but as this is a blog, not a dissertation, I will direct you to the table in this article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Botnet. The chart shows that just the Cutwail botnet is responsible for 74 BILLION spam e-mails PER DAY!
“[Rustock] is estimated to have approximately a million infected computers operating under its control and has been known to be capable of sending billions of spam mails every day, including fake Microsoft lottery scams and offers for fake—and potentially dangerous—prescription drugs,” said Microsoft’s senior attorney in its Digital Crimes Unit Richard Boscovich, in a blog posting. “We are also now working with Internet service providers and Community Emergency Response Teams (CERTs) around the world to help reach out to help affected computer owners clean the Rustock malware off their computers.”
Those infected computers are known as "zombies" to a botnet. That means that your computer, if a zombie for a botnet, could be running a program in the background that is controlled by the botnet command and control center. It could be sending out thousands of spam emails, or it could be inundating certain websites with activity to intentionally crash or slow down service to legitimate users.
How would you know if your computer is a zombie? You wouldn't. Sure, there are signs and symptoms. If your computer is significantly slower than it was just months ago, or even a year ago, and you haven't installed any significant CPU hogs recently, you could be a zombie. If your internet connection has slowed considerably, you could be a zombie. ISPs are increasing our Internet speed all the time, not slowing us down...
So, how can you combat this? Well, your first line of defense is to make sure your virus protection software is working and up-to-date. This is an annoying area for me. Many people think they don't need it, because they never open something from someone they don't know. Oh, bring me back to the simple days of the 80s, when that was all we needed to do... It is not all we need to do now. Additionally, many people TURN OFF their virus checkers because it makes it difficult for them to play games online. That is precisely the time you need to have it running! I can't tell you how many times I have had to fix my mom's computer because she turns off her virus checker so she can play download-able games.
By the way, you can download a bot just by participating in chats, IMing, reading e-mails, watching YouTube videos, posting comments, and so much more. And now, you can even get spam and viruses on your Smart Phones...
I just recently had to work on my brother's laptop because it would not install a virus checker. BTW, that is a HUGE indicator that you have a trojan. They are programmed to disable your virus checker and to prevent you from installing one, for their own survival, of course! For a good virus/spyware checker that does not hog your CPU, and is free for the basic version, go to free.avg.com.
Now, besides a simple virus checker, you should have spyware / malware detection software. You should DEFINITELY have a firewall! Of course, you need to leave them running, or they won't work...
Additionally, you should assist whenever you can. Many virus/spyware/malware packages collect information from users to help their systems work better. You can also send alert messages (forwarding the offending e-mail) to companies' Phishing/Spam departments.
Now, as for the amount of junk mail you receive. IF you subscribed to a newsletter or something like that, you can click on the unsubscribe link at the bottom of the email and follow the prompts to remove your e-mail from their lists. However, if you did NOT subscribe, DO NOT click on the unsubscribe link. That just verifies your e-mail address and subjects you to MORE spam. Of course, the best thing you can do to not be a victim of spam is to not respond to it.
When you are signing up for something, or buying something, you might want to create a temporary e-mail account. Then, if you receive spam, you will know exactly where it came from and can alert the company with which you did business.
One of the purposes of spam is identity theft. Don't buy anything or sign up for anything which you received in an email. And when you receive an e-mail from someone who looks legit, make sure to go to their website directly by typing it in. DON'T click on the link provided in the e-mail. And NEVER send your passwords through email or give to anyone unless you can verify their identity.
Whew! There is so much more that I haven't even mentioned... Now I am really longing for the simple days when the Internet was text-based and only the government and students had access to it...
Anyway, I'm dating myself now...
Yes, you can be safe and avoid being a victim of spam. No, I don't mean avoid buying it at the supermarket... I mean beef up your technological savviness and stop believing everyone else should protect you. Remember, don't be a zombie...
Anyway, by this point you are probably interested in what I meant by recent developments in the news. Well, on March 17, the US government, Microsoft, and other industry partners, brought down Rustock, a botnet believed to be responsible for sending 30 BILLION spam e-mails PER DAY! Now, the press has touted this as a huge development, which it is, but when taken in context, it can also be seen as a drop in the bucket. The estimation is that Rustock was responsible for 40% of the world's spam. Using those numbers, you can see that would mean spam bots send out 75 BILLION spam e-mails PER DAY! Now, I always tell my students not to use Wikipedia as a credible source in their academic documents, but as this is a blog, not a dissertation, I will direct you to the table in this article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Botnet. The chart shows that just the Cutwail botnet is responsible for 74 BILLION spam e-mails PER DAY!
