Capitalism - Feudalism without the Kings
Tax the Rich

Website Wednesday

OK I’ll bring a note from my mom, but I really, really did try to post a movie review on Monday. I was even logging into this site when the shit hit the fan - figuratively. You see I wasn’t at home, nor was I on my computer; and I forgot the damn password. Well, I remembered the password, just not the order of the words. I gave it three tries before I quit because I know that come computers “freeze” if you take too many potshots (what does that word mean?) in password tries. It’s probably a good security measure since the computer starts thinking: Just who is this bozo trying to access this site?, but I didn’t want to mess up a friend's computer. Which was probably a good idea because I spent the hour watching Jerry and Tom before the kids got home early from school. Unfortunately, I had to leave it before the ending (definitely not suitable for kids) but that’s one good movie.

Today, I’m about to prepare a “cheat” sheet for the boy’s social studies test on the southern US states. No, he’s not going to write the answers on his palm. He’s having an extensive test on these states on Friday and the study guide came home yesterday. It’s a half page sheet of topics; beauties like: explain the significance of the Missouri Compromise and discuss the origin of jazz. JHC! Now remember that this kid is in 4th grade. The significance of the Missouri Compromise! The origin of jazz! Even got the hubby to say this time: His teacher’s a moron! We have been studying for this test for about a month now; identifying the states, going over the pages in the text (I question, he answers.) As with the last states test, when the study guide finally gets home, I prepare all the information in short paragraphs and we repeat the question/answer sessions for the next three days.

As the girl pointed out at the last such test: We were making poster boards for those topics when I was in the 4th grade. I wonder if teachers in NJ even know or care that 9-year-olds are not high schoolers or even middle school kids. There cognitive skills are developing. This is the time to teach them how to learn; not zing them into frustration.

Enough said. But I’m typing really fast because this task looms large. What did we do before the Internet?

http://www.toptenz.net/top-10-civilizations-that-mysteriously-disappeared.php

In keeping with my “the world is going to hell” ennui (Those poor people in Japan!), the above site is another one of my favorite of favorites: lists. This selection gives you civilizations which have disappeared and what’s really neat is that clicking on the hyperlinks within the sections brings you to more related lists. Now, I haven’t done any research to see if all their facts and conclusions are right but I do recognize these peoples who have disappeared. Well, most of them since I never heard of the Aksumite Empire in Ethiopia. Wow! Take a look at the edifice they left.

Of course, this site is not only known for erudition, so click on the main site:

http://www.toptenz.net/

and be greeted by the current first entry: Top 10 Beautiful Athletes Who Posed for Playboy or, just two down from this one: Top 10 Reformed Porn Stars. But don’t be put off by frivolity; there's a lot more on this site dealing with educating and entertaining.

So go take a look. I bet it'll produce more learning that this stupid social studies test will. Got to go, the Missouri Compromise awaits me. See you next Wednesday.