Author Topic: Who's worried about Social Security?  (Read 23935 times)

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Offline Antigen

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Who's worried about Social Security?
« Reply #120 on: May 25, 2006, 03:42:00 PM »
Oh, forgot to say, Frank is my daughter's boyfriend.

So, am I worried about social security? No, not really. I never did think the system would hold up long enough for me to use it. It is, after all, set up like a Ponzi Scheme and they always fall down eventually. So my strategy has been to plan on alternative means of support for my doting years. Word to the wise, if you ever run into the dynamic duo mentioned above, try and stay on their good side.

A dictatorship would be a heck of a lot easier, there's no question
about it.
--GW Büsh, Business Week, July 30, 2001

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Offline Ft. Lauderdale

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« Reply #121 on: May 25, 2006, 03:48:00 PM »
Just what part of FL do you live in? You seem to talk about lynching quite a bit. Are you one of those good ole boys? ::bigsmilebounce::

Do you resemble Colonel Saunders and wear a white suit? ::bwahaha2::
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Offline GregFL

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« Reply #122 on: May 25, 2006, 04:26:00 PM »
Nope, no little beard or chicken grease on my shirt.

 :grin:  :grin:
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Offline GregFL

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« Reply #123 on: May 25, 2006, 09:38:00 PM »
BTW, great letter.  It seems your daughter is going to that school depicted in the movie 'footloose'.

Does it not?

 :lol:
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Offline Antigen

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« Reply #124 on: May 25, 2006, 11:28:00 PM »
Quote
On 2006-05-25 13:26:00, GregFL wrote:

Now, Should I bold and Cap lock my agreement?


LOL, nope, just mark your calendar and turn up for drinks if/when I get down to St. Pete for that boat party and we'll toast the day. :grin:

A vote for GW is a vote for America's Führer.
--Anonymous (it's best that way...)

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Offline Antigen

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Who's worried about Social Security?
« Reply #125 on: May 25, 2006, 11:40:00 PM »
BTW, you should have been there for the school board meeting. Kid took the floor as first order of business from the residents. Up till that point we watched as they chewed up a pair of prospective lighting contractors, who left w/ crimson ears, then proceeded to rubber stamp everything.

The board members were downright rude, picking nails, playing with gadgets, having side conversations. Clear contempt. Every single resident, including a former teacher, current teacher and a couple of current students and parents, opposed the change. The board basically said, unanimously, "Fuck off, we'll do what we want."

The kids think the effort failed, but I don't. They opened the discussion tremendously. Even Mr. W. was clearly proud of the kid. I wonder if maybe he just don't like white kids much.

There are a great many questions concerning The Seed that need to be answered. Both the methods of "obtaining" Seedlings and the method of indoctrination need to be aired so that all can see how close 1984 really is.
http://fornits.com/wwf/viewtopic.php?Sort=U&topic=13535&forum=8' target='_new'>John Henninger Attorneys and Counselor at Law, Clearwater, FL

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Offline Johnny G

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« Reply #126 on: May 26, 2006, 08:47:00 AM »
We need to remember that the purpose of schools is to teach the kids, but what they teach is not the stated curriculum - rather they teach kids to be good little cogs in the machine.  The reading, writing and 'rithmatic etc. are just filler and propaganda.


The purpose is to teach that there is always an authority that has the answer, so you should not think for yourself, lest you be "wrong" and get publicly humiliated for your lame attempt to think for yourself.

Kids are taught that the system of bells and schedules trumps knowledge, understanding, and introspection.  They are also conditioned to follow that schedule 8 hours a day 5 days a week with the reward of "the weekend" - it's normal to be miserable all week for two lousy days of respite, conditioning for the assembly line.

THey are also taught that looks and connections count for more than knowledge and effort in the contests that really count.  A pecking order is established whereby the fat, ugly kids are shoved to the corner and the pretty, athletic ones are held up as examples for us all.