“[Rustock] is estimated to have approximately a million infected computers operating under its control and has been known to be capable of sending billions of spam mails every day, including fake Microsoft lottery scams and offers for fake—and potentially dangerous—prescription drugs,” said Microsoft’s senior attorney in its Digital Crimes Unit Richard Boscovich, in a blog posting. “We are also now working with Internet service providers and Community Emergency Response Teams (CERTs) around the world to help reach out to help affected computer owners clean the Rustock malware off their computers.”
Those infected computers are known as "zombies" to a botnet. That means that your computer, if a zombie for a botnet, could be running a program in the background that is controlled by the botnet command and control center. It could be sending out thousands of spam emails, or it could be inundating certain websites with activity to intentionally crash or slow down service to legitimate users.
How would you know if your computer is a zombie? You wouldn't. Sure, there are signs and symptoms. If your computer is significantly slower than it was just months ago, or even a year ago, and you haven't installed any significant CPU hogs recently, you could be a zombie. If your internet connection has slowed considerably, you could be a zombie. ISPs are increasing our Internet speed all the time, not slowing us down...
So, how can you combat this? Well, your first line of defense is to make sure your virus protection software is working and up-to-date. This is an annoying area for me. Many people think they don't need it, because they never open something from someone they don't know. Oh, bring me back to the simple days of the 80s, when that was all we needed to do... It is not all we need to do now. Additionally, many people TURN OFF their virus checkers because it makes it difficult for them to play games online. That is precisely the time you need to have it running! I can't tell you how many times I have had to fix my mom's computer because she turns off her virus checker so she can play download-able games.
By the way, you can download a bot just by participating in chats, IMing, reading e-mails, watching YouTube videos, posting comments, and so much more. And now, you can even get spam and viruses on your Smart Phones...
I just recently had to work on my brother's laptop because it would not install a virus checker. BTW, that is a HUGE indicator that you have a trojan. They are programmed to disable your virus checker and to prevent you from installing one, for their own survival, of course! For a good virus/spyware checker that does not hog your CPU, and is free for the basic version, go to free.avg.com.
Now, besides a simple virus checker, you should have spyware / malware detection software. You should DEFINITELY have a firewall! Of course, you need to leave them running, or they won't work...
Additionally, you should assist whenever you can. Many virus/spyware/malware packages collect information from users to help their systems work better. You can also send alert messages (forwarding the offending e-mail) to companies' Phishing/Spam departments.
Now, as for the amount of junk mail you receive. IF you subscribed to a newsletter or something like that, you can click on the unsubscribe link at the bottom of the email and follow the prompts to remove your e-mail from their lists. However, if you did NOT subscribe, DO NOT click on the unsubscribe link. That just verifies your e-mail address and subjects you to MORE spam. Of course, the best thing you can do to not be a victim of spam is to not respond to it.
When you are signing up for something, or buying something, you might want to create a temporary e-mail account. Then, if you receive spam, you will know exactly where it came from and can alert the company with which you did business.
One of the purposes of spam is identity theft. Don't buy anything or sign up for anything which you received in an email. And when you receive an e-mail from someone who looks legit, make sure to go to their website directly by typing it in. DON'T click on the link provided in the e-mail. And NEVER send your passwords through email or give to anyone unless you can verify their identity.
Whew! There is so much more that I haven't even mentioned... Now I am really longing for the simple days when the Internet was text-based and only the government and students had access to it...
Anyway, I'm dating myself now...
Yes, you can be safe and avoid being a victim of spam. No, I don't mean avoid buying it at the supermarket... I mean beef up your technological savviness and stop believing everyone else should protect you. Remember, don't be a zombie...
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Standardized Testing
I have been thinking for the past couple of days what I would like to rant about in my blog. As many of you know, I am beside myself with resentment about my daughter having to take the MCAS. Oh, it's not the fact that she has to take a standardized test that supposedly measures the effectiveness of our schools, and is virtually useless to the students taking it. No, it's the fact that I have to drive over 80 miles, waste most of my day hanging out in a city for which I have no interest, and take time out from homeschooling my daughter. And I have to do it again, and again, and again... I know, such is the price I have to pay for the state to provide me with a free curriculum to use with her. Despite all of this, I have re-enrolled her in MAVA for next year.
Ok, so maybe some of my resentment has to do with how useless the test is for my daughter. Yesterday's test was the Language Arts Composition portion of the MCAS. Apparently, she was asked to write about a time that a) her teacher asked her to do something, b) she went on a field trip with her class, or c) she did something nice for her teacher. Now, I could be wrong because I didn't actually see the questions, but those are the options she told me about. What is the big deal? She doesn't have a teacher! Nor has she for the past 3 years! Everyone in this session of MCAS testing is homeschooled!
Now, she chose to write about a time she went on a field trip, I guess with me... The next part is where most of my anger comes in. She told me she wrote only about five sentences! So, do I direct my anger toward her or toward the test? Well, initially, my anger / frustration was toward her. How could she only write five sentences?
Just the day before we had completed a five-paragraph research paper she has been working on for weeks. She wrote three body paragraphs, prompted by the outline she had completed. Then, she wrote an introduction and conclusion. Consulting a dictionary, we found synonyms for the word "help," which appeared nine times in her essay. After modifying some of her sentences for clarity, and correcting spelling mistakes, we were ready to submit her writing sample to her 'teacher.' (Yeah, don't get me started on my resentment about being called her "Learning Coach").
So, she knew all the steps for writing an expository essay (not that she knows what it is called), and yet she wrote only five sentences. I was annoyed that I drove an hour to get there, sat around for 5 hours, and then had to drive an hour home, all for five sentences!
I decided to just accept what she wrote. Can't go back in time and change it. So, I went on the Massachusetts website to see how the Composition section of the MCAS is scored. Lo and behold, they have samples of previous years' questions. Here is the one I found closest to what she told me: "Think about a time you were helpful. For example, maybe you helped a new student feel comfortable in school, helped a teacher with a job in the classroom, helped with a project in your neighborhood or school, or helped to care for an animal. Write a story about a time you were helpful. Give enough details for readers to understand how you were helpful."
Now, maybe it's just me, but I can see how a child would only write 5 sentences! It doesn't say to write an outline, then write your first draft, making sure to include an introduction, body, and conclusion. However, when I read the scoring, it becomes apparent that is what they want. Do they really expect a 4th grader (which is typically a 9- or 10-year-old) to understand from those directions that they are to write a full essay in the proper format? I can't even get my college students to write out a full essay without laying out exactly what I want in a grading rubric...
Below, I posted the "Scoring Guidelines" I found on their site for this portion of the test. (Yes, I know the total possible adds up to 10, and they say the total possible is 20. Makes me wonder how the person who wrote this scored on the MCAS Math test...) There are also samples of student work posted on the site. So, based on the samples and the guidelines, and after multiplying by 2, I figure Regan should score 2 or 3 (meaning 4 or 6) for Topic Development and 2 or 3 (meaning 4 or 6) for Standard English Conventions. That's a score of 8 to 12 out of 20. Oh well, I guess I have to live with that. But I'm not happy about it.
What else bothers me about the whole process? When has anyone (meaning adult) ever had to sit down, be given a writing prompt, and write an essay in entirety right then and there? You don't even have to do that in college! When college students have to answer essay questions, they usually write about five sentences! In fact, we encourage them to say what they need to say in as few words as possible. When I want them to write an essay, I give them sufficient time, usually weeks, to do so. Check out Regan's blog to see what she came up with when given enough time: rpck.blogspot.com
Anyway, I don't imagine there is much I can do about this, and you all are probably tired of hearing about it, so I will end this here. Next time I plan to talk about Junk Mail...
-------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------
Ok, so maybe some of my resentment has to do with how useless the test is for my daughter. Yesterday's test was the Language Arts Composition portion of the MCAS. Apparently, she was asked to write about a time that a) her teacher asked her to do something, b) she went on a field trip with her class, or c) she did something nice for her teacher. Now, I could be wrong because I didn't actually see the questions, but those are the options she told me about. What is the big deal? She doesn't have a teacher! Nor has she for the past 3 years! Everyone in this session of MCAS testing is homeschooled!