The school board (OK, I'm started now) is simply another wealth (re)distribution program whereby supporters of the current board get good money to provide substandard product at outrageous margins under sweetheart contracts.  There are many layers of bureaucracy between the board and actual teachers and kids.  The administrators are there to make sure that accountability disappears into a fog of reporting structure designed for obscuration not accountability.

Enough of this rant

G

PS.  I look to my social security benefits to buy me a burger and fries once a month if I am lucky.
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Offline cleveland

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« Reply #127 on: May 26, 2006, 10:58:00 AM »
Johnny G., right on! You are one fart smucker, as we used to say...

I am a former teacher so I can vouch for that. The ideal of universal public education was a one-room school house ideal in a mainly rural america, after WW I it became an idealogical training ground for assembly line workers. Now it's mainly a farce (although there are excellent teachers) the right wing would like to privitize it (and destroy it - Greg, you wouldn't want to pay for all those lazy f**kers to sit in study hall and take gym, would you?) and the left...go back to the good old days of small community school...

I don't know what scares me more, Ginger's daughter's sass or her mom's maniacal letter to the clueless school official. It's all a big waste of time in some ways.

Personally I am a left-winger so I gladly pay my taxes for universal public education, flawed as it is. I completely hated most of my first 13 years in school and was a college drop out, so I missed the good times. I then went on to teach for a decade - hardest thing I ever did - and happily left the world of school bells, study halls, cafeterias and enforced mindless routine and conformity, punctuated by meaningless rebellion.

And social security...I have worked hard all my life in mostly lower-paying 'do good' jobs and yup, Greg, I hope we can all support one-another when the day comes. Everyone is losing their health and pension benefits which used to come from the company, which they passed on to their customers anyway. It's called the Social Contract, and it is disappearing with a wimper. Oh, the times, they are a-changin'!

Here's my theory: let's all imagine that we are blameless, unborn souls waiting to be born. At birth, you are randomly assigned a family, race, intellegence, looks, athleticism, social class - your fate. Then you are to make the best of it with the other randomly-assigned souls. How will you treat each other, knowing you were just as likely to be a Calcutta begger as to be the son or daughter of a Fortune 500 magnate? Just as likely to be muslim, jew, christian or hindi? (Sidenote: great bumper sticker: "I'm a radical atheist: I will force you to not believe") What kind of social system? Greg's social darwinism? Liberal democracy? Dictatorship (hey, the trains run on time!) See, I am more of a philosopher than a policy wonk, I'll let the rest of you argue over percentages and rates.
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Offline GregFL

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« Reply #128 on: May 26, 2006, 03:07:00 PM »
Quote
On 2006-05-26 07:58:00, cleveland wrote:

 What kind of social system? Greg's social darwinism?

"


You misrepresent my position horribly by calling me a social darwinist, and you arrive at this misrepresentation soley because I point out the inherent unfairness in our system of tax collection.

Just so you know, I am more of a libertarian in the classic sense.  That is, fiscal conservative/socially liberal.  I think certain social systems are for the betterment of us all, including a public school system that works, public transportation in large cities, welfare and housing assistance for the truly needy.  With this in mind, and these things are clearly evidenced by what I wrote in this thread, how in the hell can you characterize me as a "right winger" or "social darwinist"?   That is patently false.

Your self-described stance,  'left winger' really denotes a desire to force your will on other people no more or less than an actual 'right winger'. Both positions care to force others to act as they see fit. "left wingers want to force you to "help" others, and right wingers want to control your behavior.  I find both positions morally reprehensivle.

   

You may think that we should all "support each other" but you are woefully absent when it comes to explaining how that is going to happen without voting money out of the pockets of people at a rate that becomes so punative you will cause a revolt right before the well runs dry.  The idealistic stance that we can save medicare, all support each other happily forever, and skip down the road holding hands while funding our utopia on phony SS bonds and printed money is just not facing the realities of what is occuring with our "retirement" program.

Hint #1:  Somebody is getting fucked.