Now, she chose to write about a time she went on a field trip, I guess with me... The next part is where most of my anger comes in. She told me she wrote only about five sentences! So, do I direct my anger toward her or toward the test? Well, initially, my anger / frustration was toward her. How could she only write five sentences?
Just the day before we had completed a five-paragraph research paper she has been working on for weeks. She wrote three body paragraphs, prompted by the outline she had completed. Then, she wrote an introduction and conclusion. Consulting a dictionary, we found synonyms for the word "help," which appeared nine times in her essay. After modifying some of her sentences for clarity, and correcting spelling mistakes, we were ready to submit her writing sample to her 'teacher.' (Yeah, don't get me started on my resentment about being called her "Learning Coach").
So, she knew all the steps for writing an expository essay (not that she knows what it is called), and yet she wrote only five sentences. I was annoyed that I drove an hour to get there, sat around for 5 hours, and then had to drive an hour home, all for five sentences!
I decided to just accept what she wrote. Can't go back in time and change it. So, I went on the Massachusetts website to see how the Composition section of the MCAS is scored. Lo and behold, they have samples of previous years' questions. Here is the one I found closest to what she told me: "Think about a time you were helpful. For example, maybe you helped a new student feel comfortable in school, helped a teacher with a job in the classroom, helped with a project in your neighborhood or school, or helped to care for an animal. Write a story about a time you were helpful. Give enough details for readers to understand how you were helpful."
Now, maybe it's just me, but I can see how a child would only write 5 sentences! It doesn't say to write an outline, then write your first draft, making sure to include an introduction, body, and conclusion. However, when I read the scoring, it becomes apparent that is what they want. Do they really expect a 4th grader (which is typically a 9- or 10-year-old) to understand from those directions that they are to write a full essay in the proper format? I can't even get my college students to write out a full essay without laying out exactly what I want in a grading rubric...
Below, I posted the "Scoring Guidelines" I found on their site for this portion of the test. (Yes, I know the total possible adds up to 10, and they say the total possible is 20. Makes me wonder how the person who wrote this scored on the MCAS Math test...) There are also samples of student work posted on the site. So, based on the samples and the guidelines, and after multiplying by 2, I figure Regan should score 2 or 3 (meaning 4 or 6) for Topic Development and 2 or 3 (meaning 4 or 6) for Standard English Conventions. That's a score of 8 to 12 out of 20. Oh well, I guess I have to live with that. But I'm not happy about it.
What else bothers me about the whole process? When has anyone (meaning adult) ever had to sit down, be given a writing prompt, and write an essay in entirety right then and there? You don't even have to do that in college! When college students have to answer essay questions, they usually write about five sentences! In fact, we encourage them to say what they need to say in as few words as possible. When I want them to write an essay, I give them sufficient time, usually weeks, to do so. Check out Regan's blog to see what she came up with when given enough time: rpck.blogspot.com
Anyway, I don't imagine there is much I can do about this, and you all are probably tired of hearing about it, so I will end this here. Next time I plan to talk about Junk Mail...
-------------------------------------------------
Scoring Guides for MCAS English Language Arts Composition
Student compositions that do not address the writing prompt will be deemed non-scorable (NS), earning them a 0 out of a possible 12 points for topic development and 0 out of a possible 8 points for standard English conventions.Scoring Guide for Topic/Idea Development
| Score | Description |
|---|---|
| 6 |
|
| 5 |
|
| 4 |
|
| 3 |
|
| 2 |
|
| 1 |
|
Scoring Guide for Standard English Conventions
| Score | Description |
|---|---|
| 4 |
|
| 3 |
|
| 2 |
|
| 1 |
|
-------------------------------------------------
Monday, March 14, 2011
Japan's Earthquakes
Another One of My Addictions
So, my rant for today regards Dunkin' Donuts. I have been a loyal customer of Dunkin' since I started drinking coffee, about 17 years ago. In fact, when I first started drinking coffee, Dunkin' Donuts coffee was the only coffee I would drink!
It took me a long time to figure out how I liked my coffee. I had spent many years (but only occasionally throughout those years) trying to figure out how I could stomach coffee. Of course, at this point, you are probably asking yourself, "Why in the world would she try to like coffee if she didn't already?" Well, I used to drive between North Adams and Boston or Cambridge a lot. That is a long trek, and I often did it at night. Right about the time I would get to Greenfield, I would be nodding off. I would stop at the gas station on Route 2, just before heading up the mountain. I wanted to make sure I was awake when I went around Dead Man's Curve and the Hairpin Turn. Anyway, at the gas station, I would buy cigarettes (I didn't smoke at the time), a Snickers bar (of course), and a coffee (yuck at the time).
So, I would leave my window down to let in the cold air, smoke cigarettes, and eat the candy bar. I tried coffee every time, but I could never stomach it. I wanted to because I knew it would keep me awake. Coke just didn't cut it, and I had sworn off sodas at the time. I tried every combination of cream and sugar. Could never drink more than a sip or two.
Finally, one day in 1994, I was at a softball game and I was freezing. Another spectator was drinking coffee and offered it to me as a way to warm up. Despite my trepidation, I took a sip. I actually liked it! Unfortunately, I didn't ask her how she had prepared it. All I knew is that it was Dunkin' Donuts coffee. So, I began ordering Dunkin' coffee prepared in many different ways. Still no luck. I tried more cream. I tried milk instead of cream. I tried cream with no sugar. Yuck, yuck, and more yuck.
Then, one morning at Pam's apartment, she told me she had no milk. She drank her coffee black. I was horrified at the idea of drinking black coffee, but I was desperate. I put sugar in it and lo and behold, I liked it! In fact, I loved it! That is when my love affair (also called an addiction) with coffee began.
Black with sugar. And this is where my disdain for Dunkin' Donuts employees began. Why, you may ask, would I dislike the people who are giving me my new "drug" of choice? Well, to be fair, I don't necessarily dislike any of the people that work at Dunkin' Donuts. It just seemed that many of them could hardly ever get my order right.
In the beginning, I would go through the drive thru and say, "Two medium black coffees, one with extra sugar." The question I would typically be asked was, "So, one with sugar and one without?" I would respond, "No, two black, one with extra sugar, the other just black." Major confusion would often ensue. Sometimes, after saying, "Two medium black coffees, one with extra sugar," I would be asked, "Any cream with those?" Really? Doesn't black mean no cream? No dairy of any kind? So, I tried to make my order a little more specific. "Two medium coffees, one black and one black with extra sugar." So much clearer right? No. I would still be asked how much sugar I want in the first black, or did I want cream...
After Pam died, I no longer had the two black coffee issue, so I had some years of just ordering, "medium black coffee with extra sugar." That is when I started specifying how many sugars, because "extra" means something different for each person. It is supposed to be 4 sugars for a medium. I didn't always get 4 though. Additionally, black coffee (meaning without dairy products) needs more sugar since there is no lactose (which is why I don't use dairy). So, I had years of judgment (meaning surprised questioning) when I ordered "medium black coffee, 5 sugars" or "medium black coffee, 6 sugars." People are always impressed when they see you drink black coffee, because they couldn't, but still find it necessary to make comments like, "Why don't you have some coffee with your sugar?" As though I haven't heard that before!
So, I started drinking Splenda about a year ago, to cut down on my sugar consumption. (I don't like drinking my daily allotment of calories). So, now I get questioning judgment when I order "medium black coffee, two Splendas, two sugars." Why can't I order anything I want and just have it given to me, no questions asked? Is that too much to expect?
Now, what is the latest issue, besides the judgment? I went to a Dunkin' and ordered "medium black coffee, two splendas, two sugars." The expected question came, "Two Splendas and two sugars?" I sighed, "Yes, two Splendas, two sugars." The unexpected response? "So, it's not black then?" All I could respond with was silence...
It took me a long time to figure out how I liked my coffee. I had spent many years (but only occasionally throughout those years) trying to figure out how I could stomach coffee. Of course, at this point, you are probably asking yourself, "Why in the world would she try to like coffee if she didn't already?" Well, I used to drive between North Adams and Boston or Cambridge a lot. That is a long trek, and I often did it at night. Right about the time I would get to Greenfield, I would be nodding off. I would stop at the gas station on Route 2, just before heading up the mountain. I wanted to make sure I was awake when I went around Dead Man's Curve and the Hairpin Turn. Anyway, at the gas station, I would buy cigarettes (I didn't smoke at the time), a Snickers bar (of course), and a coffee (yuck at the time).