Hint #2:  Take a peek in the mirror.
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Offline Antigen

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« Reply #129 on: May 29, 2006, 01:33:00 AM »
Quote
On 2006-05-26 07:58:00, cleveland wrote:

 Everyone is losing their health and pension benefits which used to come from the company, which they passed on to their customers anyway. It's called the Social Contract, and it is disappearing with a wimper. Oh, the times, they are a-changin'!


Well, it's not really disappearing. We've just contracted all of that to government. Private enterprise can't compete. They can't set pricing by edict, they have to take what the market will pay. They have to provide actual value. Public institutions don't have to do that. They exist by fiat.

The way we used to do it, the social contract was left to society, which in it's worst state, is said to be far better than government in its best.

And why should an old guy such as yourself be frightened of a sassy 16 year old?

The worst government is the most moral. One composed of cynics
is often very tolerant and human. But when fanatics are on top,
there is no limit to oppression.

--H.L. Mencken

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Offline Antigen

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« Reply #130 on: May 29, 2006, 03:09:00 AM »
Latest:

Quote
 


Students gain support
By COLLEEN POLLOCK

Friday, May 26, 2006

MONESSEN - High school students opposing a change in class scheduling for next year received support from some educators and parents Thursday night.

Art teacher Jason Biagini asked the school board and administration to retain the four-class per day block schedule at least another year instead of converting to an eight-period day. He said the latter system will allow students to earn only seven credits per year instead of eight because one period is a lunch break, and will likely result in students taking fewer elective courses.

"I don't see the benefits," said Biagini. "I don't see how this (block system) is lowering our standards."

Biagini said students can now earn 32 credits in four years, with the district standard for graduation set at 29 credits. He said the most an incoming freshman can earn is 28 credits.

Biagini said the block scheduling also provides students an opportunity to custom-design their education.

"I feel that a seven-class day is going to be more of a cookie-cutter education where everybody will be getting more of the same education," he said.

Superintendent Cynthia Chelen said the board decided in December to return to an eight-period schedule so the district can continue to meet rising standards relating to the Pennsylvania System of School Assessment testing.

According to the administration, the eight-period schedule provides for greater continuity throughout the year in subjects such as math, language arts and science.

Each class in the eight-period day is 45 minutes. Chelen said total class time will increase by 15 minutes per day under the eight-period schedule because the current teaching blocks differed in lengths, from 80 to 110 minutes.

During the special meeting, the board accepted a 150-signature petition, presented by senior Frank Davis, asking to keep the block system in place. The board did not indicate whether it will revisit the subject.

Retired teacher Virginia Monaghan said she resisted change to the block scheduling when it was first introduced in 1995, but has since become an advocate.

"I have implicit faith I this board, but I ask you to rethink this," said Monaghan. "I was one who has taught both ways, and I tell you there is no comparison. We can solve the continuity problem by hand-scheduling the students."

Monaghan said changing classes eight times per day will result in greater class disruption.

"If you go back to an eight-period day with 45 minutes, maybe your only going to get 15 minutes of instruction," said Monaghan, who noted that teachers can be taught to use block classroom time more effectively.

Parent Ginger Orbis said extra classes per day will require more homework and leave children with less family time at home.

"We have kids who don't even know their parents in this town, in this country," said Orbis. "We have kids who get up, go to school, do their sports, maybe pass their parents in the hallway and otherwise never see them. That's a problem."

Orbis said the block scheduling also allows students more time to know their teachers and receive extra help, if needed.

Parent Colleen Major said her son, a junior who takes accelerated courses, is worried he will not be able to retain his honors status, play football and continue his part-time job if the current schedule is altered.

"I can't fathom that child having to take the seven honors classes he wants to finish up the (senior) year," said Major. "Instead, he's going to be filling his schedule with electives, which I don't want."

Major suggested the board consider phasing in the new system rather than converting all at once.

Director Roberta Bergstedt said the decision to switch was not a rash one.

"We did a great deal of research that all alluded to the fact the block scheduling is not as effective as we once thought it was," she said.