So, I would leave my window down to let in the cold air, smoke cigarettes, and eat the candy bar. I tried coffee every time, but I could never stomach it. I wanted to because I knew it would keep me awake. Coke just didn't cut it, and I had sworn off sodas at the time. I tried every combination of cream and sugar. Could never drink more than a sip or two.
Finally, one day in 1994, I was at a softball game and I was freezing. Another spectator was drinking coffee and offered it to me as a way to warm up. Despite my trepidation, I took a sip. I actually liked it! Unfortunately, I didn't ask her how she had prepared it. All I knew is that it was Dunkin' Donuts coffee. So, I began ordering Dunkin' coffee prepared in many different ways. Still no luck. I tried more cream. I tried milk instead of cream. I tried cream with no sugar. Yuck, yuck, and more yuck.
Then, one morning at Pam's apartment, she told me she had no milk. She drank her coffee black. I was horrified at the idea of drinking black coffee, but I was desperate. I put sugar in it and lo and behold, I liked it! In fact, I loved it! That is when my love affair (also called an addiction) with coffee began.
Black with sugar. And this is where my disdain for Dunkin' Donuts employees began. Why, you may ask, would I dislike the people who are giving me my new "drug" of choice? Well, to be fair, I don't necessarily dislike any of the people that work at Dunkin' Donuts. It just seemed that many of them could hardly ever get my order right.
In the beginning, I would go through the drive thru and say, "Two medium black coffees, one with extra sugar." The question I would typically be asked was, "So, one with sugar and one without?" I would respond, "No, two black, one with extra sugar, the other just black." Major confusion would often ensue. Sometimes, after saying, "Two medium black coffees, one with extra sugar," I would be asked, "Any cream with those?" Really? Doesn't black mean no cream? No dairy of any kind? So, I tried to make my order a little more specific. "Two medium coffees, one black and one black with extra sugar." So much clearer right? No. I would still be asked how much sugar I want in the first black, or did I want cream...
After Pam died, I no longer had the two black coffee issue, so I had some years of just ordering, "medium black coffee with extra sugar." That is when I started specifying how many sugars, because "extra" means something different for each person. It is supposed to be 4 sugars for a medium. I didn't always get 4 though. Additionally, black coffee (meaning without dairy products) needs more sugar since there is no lactose (which is why I don't use dairy). So, I had years of judgment (meaning surprised questioning) when I ordered "medium black coffee, 5 sugars" or "medium black coffee, 6 sugars." People are always impressed when they see you drink black coffee, because they couldn't, but still find it necessary to make comments like, "Why don't you have some coffee with your sugar?" As though I haven't heard that before!
So, I started drinking Splenda about a year ago, to cut down on my sugar consumption. (I don't like drinking my daily allotment of calories). So, now I get questioning judgment when I order "medium black coffee, two Splendas, two sugars." Why can't I order anything I want and just have it given to me, no questions asked? Is that too much to expect?
Now, what is the latest issue, besides the judgment? I went to a Dunkin' and ordered "medium black coffee, two splendas, two sugars." The expected question came, "Two Splendas and two sugars?" I sighed, "Yes, two Splendas, two sugars." The unexpected response? "So, it's not black then?" All I could respond with was silence...
Saturday, March 12, 2011
On a More Serious Note
Hello all! I know, I didn't write anything yesterday. I guess I was overwhelmed by everything that has been going on in Japan. The devastation is unbelievable. Nature sure can throw a monkey wrench into the best laid plans of men... It makes you remember that you never know what can happen at any time. The whole thing brought back memories for me of 9/11/01. When I first saw the devastation, I could feel the hair standing up on the back of my neck. I couldn't help but watch the videos of the destruction. Sometimes I wonder if it would be better for us not to have quite so much media coverage. The early warnings are awesome, but the trauma caused by the sensationalism... I could feel the loss of hundreds, if not thousands, of human lives. All night last night I worried about the nuclear plant, knowing that it was probably an eventuality that it would explode. Additional devastation caused by man, added to the devastation caused by nature. It really can be amazing how fragile we are. We build homes, and businesses, and awesome technological "things," and nature puts us back in our place in one quick moment. A sad way to "right size" us. My heart goes out to all the people affected by the earthquake, tsunami, and explosion. Of course, I worry about my friends in Japan, and I pray for all Japanese people around the world, as well as others that were in Japan and their families. God bless...
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