In other action Thursday, the board agreed to spend $556,910 on energy conservation measures that are projected to save the district $902,5000 over 15 years.

TRANE representatives were on hand to present findings of the 360-page energy audit prepared by Pathfinder Engineers LLP, of Rochester, N.Y.

Energy conservation measures adopted by the board include upgrades to the lighting system and building automation system, a cooling tower, building automation system/demand control ventilation, third floor classroom air conditioning and new exterior doors at the elementary school and upgrades to the building automation system at the high school/middle school. The package also includes the $25,771 cost for the energy audit and a $3,750 project management fee.

The suggested conservation measures are eligible for Act 77 rebates.

According to Chelen, the auditing firm guarantees the energy savings projected for each measure.





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Offline Antigen

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« Reply #131 on: May 29, 2006, 03:21:00 AM »
John, you ever read any John Taylor Gatto?

No laws, however stringent, can make the idle industrious, the thriftless provident, or the drunken sober
--Samuel Stiles

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Offline Johnny G

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« Reply #132 on: May 30, 2006, 11:14:00 AM »
Yes,  saw him speak a few years ago - read a couple of his books, "Dumbing us Down" and "The Underground History of American Education."

I got into "homeschool propaganda" pretty heavy for a while.  The system is broken so we took the other option.

G
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Offline cleveland

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« Reply #133 on: May 30, 2006, 01:49:00 PM »
Jeez, Greg, I'll call you whatever you want to be called. I am just for a certain amount of pooled resources/shared benefit it society, which tends to be left wing. You are for 'to each his own,' (sounds that way to me), classically right wing. Libertarians come in different stripes, too.

So - I am aware that taxes are backed by police power, i.e., guns, and that is seizing and redistribution. What is your alternative for providing for the common good? Voluntary compliance? Or - social darwinism...

Tell me what you position is, and please refrain from the ad hominem attacks! (Just kidding, Mr. Debate!) (The Fallacy of Taunting)

Ginger - a lot of 16 y.o scare me, which is why I am not a high school teacher anymore! (also - joking! Sort of!)

Parenthetically yours...
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Offline Anonymous

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« Reply #134 on: May 30, 2006, 02:31:00 PM »
Quote
On 2006-05-30 10:49:00, cleveland wrote:

"Jeez, Greg, I'll call you whatever you want to be called. I am just for a certain amount of pooled resources/shared benefit it society, which tends to be left wing. You are for 'to each his own,' (sounds that way to me), classically right wing. Libertarians come in different stripes, too.



So - I am aware that taxes are backed by police power, i.e., guns, and that is seizing and redistribution. What is your alternative for providing for the common good? Voluntary compliance? Or - social darwinism...



Tell me what you position is, and please refrain from the ad hominem attacks! (Just kidding, Mr. Debate!) (The Fallacy of Taunting)




Parenthetically yours..."


Well, if you read a little deeper into what I wrote, instead of instinctively negatively reacting to the whole 'fairness' argument, you will come to understand my positions a bit better.

I am not against social services per se.  In fact, when it is demonstrated that the government may be able to solve problems that the private sector can't or won't (medical care?), then the government should step in.  Some would call me a leftist pinko for that stand. I also think that taxation should strive for some semblence of fairness, and that everyone should pay something as a way to realize that their participation in society is not free.  I don't care if it is $100 per year.  Needs testing social services should be mandatory. I also think the government should stay the hell out of your personal business unless they can demonstrate you are harming someone else.  Still further, I think people shouldn't be penalized for being producers in the economy, at least not at rates that are way over the top, like they are now.  I don't mind paying my taxes, I just don't want to pay for 10 other people as well.

I have many positions that don't fall into categories such as republican, democrat, or libertarian.  But I most closely resemble a libertarian.  That being said,  I haven't adopted any political parties platform as my own, and I likely won't in the future.


I realize this may not help you categorize me, but if you had read what I had wrote, you would understand that 'social darwinist' was a mis-representation of who I am.
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